Speed machine Nature Strip cruised home in the SAJC Lightning Stakes (Listed, 1050m) on Saturday to add further black type to the page of a closely related, empty mare for sale on gavelhouse.com.
Just two horses in Saturday’s race were in single digits in the betting, with match-race appeal between short-priced favourite Nature Strip and Magic Millions winner Sunlight (Zoustar).
At Lot 18, Passing (Bel Esprit) is out of a full sister to the dam of Nature Strip with the Darren Weir-trained son of Nicconi making a big impression in his two runs this preparation. An impressive win could see him selected for one of the remaining slots for the highly anticipated $13 million The Everest.
Passing’s breeding sees her a perfect match for Widden Stud’s Nicconi, in addition to her having the same cross as Black Caviar, being by Bel Esprit out of a Desert Sun Mare.
Passing’s dam Stella Eclipse is a full sister to Strikeline who herself is a winner of three black-type races and over $500,000 in stakes. In addition to Nature Strip, Strikeline has also produced a multiple winner and stakes winner The Barrister (Star Witness) who also races successfully in Hong Kong as High Volatility with just shy of A$700,000 in winnings.
As a broodmare sire Bel Esprit (Royal Academy) lays claim to multiple Group One winning miler and the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation (Road to Rock) plus Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas winner Costa Viva.
Offered unreserved, Passing has already produced a filly by Starcraft and is currently empty so could be ready for an early service this spring.
The gavelhouse.com auction also features another 21 Lots with bidding set to close starting with Lot 1 from 7pm AEST on Monday 30 July. Register online at www.gavelhouse.com to bid and for more information about using the site call +61396144882
Photo: Racing.com
Fortnightly online bloodstock auctions 