G1 Spring Champion Stakes backgrounder

10 min read

Written by Georgie Dennis

No. 1 - Cherry Tortoni (Night Of Thunder (Ire) x Tortoni (Strategic))

Trainer: Patrick Payne

Jockey: Ryan Maloney

Barrier: 4

Cherry Tortoni’s dam Tortoni, who has also produced the two-time winner Café Tortoni (Reset), is a daughter of the G1 One Thousand Guineas winner Whisked (Whiskey Road {USA}).

Tortoni is a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Tie The Knot (Nassipour {USA}) and to the Listed winners Hood (Shamardal {USA}) and Dream Ballad (Singspiel {Ire}).

The G2 Magic Night S. winner Ichihara (General Nediym) and the G2 Run To The Rose S. winner Menari (Snitzel), who also ran third in the G1 Golden Rose, are other members of the family.

Tortoni has a 2-year-old filly by former shuttler Bobby’s Kitten (USA) and a yearling filly by Churchill (Ire), while she is currently in foal to Mendelssohn (USA).

No. 2 - Global Quest (More Than Ready (USA) x Global Dream (Fastnet Rock))

Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: Glen Boss

Barrier: 9

A $340,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase by Aquis from the draft of Highgrove Stud, Global Quest is a son of Global Dream, who was a winner and Group 2-placed.

She is a half-sister to the G2 Shannon S. winner Noire (Foxwedge) and a family that includes the Group 2 winners Timbourina (Timber Country {USA}) and Media (Gilded Time {USA}), who were both placed at Group 1 level.

Global Dream has an unnamed 2-year-old filly by Capitalist, a yearling filly by Star Witness and is currently in foal to More Than Ready (USA).

Global Quest as a yearling

No. 3 - Love Tap (Tapit (USA) x Smokey's Love (USA) (Forestry {USA}))

Trainer: Richard and Michael Freedman

Jockey: Nash Rawiller

Barrier: 14

Purchased by Dynamic Syndications and Dean Watt Bloodstock for $110,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Coolmore Stud, Love Tap is one of five winners from five to race out of Smokey’s Love, making him a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Fighting Mad (USA) (New’s Year’s Day {USA}).

Smokey’s Love is out of Listed winner Smokey Mirage (USA) (Holy Bull {USA}), who is also responsible for stakes winner Monsoon Rain (Old Trieste {USA}) and the Grade 3-placed The Visualiser (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}).

Smokey’s Love slipped to American Pharoah (USA) in 2018 but produced a colt out of the Triple Crown winner in 2019.

Love Tap as a yearling

No. 4 - Street Dancer (Pride Of Dubai x Danehill Smile (Danehill Dancer {Ire}))

Trainer: Anthony Cummings

Jockey: Regan Bayliss

Barrier: 15

Street Dancer was purchased as a weanling by James Bester Bloodstock for $210,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale from the Coolmore draft, before being sold to Anthony Cummings and Colm Santry Bloodstock for $220,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

He is the seventh foal out of Listed Canonbury S. winner Danehill Smile who has also produced four other winners including the stakes-placed Feels Like Home (More Than Ready {USA}).

Danehill Smile is also a sister to First Look, who herself produced Listed Geelong Classic winner Home Ground (High Chaparral {Ire}).

She has a 2-year-old sister to Street Dancer, who was purchased by Anthony Cummings for $250,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, while she also has a yearling filly by Pride Of Dubai but missed to Vancouver last year.

Street Dancer as a yearling

No. 5 - Bucharest (Deep Impact (Jpn) x Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice))

Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: James McDonald

Barrier: 3

The Arrowfield bred and raced Bucharest is a son of the former champion Australian 2 and 3-year-old Miss Finland, whose decorated career included wins at Group 1 level in the Golden Slipper S., Australian Guineas, VRC Oaks, Thousand Guineas and the Arrowfield Stud S.

All six of Miss Finland’s foals to race have been successful and include Stay With Me (Street Cry {Ire}), who emulated her dam by winning the Thousand Guineas, and the black-type performers Earth Angel (Animal Kingdom {USA}) and Woodbine (Hussonet {USA}).

