Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Far away from the serene backdrop of the Hunter Valley, where the powerful Emirates Park operation calls home, a royally-bred filly caught eyes and sent tongues wagging over how good of a prospect she could be.
Making her debut on the all-weather surface of Kempton Park Racecourse in the United Kingdom over 1600 metres, imposing filly Ejaabiyah (GB) (Frankel {GB}) stormed away from her rivals in a victory equally impressive as it was arrogant.
Speaking to The Thoroughbred Report, Emirates Park General Manager Bryan Carlson has plenty of hope for the future of this filly.
Dominant debut
Handled patiently by globetrotting jockey David Egan, Ejaabiyah was nursed into the race, and when an opportunity presented back towards the inside, the response was instantaneous.
No sooner had Egan asked her for an effort, than she had skipped 2l clear, and the gap kept widening from there, being posted as a 6l margin between herself and second placegetter Sattwaa (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).
Reflecting on the performance, Carlson told The Thoroughbred Report, “It was a good win, we were going into the race (with her) penciled in for a few races over the last month but with the wet weather over there, we couldn’t get her a run.
"We’d even accepted for a Listed race, so she’s shown us ability. We know she has some ability but it’s just trying to get a dry track and we had to go to the all-weather to get it.
"So she’s shown us enough for a while, she’s not a small filly, she’s quite a big filly and she’s taken her time, it was nice to see the way she won.”
"... she’s (Ejaabiyah) shown us enough for a while... she’s quite a big filly and she’s taken her time, it was nice to see the way she won.” - Bryan Carlson
With all-weather surfaces sparingly used in Australia, owing to the luxury of our climate, it wasn’t a worry for Carlson that his star filly was running on the synthetic track, saying; “I think it was more to get the race under her belt, we wanted to get a race or two into her before the winter, to let her develop and bring her back as a 3-year-old.”
There’s certainly excitement around the levels she could reach, with the G1 Irish Oaks a potential long-term target. On future plans, Carlson said, “There’s plenty of races between now and then (the Oaks), but we’ll see where she fits in, I know Roger (Varian, trainer) thinks she’s a lovely filly, I haven’t sat down and spoken to him about what races we’ll target, but we’ll do that before the racing season next year.”
Bryan Carlson | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
They may be on opposite sides of the globe, but trainer Roger Varian and Carlson have been able to stay in constant contact, with advancements in communication technology making life easy.
“It’s reasonably straightforward, Roger is very easy to deal with and very easy to contact so managing it is the easy part, managing it when they’ve got ability is even easier! These days it’s a worldwide business,” he explained.
Exquisite bloodlines
It was a debut run befitting her page, with the filly being by Frankel (GB) out of G1 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab (Snitzel). She herself is a full sister to Remarque (Snitzel), an impressive winner of the G3 Concorde S. earlier in the spring. Her second dam, Response (Charge Forward), won the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. and G1 Robert Sangster S. when racing, and alongside Estijaab and Remarque produced the stakes-placed Alter Call (Fastnet Rock).
Further down her page, she’s related to G2 Queen of the South S. winner Returntosender (Elusive City {USA}), who also placed in the G3 Glenlogan Park S.
When asked what it’s like being connected to such an impressively-bred filly, Carlson explained, “Being a filly for starters, as much as they’re great to sell, you can’t buy them so we keep some of these nicer fillies to race and (for her) to show potential as well, it’s a big bonus for us.
“... we keep some of these nicer fillies to race and (for her, Ejaabiyah) to show potential as well, it’s a big bonus for us.” - Bryan Carlson
"If she can continue that pedigree on, we can nurture the family and the mare herself (Estijaab) has been to some of the best stallions around the world, so we’ll keep nurturing and make the family a lot stronger.”
It’s been a handy trio of coverings for Estijaab, who visited Frankel in 2021, Night Of Thunder (Ire) in 2022, and emerging stallion Gun Runner (USA) in 2023.
Carlson is right to be excited about the visits to all three, with Gun Runner already accelerating through the stallion ranks. From three crops, he boasts 24 stakes winners, including G1 Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba (USA), who would go on to win the G1 Pennsylvania Derby and the G1 Malibu S. before retiring to Spendthirft for stallion duties.
Gallery: Stallions who have covered Estijaab in recent breeding seasons
We have yet to see a Gun Runner in Australia, but he’s already making a global impact, siring winners in Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
Night Of Thunder, on the other hand, is much more well-acquainted with the Australian racing industry, having produced an impressive 41 winners from 54 starters, including five individual stakes winners.
Chief among those is G1 Queensland Derby winner Kukeracha (NZ), who won the 2021 edition after a stirring duel with Senor Toba (Toronado {Ire}). Globally, he’s produced prolific Group-winner Highfield Princess (Fr) and G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Thundering Nights (Ire).
More to come for Emirates Park
Carlson is bullish about the immediate future, telling The Thoroughbred Report, “We’ve got a big 2-year-old crop down here and a few 2-year-olds up there so we’ve got nice horses, Manaal down here and a few others coming through and we’ve got sales in January so hopefully we can find some nice horses.
"We’ve got a good share in Bodyguard with James Harron, and we’ve got a couple that I don’t know if they’ll be early 2-year-olds or late 2-year-olds but there’s definitely some nice ones to come.”
“... we’ve got a couple that I don’t know if they’ll be early 2-year-olds or late 2-year-olds but there’s definitely some nice ones to come.” - Bryan Carlson
It’s easy to see why Carlson was quick to identify Manaal (Tassort) and Bodyguard (I Am Invincible) as the operation’s more promising juveniles, with both recording early success. Manaal was a slick winner of the G3 Gimcrack S. in Sydney, while Bodyguard was stylish down the Flemington straight in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S.
The latter was amongst the top 10 most expensive purchases at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership parting with $1.6 million to secure him. Also joining Bodyguard as an Emirates Park-sold million-dollar purchase was He’s Dynamite (I Am Invincible), who was knocked down to the Hawkes Racing operation for $1.65 million.
Registered in the famous colours of leviathan owner Rupert Legh, the colt has yet to be seen publicly, with his debut eagerly anticipated by bloodstock enthusiasts.
Currently, Emirates Park is involved in an imposing trio of stallions, who are beginning to establish themselves in and amongst the landscape. Tassort could not have had a better start to his career, with the aforementioned victory of Manaal giving him a first-crop success at Group level, as well as a nice Saturday win by Onemoretwomany, a $70,000 2023 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale purchase who has put his hand up early as a G2 Karrakatta Plate prospect. Tassort stands at Newgate in 2023 for a fee of $11,000 (inc GST).
Another stallion who has quickly made an impression with Emirates' involvement is Brave Smash (Jpn), the dynamic sprinter turned exciting stud prospect. His first crop performed strongly, with 20 winners from 37 runners, spearheaded by Brave Mead, winner of the Listed Moonee Valley Pearl S. in the autumn. His first Group 1 as a stallion could come on Saturday, with the consistent Kimochi to take her place in the G1 Thousand Guineas. Brave Smash is a resident of Yarraman Park, where his 2023 fee is $33,000 (inc GST).
Gallery: Emirates Park is involved in an imposing trio of young stallions
Last, but certainly not least, is Santos (I Am Invincible) who has a Group 1 winner in his first crop in the form of Ulanova (NZ), who was successful in the G1 Sistema S. With winners across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore out of his first two crops, he is quickly finding his feet as a sire of slick short-course horses. Santos stands at Highview in New Zealand, where he commands a fee of NZ$7500 (plus GST).
