Tropical Cyclone Alfred may have thrown a spanner in the works for Queensland breeders forcing the delay of the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, but with clear skies and a chance to regroup, the sale will proceed next Monday and Tuesday with half a dozen yearlings by Prince Fawaz well worth inspection.
Winner of the Group I BRC JJ Atkins at two, Prince Fawaz is a son of legendary sire of sires Fastnet Rock, who has left a remarkable 10 sire sons that have produced a Group I winner – Hinchinbrook, Foxwedge, Smart Missile, Atlante, El Roca, Merchant Navy, Rothesay, Stryker, The Bold One and Wanted.
He comes from an elite Group I producing female family with his dam Lady Paget being a half-sister to Group I winner/ Group I sire Casino Prince and to the dam of Champion 2YO Colt Best of Bordeaux, who just finished his second season at stud for Coolmore in the Hunter Valley.
Given all the positives for Prince Fawaz in terms of pedigree and race performance, you can see why this Oaklands Stud based value sire looms as a genuine prospect to add his name to the list of Fastnet Rock sire sons to achieve G1 success at stud.
Standing at a modest fee of $11,000 in his first two seasons, Prince Fawaz has had four runners so far that include the Lee Freedman trained filly Idyllic Affair, who won in good style at Eagle Farm on February 1 after a debut second at Doomben.
Idyllic Affair was set to target the $500,000 Aquis Jewel last Saturday, but unfortunately was withdrawn from the race due to a minor injury.
“Lee Freedman really likes the filly and has always said he thinks she will be a far better three year-old and with that in mind she has gone to the paddock for now,” said part-owner Robert Kelly, who bred and races Idyllic Affair in partnership and is also a shareholder in her sire Prince Fawaz.
“He rang us last week with the news and of course it is very frustrating. She knocked a leg and it’s very minor, but we all believe she could be a good horse so we’re taking care of her.”
Freedman likens Idyllic Affair to what he saw back in the day from the first progeny of her grand-sire Danehill (USA) and while he initially knew very little about Prince Fawaz has now been converted.
“There’s a lot of Danehill about her and he’s (Prince Fawaz) by Fastnet Rock. I loved her at the sales and was lucky in that she passed in and then the stud told the owners that I liked her and they approached me to train her,” Freedman said.
“We didn’t really think the sire would get a two year-old, but she put her hand up. They (Prince Fawaz) are very nice horses and a bit under-rated I think.”
Also showing promise is the filly Cascia, who has had two seconds from her past three starts and is overdue for a win.
Prince Fawaz has six yearlings entered for the Gold Coast next week:
Lot 27 Filly Prince Fawaz x Say Cavallo – Alexia Fraser Bloodstock
Second foal of a winning half-sister to stakes-winner Top Knight and is from the family of Group winners Dynamic Love and Matchmaker with her third dam the amazing producer Huntington Girl, the dam of 14 winners from 15 runners!
Lot 42 Colt Prince Fawaz x So You Believe – Figtree Thoroughbreds
Third foal of an unraced So You Think mare from the family of stakes-winners Outback Barbie, Hi Barbie, Barbie’s Sister, Pure Purrfection, Global Warming and She’s Purring. First two foals from the dam are both winners with Better Acres (3f Better Than Ready) winning a QTIS maiden by nearly four lengths after catalogue went to print.
Lot 150 Colt Prince Fawaz x Cadet Roni (USA) – Figtree Thoroughbreds
Half-brother to stakes-winner Russian Roni from imported stakes-winner Cadet Roni, who has had three winners from four foals to race and this is her fifth foal. Cadet Roni traces in tail female line to legendary matriarch Best in Show, whose descendants include champion sire Redoute’s Choice.
Lot 158 Colt Prince Fawaz x Chill – Figtree Thoroughbreds
First foal of a Sydney metro winner Chill, who broke her maiden at Randwick in a race that included G1 winner Yearning and G2 winner Mokolua. From the family of Group I winners Hotel Grand and Outback Prince and Group II winner Scott Base. Chill carries two lines of the Thong family, the most successful cross with Fastnet Rock. This is a similar pattern to smart Prince Fawaz 2yo winner Idyllic Affair.
Lot 263 Filly Prince Fawaz x Kev’s Babe – Oaklands Stud
Fourth foal of a winning daughter of Group II winner Superior Star from the family of Group I winner Mr Sandgroper and last week’s Group II SAJC Adelaide Cup winner Silent Surrente.
Lot 288 Colt Prince Fawaz x Legende Bleue (GB) – Staghurst Farm
Half-brother to four winners from an elite international Black Type family and is bred on the revered Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick that has produced 30 stakes-winners and 11 are G1winners with the nick running at 18.6% SW to runner.
