Jon Snow’s spring could enhance sister’s status
A well-related recent arrival by Iffraaj could be worth a whole lot more in the coming weeks.
The youngster, which was foaled at Attunga Stud in the Hunter Valley, arrived just days before Jon Snow touched down in Melbourne ahead of the Group One Memsie Stakes.
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained four-year-old will open his campaign on Saturday in the $1 million race at Caulfield.
Any success that may come the way of Jon Snow, which has the Caulfield Cup as his primary objective, will significantly impact the sibling’s value.
“We’ll see, but whatever happens this filly is worth an awful lot,” said Highview Stud’s Brent Gillovic.
“It’s a beautiful female family.”
He purchased the youngster’s dam Orinda on behalf of his business partner Peter Yip, of the Hong Kong Breeders’ Club.
“We got blown out of the water on a few mares for serious money and I was talking to (bloodstock agent) Michael Otto, who said Orinda could be bought,” Gillovic said.
“I jumped in the car and went to see her. I liked what I saw and purchased her. Peter puts a lot of money into the New Zealand industry so good on him, it’s a cracking foal.”
A daughter of O’Reilly, Orinda will spend the foreseeable future at Attunga.
“She was bought specifically to go to Snitzel, Peter’s had a share in the stallion right from the outset,” Gillovic said.
“The mare will visit him sometime in September. The Iffraaj foal will at this stage come home after she’s weaned and
Peter has indicated that he might keep her to race.”