More Than Ready’s new Realm

More Than Ready (USA) logged more frequent-flyer points when he touched down in Australia on Saturday morning.

The Vinery champion arrived safe and sound for a 17th southern season in the Hunter Valley. He will quarantine in Melbourne before travelling to Vinery in time for the Stud’s stallion parades on August 26 & 27.

And it was business as usual on the racing front with 2yo debut winners in the USA and England on Friday following the appearance of another promising 2yo for owner-breeder Bob Peters in Perth.

Peters and his wife Sandra are staunch supporters of More Than Ready and have been rewarded with a black-type roll-call headed by Group 1 winners Dreamaway (WA Derby) and Perfect Reflection (Kingston Town Classic).

They have another promising filly on the horizon named Sally’s Realm. The Vinery-bred 2yo won a Lark Hill trial last week and has been nominated to debut at Belmont this Wednesday.

Sally’s Realm is a sister to Better Than Ready who won four stakes sprints in Sydney and Brisbane before retiring to stand at Lyndhurst Stud in Queensland. She cost $320,000 out of the Vinery draft at the 2016 Gold Coast Magic Millions.

Mayyasah claimed the first-leg of More Than Ready’s juvenile double at Newbury on Friday. She seized control at the furlong for a smooth two-length victory in the EBF Fillies Stakes (1200m).

Trained by Richard Hannon, Mayyasah is owned by Al Shaqab Racing after making €160,000 (AUD 231,625) at the 2016 Arqana yearling sale. Her dam Whipsaw City (Elusive City) won three races and was stakes-placed at Saint-Cloud and Churchill Downs.

Catholic Boy also won first-up in a Gulfstream Park turf maiden over 1500m. He settled in the back-half of the field before making a three-wide move to challenge the leaders at the top of the lane.

Under strong handling from Carlos Montalvo, he drew off for a two-length score carrying the colours of prominent New York owner Robert LaPenta. Catholic Boy’s dam Song of Bernadette (Bernardini) is a half-sister to Return To Paradise (Arlington Hatoof Stakes-LR).

It’s still early days for the North American juvenile division but More Than Ready has already sired four individual winners. The Steve Asmussen-trained colt Copper Bullet has been the best of them seen out so far this year.

Copper Bullet was a runaway 8-length winner at Churchill Downs in May clocking a very fast 57.76s for 1000m. He followed up with a Group 3 placing in the Bashford Manor Stakes under the Twin Spires on June 30.

More Than Ready’s stature as a sire of sires is also assured with Sebring notching his 31st stakes winner courtesy of Supido (MRC Monash Stakes-LR) last Saturday. His Vinery associate Pluck is another furthering the sireline with Group 1 spring prospects Aspect (Caulfield Guineas) and Mongolian Wolf (Caulfield Cup).

MAYYASAH