When Tempted downed race favourite Ka Ying Rising to win the $20million ATC TAB Everest at Randwick last Saturday, she took on the mantle of best sprinter on the planet and is the pride of the Australian breeding industry, but how much Aussie blood is flowing in those veins?
A homebred for Godolphin, Tempted is by US bred shuttle sire Street Boss (USA), who is one of the best sire sons of Godolphin’s Dubai World Cup winner Street Cry.
Street Boss has been hugely influential for Godolphin in Australia giving them Australian Horse of the Year Anamoe and also Champion 3YO Colt Tentyris, with both stallions standing on their roster in the Hunter Valley.
Tempted is from fast Group winning juvenile Calliope, who was also bred by Godolphin and is by their champion sire Exceed and Excel.
While Exceed and Excel was bred here in Australia, he is by the legendary shuttle sire Danehill (USA) from US bred import Patrona (USA), so no Aussie bloodlines involved with him.
Calliope was bred by Godolphin from Melpomene, an Australian bred mare they purchased from Inglis Easter as a yearling all the way back in 2007 for $825,000. She was by their shuttle sire Elusive Quality (USA) from VRC Oaks winner Bulla Borghese, who was by another shuttle sire in Belong to Me (USA).
The dam of Bulla Borghese was NZ bred Fionnay, who goes straight back along a tail NZ female family all the way back to the early 1900s.
So while Tempted might be the darling of Australian racing and bloodstock, her pedigree is a testament to what shuttle stallions can bring to the mix and how a tough Kiwi female family can remain relevant in the 21st century.
