It's the best race in Queensland and the Group I BRC Stradbroke (1400m) features a full field this year and the likelihood of a heavy track - just to make the punter's dilemma even trickier - but it's the challenge we love to hate!
Click here for Straddie history - from 1890 until today.
The 1,400 metre race and track record (before Eagle Farm was reconstructed in 2014) is 1:20.2 - established by the flying machine Toledo in 1998, but they won't be threatening that this year, as we are faced with the first genuinely wet track since the mighty Santa Ana Lane strode to victory in 2018.
Think About It, that magnificent son of So You Think was the last sprinter to complete the Kingsford Smith Cup – Stradbroke Handicap double and before him it was Thorn Park in 2004. These were truly great horses.
Is this year's KS Cup winner Headley Grange in that league? No, as good a galloper as Joe Pride's son of Exosphere is, he's not in their class.
Therefore, despite his love of wet tracks and his good draw, I'm leaving Headley out of my top four - though I am sure he'll run very well.
On the other hand, placegetters and horses running on in the Kingsford Smith have a far better record in the Straddie.
Jimmystar's gone home to rest up for the spring, but Fangirl (Sebring), Jimmy’s stablemate Another Wil (Street Boss), Transatlantic ( Snitzel) and most of the other Stradbroke contenders put in good lead up runs (Fangirl exceptional) - apart from Sepals (Calyx), King Of Roseau (Capitalist) and last year's 40/1 runner up Yellow Brick (The Mission), none of whom seemed to enjoy the soft 5 conditions.
Should one of these or another runner be scratched, the well fancied and well related Waller colt Sixties ( Flying Artie) will gain a run, to the delight of many who've already rolled the dice and backed him.
Before Stefi Magnetica romped to her famous victory, the last three year old Stradbroke winner was Lonhro's son Impending in 2017.
Already safely in the field and well in the market is three year old gelding Regal Award (Ole Kirk), who won the Fred Best Classic last start and placed to future G1 winner Panova in Melbourne last spring.
But let's get to Fangirl. What a great mare the daughter of Sebring is, and how privileged are we racing fans to witness two genuine queens of the turf - Fangirl and Pride Of Jenni, in action on the same day?
Fangirl is shooting for G1 win number five, and to be successful she will have to equal a weight carrying record that has stood for almost 130 years. Sheesh, that's daunting. 56.5kg was the weight carried by the well named Sweetheart to victory in the Stradbroke of 1899.
Bella Nipotina carried 56kg in the 2024 Stradroke, when she ran second to Stefi Magnetica. The mighty daughter of Pride Of Dubai went on to win The Everest.
Seventeen mares have won the Stradbroke in its long history and since the year 2000 none has carried more than 54.5kg ( Tofane in 2021)
So this is a huge ask. Fangirl will share Stradbroke topweight with Private Eye, Rothfire and Another Wil.
For all that, it’s not actually a matter of gender - because since the freak Rough Habit blasted to glory under 58.5kg in 1992, no horse at all has won this race carrying more than 56kg. That’s the weight Show A Heart had on his back in 2002.
The two champs, Fangirl and J Mac will be hoping for the rain to stop, because Eagle Farm has gone to a heavy 8 at time of writing. However, soft ground is certainly a plus for the mare. She just doesn't want a bog track.
Other genuine chances for the fairer sex loom courtesy of the G2 Victory Stakes heroine Splash Back ( Le Havre) dropping to just 52kg, as is Rothy's stablemate Abounding ( Rich Enuff) - and the impressive Doomben 10,000 runner up Spicy Martini (Justify) who will carry the featherweight of 51kg, well treated indeed as a last start G1 WFA placegetter!
The chances come from everywhere. G1 Goodwood winners have got a pretty decent record in this race - that's the remarkable Kiwi Desert Lightning ( Pride Of Dubai) , fourth in last year's Stradbroke.
Joe Pride's gallant campaigner Estadio Mestalla ( Galileo Gold) gets the Blinkers on, flies third up and loves a soft track. He drops from 61 to 53kg off his gutsy fourth in the Luskin Star, and has form around some good horses including his stablemate Headley Grange. He’s definitely not just making up the numbers in this. Now a seven year old, this horse has run some great races on wet tracks carrying huge weights - he's going to feel like someone fitted him with a pair of wings with just 53.5 to carry!
