Date posted July 26, 2009 | Posted by Michele Cullen | Filed under
Racing and Breeding,
Staff FavouritesIn England overnight, Conduit, led home a sensational Sir Michael Stoute one-two-three in the Group I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
A first for the prestigious weight-for-age contest, as no trainer has ever saddled the trifecta in the Group 1 contest and in doing so Conduit became the first St Leger winner to lift the King George in over 50 years.
Michael Stoute
The race was a true test of stamina from the jump with the Aidan O’Brien-trained trio of Rockhampton, Frozen Fire and Golden Sword setting a very quick tempo, with the former opening up a sizeable break down the back straight.
It was the Stoute trio who were all travelling well as the field swept around the home corner into the straight. Ask and Tartan Bearer played their hand first, but the Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, Conduit raced up to them at the 200m.
Although the Stoute trio came very close together as they battled out the finish, it was Conduit who did best as he gained the upper hand close home. At the line he had a length-and-a-half to spare over Tartan Bearer (Spectrum ex Highland Gift by Generous) with Ask (Sadler’s Wells ex Request by Rainbow Quest) in third.
Conduit, was ridden by the baby faced Ryan Moore, who was suspended for three-days over careless riding.
Stoute looked thrilled with the result and the master of Freemason Lodge would have been extremely proud of his horses. The result must rank amongst one of many career highs.
Conduit, may have his final appearance of the season in the Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October.
A chestnut horse, Conduit is by Dalakhani the sire of 11 stakes winners and two group one winners the other is Moonstone (ex Solo de Lune by Law Society), winner of this seasons Irish Oaks. His oldest progeny are three.
Dalakhani is a son of the Group I Prix du Jockey Club hero, Darshann and the Listed winner, Daltawa (by Miswaki).
Daltawa is proving to be a grand producer as she is also the dam of the wonderful racehorse, Daylami, the winner of 11 races including the Group I Ascot King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, Breeders’ Cup Turf, Man O’War, Eclipse, Coronation Cup, Champion Stakes and Poule d’Essai des Poulains. Daylami is also the sire of Grey Swallow, winner of the Group I Irish Derby and Tattersalls Gold Cup, who currently stands at stud in Australia at Woodside Park Stud in Victoria on a fee of $9900 (inc gst).
She is also the dam of Daymarti (6 wins including a Listed event in France).
Conduit is out of the unraced Sadler’s Wells mare, Well Head a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Dancing Bloom (a group three winner) and a half-sister to Spectrum (by Rainbow Quest), a winner of four including the Group I Newmarket Champion Stakes and Irish 2000 Guineas and his gelded brother Stream of Gold a Group 2 winner in America.
Well Head is also the dam of the six-time Group 2 York Great Voltigeur Stakes winner, Hard Top (by Darshaan).
