By Bren O'Brien
A trio of Group-winning Australasian-bred mares are set to make an impression at next month's Keeneland November Breeding Stock, with Houtzen (I Am Invincible) and Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel) on offer in foal to Curlin (USA), while Scorpio Queen will go through the ring in foal to Mendelssohn (USA).
The interest from this part of the world in the Keeneland Sale had already been piqued by the fact that dual Australian Group 1 winner Con Te Partiro (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) is set to go under the hammer, but there are a host of other lots which are sure to garner plenty of attention from those in the Australian and New Zealand industry.
Houtzen won a R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic as well as both the G3 Scarborough S. and G3 PJ Bell H. for Toby Edmonds. She also contested a host of Group 1 races in the Aquis colours, in whose slot she competed for in the inaugural edition of The TAB Everest in 2017.
She then competed overseas, contesting the G1 King's Stand S., and finishing second in a G2 King George Qatar S. at Goodwood. She was sent to Hill 'N' Dale's Curlin in March for in her first season and will be offered in foal to him as Lot 31 in session 1 of the Sale through Woods Edge Farm (Peter O'Callaghan).
Houtzen and Trent Edmonds
Her pedigree features some international appeal, with South African and UAE Group/Grade 1 winner Sun Classique (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}) on the page along with Australian stakes winners Mystery Love (Eurozone) and Royal Voyage (Danehill {USA}).
Chintz is another Aquis mare to be offered through Woods Edge Farm and is catalogued as Lot 572. A winner of the G2 Rich Hill Mile and Listed Westbury Classic on the track, she was also placed three times at Group 1 level.
She has already produced a Group 2 winner herself in the smart New Zealand-based filly Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt), who won a G2 Wakefield Challenge S. for Tony Pike before being placed in the G2 Kindergarten S. at Randwick. Chintz's first foal, Our Girl Sniti (Snitzel), is also a winner in Australia.
Having produced a filly to Invader last year, Chintz was sent to the United States in January to visit Curlin, which she did in March.
Her pedigree is one of great versatility with her own dam, Charmed (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) a half-sister to G1 Auckland Cup winner Chenille (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), while her granddam Seraphic (NZ) (Imposing {USA}) was also a stakes winner.
Not An Option
Scorpio Queen will be offered by Four Star Sales as agent for Spendthrift Farm, who brought her to the United States back in 2018.
A winner of the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet and Listed Bernborough H. on the track, the daughter of Choisir was purchased by Spendthrift for $300,000 back in 2016 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Her pedigree features Group 1 winner Toledo (At Talaq), a half-brother to her dam Lyford (Royal Academy {USA}).
Scorpio Queen's first Australian foal, Scorpius (Deep Field) is a winner, while she then produced an as yet unraced filly by Jimmy Creed (USA).
Since heading to the United States, she has had a colt by Brody's Cause (USA) and a filly by Bolt D'Oro (USA).
She is presented as Lot 1178 in foal to Mendelssohn (USA), the son of Scat Daddy (USA) who shuttled to Coolmore Australia in 2019.
