3 minute read
Half-brother to Coolmore shuttler Magna Grecia wins at the Curragh
The Aidan O’Brien-trained St Mark's Basilica (2 c Siyouni - Cabaret by Galileo) - who is a half-brother to Coolmore shuttler Magna Grecia (Invincible Spirit) - got off the mark at the third time of asking as he landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (6f) at the Curragh on Saturday.
Last seen running a good fifth in the Phoenix Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) earlier in the month, the Bob Scarborough-bred colt clearly appreciated the step down in class, coming away with a length and a quarter victory over Loch Lein (Invincible Spirit), while the winner’s stablemate Duke Of Mantua (No Nay Never) finished another nose further back in third.
Purchased by MV Magnier for 1,300,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale from the Norelands Stud draft, St Mark's Basilica becomes the fourth winner out of Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) mare Cabaret, who won the Silver Flash Stakes (Gr 7, 7f) as a juvenile. Her best progeny is the aforementioned Magna Grecia, whose two Group 1 victories included the 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in 2019.
Cabaret herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Drumfire (Danehill Dancer) and Listed scorer Ho Choi (Pivotal), while further back Group 3 winner Ugo Fire (Bluebird) also features on the page.
Siyouni (Pivotal) stands at Haras de Bonneval in France and his fee was advertised as €100,000 in 2020.
A brother to St Mark's Basilica is entered for Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and the Norelands Stud-consigned colt is catalogued as Lot 74.
Magna Grecia is about to cover his first book of southern hemisphere mares at Coolmore Stud’s Jerrys Plains base at a fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
1.3m gns
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 22, 2020
Half-brother to Magna Grecia
Maiden no more
The promising St Mark's Basilica (Siyouni) drops down from Group 1 company to prevail for @Ballydoyle at @curraghrace
Results & free replays https://t.co/GI57hUtDeF pic.twitter.com/3wBMoxoLMR
