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Rising Northern Hemisphere Star for Ghaiyyath

Tara Madgwick - Saturday Dec 20

As we come to the end of 2025, the stallion sitting on top of the Australian Second Season Sires table is Ghaiyyath (IRE) and one of his promising three year-olds in the Northern Hemisphere this year is Opera Ballo, a commanding winner of the Group II Al Rashidiya (1m1f) at Meydan overnight.

Purchased as a yearling at the Arqana Deauville August Sale by Godolphin for €600,000, Opera Ballo is trained by Charlie Appleby and headed to Dubai with four wins and a second from his previous six starts.

Twice a Listed winner in the UK in May and July, Opera Ballo could be one of those horses that blossom during a working winter break in Dubai and gave notice of that with this sparkling win.

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Ridden by William Buick, Opera Ballo started a short priced favourite and surged right away from his Godolphin stablemates Nations Pride and First Conquest to win as he pleased.

Opera Ballo 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 one of nine stakes-winners worldwide for Ghaiyyath, who shuttled to Darley Victoria for four seasons, but did not come to Australia this spring.

The champion so of Dubawi has yearlings to be offered in Australia in 2026 with Inglis Premier featuring 17 if his stock.

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