It’s been a weekend of mixed fortune for Golden Slipper winning sire Farnan with the retirement of one G1 contender and the emergence of another, but the overall picture is one of blue sky.
Four year-old Farnan gelding Ninja had only one attempt at G1 company last season when fifth in the Group I ATC Randwick Guineas won by Sheza Alibi and indicated he was set for a big spring when returning at Randwick on Saturday to win the Group II ATC Missile Stakes in race record time, read about him here.
Earlier on Saturday morning, his trainer Michael Freedman confirmed on radio that his other star performer by Farnan, the filly Profoundly had gone amiss and was headed to stud.
She took giant strides last autumn to win the Group III ATC Adrian Knox Stakes before running second in the Group I ATC Australian Oaks.
Profoundly had one barrier trial last month in preparation for spring, but pulled up sore after a gallop last week with a suspensory injury curtailing her career.
Michael Freedman has done well with the progeny of Farnan and may well have another star on the rise by the Vinery Stud base sire in Castillo King.
The promising colt bolted in with a midweek maiden last month and was seen at the trials last week with a tick over gallop to keep him up to the mark.
Castillo King holds an entry for the Group I ATC Golden Rose and is not short of pedigree being a grand-son of Unearthly, who won the Group I ATC Flight Stakes in 2003.
With his oldest progeny just turned four, Farnan has sired 60 winners of over $8million including five stakes-winners with Ninja the headliner.
By champion sire Not a Single Doubt from a daughter of another champion sire in Street Cry (IRE), Farnan is priced at $77,000 this spring.