Then there's the talented Warnie (Highland Reel) - another for Ciaron Maher, who has drawn the inside gate - will that be a blessing or a curse late in the day? Another that’s in form and well weighted.
Cliff Brown will be hoping for a big form turnaround from Sepals, but the wily trainer also saddles up roughie Von Hauke, who is bred Savabeel x O'Reilly - a pedigreeccombo frequently seen in wet track winners, particularly in QLD. This in-form horse has never raced on heavy ground, If it happened to stay in that heavy 8 range or deteriorate further he could be a real smokey with just 53kg to carry this time.
Who's left?
Tuned ( Zoustar) for the Archibalds - good horse on the rise, a swimmer but some query for me in a high pressure 1400m race that’s going to feel more like a mile.
Then the emergencies - the abovementioned Sixties, local Payline ( Shooting To Win) for the Munces, Weiwal ( Shalaa), Cifrado (Encryption) and three year old colt Skyhook ( Written Tycoon) who is unlikely to get a run but I do hope we see him back here next year, because he strikes me as a perfect Stradbroke type of horse!
In Praise Of Rothfire
It might be his last race, so let’s pause to appreciate Rothy - this absolute ripper of a thoroughbred.
There was Bernborough - The Toowoomba Tornado!
There was Gunsynd - The Goondiwindi Grey!
There was even Our Boy Malachi (third in a Stradbroke) - The Rockhampton Rocket!
Now there’s Rothfire - The Thriller From Chinchilla!
The fairytale story of the 8YO, injury-plagued, dual G1 winning son of Rothesay has been well documented, suffice to say the fact that he is heading into this race in some of the best form of his career is a testament to this uniquely brave and talented galloper and to the love and care of trainer Rob Heathcote and his many adoring owners.
This will be start number 45 for the crowd favourite, who was a sale reject and has now earned over $5.8 million.
Heathcote has won thirteen G1s and has gone agonisingly close to winning the Stradbroke on four occasions thanks to stable warhorses Buff and Rothy ( both placed twice). The rain has come to enhance Rothfire’s hopes and if the old boy salutes there will be uproarious cheers - and happy tears.
Well here's my spin of the roulette wheel!
Top Pick: DESERT LIGHTNING
The race has got the feel of a potential upset brewing this year and I’m going that way with Des.
This is a year of warhorses - Rothy and Private Eye, you would definitely say Fangirl is a “war mare”, Estadio Mestalla has earned his stripes (even if he doesn't wear as many as the big guns do) - the tried and true.
I keep thinking back to Desert Lightning in this race last year. He was held up in the straight and still came on strong to run on into fourth. That was coming back from 1500m (when he was second under 61kg to Transatlantic, who carried 56) and it was on a very firm track, not his preference.
That was also before the son of Pride Of Dubai became a G1 1200m winner at the age of six, a rare feat he achieved with his gutsy victory in The Goodwood two starts ago.
On a wet track there, his turn of foot was not dulled- rather he produced an electrifying finishing burst and hung tough to prevail in a thrilling drive to the post in which horses were coming from everywhere.
It was a long time between G1 drinks for Desert Lightning, who collected his first major over a mile back home in NZ, when he claimed the TAB Classic at Trentham in 2023.
But this redoubtable Kiwi campaigner has won and placed in stakes races in Australia and NZ at 1200, 1400, 1500, 1600, 2000 and 2100m. He even won his first start at 1100m!
The Pride Of Dubai's - how good, how versatile and durable they can be. It was a headlining double act for the sire when Pride Of Jenni brought the fans to their feet with her brilliant all the way win in the G2 Hollindale Stakes, on the same day Desert Lightning graduated into the G1 sprinting ranks in Adelaide.
Can a repeat performance by the dynamic duo unfold on Stradbroke Day, I don't see why not.
Raced by Barneswood Farm’s Sarah Green and Ger Beemsterboer, Desert Lightning carries their renowned tangerine and white colours, and was trained in NZ by the now retired Peter and Dawn Williams. He became a stable star for them.
The gelding was purchased by the Williams for $150,000 at Karaka from the draft of Little Avondale Stud.
