News

Estijaab proves the Queen of her generation with Slipper win

24th Mar 2018

She was described as a Queen when she was purchased at last year’s Australian Easter Yearling Sale and today Estijaab proved the Queen of her generation.

Estijaab (Snitzel x Response) realised a goal her connections set for her the day she was bought, winning the world’s richest race for 2YOs, the Group 1 Golden Slipper at Rosehill.

The filly defied a wide barrier and wet track to prove the doubters wrong, leading from the outset to hold off all her challengers.

She becomes the second consecutive Inglis-sold filly to win the Slipper, following She Will Reign’s success last year.

Estijaab’s owner Hussain Lootah, of Emirates Park, had eyes for just one filly when he attended the last ever Easter Sale at Newmarket last year.

“She was a very special filly from the first day we saw her and we’re very delighted she’s won the race here today, the race we wanted all along with her,’’ Lootah, son of Emirates Park principal His Excellency Nasser Lootah, said.

“She was the only filly we bought. We’re delighted. We head back to Easter in a couple of weeks now to try and find the next one.’’

Emirates Park bought Estijaab for $1.7m from the Arrowfield Stud draft at last year’s Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

She has now won three of her four career starts for $2,296,000 in prizemoney.

For Arrowfield’s John Messara, it was a triple celebration.

Not only did Arrowfield (along with Jungle Pocket) breed and offer the horse at Easter but Estijaab is by Arrowfield’s dominant stallion Snitzel.

“We’re running a marketing campaign for Easter this year saying ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ and this filly was definitely a diamond,’’ Messara said.

“We knew at the time when we sold her that she was something very special, and so did [Emirates and the Hawkes’].

“Luckily they ended up with her and have looked after her so well and here we are today, celebrating a Slipper win.

“As for Snitzel, it’s never ending, he just keeps producing. What a horse, what a stallion.’’

Estijaab was Snitzel’s 13th individual Group 1 winner and first Golden Slipper winner for the super sire.

An emotional Wayne Hawkes described the win as “amazing’’.

“We had this race in mind for this filly from the moment we were given her to train and to achieve that almost 12 months later is so satisfying,’’ Hawkes said.

“Dad and Michael have done such a fantastic job with her, to get her to peak on this day is no easy feat, trust me.

“She’s an extremely talented filly and we’ve got the chockies today.’’

Lootah and Team Hawkes will be back at this year’s Australian Easter Yearling Sale at Riverside Stables from April 9-11, where 535 stunning yearlings have been catalogued.

Among them are 64 sons or daughters of Snitzel.

To view the Easter catalogue, CLICK HERE.

ESTIJAAB (Snitzel x Response)

Group 1 win: Golden Slipper

Sale: 2017 Australian Easter Yearling Sale

Price: $1.7million

Vendor: Arrowfield Stud

Breeder: Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd & Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd

Trainers: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes

Owners: Emirates Park (Mgr: NAH Lootah)