South African mares Ultra competitive

Sean Buckley has another Group 1 winning mare ready to carry his Ultra Thoroughbreds silks in Australia.  Buckley raced Australian Horse of the Year Miss Andretti and he has just purchased leading South African mare Noble Heir.

Noble Heir (Kahal) is a speed machine with 8 wins to her credit including the G1 Computaform Sprint at Turffontein earlier this year.  

Buckley has a winning record with previous buys out of South Africa.  Perfect Promise (Caesour) arrived here to win the G1 C F Orr Stakes while Dane Julia (Caesour) won stakes races at Sandown and Warwick Farm.

Buckley has also purchased Happy Spirit (Silvano) and she has been nominated for the Melbourne Cup.  The former G1 South African Oaks winner is trained by Darren Weir as is G1 Paddock Stakes winner Emblem Of Liberty (National Emblem).  The latter is ready to resume racing for her second Australian campaign.

Meanwhile, Buckley has nominated his Exceed And Excel – Miss Andretti yearling colt for the 2011 Gold Coast Magic Millions.  One of a number of quality entries for Ultra Thoroughbreds, the colt will be prepared by Toolooganvale Farm.

Miss Andretti proved her class against the best in both hemispheres winning 11 Group events and over $2.8 million.  The Ihtiram mare commenced her career in Perth before transferring to Melbourne where she won five Group 1 sprints.

She sealed the 2007 Australian Horse of the Year crown with a G1 victory in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“We are delighted to have received such quality nominations from Sean Buckley in particular the colt from Miss Andretti,” Magic Millions Managing Director David Chester noted.  “Miss Andretti is one of the best sprinters Australia has produced in the modern era and her first foal is sure to attract great interest from around the world.”

The Ultra Thoroughbreds draft will also include four youngsters by Coolmore Stud sire Fastnet Rock.  The 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale will be held from January 12 to 21.