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Son of Iffraaj clinches fifth stakes win

The everpopular Julie Camacho-trained Judicial (8 g Iffraaj - Marlinka by Marju) - who was having his 39th career start - landed his fifth stakes victory in the Queensferry Stakes (Listed, 6f) at Chester on Monday. 

The son of former Haunui Farm shuttler Iffraaj (Zafonic) finished second in the 2017 edition of the Listed race and he went one better on Monday when beating Major Jumbo (Zebedee) by two and three-quarter lengths, while Emaraaty Ana (Shamardal) finished another three-quarters of a length back in third. 

Raced by Elite Racing Club and the gelding is from one of their most famous families, with the gelding being out of Listed winner Marlinka (Marju), making him a half-brother to dual Group 1 winner Marsha (Acclamation) - who is now famed for setting a European record when selling for 6,000,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2017. 

The gelding’s third dam is Kalinka (Soviet Star) - the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Soviet Song (Marju), while she is also the grandam of Prix Jean Romanet (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Ribbons (Manduro), Group 3 winner Miss Marjurie (Marju) and Listed-winning duo Mixology (Cape Cross) and Stars Above Me (Exceed And Excel). 

Iffraaj shuttled to New Zealand for the past 12 years, but will not return to Haunui Farm for the upcoming breeding season and will instead be replaced by his multiple Group 1-winning son Ribchester, who comes to the Karaka-based stud having covered two books of mares at Darley's Kelvinside base.

Judicial is one of 72 stakes winners for Iffraaj, with 26 of them coming in the southern hemisphere and he will continue covering duties at Darley's Dalham Hall in Newmarket, where his fee for 2020 was advertised as £30,000.