Sydney, May 7 – Golden Slipper winner Catbird posted a new metropolitan winner at Canterbury on Monday when the Grahame Begg trained three year-old filly Simurgh broke through for a well deserved win.
Having collected a cheque at each of four previous starts few could deny Simurgh her first trip to the winner’s circle, the filly scoring a tenacious win in the 1200 metre maiden event.
Retained to race by her breeder, Simurgh is the third foal of former smart racemare Flickering Fire, a Listed winner of seven races highlighted by victories in the AJC James B. Carr Stakes and P.J. Bell Handicap.
Flickering Fire is currently in foal to the young Yarraman Park based sire Foreplay, a well-credentialed son of Danehill (USA) who covered 108 mares last spring in his first season at stud.
Foreplay will stand this spring at the same fee of $13,200 and breeders will no doubt be keen to support him again given the overwhelming commercial success of his immediate family.
His dam Procrastinate was sold at the recent Inglis Australian Select Broodmare Sale for $660,000, while her yearling colt by Redoute’s Choice made $2million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale knocked down to John Ferguson Bloodstock for Darley Australia.