A G1 winner and twice G1 placed (all at a mile), Desert Lightning also won the $1 million Aotearoa Classic and $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO Classic at that trip in his homeland, and stretched out to win the G2 Avondale Guineas at 2100m.
Transferred across the ditch into the stable of Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, he has become a stalwart big race performer in Australia, and the trainers have discovered that he likes to be kept fresh, rather than be conditioned for longer trips.
“He's an older gelding – normally they're the quiet ones that know their job and they don't cause too much fuss” said Coleman, after Desert Lightning’s run to Goodwood glory.
“ Well, he carries on out there like a two year old colt most mornings and upsets other horses on the track, and bounces around the stable.
“He's a horse that everyone in the stable just loves.”
His 33 starts to date have seen the effervescent Desert Lightning record 8 wins, 5 seconds and 4 thirds for earnings of more than $2.2 million.
The gelding was bred by German native Wessel Van der Scheer under the Mahoenui Partnership banner and is out of the unraced High Chaparral mare Isstoora.
Isstoora has been a brilliant producer!
Desert Lightning was the first foal from the mare and is a half brother to quality sprinter Oak Hill ( Per Incanto) whose eight wins include the Gr.2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m). He was runner up to Uncommon James in the G2 Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm last Saturday for the Hayes stable.
Isstoora was one of five foals produced by her juvenile stakes winning dam Murjana (by the legendary Giant's Causeway) and is a half sister to Zumooroodah ( Encosta De Lago ) who spent time at stud in Japan. All but one of her five Australian bred foals ( all colts) are winners. Her sole daughter Navadir (Deep Impact) was foaled in Japan but is at stud in Australia.
Murjana died in 2023 and left only two daughters.
Murjana was foaled by the regally bred Twyla ( Danehill), three quarter sister to Redoute's Choice, half sister to his mum, the breedshaping matriarch Shantha's Choice and to the elite producer Show Dancing ( dam of Al Maher, grand dam of Golden Slipper heroine Marhoona), and to to the fine sires Umatilla and Hurricane Sky. Another half sister Makarova ( Thunder Gulch) founded a good family.
No need to sing the praises of the globally dominant Best In Show tribe!
Desert Lightning is bred
Danehill 3f x 4f
Northern Dancer 5m x 4m, 6m,6m,6m
It’s such an interesting pedigree.
What is especially interesting ( as outlined in Breednet’s Value Sires story on Pride Of Dubai this week!) - the sire doesn’t respond all that favourably to sex balancing Danehill via directly crossing to daughters of Danehill sons, but he does like to meet him in further removes.
His two G1 winners – Bella Nipotina and Desert Lightning – which do have double Danehill, have him 3 x 5.
Also, Desert Lightning’s damsire High Chaparral is Pride of Dubai's top nick - no surprise as he had a champion half brother in South Africa by the sire!
The sex balanced Almahmoud factor (Halo x 2 via daughters, Danehill, Machiavellian himself) is strong.
Street Cry is from the same damline as Darshaan's sire Shirley Heights by Mill Reef ( Never Bend) and Street Cry's ancestress is by Never Bend son Riverman - Sadler's Wells brings the line of his three quarter brother Bold Reason,both sons of Blue Hen Lalun.
Murjana's sire Giant's Causeway and her Best In Show damline bring powerpacked genetics - Storm Bird, Secretariat and Sir Gaylord (Somethingroyal) Blushing Groom, Roberto, Nijinsky, Sir Gaylord, Traffic Judge and more. None of these breedshaping individuals are present in Pride Of Dubai and thus have a galvanising effect on him.
On the other hand, the damlines of Pride of Dubai and High Chaparral boast many similarities with lines of Djebel, Rockefella ( relation of Danzig and Pride Of Dubai himself) and the Asterus daughter Astronomie carried in High Chap via her sons Marsyas and Arbar - Pride of Dubai descends from a daughter of the stallion Ardan, out of the Asterus daughter Adargatis who is a close relation of La Troienne - many duplications of her family on both sides of the pedigree.
Tom Rolfe, carried by Machiavellian, meets his half brother Chieftain in Giant's Causeway, creating duplication of Blue Hen Pocahontas.
Has it really been 12 years since proud Queenslander Pete Moody and his mare Mid Summer Music spoiled Buffering's party to take the Stradbroke? It seems like yesterday.
