Sledmere graduates Spring Heat (by More Than Ready-USA) and Causeway Girl (by Shamus Award) added some very valuable black-type to their pedigree page when running major stakes placings in feature events staged either side of the Tasman.
Wexford Stables-trained & Hermitage Thoroughbreds-owned Spring Heat is now a Group 1 placegetter after claiming third in the time honoured JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham. Well back in the field at the point of the Wellington track’s unique home turn, the Sledmere-bred daughter of More Than Ready (USA) had to overcome serious traffic problems in the straight before closing late to finish a clear-cut third.
Later in the same afternoon in Melbourne, Causeway Girl looked to have recorded her maiden stakes victory in the Listed VRC Kensington Stakes (1000m) before being caught by co-favourite Bold Star in the very last stride of the race.
Both Spring Heat and Causeway Girl are very much products of Sledmere Stud’s breeding program and further enhanced their black-type credentials. Spring Heat is already a Group 3 winner, having landed the Ellerslie Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) as a 3-year-old. Causeway Girl was previously a runner-up in the Group 3 VRC Red Roses, also in her Classic season.
Spring Heat and Causeway Girl hail from a family very much developed by the Mackays, each tracing directly back to the imported Blushing Groom mare Surprise Affair (USA). Very prominent in the family is Spring Heat’s second-dam Katima, a four-time stakes winner for the celebrated horse trainer Guy Walter — including the Group 2 AJC Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m).
Spring Heat was sold by Sledmere Stud at the 2016 Sydney Easter Yearling Sale, where she was acquired by Wexford Stables for $240,000. Causeway Girl was sold by Sledmere Stud the following year, fetching $150,000 at the 2017 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale when knocked-down to Clint McDonald.