CONFORMATION

“Gorgeous,” is the first word to cross Barry Irwin’s lips when he gazed at this filly. After giving her the once over, he dictated this note: “This filly will be hard to top in this sale.” At that point he had looked at less than 5 fillies.

“She has it all in terms of conformation. She is elegant as well as strong and has the most beautiful head. She is almost too pretty, if there is such a thing, about her cameo-like head.”

PEDIGREE

Click here for pedigree of Hip 57 - Carromantica

SIRE - Western Winter

Western Winter was a stakes winner in Florida and runner-up in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile at Belmont Park, a race which for years has been a good pointer for stallion success.

By Mr. Prospector’s top international son Gone West, Western Winter is regarded as the best proven sire standing in South Africa, as is reflected by his $40,000 stud fee. He was the first of the local sires to break into that price range.

Western Winter topped the National Yearling Sale in gross and average.

An all around sire, Western Winter had gotten Horse of the Year Winter Solstice, the top Derby types in Yard Arm and Grey Arrow, a Champion 2-year-old colt in Ice Cube, and the brilliantly fast fillies Bad Girl Runs and Fair Maiden.

FAMILY

Group 3-winning Casanga, a recent representative of the German "C" family.

The young first dam Caramanta won 3 races in Germany at distances up to 1 3/8ths miles and is a half-sister to the Champion Stayer in Germany at 3 in Caballo, who won the Group 2 German St. Leger over a mile a three-quarters.

The second dam Carmelita, who produced the Champion Stayer, was a Listed stakes winner in her own right, winning races at up to a mile and an eighth.

Carmelita was a daughter of Surumu, the German Derby winner who led the General Sire and the Broodmare Sire lists 6 times each. Among his outstanding horses was the leading sire Acatenango.

Fourth dam Cucuta is a half-sister to Colima, a multiple Group winner who ran second in the German Oaks. Colima in turn was the grandam of 1986 champion filly Comprida, winner of the German Oaks and Thousand Guineas. Comprida produced Casanga, a multiple Group winning filly.

This family is one of the currents strengths of the Fahrhof Stud in Germany.

BROODMARE SIRE - Fairy King

Fairy King was an unraced brother to Sadler’s Wells, the most successful stallion the history of Britain and Europe.

The Northern Dancer horse began his career alongside his Classic-winning brother at Coolmore Stud, where he gradually became recognized as a top stallion in his own right.

A versatile stallion, he has been represented by major winners in most countries in the world. His biggest impact at present is felt in Australasia, where his son Encosta de Lago is vying with Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) for leading honors on the General Sire list.

The name of Fairy King as a sire or broodmare adds value to the pedigree of a horse and is held in high esteem right along side of that of his more famous brother.

NOTES

Carromantica was bought from the same breeder that Team Valor bought Field Event last season. The Maine Chance Farm is owned by German breeder Andreas Jacobs, who stands the ex-German stallion Silvano in South Africa. Silvano is represented by this season’s German One Thousand Guineas winner from the first crop of the stallion when he stood in The Rhineland. Jacobs sends a draft of fillies from Germany to be bred each year in South Africa.

TRAINER

Born in England, trainer Geoff Woodruff married the daughter of Terrance Millard, considered by some to be the greatest trainer in the history of racing in South Africa. The story goes that Millard imparted considerable wisdom to Woodruff and taught him many secrets about racing on the various courses in South Africa.

Woodruff annually vies with Mike de Kock for leadership among trainers in South Africa. The horseman trains his stock at the Vaal race course outside of Johannesburg.

There appears to be no type of horse that Woodruff cannot train, as he has excelled with the gamut of types.

“There is little to choose between Mike and Geoff, but the reason we went with Geoff is he stays in South Africa all year long,” explained Barry Irwin. “This is an important horse for us and we want to take no chances.

“We also like the fact that Geoff has the serves of Mark Khan, one of the premier riders in the land. He is a brilliant tactician and very strong. He is a big plus to the organization.”

Woodruff has trained many Champion in South Africa.