Moods and jockey Luke Nolen both agreed they got it slightly wrong for the Kingsford Smith, the main point being that Desert Lightning was a bit soft in condition and peaked on his run. He was also third up - statistically the weakest point in a preparation for him.
The last real “roughie” to win the Stradbroke was River Lad back in 2014 at 30/1 ( he beat 25/1 Temple Of Boom).
Having said that, plenty of longshots have been in the money since then - The Virginian 80/1, Super Cash 30/1, Madam Rouge 50/1 and many more (including a number of winners!) at double figures. Last year Yellow Brick was runner up at 40/1. Desert Lightning is a far classier horse than any of these and I reckon is over the odds for sure!
Des and Luke will launch their Stradbroke tilt from barrier 5
Next Best: FANGIRL
Another beloved fan favourite - why can't they all win? It’s going to take something very special if the aptly named Fangirl is to crown her glittering career with a weight carrying record in the Stradbroke. But she is a very special mare.
Now a seven year old, the Waller-trained daughter of Sebring unleashed her brilliant turn of foot to come from near last and go down by half a length when third in the Kingsford Smith. Of course the winner gets the weight turnaround here - but class is class.
This is Fangirl's third career start in a handicap and the first in a long time. At four she was well beaten in an Epsom on heavy ground and two lengths sixth to Mr Brightside on an even heavier track in the Doncaster. But that was three years ago, and she's grown and strengthened much in this time. Let's not forget she was less than two lengths off Romantic Warrior in the Cox Plate!
Fangirl has wowed us all with her big heart and fighting spirit, and her champion’s record would look even better if not for running into a pretty handy conveyance called Anamoe earlier in her career.
This four time G1 winning turf queen and veteran of 39 starts for winnings of more than $10.8 million has shown she isn't ready to hang up her horseshoes just yet
Fangirl is a homebred for the Ingham family and is bred in the purple, being by champion sire Sebring out of the stakes winning Encosta de Lago daughter Little Surfer Girl.
Hers is the family of 3 x G1 winning mare Special Harmony (Spinning World) in turn a daughter of the great WA broodmare Marooned Lady.
Fangirl is thus closely related to WA turf stars Redwoldt (Karrakatta Plate), King Canute (Perth Cup) and She's Fit (WA Oaks).
This blueblooded family traces to Zanzara (dam of the mighty NZ sire Showdown) and that mare's second dam Democratie is ancestress of Red Ransom, Dubai Destination, Librettist and Agnes World. It's also the illustrious damline of Fangirl's Stradbroke rivals Rothfire and Transatlantic!
Fangirl is bred
Northern Dancer
5f x 4m,5m sex balanced
Mr Prospector 5m,5f x 5f sex balanced
Blue Hen Rolls 4m x 4f sex balanced
Blue Hen Special x5f,5m sex balanced
What a beautifully calibrated pedigree, and boy didn’t it pay off!
J Mac will need all his skill and artistry to guide backmarker Fangirl home, but the great mare won't be intimidated by this challenge - she'll be storming to the line from barrier 11.
Roughie: TRANSATLANTIC
I had this Tony Gollan trained five year old son of the much-missed champion sire Snitzel on top for the Kingsford Smith, and he ran well - just peaking late on his run. Transatlantic is now ready to produce his best third up in a high pressure 1400m.
The gelding was ninth in this race last year ( gaining a run as second emergency) but that was fourth up and dropping back from 1500m where he beat Desert Lightning in the Spear Chief. The Stradbroke run was a lot better than it looks on paper - the horse was stuck on a limb three and four wide for most of the race and was under pressure a long way out, but he fought on doggedly and also struck traffic on his way to the post.
Having drawn gate 17 there's definitely the risk of an unsavoury repeat scenario unfolding this year, but if Transatlantic can take up a more forward position - or even lead - he's going to take some running down, and he loves a wet track!
Transatlantic gave the stable successive wins in the G1 Toorak Hcp with a tough win over Evaporate in the 2025 edition, after Antino had won the race the previous year.
He won and placed in each of his three starts at Doomben as a juvenile and was stakes placed at three, but the beautifully bred colt required the ultimate gear change.
