Saturday’s result in the Group 1 Criterium International where Invincible Spirit colt Royal Meeting claimed his first elite level victory, was a boost for one of Sledmere Stud’s international purchases.
For a long way up the home straight in the Criterium International at Chantilly racecourse, it looked as though Aidan O’Brien’s Hermosa, a full-sister to the Group 1 winner The United States would raise her dam Beauty Is Truth to new heights by becoming the Pivotal mare’s third Group 1 winner.
But then the Invincible Spirit colt Royal Meeting cut into her lead and went on to win by the best part of a length, becoming his sire’s second juvenile Group 1 winner of the weekend after Magna Grecia’s heroics in the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster on Sunday.
Secured in conjunction with Baystone Farm, the partnership purchased Royal Meeting’s Exceed And Excel half-sister Indie Rock (GB) from the draft of Godolphin at the 2017 Goffs February sale for € 42,000.
Placed at 2, Indie Rock is a daughter of South African Champion 2YO Filly Rock Opera, a winner of the Group 1 Allan Robertson Fillies Champion. Until recently her flagship horse was Indie Rock’s full-brother Heavy Metal, a winner of 15 races highlighted by a trio of Group 2 races.
After securing Indie Rock and transporting her back to Australia, the mare was sent to visit Newgate Farm’s Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist before being offered at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, where she was purchased by Vieira Group for $200,000, which looks like a bargain now.
Pictured below courtesy of Magic Millions.