The prized gem in the Arrowfield broodmare band, John Messara has given Castelvecchio the ultimate endorsement by sending Miss Finland to him for a visit this breeding season. She foaled a filly by his sire Dundeel (NZ) earlier this year after missing to I Am Invincible in 2018.

No. 6 - Lion’s Roar (NZ) (Contributer (NZ) x Minnaleo (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe {USA}))

Trainer: John O’Shea

Jockey: Brenton Avdulla

Barrier: 7

Lion’s Roar was bought by Champion Thoroughbreds for NZ$65,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale from the draft of Wellfield Lodge.

He is the third named foal out of four-time winner Minnaleo, who herself is out of G1 Avondale Cup winner The Mighty Lions (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}), making her a half-sister to G3 Tibbie S. winner and G1 Queensland Oaks placegetter Vaquera (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}).

Minnaleo has a 2-year-old brother to Lion’s Roar and slipped to Vespa (NZ) last year.

Lion's Roar (NZ) as a yearling

No. 7- Achiever (Pride Of Dubai x Lady Circles (Ascot Knight {Can}))

Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: Kathy O'Hara

Barrier: 10

Achiever was purchased by Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock Agency for $80,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Erinvale Thoroughbreds.

He is the eight foal to race out of Lady Circles, making him a half-brother to G3 Standish H. winner Decircles (Encosta De Lago) and the stakes-placed King Raedwald (Red Ransom {USA}) and Raffles Knight (Encosta De Lago).

Lady Circles is out of Group 1-winning blue hen mare Circles Of Gold (Marscay), making her a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winners Elvstroem (Danehill {USA}) and Haradasun (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), as well as Hveger (Danehill {USA}), the dam of champion entire and Swettenham Stud shuttler Highland Reel (Ire), last year’s G1 Caulfield S. winner Cape Of Good Hope (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Group winners Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Nobel Prize (Galileo {Ire}), and G1 VRC Oaks runner-up Valdemoro (Encosta De Lago).

Lady Circles has a 2-year-old colt by Pierro who made $60,000 at this year’s Inglis Classic Sale, while she missed to Capitalist in 2018 but is currently in foal to Trapeze Artist.

Achiever as a yearling

No. 8 - Albarado (NZ) (Savabeel x O’Fille (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}))

Trainer: Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young

Jockey: Tim Clark

Barrier: 11

Purchased by Busuttin Racing for NZ$140,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale from the draft of Rich Hill Stud, Albarado is the only named foal out of three-time stakes winner O’Fille.

O’Fille is out of La Fille (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}), who is an unraced half-sister to stakes placegetters Master Painter (NZ) (Vice Regal {Can}) and Charmante (NZ) (Zamazaan {Fr}), who also produced Charmaine (NZ) (Centaine), the dam of Group 1 performer Charma (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}).

O’Fille has a 2-year-old colt by Shocking, who was purchased by Hawkes Racing for NZ$200,000 at this year’s Karaka Yearling Sale, and she has not been served since.

Albarado as a yearling

No. 9 - Choir (Teofilo (Ire) x Sung (Anabaa {USA}))

Trainer: James Cummings

Jockey: Rachel King

Barrier: 2

Bred by Godolphin, Choir is one of five foals to race out of Listed Dark Jewel Classic winner Sung, making him a half-brother to Group 1 winner and champion 2-year-old Microphone.

Sung is out of Listed Black Opal Preview winner Vocalist (Bluebird {USA}), making her a sister to multiple Group 1 winner Tell. Further back this is also the family of G1 Canterbury S. winner Holler (Commands).

Sung was sold to Boomer Bloodstock for $70,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and slipped to Animal Kingdom (USA) that year but is currently in foal to Spirit Of Boom.

No. 10 - Wertheimer (NZ) (Tavistock (NZ) x Wild About Me (NZ) (Lonhro))

Trainer: Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young

Jockey: Tommy Berry

Barrier: 8

Wertheimer is the only foal to race out of winning Lonhro mare Wild About Me, who herself is out of the Listed-placed Like Me Wild (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Further back this is also the family of stakes winners Potantico (USA) (Flatter {USA}) and Amazing Grace (Ind) (Hurricane Run {Ire}).