Since being gelded, Transatlantic has won six races including his G1 in Melbourne, the Magic Millions Buffering (1400m) and Listed Spear Chief Stakes (1500m) at this track, and the Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) at Randwick, as well as finishing runner up in stakes races at Flemington, Sandown and Rosehill.
His return in the G2 Victory Stakes on heavy was pleasing, he gets a nice weight drop now and his trainer has a great record in this race.
The patiently handled Transatlantic has built the impressive record of 24 starts for 8 wins and 9 placings, which have earned his connections $2,314,550.
The son of Snitzel was a $360,000 purchase for Tony Gollan Racing, Harbour Equine and John Foote Bloodstock from the Segenhoe draft at the 2022 Inglis Easter Sale. Segenhoe retain an ownership share.
The good looking bay was bred by Go Bloodstock from their top class Darci Brahma mare Gust Of Wind (NZ)
He was the third winner and first stakes winner for his G1 ATC Oaks winning dam, who owns the distinction of being the last horse to defeat the legendary Winx, in that very race.
Gust Of Wind won the Oaks decisively on a wet Randwick track at just her fifth race start for trainer John Sargent. The following spring she ran a great fourth in the Caulfield Cup, then snuck along the rail to briefly look like the winner in the closing stages of Prince Of Penzance's historic Melbourne Cup - she finished sixth.
Gust Of Wind's 2022 filly by I Am Invincible was snapped up by K Yoshida for $1.1 million as an Inglis Easter yearling. Named Sensational Wind, she won and was placed but retired after six starts and has been served by champion Dundeel for her first foal, which will boast a duplication of Zabeel x 2 daughters, and a sex balanced linebreeding to Sadler's Wells. Nice!
Gust Of Wind next delivered a Stay Inside colt, a $220,000 Inglis Easter buy for Irwin Racing from Segenhoe, subsequently passed in when offered by Hannover Lodge at the 2025 Inglis Ready2Race Sale. He is named Storm Seeker and is yet to race.
The mare herself produced a filly to Dundeel who was withdrawn from Inglis Easter this year, before unfortunately missing to the late Wootton Bassett.
Gust Of Wind is now awaiting her next foal by Too Darn Hot.
She was the best foal produced by her stakes placed dam Starrystarrynight (Sadlers's Wells), twice a winner in NZ and Listed placed at The Curragh and a full sister to G1 Irish 1000 Guineas placed filly Starbourne.
Starbourne became grand dam of G1 QLD Oaks runner up Reo (Rubick)
The two Sadler's Wells daughters were out of the unplaced Upper Circle (Shirley Heights), a full sister to the dam of 1996 G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Lady Carla. That filly bolted in the Classic by nine lengths, setting the fourth biggest winning margin in the history of the great race - though to be fair, it was generally regarded as one of the weaker Oaks fields of the era.
This family is that of the great broodmare Zanzara ( Fairey Fulmar) who is Transatlantic's fifth dam. Her G1 winning son Showdown became a highly influential sire in Australia, and Gust Of Wind descends from his half sister Cammina by Hornbeam.
This family (a branch of 6-b) descends from the French-bred Democratie by the great sire Epinard, and is that of the Epsom Oaks winners Scintillate and Juliette Marny, as well as the great international sire Red Ransom and our home grown champion Zeditave.
Dubai Destination, Agnes World and Librettist are all descendants of Democratie - as is the ageless 2026 Doomben 10,000 hero Rothfire!!
The great Zabeel forged a powerful nick with this family through Zeditave and Showdown.
A good example is Cox Plate winner and champion sire Ocean Park by Thorn Park ( third dam by Showdown) out of a Zabeel mare.
Transatlantic's dam Gust Of Wind carries the cross which is given an extra boost by her damsire, Darci Brahma, a descendant of the treasured NZ family tracing back to the imported King's Stand Stakes winning mare Easter Bride.
She was sired by Epinard's fine son Emir d'Iran, a close relative of the great French sire Teddy - this is also the family of Gainsborough.
Transatlantic's sixth dam Sunright was sired by Gainsborough son Solario and was out of Democratie.
Snitzel brings two lines of Lunchtime - sex balanced to both Solario and Teddy, and out of a mare by Hornbeam who sired Transatlantic's ancestress Cammina. The dam of Snippets was sex balanced to Teddy's sire Ajax and carried his greatest daughter La Troienne.
