Former Trelawney Stud shuttler Van Nistelrooy sired his third Group 1 winner when Sparkling Oro won the Clasico Pamplona (G1) in Peru last Saturday.

Kentucky bred Sparkling Oro flew home to win by a length in the Clasico Pamplona which is the only G1 race on grass reserved for fillies and mares on the Peruvian racing calendar.

Sparkling Oro (3f Van Nistelrooy – Sec Secrets by Triple Sec) became the first US bred filly to win the Pamplona since Pigricia (Lord Avie) in 2001.  It was her fifth victory from seven starts for owner Stud Couet.

Van Nistelrooy (Storm Cat) shuttled from Coolmore’s Kentucky base at Ashford Stud to New Zealand from 2003 to 2006 and covered books of 116, 88, 60 and 51.  Trelawney stood him on behalf of a partnership that also included Chequers Stud, Curraghmore Stud, Fairdale Stud, Haunui Farm and Pencarrow Stud.

Last year, Trelawney’s Brent Taylor explained Van Nistelrooy would not be returning to NZ because the terms of the lease agreement meant he would have to stand the son of Storm Cat at a fee the market would not be able to tolerate.

Van Nistelrooy’s earlier G1 winners were Set Play (Del Mar Debutante St) and Boundless (New Zealand Oaks).  His other Trelawney bred stakes winners have been Ruud Van Slaats (G2 Waikato Gasmate Stakes) and the Listed winners Bella Renza, Princess Annaliese, Scarlet Vanhara, Striker and Vandalo.

He also sired Singapore based colt Onceuponatime who won the Magic Millions Juvenile Championship and the Singapore Guineas at Kranji.

Van Nistelrooy was the most expensive yearling of his year selling for US$6.4 million at the 2001 Keeneland Sales.  He was a G2 winner of the Futurity Stakes in Ireland and was also runner-up in the G1 National Stakes behind Refuse To Bend.

Van Nistelrooy stands for a US$15,000 fee at Ashford.  He will shuttle to Haras Firmamento in Argentina later this year.