CONFORMATION

“She the most racy looking horse of the lot,” insists Barry Irwin of his second lowest-priced horse in the sale. “I told both her consignor and trainer that if this filly isn’t a runner, I will retire!”

The bright bay filly is slight of frame and looks more like a deer than a Thoroughbred at this stage of her development, but she has a long neck and more than ample quarters for her size.

Her pastern angle was the best of any Al Mufti in the sale, said Irwin, which is important, because most of the Al Mufti have incorrect upright pasterns that put added pressure on ankles and knees.

The filly is balanced nicely for her type.

Irwin said she is built to be fast and he expects her to be an early 2-year-old.

“And her coat is as smooth as silk, very fine and classy,” Irwin said. “I knew she would go cheaply because she is more of a racy than a big, robust type. I love this filly.”

PEDIGREE

Click here for pedigree of Hip 28 - Picturesque

SIRE - Al Mufti

Al Mufti gets the most American type of horses at the sale with the exception of Western Winter, says Barry Irwin.

Why wouldn’t he? He is by Roberto out of a Buckpasser mare.

Al Mufti has been the Leading Sire twice, the Leading Freshman Sire and the Leading 2-year-old Sire.

Significantly, however, it is as a broodmare sire that Al Mufti has scaled the heights, so if this filly turns out to be a good runner, her paddock value figures to be significant because she is by Al Mufti.

As a sire, Al Mufti is best known as the sire of Victory Moon, winner of the $2-million U. A. E. Derby and Captain Al, a record-setting sire of 2-year-olds.

FAMILY

Tracing to her fourth dam Crystal Light, a stakes winner in the United Kingdom, Picturesque hails from one of the most prolific producing families in the English Stud Boodk.

Crystal Light is responsible for several top performers, most notably Welsh Guide, a Champion Filly and Group 1 winner in Italy.

This is the immediate family of Crocket (Champion Colt at 2 in England), Nizon (Group 1 winner in Italy, Don Roberto (top Grade 1 marathoner and sire), etc.

BROODMARE SIRE - Fort Wood

Fort Wood was a lightly-raced colt in France who won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris.

He is impeccably bred, being by Sadler’s Wells, the most successful stallion in European and British history. He is out of the stakes winner and phenomenal producer Fall Aspen, who is the dam of Timber Country, the Champion Colt of his generation at 2 in the U. S., where he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, then later placed in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

Fort Wood has been one of the top couple of stallion standing in South Africa.

He is best known as the sire of Horse Chestnut, regarded as the greatest “modern day” racehorse in South African history.

His four South African Derby winners include Horse Chestnut, who was a stakes winner on dirt at Gulfstream Park in a lone stateside appearance before taking up residency at Claiborne Farm, and Dynasty, a Horse of the Year and one of the best recent runners in South Africa, where he is now at stud.

NOTES

Picturesque, says Barry Irwin, “has the type of energy and presence that is found in successful 2-year-olds. If I had to pick one horse that could not miss in this group, it is this one. I don’t care if she sold for peanuts.”

TRAINER

Glen Kotzen is Barry Irwin’s favorite trainer. He trained Alexandra Rose for Team Valor.

“I like Glen because he is never afraid to tell me bad news, which is so very important in this endeavor,” Irwin said.

He has proven to be a very talented horseman. His father is a horseman and his brother is Mike de Kock’s assistant in Durban.

Kotzen also has his own training establishment outside of Cape Town, where he maintains a good racing surface.