News

Premier Melbourne Draft for Swettenham

15th Nov 2011

Swettenham Stud - Tuesday, 15 November 2011

Swettenham graduate Black Caviar is off the scene until the New Year and her return will be the perfect launching pad for the stud’s consignment at the 2012 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale.

Swettenham sold the world champion mare (pictured as yearling) as agent at the 2009 Melbourne Premier for $210,000.

The Group 1 Patinack Classic victory at Flemington increased her unbeaten record to 16 wins in a row and her earnings to $4.38 million.

Black Caviar won’t be seen again until the G1 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley on January 27 and she will then press on to the G1 C F Orr Stakes and G1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield.

The 2012 Melbourne Premier starts two days after the Futurity on Monday, February 27.

Swettenham has catalogued 24 lots for the Premier sessions at Oaklands Junction including two colts by Black Caviar’s sire Bel Esprit.

Exciting newcomer Kaphero will have his first yearlings for sale and they will be joined by the second crop of fellow Swettenham residents Host (Chi) and Soldier’s Tale (USA).

The Bel Esprit – Dolphin Dance colt is a half-brother to city winners Harkaway (Royal Academy) and Dance of the Ocean (Danzero).

Their dam Dolphin Dance won 7 races for Caulfield trainer Jim Moloney including two at her home track and another at Sandown. She is a sister to Hong Kong G1 performer Meridian Star.

“The mare always throws nice types and her Bel Esprit is no exception,” Swettenham manager Alan Morton said. “He’s built like a get up and run two year-old and you can see there’s plenty of scope for him to train on.”

Swettenham’s first Kaphero to parade at Oaklands is a colt from USA bred mare Anna Dana. She was stakes placed twice in Kentucky and her dam Mount Helena (Danzig) is a winning half-sister to champion sire Street Cry.

“He’s the complete package,” Morton said. “Plenty of bone, lovely walk and he’s got a great outlook.”

Swettenham has been bowled over the popularity of Kaphero. “He covered 75 mares first-up and that increased to 97 last year,” Morton explained. “He will probably serve well over a 100 this year and his fertility is up around 95%.”

Kaphero won LR MRC Blue Diamond Preview and SAJC Magic Millions 2YO Classic at two before developing into a top-class sprinter, especially at Moonee Valley, where he was a G3 winner of the McEwen Stakes (1000m).

He is a son of Danehill’s Golden Slipper winner Danzero and his dam Kapchat was a G1 winner of the STC Coolmore Classic at Rosehill. His second dam is a half-sister to the dam of another Golden Slipper winner in Courtza.