Darley shuttler Ghaiyyath (IRE) had his first Australian winner earlier this week and overnight produced a new stakes-winner in the UK where Godolphin owned colt Opera Ballo won the Listed Heron Stakes (1m)at Sandown.
Purchased as a yearling by Godolphin for €600,000 at Arqana Deauville August , Opera Ballo won his first two starts on the all weather at Kempton in January and February before having a throw at the stumps to finish sixth to Field of Gold in the Group III Craven Stakes.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Opera Ballo took good benefit from that outing and ran out an easy two and a half length winner as favourite.
“He's a work in progress and the engine is there, we just need to fine-tune it a bit,” Buick said.
“The ability and improvement is there and although I do think he'll stay a mile and a quarter, he has a turn of foot and is exuberant so I would stay at a mile for now.”
Opera Ballo has won three of four starts and is a three-quarter brother to stakes-placed Dyptique being the second winner from well bred Invincible spirit mare Dubai Opera, a sibling to Group winners Lockwood and Earnshaw from Group III winner Emily Bronte.
Opera Ballo is the second stakes-winner for Ghaiyyath, who shuttled to Darley Victoria for four seasons, but is not coming to Australia this spring.
