For the past few months, we have been lauding the inspired decisions of Sheikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s bloodstock agent Tim Stakemire in acquiring the dams of Oohood and Hiyaam relatively cheaply at broodmare sales.
This weeks ‘best on breeding’ is out of another Stakemire purchase but this one was no bargain basement buy.
Back in 2013, Testa Rossa’s Group 1 winning daughter Rostova missed to Fastnet Rock.
Newgate Farm elected to put her on a plane the following August with a planned date with the great Frankel at Juddmonte Farms.
In January 2015, Rostova (pictured ) arrived home carrying a positive test to the undefeated son of Galileo and a few months later was back in the sales ring at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
A Group 1 winner in foal to Frankel does not come cheap and Stakemire needed to shell out $850,000 for the daughter of Testa Rossa.
At the time of the sale, Stakemire said: She’s a quality mare, she proved it on the racetrack and I think she will prove it in the broodmare barn too.
"She’s got a very nice More Than Ready with Gai (Waterhouse) at the moment that is going very well.”
"There’s a Frankel to come, that’s a jewel on top isn’t it.”
The More Than Ready filly Stakemire was alluding to was Prontezza.
A $550,000 yearling, Prontezza proved useful enough to win four races and at the recent Inglis Chairman’s Sale was purchased by Yu Long Investments for $370,000 carrying a positive test to American Pharoah (USA).
Rostova subsequently foaled a colt named Farooq who made a winning debut by six lengths in a 2yo maiden over 1050 metres at a sleepy Sunday meeting at Balaklava on February 25.
The Tony McEvoy-trained colt will need to step it up a notch in Saturday’s Group III Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville where he will meet, among others, his $1.8 million stablemate Al Naifa (Redoute’s Choice x Court by Anabaa) who is a half-sister to Group I ATC All-Aged Stakes winner English (Encosta de Lago).
Morphettville was the scene of Rostova’s biggest success. It came in the 2010 Group 1 SAJC Sportingbet Classic (Robert Sangster Stakes) but she can also boast wins in the Group II VRC Sires' Produce Stakes, Group III MRC Blue Diamond Prelude (F), Listed VRC Schiavello Stakes and Listed MRC Blue Diamond Preview (F) while accumulating prizemoney of $756,475.
Rostova is certainly being given every chance to succeed and stud.
Following the Frankel colt Farooq there is a yearling filly by Fastnet Rock, a weanling colt by Medaglia d’Oro (USA) and she was covered last spring by Snitzel.
