News

Group 1 glory for Summer Passage

16th Mar 2017

Highgrove Stud’s Ron Gilbert celebrated his third career Group 1 – and sire on fire Snitzel his 21st Stakes winner of the season – when 2YO Summer Passage won Thursday’s Sistema Stakes at Ellerslie.

A son of Snitzel and Subsequent, Summer Passage proved himself New Zealand’s best juvenile with the win, and a trip to Sydney for next month’s Group 1 Inglis Sires is now firmly on the radar.

Gilbert was ecstatic after today’s race, describing Summer Passage as “that colt who was the best sort imaginable’’.

“He was a very good sort,’’ Gilbert said.

“The good yearlings tend to pick themselves and this bloke certainly did that.

“They’re standouts from day one, there’s never an issue with them, they’ve very popular with potential buyers and they never turn a hair.

“They’re always out of their box during the inspection days and this fellow was like that at the Easter Sale, but he was as strong on his last inspection as he was on his first, and only the good ones are like that.’’

Gilbert’s Highgrove Stud offered Summer Passage at the 2016 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, and trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott paid $800,000 for the handsome colt.

Gilbert bred Summer Passage’s dam Subsequent on his Queensland property.

He passed her in at the 2010 Easter Yearling Sale and raced her, but retired her after just five starts for broodmare duties.

Subsequent has four foals on the ground – Summer Passage, a full sister, a Sepoy colt and a Sebring colt.

Gilbert’s other Group 1 winners are Wanted (2010 Newmarket Hcp) and Porto Roca (2001 Coolmore Classic).

Summer Passage’s victory was the first Group 1 of the season for Arrowfield’s Snitzel – and seventh of his career – and continued his amazing overall season, which has seen his progeny claim 21 Stakes winners and six individual 2YO Stakes winners.

There are 44 sons and daughters of Snitzel being offered at next month’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Arrowfield’s John Messara admitted he couldn’t wait for the Inglis Easter Sale (April 4-6) to arrive.

“If buyers and other vendors selling Snitzels are as excited about the quality of his Inglis Easter consignment as we are, it’s going to be a very busy week,’’ Messara said.

“We knew he was sensational, but he’s gone to a whole new level this season and there’s still so much ahead of him.’’

To view the Easter catalogue, CLICK HERE.

Inglis’ next sale is the March Thoroughbred Sale at Oaklands Junction in Melbourne tomorrow, March 17, where 186 Lots will be offered.

Included in the catalogue are black-type winners such as Wales, Chivalry, Rugged Cross, Firehouse Rock, Armada and Golden Spin, Victorian metropolitan winners Barjeel and Astley, as well as an unraced 2YO half-brother to Caulfield Guineas winner Long John.

To view the catalogue, CLICK HERE.

Attention then returns to Sydney for a huge fortnight of action to bring the curtain down on the Newmarket site before our move to Riverside Stables at Warwick Farm.

The inaugural The Chairman’s Sale Session 1 (Elite Racing Prospects) kick-starts proceedings on Thursday March 30 at 6pm, where individual horses or shares in a select group of thoroughbreds competing in Group races at the present time will be offered.

Included in the catalogue already are stakes performed 2YO Eden Roc and Sydney Cup contender Chance To Dance, 25% of Group 3-winning 3YO Man From Uncle and 30% of Stakes-placed 3YO Land Of Plenty.

Entries for this sale close Monday March 27.

Following the Australian Easter Yearling Sale, the Chairman’s Sale Session II (Elite Breeding Prospects) takes place on Friday April 7 from 5pm.

The sale will offer top-class breeding prospects on and off the track, broodmares in foal to Australasia’s finest sires, as well as stallion shares or breeding rights in the country’s leading stallions and select, highly-credentialed weanlings.

To view the catalogue, CLICK HERE.

The last ever sale at Newmarket will then take place, the revamped Australian Broodmare & Weanling Sale from April 10-12, where a catalogue of over 550 quality weanlings, race fillies and broodmares will be offered.

To view the catalogue, CLICK HERE.

SUMMER PASSAGE

Snitzel x Subsequent

Sale: 2016 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale

Price: $800,000

Vendor: Highgrove Stud

Breeder: Ron Gilbert (Highgrove Stud)

Group 1 win: Sistema Stakes

Trainer: Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott

Owners: Hermitage Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd