On Saturday, Al Anood was represented by her seventh winner from as many starters when the Team Snowden-trained Ghaanati (Deep Impact {Jpn}) demolished her rivals on debut up the straight at Flemington.
In terms of pedigree, Ghaanati is bred in the purple; not only is she a half-sister to 2015 G1 Blue Diamond S. and G1 ATC Sires' Produce S., winner and now Coolmore Stud resident Pride Of Dubai - who was also trained by the Snowdens - she is by the late breed-shaping stallion Deep Impact (Jpn), whose untimely death in 2019 left an indelible hole in the global breeding industry.
As with her famous siblings, Ghaanati was bred and raised at Segenhoe Stud and Peter O’Brien told TDN AusNZ that she was a star filly from day one and he is confident we have witnessed the beginning of something quite special.
“She was a really lovely yearling,” he said. “We had a few mares booked to Deep Impact that year so I actually went up to Japan and most of the Deep Impacts are what you would expect, they were leggy, scopey and needed time.
"This filly was a bit like that all through her life and then once she got broken she just transformed, but she has always had the quality. She has a beautiful head, beautiful colour and a lovely hind action. She was always a star filly.”
"She (Ghaanati) has a beautiful head, beautiful colour and a lovely hind action. She was always a star filly.” - Peter O'Brien
Al Anood is also the dam of Listed winner Al Aneed (More Than Ready {USA}) and South African Grade 2 winner Enaad (High Chaparral {Ire}) and it is a family with global appeal with Al Anood also a half-sister to French Group 1 winner Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}).
Rafha is famed for being the dam of G1 Haydock Sprint triumphant and now successful sire Invincible Spirit (Ire).
Since foaling Ghaanati, Al Anood has produced a filly by Darley’s stalwart stallion Lonhro - who will head into training with Annabel Neasham - and most recently she foaled a colt by Coolmore Stud shuttler American Pharoah (USA).
Peter O'Brien | Image courtesy of Inglis
O’Brien said the star mare is a rare commodity given her success as a broodmare, but also she seems to be throwing her best foals later on in life.
“I have known Al Anood all her life and this filly (Ghaanati) is the best type she had thrown, until her Lonhro who is outstanding. The Lonhro has been retained by Sheikh Khalifa and she is going into training with Annabel Neasham and her American Pharoah would be in the top 10 foals we have on the farm.
“It is interesting because people sometimes don’t like buying yearlings from older mares, but this mare's best foals have been her last three on type.”
Al Anood was covered by Coolmore’s Wootton Bassett (GB) last spring, but missed to the stallion, while she will be mated in the spring to Street Boss (USA) and therefore the resulting foal will be a three-quarter brother to Pride Of Dubai.
Al Anood and Ghaanati as a foal | Image courtesy of Segenhoe Stud
O’Brien said he had been confident ahead of the filly’s debut on Saturday, but that her comfortable 3.8l victory exceeded his expectations.
“Tim Stakemire rang me last week and he said Damien Oliver had ridden her in a jump-out and said that we should just run her at Flemington and she will be hard to beat, it is always nice when you hear that sort of feedback before a debut,” said O’Brien.
“But the way she did that today (Saturday) was just amazing, her turn of foot was incredible and on breeding, one would assume she will only get better with age. It is a big ask for a 2-year-old's first time out down the straight at Flemington and she just seemed to take it in her stride, which was obviously great to see.
“But the way she (Ghaanati) did that today (Saturday) was just amazing, her turn of foot was incredible and on breeding, one would assume she will only get better with age." - Peter O'Brien
“She is a very, very exciting filly for next year - she’s a diamond.”
Looking at her pedigree and abundance of talent, Ghaanati is clearly extremely valuable, but O’Brien said Sheikh Khalifa is one breeder who looks far beyond monetary value.
“She is of course a very valuable filly, but it’s not about that for Sheikh Khalifa, he just lives for his horses and he is all about the animals for him,” explains O’Brien.
“He has a particular love for Al Anood because of the success he has had with the mare, particularly with Pride Of Dubai. But knowing him, Tim Stakemire and the rest of the team the main emphasis for them is the animal and they will have been so excited for today.
“Of all of the owners I’ve had the pleasure to work with in my life, Sheikh Khalifa just stands out in terms of his admiration of the animal.”
