Geisel Park sire Manhattan Rain has a barrage of big-money races looming for his Melbourne-based stars Jigsaw and Benagil but a low-key barrier trial in Perth next Monday will signal a new phase of his stud career.
Just over a week after King Of Light (Earthlight) retained an unbeaten record in the LR Belgravia Stakes (1200m) at Ascot, his Manhattan Rain half-brother Blue Sparx will step out in a Lark Hill hit-out for trainer Brian Kersley.
He’s an early August foal and apart from being Manhattan Rain’s first WA-conceived 2yo to go public, he will also attract attention as a half-brother to King Of Light who is one of the most exciting gallopers on the horizon in WA.
Blue Sparks pictured prior to the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale
“I bought Blue Sparx for $35,000 at this year’s Perth Magic Millions and he would be worth more now,” Baldivis-based Kersley said this week. “He’s a natural and so far has done everything I’ve asked. I’ve let him find his own way and obviously he won’t be put under any undue pressure on Monday.”
Blue Sparx (2g Manhattan Rain – Queen’s Parade by Dalghar) was bred by Neven Botica trading under the Botsky P/L banner and he also has a share in King Of Light. “Queen’s Parade has a yearling filly by Blue Point (Ire) and she foaled a Pierata filly last month,” Botica reported on Tuesday. “They’re both good types and I will probably retain the Blue Point filly.
“Blue Point is a Shamardal sire and so is King Of Light’s sire Earthlight,” he added. “I sent Queen’s Parade to Darley Victoria stallion Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) this season.”
Queen’s Parade was bred and sold by Botica for $35,000 at the 2015 Perth Magic Millions. She won a Northam maiden in an injury-curtailed, five-start career and he bought her back after she initially retired to stud for Impressive Racing’s Darren McAuliffe and Kevin Berry.
She is a half-sister to Spirit Bird (Savabeel) who also won a Northam maiden before Botica transferred her east where she won a G3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at Newcastle. She is the dam of G1 Queensland Derby runner-up Fame (Manhattan Rain) and Shooting Spirit (Shooting To Win) who has won at Ascot (2) and Belmont for Simon Miller.
Queen’s Parade is by Dalghar (Fr) who sired this year’s Botica-bred G2 Perth Cup winner Hemlock Stone. Botica imported him to stand at Brighthill Farm in New Zealand after a career that included wins in the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal at Longchamp and LR Prix Luthier at Deauville. Dalghar (Anabaa) was bred by the Aga Khan and is a half-brother to European Horse of the Year Daylami (Doyoun) and Arc de Triomphe winner Dalakhani (Darshaan).
Meanwhile, Manhattan Rain can continue rising up the WA Sires’ ladder with his born-again sprinter Jigsaw locked in for a rich slot-race after winning the G2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Jigsaw is part-owned and trained by Cranbourne-based Cindy Alderson and will now be set for the $1 million Cranbourne Meteorite (1200m) on November 22. “He never felt better before winning at home a fortnight ago,” Alderson revealed after his 11th win from 35 starts. “Normally I wouldn’t back him up that quickly but I came here to get that ticket into The Meteorite.”
Manhattan Rain’s G1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) winner Benagil holds another elite-level entry to the $1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington this Saturday. And his Cranbourne-based mare New York Lustre is also nominated to race on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival in the G3 Kirin Ichiban Sprint (1100m)
Geisel Park stands Manhattan Rain for $5,500 alongside Aysar ($8,800) and Winning Rupert ($6,600). (Fees inc GST). Stud manager Conor Dunlop can be contacted for bookings or further details on 0447 434 735.