Wild About Me has a 2-year-old filly by Jakkalberry (Ire) and a yearling filly by Proisir.

No. - 11 Socrates (NZ) (Tavistock (NZ) x Tricia’o (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}))

Trainer: John O’Shea

Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy

Barrier: 5

Purchased by Champion Thoroughbreds for $300,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Maluka Thoroughbreds, Socrates is the second named foal out of dual winner Tricia’o.

Tricia’o is out of Tricia Ann (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), making her a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and Group 1 placegetter La Sizeranne (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}), Listed winner Za Moulin Rouge (NZ) (Street Cry {Ire}) and G1 Queensland Oaks third Imperial Lass (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).

Further back, this is also the family go G1 Australian Derby winner Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).

Tricia’o’s 2-year-old colt by Exceed And Excel who sold for $500,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, while she also has a yearling colt by Snitzel.

Socrates (NZ) as a yearling

No. 12 - Gorshin (Fastnet Rock x Cryptic Miss (Snippets))

Trainer: Anthony Cummings

Jockey: Louise Day

Barrier: 6

Gorshin is the seventh foal to race out of Cryptic Miss, making him a half-brother to G1 BMW S. And G1 VRC Derby winner Fiveandahalfstar (Hotel Grand), while he is also a brother to Thousand Guineas fourth Wordplay.

Cryptic Miss is the only foal to race out of Cross Words (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}) who herself is a sister to G1 Sydney Cup winner Cross Swords (NZ). Further back this is also the family of G1 Australian Derby winner Jon Snow (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).

Cryptic Miss missed to Vancouver in 2017 and slipped to Churchill (Ire) in 2018 but is currently in foal to Churchill.

No. 13 - Montefilia (Kermadec (NZ) x Bana Wu (GB) (Shirocco {GB}))

Trainer: David Payne

Jockey: Jason Collett

Barrier: 1

G1 Flight S. winner Montefilia was originally purchased as a weanling by Baystone Farm for $62,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Sale from the draft of Tyreel Stud before being again offered under the Tyreel Stud banner at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where she was purchased by Payne Racing for $130,000.

She is the third winner from four to race out of Bana Wu who herself was placed at stakes level in the UK three times. Her second dam is Ausherra (USA) (Diesis {GB}), who is also responsible for dual Group 2 winner and the G1 Dewhurst S.-placed Strategic Prince (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

Bana Wu has a 2-year-old filly by Arrowfield shuttler Shalaa (Ire), who was purchased by Ciaron Maher Racing for $160,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, while she has a yearling colt by Ribchester (Ire).

Montefilia as a yearling

No. 14 - Miravalle (Redoute’s Choice x Condesaar (Xaar {GB}))

Trainer: Mark Newnham

Jockey: Joshua Parr

Barrier: 13

Miravalle was a $460,000 purchase by Rick Worthington out of the Kulani Park draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Her dam Condesaar has five winners from five to race, highlighted by dual Group 1 winner Yankee Rose (All American), who is now embarking on her breeding career in Japan.

Miravalle’s third dam is G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Condessa (GB) (Condorcet {Fr}), who is also responsible for Japanese stakes winner Biko Pegasus (USA) (Danzig {USA}).

Now owned by Rosemont Stud, who paid $320,000 for her at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Condesaar has a yearling filly by Redoute’s Choice and was covered by Starcraft (NZ) last spring.

Miravalle as a yearling

No. 15 - Favreau (NZ) (Tavistock (NZ) x Lady Kipling (NZ) (Savabeel))

Trainer: John Sargent

Jockey: Sam Clipperton

Barrier: 12

Purchased by Aquis Farm, DGR Thoroughbreds and Sargent Racing for NZ$230,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale from the draft of Windsor Park Stud, Favreau is the third foal to race out of multiple Group winner and Group 1 placegetter Lady Kipling, making him a half-brother to G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic winner Fascino (Charm Spirit {Ire}).

Lady Kipling has a 2-year-old filly by Turn Me Loose (NZ) who passed in for $460,000 at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, while she also has a yearling by Charm Spirit (Ire).

Favreau (NZ) as a yearling