Talented filly Tulip was the first winner for Golden Slipper hero Pierro when scoring on debut at Moonee Valley in December and became his first stakes-winner after powering to a dominant victory in the Group 3 ATC Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill last Saturday.
A good last start fourth in the Group 1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes, Tulip confirmed the strength of that form when overcoming an outside gate to race away from the Sydney fillies and win the 1200 metre dash by a length and three-quarters.
Winning rider Kerrin McEvoy was always confident. "She's done it nicely," he said.
"She handled herself perfectly around this way of going for the first time. I always felt she was going to get the job done."
Tulip comes from the Hayes / Dabernig stable, who won the Blue Diamond with unbeaten Fastnet Rock filly Catchy and these girls will clash again this Saturday in the $3.5 million Group 1 ATC Golden Slipper.
"She was very impressive” Ben Hayes said of Tulip. "She just sat midfield and she was three wide no cover and she finished the race off great."
A $400,000 NZB Premier purchase from the Curraghmore Stud draft, Tulip runs in the Coolmore navy blue for Coolmore Stud and partners.
A half-sister to Group 3 winner Sacred Eye, Tulip was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the fourth winner from Group 3 winning Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) mare Musidora.
The current yearling from Musidora is a colt by Pierro that has been entered for the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Coolmore as Lot 251.
Tulip is not only the first stakes-winner for Pierro, but gives him an all-important runner in the Golden Slipper, which Pierro himself won in 2012, before going on the win the ATC Sires Produce Stakes and ATC Champagne Stakes.
PIERRO
Now the leading first season sire in the country, Pierro a week earlier recorded his Second Winner with a debut victory for the Greg Hickman trained filly Pierone. Hickman purchased Pierone from Session II of the Inglis Easter Sale.
The filly was his second winner from just 12 runners to date. Also his progeny includes the smart dual Sydney placed Ipso Facto and another very smart 2yo filly Aqua D’Ivina who recently ran 2nd at Warwick Farm on debut.
During the race Pierone settled on the pace and kept going strongly to win the 950m race.
"From one preparation to the next, she has improved so much,” said Hickman.
"There are plenty of races to be won with her as I think she’ll just keep on getting better and better.”
Hickman added "I have a pair of two year-olds by him and the other one is a colt that I like a lot called Pierata. He trialled nicely at Randwick in the spring, but he was a late foal with plenty of maturing to do so I put him away for a while. He’s back in work now and I’ll target the Brisbane Carnival with him. He’s got plenty of ability.”
Pierro currently has had 12 runners: 2 Winners (3 Wins – (1 SW)), 2 placed & 2 fourths and Earnings $305,725 which has him well in front on the First Season Sires Premiership.
Typically being a son of Lonhro, most professional buyers believe they were buying 3yo’s on pedigree and type, despite Pierro having been such a brilliant 2yo himself.
The fact remains everywhere we turn, the wraps are huge from owners and trainers who have Pierro’s in their stables.
Hence this was a reason why Dynamic Syndications targeted Pierro’s progeny at the yearling sales in 2017. To date we have purchased 3 yearlings by the very exciting young sire.
We started with the very first yearling of 2017 when buying Lot 1 at the Magic Millions Sale on the Gold Coast, a bay filly:
Pierro x Faith Hill – the dam was a G2 & LR Winner & produced SW BLACK MINX (dam of SO SI BON)
Then we added Lot 192 a brown filly:
Pierro x Mafia Miss – the dam was 2nd in the AJC Gimcrack S, LR and 4th in the STC Magic Night Gr2.
Next we purchased Lot 478 a bay filly:
Pierro x Special Mention – from the ½ sister to Gr1 Winner FIRST SEAL
Coolmore Stud appear to have another Top Class Sire in the making on their fabulous roster of stallions which is headed by
FASTNET ROCK who has two runners in the Slipper: CATCHY and FORMALITY which is a marvellous result since the sire is known for his 3yo progeny rather than his 2yo’s.