Duncan Ramage and trainer John Thompson joined forces again on day three of Inglis Classic to secure a colt by Champion Miler Real Steel (Deep Impact), from the French Cape Cross Mare, Zerkela.
Trained by John Thompson, Randwick
Offered as Lot 742 and purchased from the leading nursery at Arrowfield Stud, this colt fetched the top price during the ‘Highway’ Session when selling for A$200,000.
His price certainly reflects the quality this colt possesses and as well as being a fantastic physical, he boasts an excellent international pedigree.
He is from the first Southern Hemisphere crop by international G1 winner and G1 performer in Japan, Real Steel (Deep Impact) who is a brother to 2021 G1 Breeders’ Cup F&M Turf, QEII Cup and Hong Kong Cup winner Loves Only You.
This colt is the second foal out of the Cape Cross mare, Zerkela who won over 2000m in France.
Notably, Cape Cross has been an excellent broodmare sire with his daughters producing 14 G1 winners, inc; Russian Camelot, Australia, Laurens, Shuka and Tarnawa.
His grand-dam is a winning half-sister to supreme European Champion Zarkava, now an outstanding broodmare; and his dam is closely related to G3 winner Zarshana. All descend from the legendary 1959 British Horse of the Year Petite Etoile, Timeform-rated 134 at two and three.
Ownership opportunities are available to race him with DGR and John Thompson, please get in touch with Duncan for more information.
An outstanding filly by leading New Zealand sire Per Incanto from Winter Sky (IRE), an Invincible Spirit half-sister to Transfers, the dam of Group 1 winner Tom Kitten and stakes winners Va Via and Promotions. This filly was bred and raised at one of New Zealand’s very best nurseries, Little Avondale, a stud famed for producing 41 individual Group 1 winners.
By leading 2yo sire Extreme Choice from the multiple Group winner Istanford (USA), this filly was raised at the top Golden Slipper-producing nursery of Newgate Farm and will get every opportunity of success under the guidance of Anthony Cummings, the trainer of her sire’s best daughter and DGR’s up-and-coming 2yo Group placegetter Extreme Diva.
In the make and shape of his leading sire, So You Think, this colt is from the 3yo stakes performer Valley Sweetheart. Hailing from a front-running family, he represented great buying very early on at Inglis Classic and is a type that is destined to follow in the footsteps of So You Think’s best progeny.
With loads of natural muscle, strength and a top pedigree on her side, this filly was a compelling buy for DGR’s Duncan Ramage. By the Group-winning Invincible Spirit stallion Ancient Spirit, she is from an impeccably related mare from one of New Zealand’s most distinguished nurseries.
A beautifully bred filly by exciting freshman So You Think stallion Peltzer. Her Not a Single Doubt dam was unbeaten as a juvenile and is already doing an excellent job at stud, producing a stakes-winning 2yo in Lord Cosmos.
Duncan's Comments
“While we avoid the mega sales toppers, co-sharing a sale topper of the Inglis Classic Highway Session at $200,000 is something we feel comfortable about. Our previous association with a Classic Sale topper resulted in Caulfield Guineas winner God's Own with Bart Cummings and Dato Tan. Through Think Big Stud, Dato's family have become involved in this colt with Bart's long time foreman John Thompson who is now a leading trainer in his own right. We look forward to a continued successful and historical union.”