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Is there a more valuable broodmare at stud in Australia than Essaouira, the pride of the pack among the hundreds owned in this country by Sheikh Mohammed.
Obviously numerous priceless mares can lay claim to that elevated and very much subjective title but I doubt any breeder or pedigree expert would not have Essaouira somewhere close to the top of any such list.
The daughter of Exceed And Excel descends from an elite female family – her second and third dams are the outstanding G1 winners and producers La Baraka (Euclase) and Triscay (Marscay) - and she is now leaving a dynasty of her own through fine stallion sons and exceptional daughters.
Essaouira, a July 2006 foal from the Rory’s Jester mare Alizes – a G3 Magic Night Stakes winner - raced only twice as a 2YO in Darley colours when trained by Lee Freedman.
She won her debut at Moonee Valley in February of 2009 by six lengths but was never seen at the races again after finishing fifth in her second start at the same track, later that month.Retired to stud she produced her first foal, a colt by Lonhro in 2011. He raced as Marrakesh and recorded three wins and nine placings in 19 starts.
Mogador, another Lonhro colt, was her second foal in 2012, He’s won twice with G3 and Listed placings among his eight minors.Essaouira’s first mating with Medaglia D’Oro in 2013 produced her first Group One winner.
Astern, now standing at stud for Darley, was a star from the time he won his debut at Randwick in December of 2015. He won the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes at his next start and rebounded from a Golden Slipper Stakes loss to win the G3 Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick in his final start as a 2YO.At three he won his first two starts in the G2 Run To The Rose and G1 Golden Rose followed by seconds in the G2 Roman Consul Stakes and G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes before ending his career with a failure on a heavy track in the G1 TJ Smith Stakes in the autumn of 2017.
He has since covered two seasons at stud with his first progeny available in coming months as weanlings.
By Golden Slipper winner Sepoy, she has become a mare of immense value winning six of her 15 starts including G1 victories in the Flight Stakes and Queen Of The Turf Stakes plus the G2 Tea Rose Stakes and G2 Light Fingers Stakes.
Just last Saturday Alizee added the Listed Christmas Classic at Randwick, a notable result as it marked the return to racing by the hulking mare after she missed the spring following a bleeding attack that incurred the mandatory three month ban from racing.During her absence Essaouira’s 2016 foal Tassort, by Brazen Beau, made his debut with a stunning win at Rosehill that has made him a popular choice for autumn stardom.
The Essaouira family has since grown to include has a yearling sister to Astern by Medaglia D'Oro and a colt foal by the same sire.In the meantime we will see more of Alizee with Godolphin trainer James Cummings indicating her next start will be the G2 Expressway Stakes at Rosehill on February 2 and beyond that a tilt at the inaugural $5 million All Star Mile at Flemington in March.
She is the best to race by Sepoy, who has had 11 stakes winners in four countries and stood for Darley at Northwood Park in Victoria in 2018.
