The dams of both impressive winners of the Group II and III MRC Blue Diamond Preludes – Samara Dancer and Flying Artie – are now in foal to Newgate Farm based sires.
Unbeaten Hinchinbrook filly Samara Dancer staked her claim for Group I glory with a resounding victory in the fillies division for the Phillip Stokes stable.
She is a half-sister to stakes-winner Éclair Big Bang so is the second stakes-winner for her imported dam Ennerdale (GB), an unplaced Singspiel daughter of Group II winner Whitehaven, whose dam White Star Line won a Group I Kentucky Oaks.
Ennerdale was one of 120 mares covered last year by Fastnet Rock’s exciting young sire son Foxwedge, so the resulting foal from this mating will be a three-quarter sibling to Samara Dancer, who is by another Fastnet Rock son in Hinchinbrook.
Progressive Artie Schiller (USA) colt Flying Artie shot up the Blue Diamond betting charts with his powerful victory and the subsequent decision by winning rider Damien Oliver to partner the colt in the big one in favour of his stablemate Extreme Choice.
The Mick Price trained colt is now second favourite for the Blue Diamond behind Extreme Choice.
His dam Flying Ruby, who comes from the family of Australian Horse of the Year Better Loosen Up, was among 195 mares covered last year by reigning Australian Horse of the Year Dissident.