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Son of Snitzel salutes the judge on second start at Sha Tin
Having finished fifth on debut, the well-related Family Folks (4 g Snitzel - Miss Sharapova by Ustinov) got off the mark at the second time of asking when he broke his maiden over 1200 metres at Sha Tin on Sunday, leading home an Australian-bred trifecta.
The four-year-old gelding came out on top of a close finish to beat Red Hot Chilli Pepper (Smart Missile), while Smart Wongchoy (Smart Missile) was another length and a half away in third.
Bred by Arrowfield Stud, the son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) was purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for $900,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the Arrowfield Stud draft and he is out of stakes-placed Ustinov (Seeking The Gold) mare Miss Sharapova.
Miss Sharapova herself is the dam of this season’s Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Doubtland (Not A Single Doubt) and Listed winner Pretty Fast (Not A Single Doubt) and she is a half-sister to 2014 ATC Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1000m) winner Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt).
Villa Verde enjoyed a good result in the sales ring on Saturday, when Annabel Neasham and her racing manager Brian McGuire secured a colt out of the mare for $1,000,000 from the Kia Ora Stud draft.
Further back this is the same family as Group 3 winner Sushi Rocket (Salmon Leap) and Group 2 scorer Rory’s Rocket (Roan Rocket).
In 2019 Miss Sharapova produced a brother to Family Folks, while in 2020 the mare produced a colt by Snitzel’s barnmate Dundeel (High Chaparral) and she has been covered again by Snitzel.
Snitzel had 44 lots sell at Book 1 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last week, recording an aggregate of $20,180,000 at an average of $458,636. The stallion was also responsible for the top lot of the week, with Coolmore Stud paying Widden Stud $1.9 million for a colt out of Listed-winning mare Bonny O’Reilly on Tuesday.
