Best On Breeding

At the Melbourne Spring Carnival two year’s ago, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott took the wraps off a future topliner in Invincible Star in the Group III VRC Ottawa Stakes and they will be hoping for a similar result when another daughter of I Am Invincible kick-starts her career in Saturday’s $500,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) at Moonee Valley.

At her only public trial, Espaaniyah was slowly away but made up many lengths in the straight in a heat won by her speedy stablemate Evening Slippers.

After opening up an $8 chance in early betting, Espaaniyah is now a $4 equal favourite with Biscara who has an excellent chance of opening the winning account of her sire Rubick. After being cannoned around like a pinball when making her career debut in the Inglis Debutant Stakes, Biscara ran on gamely to finish second behind the impressive Spirit Of Boom filly Champagne Boom. (Note: Rubick as two runners in the opening race at Canterbury on Friday night)

Carrying the green and white silks of Emirates Park, Espaaniyah (pictured as a yearling) was a $750,000 purchase out of the Tyreel Stud draft at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

She is the second foal of the Flying Spur mare Catalonia who began her own racetrack career promisingly enough when second at Caulfield back in November 2011.

When she still had not broken her maiden six starts later, Darley consigned Catalonia to a tried horse sale at the Magic Millions in January 2013 where she was knocked down to Peter Boyce for $24,000.

Put back into work Catalonia made another 26 starts winning twice at the Sunshine Coast but more importantly earning some valuable black-type when runner-up in a Listed race at Eagle Farm.

In 2015 Catalonia was back in the sales ring again, this time carrying a positive test to More Than Ready (USA) at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale with Tyreel Stud having the final say at $360,000 for the Willow Park Stud consigned mare.

She has proven to be an inspired choice as her More Than Ready (USA) filly foal made $625,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

A year after selling Catalonia, Godolphin parted with Catalonia’s half-sister Pursuits (Lonhro) for $280,000.

Straight off the track, Pursuits had a similar profile to Catalonia.

Despite placing in the Group III Blue Diamond Preview and Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at two, Pursuits took 15 starts to break her maiden, which came at the Sunshine Coast at her penultimate start.

Now owned by Yarraman Park, Pursuits foaled a colt by I Am Invincible on August 23.

While Godolphin devested itself of Catalonia and Pursuits it has kept another half-sister, the Exceed And Excel mare Jorda.

Unlike her half-sisters, Jorda bounced straight out of the box, winning the Listed Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick on debut in what was to be her only start at two.

Back in November last year, Jorda defeated I Am Excited in the Group III VRC Red Roses Stakes to add to placings in the Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes and Group III Thoroughbred Club Stakes.

The trio are daughters of the stakes-placed Viscount mare Montmelo from a family that has served Woodlands and Darley well over the years.

Montmelo is a three-quarter stakes-winner to Listed winner Le Mans (Quest For Fame) and a half-sister to the Night Shift (USA) mare Suzuka whose descendants include the Group III winner Detours (Ad Valorem) and the Group III Danehill Stakes winner and Group 1 Newmarket Handicap third Aichi (Strategic).

Catalonia has a yearling colt by Pride Of Dubai but missed to I Am Invincible last spring.