Only a couple of foals for us in 2023 given that our French based broodmare, Aureana, passed away last year after a colic episode and we sold Twilight Calls's dam Zawiyah to the Irish National Stud where I understand she has had a full sister to that Group 1 placed sprinter and will/has visited Starspangledbanner.
Territories x Redskin Dancer colt with foster mare Baby
First on the scene was a colt by Territories out of Redskin Dancer who arrived on 23rd Feb. Unfortunately a few days after foaling Redskin herself had a severe colic attack and went off to Donnington Grove where she had an emergency surgery. Returning a few days later she seemed to have recovered but fell victim to another attack shortly afterwards and she was put out of her misery. She was our favourite broodmare and was a very pleasant mare who loved getting mints from me! As we also lost our 2yo Havana Gold filly in February to colic as well as Aureana last year it has been a particularly tough time on that front and, fingers crossed, hopefully that is the last we see of colic for a long time.
Rocadora and her Dream Ahead filly foaled in March 2023 Whatever, life goes on and we have secured the services of Million Dollar Baby, a foster mother based in Suffolk. MDB and the colt foal, who is a full brother to our racehorse in France, Chirimiri, are getting on well.
Our other foal arrived on 8th March and is a filly by Dream Ahead out of maiden mare Rocadora who is half sister to Group 2 winner Gift List. Foal and mother are fine and she will be visiting Bated Breath, sire of Gift List, shortly. I think Dream Ahead could do very well based in the UK as he is more likely to get speedier mares than he received in France. Maiden mare Moonlight Frolic is in foal to Territories and Going For Gold in foal to 2nd season sire Lope Y Fernandez on mid March covers so with luck we will have all three mares in foal shortly.
On the racetrack, Aureana's 2nd foal, First Page, opened his account on his fourth outing when he ran on very well to win over 1600m at La Teste on 26th March and has been allotted a handicap mark of 39 in kilos which is equivalent to 86 in lbs. Tomorrow he has his next race when taking on some useful types at Bordeaux over 1400m and should be in at the finish. As he is by Bated Breath, he became our sixth winner by that sire from seven horses of racing age with prize money wins of over £700k. Chirimiri made a welcome return to the racetrack on 8th April when a head second over 1200m in a conditions race at Bordeaux. We went up for the race and were very pleased with this comeback run which augers well for the future.
Jim Atkinson
23rd April 2023
James Ortega Bloodstock Ltd