OAKLANDS STUD BREEDS NZ LISTED GUINEAS PRELUDE WINNER SOPHIA BABE
17/12/2009
DARLING Downs Oaklands Stud is again in the news courtesy of breeding one of New Zealand’s promising young stayers.
Sophia Babe, a three-year-old filly by Iglesia, won the Listed Guineas Prelude over 2100 metres at Ellerslie on December 12 when having her first run for six weeks.
It is rare for an Australian-bred to figure among stayers across the Tasman, but Oaklands Stud principal Neville Stewart points out that Sophia Babe is from a prominent New Zealand family.
”We bred Sophia Babe’s dam Heightened from one of our lovely old mare Triana Heights, a Sir Tristram mare whose grand-dam was a sister to Battle Heights,” Stewart said.
Triana Heights, who is 21 and the dam of a two month old filly by Chateau Istana, is a three-quarter sister to Mapperley Heights and the dam of Sky Heights, two Group 1 members of the family that now also includes Weekend Hussler.
Heightened (by Ashkalani), who did not have a foal this season, is in foal to Chateau Istana, whose oldest progeny are yearlings.
Oaklands Stud sold Sophia Babe as a weanling for $8,000.
”I had her marked on my list as a leggy, immature filly but with scope.” Stewart added.
The word from New Zealand is that Sophia Babe is still quite green but with undeniable ability.
She was beaten on debut last season as a two-year-old, beaten in a photo by subsequent Group 1 and 2 winners Eileen Dubb and King’s Ransom – and has now won at her past two starts.
Excerpts from The Courier-Mail 17.12.09 “Bloodstock” by Peter Howard
