Colt becomes Siyouni’s fifth Group 1 winner
The Aidan O’Brien-trained St Mark's Basilica (2 c ex Cabaret by Galileo) - who is a half-brother to Coolmore Stud shuttler Magna Grecia (Invincible Spirit) - produced a fine display to win the Dewhurst Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) at Newmarket on Saturday and in the process became elite level number five and stakes winner number 40 for Haras de Bonneval-based Siyouni (Pivotal).
Last seen running third behind Thunder Moon (Zoffany) and Wembley (Galileo) in the National Stakes (Gr 1, 7f), the Aidan O’Brien-trained juvenile had to fight that pair off again this time round, but he was able to come away with a three-quarter length victory over his stablemate Wembley, while Thunder Moon was another length and three-quarters away in third.
“We’re delighted with both of them,” said O’Brien.
“The plan was that St Mark’s Basilica would run in France and then Wembley would run in the Dewhurst, that’s the way we were going.
“We’ve always liked St Mark’s Basilica a lot, and Wembley, we’ve always thought they were very smart colts.
“The first three were were the same three as in the National Stakes. Every year it’s a great race and the form always stands up.”
Purchased by MV Magnier for 1,300,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale from the Norelands Stud draft, St Mark's Basilica becomes the fourth winner out of Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) mare Cabaret, who won the Silver Flash Stakes (Gr 7, 7f) as a juvenile.
Her best progeny is the aforementioned Magna Grecia, whose two Group 1 victories included the 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) in 2019 and he is currently covering his first book of mares at Coolmore’s Jerrys Plains base at a fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
Cabaret herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Drumfire (Danehill Dancer) and Listed scorer Ho Choi (Pivotal), while further back Group 3 winner Ugo Fire (Bluebird) also features on the page.
Being out of a Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) mare the colt is therefore bred on the same cross as last weekend’s Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Sottsass, who it was announced this week would join the Coolmore Stud roster in 2021.
Meanwhile in Chantilly, Siyouni was handed his 41st stakes winner as his son Rajani (3 g ex Ramora by Monsun) landed the Prix Le Fabuleux (Listed, 1800m).
The gelding stayed on strongly to beat Ecrivain (Lope De Vega) by three-quarters of a length, while Now We Know (Kendargent) was another three and a half lengths away in third.
The gelding is from the family of Group 1 winner Ransom O’War (Red Ransom) and this year’s Maurice McCarten Handicap (Gr 3, 1100m) winner Star Of The Seas (Ocean Park) and Australian Listed winner Spieth (Thorn Park), who is now standing at Aquis Farm.
Siyouni (Pivotal) stands at Haras de Bonneval in France and his fee was advertised as €100,000 in 2020.
It's a 1-2 for @Ballydoyle in the @DarleyStallions Dewhurst Stakes!
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) October 10, 2020
St Mark's Basilica gets the better of his stable companion Wembley to win the Group One contest under @FrankieDettori pic.twitter.com/KPu6mh6WS7
