Written by Bren O'Brien
Emirates Park, which bred and owns boom filly Enthaar (Written Tycoon), is confident she can follow in the steps of G1 Golden Slipper winners Estijaab (Snitzel) and Mossfun (Mossman) and become the latest filly to carry its green and white colours with distinction in Australia's best juvenile races this autumn.
Enthaar kicks off her campaign towards the G1 Blue Diamond S. and G1 Golden Slipper in Saturday's G3 Chairman's S. at Caulfield, where she is currently a $1.28 favourite.
She has been a long-time favourite for the 2-year-old features in both Melbourne and Sydney after her dominant 3l win in the G3 Gimcrack S. at Randwick back in October.
The comparisons to Emirates Park's previous Slipper winners Estijaab (2018) and Mossfun (2014) are something Emirates Park General Manager, Bryan Carlson, has been asked to make several times in the past few months, but they are not something he shies away from.
"She's definitely up there with those horses, easily. She's had the natural ability from day one, and the maturity, and is one of those fillies that really ticks every box. She could even be in a position to be better than them hopefully," Carlson told TDN AusNZ.
The key aspect to Carlson's confidence in Enthaar is the fact she was able to demonstrate her dominance early in the 2-year-old season, whereas the campaigns of Mossfun and Estijaab heading into their Slippers were more compact.
"Estijaab started her campaign in mid-January and had three starts into the Slipper her first campaign. Mossfun had a start in December and had a short break and then came back in. For Enthaar to win the Gimcrack and to have a good break and be given the chance to blossom, she's been able to have that good rest and have that second campaign," he said.
"For Enthaar to win the Gimcrack and to have a good break and be given the chance to blossom, she's been able to have that good rest and have that second campaign." - Bryan Carlson
The other difference for Enthaar is that while both Estijaab and Mossfun were trained by Team Hawkes, she is under the guidance of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Carlson said the word out of the stable has been very positive on the filly since her trial win at Werribee a couple of weeks back.
"Dave and Ciaron are very good with their communications and the word is that she has come back just as good, if not better than before. It’s good to see her back and her trials have been very good. It’s exciting," he said.
With that excitement comes a little nervous anticipation for the team at Emirates Park, knowing the reputation she has already built.
"She's very much in the public eye. You have that feeling that everyone is watching her, I suppose."
Watch: Enthaar trial at Werribee
Half-brother set for Easter
A big autumn from Enthaar would prove a huge boost to the value of her yearling half-brother by I Am Invincible, who, having been withdrawn from the recent Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, is set to be sold at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 305, a couple of weeks after she is slated to tackle the Slipper.
"He's back in prep. He just had a slight incident in the build-up at the Gold Coast and goes to the Easter Sale. He's a lovely colt and we will see how he goes," Carlson said.
Enthaar's dam, Final Agreement (Not A Single Doubt), who was purchased by Emirates Park at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $400,000, is now in foal to Newgate freshman Tassort, who Emirates Park is an investor in.
Emirates Park supported the son of Brazen Beau with several high-quality mares in his first year.
"Tassort covered some good mares, including the dam of Enthaar and the dam of Hawkes' good 3-year-old, Najmah, and there are a couple of nice horses coming through now who he covered dams of as well," Carlson said.
Tassort | Standing at Newgate Farm
Sales success drives anticipation
Having successfully returned to the sales ring a vendor for the first time in three years at the Gold Coast, where it topped the averages for vendors, selling six yearlings at an average of nearly $600,000, Carlson said Emirates Park is looking forward to the rest of the sales season.
"We had a great sale at Magics and hopefully we can continue that through Classic and Adelaide and then into Easter. Hopefully it can be a good year," he said.
"It goes very quick. It always goes quick with the sales. There's no time to waste. But if we are selling good horses, and you saw the results at Magics, if we can do that again, it would be fantastic. We have a reputation for producing good horses and people get the confidence to come and buy off us."
Emirates Park has three horses in the Inglis Classic Sale, another three in the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale and three in the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
