News

Promising Al Maher Filly in Good Hands

22nd Aug 2015

Breednet - Friday, 21 August 2015

An unraced 3-year-old daughter of Al Maher by the name of Lady Sansa (pictured as a yearling) is beginning to excite an ownership group comprising of past and present employees of Inglis Bloodstock and managed on their behalf by two very closely connected racing families.

A 2014 Sydney Classic Yearling Sale graduate on the verge of her first race start, Lady Sansa caught the eye of many good judges when winning her latest barrier trial this morning at Randwick by a commanding eight-length winning margin.

The manner of the filly’s performance could hardly have been more encouraging for a bunch of owners that should have a better idea than most in regard to a quality racing prospect.

Part-owners of Lady Sansa include the likes of Nick Melmeth, James Mitchell, Adelaide Moses and Kate Anker — current or former employees of Inglis Bloodstock.

The group came together when Bloodstock Consultant and Inglis auctioneer Chris Russell floated the idea of the fellow staff members taking a share. As Melmeth explained: "Chris identified her as a lovely horse and purchased her with his partner Bridie Sparks, who manages Strawberry Hill. They decided to put a syndicate together which included a lot of the staff from here at Inglis.”

Melmeth said that the choice of trainer was virtually a forgone conclusion.

"Chris is the son of former champion jockey Ken Russell. Ken and trainer Craig Carmody were good mates [from their days riding for Brian Mayfield-Smith at Rosehill], so Chris had always planned to send Lady Sansa to Craig.”

Lady Sansa showed very little potential in her first barrier trial at the end of last month, but improved significantly in the interim. "Craig worked her in blinkers and decided to go that way today. It proved the right choice,” suggested Melmeth.

"Craig will see how she pulls up before deciding on a first-up run, another trial or a spell. But the aim is to head to the races in about a fortnight-to-three weeks time. He seems to think that she will get a bit of ground, but we will wait and see what unfolds.”

Produced by the winning Encosta de Lago mare Latest Flame, Lady Sansa certainly has the profile to figure in Classic 3-year-old events. Besides being bred on the very same lines as Al Maher’s Group 2 winner Pheidon (MRC Alister Clark Stakes), there are also tangible similarities between her pedigree and that of last season’s star 3-year-old filly Delicacy. Both sets of bloodlines either feature the full-brothers Sadler’s Wells or Fairy King, as well as the distinguished Sir Tristram sire-sons Marauding and El Qahira.