Pearl Of Love sired his first winner when Collesano broke through second time out at Florence on Thursday.
Bred by Alfredo di Gesaro from his Idris mare Mother’s Hope, Collesano was purchased by his owner Antonino Bosco at the 2008 Italian Yearling Sales for 20,000 euros. The dam is a half-sister to Treasure Hope, who was trained by Jim Bolger to win the 1992 Premio Regina Elena (G2) in Rome.
Pearl Of Love (Peintre Celebre) covered 70 mares in his first northern season alongside Viking Ruler at Oak Lodge Stud in County Kildare and then shuttled to Heytesbury Stud in Australia in conjunction with Gray Williamson (Mungrup Stud) and Mary Scott (Namerick Thoroughbreds).
He was just finishing an initial book of 100 mares when he died from colic in December 2006.
Bred at Swettenham Stud in England, Pearl Of Love was a 100,000 guineas purchase by trainer Mark Johnstone for owner Mick Doyle at the 2002 Tattersalls Houghton Sale.
He proved a precocious type winning four of his six starts as a juvenile. He demonstrated blistering speed to win a maiden event at Doncaster over 1200m.
Johnstone saw the potential in the colt and quickly stepped him up to Listed company in the Chesma Stakes over 1400m. Pearl Of Love handled the step up in class and repaid his trainer’s faith with an authoritive victory in the event.
“Pearl Of Love was a magnificent horse,” Johnston recalled. “He had it all: the looks, the temperament, great speed and plenty of pedigree.”
Johnstone stepped Pearl Of Love up to the G2 Futurity Stakes and left his rivals flat footed as he coasted home to win in a three and a half length romp.
After finishing third to one time US $3.1 million dollar yearling One Cool Cat (Storm Cat) in the G1 National Stakes at the Curragh, Pearl Of Love hit back hard to capture an elusive top level win.
The son of Peintre Celebre travelled across to the San Siro racecourse in Milan for a clash with another Ballydole runner and half brother to Stravinsky, Moscow Ballet in the G1 Criterium Stakes.
Pearl Of Love was sent to the front by jockey Darryl Holland around the back straight and the pair quickly asserted their authority.
Turning for home, Pearl Of Love began to tire, but dug deep to hold on and win by half a length from local hope Spirit Of Desert (Desert Prince), by half a length.
Moscow Ballet (Sadler’s Wells) finished unplaced.
“It was such a credit to the horse’s fighting qualities, he was entitled to give up, but he kept going,” Johnstone said.
Pearl Of Love had four first-crop yearling tops six-figures at the 2009 Perth Magic Millions. Top of the list was his colt from Top Operator mare Sovereign Striker. He was offered by Mungrup and made $105,000 to the bid of Marshall Nathanson.