Tuesday 28 July 2009
CONDUIT proved himself to be among the very best middle distance performers in the world with his scintillating win in Ascot’s King George on Saturday. The progressive four-year-old had already picked up a pair of top-level wins in 2008 when taking Classic honours in the St Leger and crossing the Atlantic to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Sir Michael Stoute’s charge has won six of his twelve starts and finished third to Sea The Stars in the Gr 1 Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs on his previous start. The mile and a half specialist has now earned himself a place among the favourites for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on 4th October. The Ballymacoll Stud homebred certainly has the right pedigree for the task as his sire Dalakhani lifted the Longchamp showpiece as the climax of his superb racing career in 2003.
Dalakhani has since made a remarkable impact upon the breeding scene and was crowned champion second season sire in Europe in 2008, when Irish Oaks heroine MOONSTONE was another of his first crop progeny to achieve Classic glory. While CONDUIT continues to fly the flag for his sire at four years old, Dalakhani has a promising juvenile daughter in SAGACIOUS. The Jim Bolger-trained filly won nicely on her debut at the Curragh on Sunday and is none other than the half-sister to Sinndar’s consistent Group 1 performer son Youmzain.
Updated on 28/07/2009
