This smart colt hails from what O’Connor describes as Go Bloodstock’s best family, and is precisely the type of colt that Sir Owen Glenn is striving to breed.
Pedigree-wise, this colt has it all – by a statistically elite stallion in Extreme Choice capable of siring Group 1 Melbourne Cup winners, Oaks winners and juvenile races such as the G1 Golden Slipper and the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
He is out of an I Am Invincible Group-winning mare who is a half-sister to two other Group winners, including a G1 Golden Slipper winner. While both his grandam and great-grandam were stakes winners on the track and by influential world stallions Fastnet Rock and More Than Ready (USA).
Extreme Choice | Standing at Newgate
He is strong, precocious and looks fast
O’Connor was quick to praise both the colt’s pedigree and his physical build.
“He’s from our best family, a first foal of an extremely fast 2-year-old by I Am Invincible in Queen Of The Ball. She ran in the Slipper, won a Black Opal and a Widden as a 2-year-old.
“She set the ball rolling for that family, and then Platinum Jubilee and Lady Of Camelot followed in her footsteps and ran in the Slipper, with Lady Of Camelot winning. It’s a great family, it’s our best family.
Steve O'Connor | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It is an elite 2-year-old family, and for her first mating, we wanted to breed Queen Of The Ball to what we perceived to be the best 2-year-old stallion around in Extreme Choice. We are a shareholder in the horse, also.
“While Queen Of The Ball is a neat style of mare, a real 2-year-old type with size and quality, we were hoping the mating would work and produce a foal with enough size and quality, and it has turned out great.
“He is strong, precocious, and looks fast.”
“He (Extreme Choice x Queen Of The Ball colt) is strong, precocious and looks fast.” - Steve O'Connor
When asked about Go Bloodstock’s broader breeding philosophy, O’Connor was clear on the focus: producing sharp 2-year-old types with stallion pedigrees.
“We could not be happier with the outcome of the mating. The foal is what Sir Owen is trying to breed. We aim to produce precocious 2-year-olds with big pedigrees that can compete in those big 2-year-old and sprinting races, giving them the chance to become stallions.”
Gallery: Extreme Choice x Queen Of The Ball colt, images courtesy of Go Bloodstock
A family with much more to come
Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock) is a broodmare that is well and truly doing the job and would have to be classed as one of the best blue hen mares in the country. A Listed winner on the track, her first three foals are all Group winners.
There is more to come with a 3-year-old unraced colt named Lancelot Du Lac (Flying Artie), a 2-year-old filly named Lone Piper (I Am Invincible), and she is due to foal to Zoustar this spring.
“The Flying Artie is with Gai and Adrian. He wasn’t as precocious as the rest of the family, he has come back in and is probably a few months away. He actually got quite sick last time in, so he’s taking a little longer, but has shown some good talent," O'Connor said.
“The 2-year-old filly Lone Piper is a queen, she could be anything. We rate her very highly, and she is in training with Chris Waller and will get every chance there.
Miss Debutante | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Their mother, Miss Debutante, is due to foal to Zoustar any day now, she is in the foaling paddock at Newgate, and she will go to Extreme Choice this spring.”
The next mating for Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible) herself is Darley Stud’s Too Darn Hot (GB), a stallion putting up outstanding numbers in both hemispheres and one that Australian breeders are eager to use after he remained at Dalham Hall Stud in England in 2024.
“Queen Of The Ball will head to Too Darn Hot this spring. It’s a great opportunity to use Too Darn Hot after being unavailable last year. Size-wise, the stallion suits, as he is not too dissimilar to Extreme Choice, so it looks a really good mating.
We want to use him while he is down here as with the numbers he is putting up you never know how long he will shuttle for.
Queen Of The Ball | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“With these big-ticket mares, you are always looking for that fast-looking colt, that is what Sir Owen wants. It’s good to have a ticket to the lottery, and we are excited about how Queen Of The Ball has started her career.
“We also own Platinum Jubilee in partnership with Coolmore, and she is due to foal to Vinnie and will go to Wootton Bassett this spring. So there is plenty happening in this family.”
Royal Ascot plans for Lady Of Camelot
Queen Of The Ball’s half-sister Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) has already provided many career highlights and pedigree updates with victory in the G1 Golden Slipper and G3 Widden Stakes, as well as multiple feature placings, including a brave fourth behind Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) as a 3-year-old filly.
Now international updates may follow, with Go Bloodstock and trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott planning a potential Royal Ascot campaign in 2026.
Lady Of Camelot | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Lady Of Camelot looks fantastic. For a Slipper winner, she has a lot more scope than your usual Slipper type and her siblings. She has made great physical development that we looked for coming into the season.”
“Our vet just thought she had a couple of minor niggles, and the conclusion was we could run her at 90% this spring, or we could give her a rest and bring her back in early 2026 and get her to 100%.
“She (Lady of Camelot) has made great physical development that we looked for coming into the season.” - Steve O'Connor
“That aligned with our plans as we would love to provide Sir Owen the opportunity to race a Golden Slipper winner he bred, at Royal Ascot.
“We have been encouraged by Asfoora, who is running so well over there, and we thought this was the right plan for her, which is exciting. ”