Transatlantic is bred
Danehill 3m x 3m
Northern Dancer 5m,5m x 5m,5m
Danehill’s brilliant Kiwi bred sprinting son Darci Brahma is also the damsire of G1 winning sprinter miler Pier (stakes placed at Doomben and Eagle Farm) who was sired by another fabulous member of the “Bride” family, Proisir.
Another G1 winner out of a Darci Brahma mare is the 2023 Coolmore Stud Stakes hero Ozzmosis ( Zoustar)
Both these horses carry the double male Danehill inbreeding pattern which appears in Transatlantic, and Snitzel also enjoys a doubling of Danehill sons, with two of his most dynamic G1 performers Lady Shenandoah and Cambridge Stud's boom sire Sword Of State carrying the cross.
Other notable factors in the pedigree of Transatlantic:
Blue Hens Special and Lalun are both sex balanced in Gust Of Wind. The damsire of Snippets, Grand Chaudiere, was from the family of Lalun while his La Troienne daughter Baby League sex balances Lalun's damsire Bimelech, son of La Troienne.
Redoute's Choice carries Baby League's son Mr Busher and Danehill brings the La Troienne daughter Businesslike, the ancestress of his second damsire Buckpasser.
War Relic's tail male line via In Reality ( bred 4m x 4f to that sire) is key for Snitzel - Darci Brahma provides his grandson Vice Regal, who carries the Discovery son Whistling Wind. Snitzel's third dam A Realgirl sex balances the pattern with two Discovery daughters.
Redoute's brings a Relic daughter through his damsire Bletchingly.
The duplicated Danzig and Bletchingly in Snitzel meet their relation Rockefella, who sired Darci Brahma's ancestress Easter Rock.
The family of Cinna, who appears via her son Beau Pere in Danehill and Canny Lad, is that of Darci Brahma's second damsire Vice Regal who was also sex balanced to this Blue Hen.
This pedigree also features linebreeding to Sir Ivor and to Blue Hens Special ( sex balanced in Gust Of Wind, she is missing from the pedigree of Snitzel and is a favoured nick), Lavendula ( via son Ambiorix in Snitzel and daughters Source Sucree (dam of Turn-To) and Perfume (dam of My Babu, to whom Gust Of Wind is bred x 2f)
Tommy Berry will be legged aboard Transatlantic and has won on him before. The dynamic due will take flight from barrier 17.
Blowout: SPLASH BACK
I suppose Desert Lightning should be the “blowout”, but good odds are likely to be available for this lovely French-bred six year old mare, who won the G2 Victory Stakes comfortably on the heavy, and then was running on nicely in the Kingsford Smith to finish just behind the placegetters.
The Grahame Begg trained Splash Back now drops to 52kg, is a winner up to 1500m and has great closing speed in her races.
Purchased for €100,000 from the 2021 Arqana October Yearling Sale by Arthur Hoyeau and John Foote, Splash Back never raced in her homeland.
She had her first start in Australia for owners the Ronball syndicate as a four year old, and was initially trained as a mile / middle distance type, for this is what her pedigree indicates - but it turns out 1600 is as far as the classy daughter of Le Havre wants to go.
From 21 starts her record stands at 8 wins and 4 placings for earnings of $739,170.
Grahame Begg saddled up his very first very G1 winner in Queensland thirty six years ago, when Eye Of The Sky won the Doomben Cup. The master trainer hasn't had a winner at the top level in QLD since then.
Can Splash break the drought?
Splash Back is a half sister to the G2 GB Park Hill Stakes (14.5f) winning Galileo daughter Into The Magic - who has produced her own winner of the race, Nakheel (Dubawi)
They are daughters of the G2 winning, multiple G1 placed Danehill Dancer mare Tamazirte.
Her dam Tanami Desert was by the G1 Middle Park Stakes winning Mr Prospector son Lycius, who shuttled to Australia for one season in 1999, out of Tanami ( Green Desert) a half sister to G1 producer Wannabe ( Shirley Heights) out of Propensity by Habitat.
Next dam Kalamac ( Kalamoun) was a daughter of the US- bred Tarmac by Native Dancer's little-seen son Takawalk, a half brother to Blue Hen Sly Pola - ancestress of Green Dancer, Soviet Lad, Makfi, Authorised, Alhaarth and Grey Dawn - out of the Hyperion mare Scarlet Oak.
This regal and Classic family traces to Woodlark ( Bois Roussel), daughter of studbook matriarch Aurora by Hyperion ( family 1-w)
Woodlark is half sister to the legendary quartet of half brothers and breedshaping broodmare sires Alycidon, Borealis, Agricola and Acropolis.
Splash Back is bred
Northern Dancer 4f x 5m,6m, 5m sex balanced
Danzig x 4m,5m
Her G1 winning sire Le Havre died in 2022, just weeks after being retired from stud duties.
An Irish-bred son of Blushing Groom's champion Noverre ( three quarter brother to Arazi), Le Havre's dam was a half sister to the great sprinter Polar Falcon, sire of Pivotal.
Le Havre's damline is that of Blue Hen Barley Corn (8-c), ancestress of Arc hero Sassafras and a half sister to the ancestress of Last Tycoon.
Le Havre was a most elegant near black horse and Splash Back is like him in type, but is “splashed” with far more white than her sire who carried just a coronet band.
Her grandsire Noverre was a top class miler, placing in nine G1 races and winning one of them, the Sussex Stakes.
His son Le Havre was bred to be a great filly sire, and so he proved to be.
Although a G1 Classic winner, the stallion wasn't seen as a particularly commercial stud prospect - Noverre had failed to live up to lofty expectations in that department, and ended up in India.
Le Havre's first crop produced the dual G1 winner Avenir Certain and she was followed by Villa Marina, Quisisana and La Cressonniere, all French Classic winners.
In all, Le Havre left 15 stakes winners, five of them G1.
Apart from the above fillies there was Wonderful Tonight, winner of the 2020 British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes and another Prix de l’Opera for her sire, and the Shadwell Turf Mile winner Suedois.
Le Havre's progeny have been seen to advantage in Australia, with sons Auvray, Harbour Views and Eliyass winning multiple stakes races here.
Splash Back is his first black type winning daughter in Australia.
She carries the familiar linebreeding to blue Hen Almahmoud via Danehill and Halo
Native Dancer is sex balanced in Noverre's dam, and he descends from a daughter of Raise A Native.
Danehill provides the double of Native Dancer's greatest daughter Natalma, whilexDanehill Dancer's dam carried two Native Dancer sons, Atan and Dancer's Image.
Splash Back's damlines to Mr Prospector son Lycius, who sex balances Raise A Native, and to the little known Native Dancer son Takawalk - a classy short course sprinter in France who ended up in Japan - are key.
The Tom Fool son Tompion sired Le Havre's third damsire Blue Tom, also a G1 winning sprinter in France from the family of Ben Brush - the broodmare sireline of War Admiral, also carried by Native Dancer and doubled in Natalma - with yet another line added by Danzig.
Green Desert and Habitat are important here, with the first directly tracing to a War Admiral daughter and the second inbred to the family through his dam.
This also ties in beautifully with Blushing Groom's close relation Khaled, who sired champion Swaps - his daughter Iron Reward was by Beau Pere out of Iron Maiden by War Admiral - Green Desert descends from Tulle, by War Admiral out of Iron Reward's half sister Judy Rae by Beau Pere.
The dam of Splash Black is linebred to Blue Hen Khara via half sisters Savage Beauty, grand dam of Habitat and Little Sphinx grand dam of Dancer's Image. Khara is from the family of Nearco, and his daughter Noorani was the dam of Charlottesville who appears in the damlines of Le Havre.
Le Havre also has the influential Nijinsky son Isle De Bourbon tucked away in further removes and he is a relation of Lycius carried by Splash Back's dam - as well as the great German sire Dschingus Khan (multiple lines of the 4-r family) - his second damsire Allgau was by Ortello - another of his sons was Torbido, and his daughter Sylvan is Splash Back's direct ancestress.
Champion hoop and noted mare whisperer Craig Williams jumps aboard Splash Back, and is shooting for his third Stradbroke win having ridden Sniper's Bullet in 2007 and Tofane in 2021.
Splashy and Willo will jump from barrier 12.
