Oaks Hopes For Magic Filly

The outstanding record of value fillies purchased at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale continued at Caulfield on Saturday when Redoute’s Choice filly Alzora won the listed Ethereal Stakes (2000m).

A comprehensive winner of one of the main lead up races to the Group One VRC Oaks, Alzora had her connections celebrating when she scored a valuable stakes victory.

The filly was purchased by leading bloodstock agent Mark Pilkington for $115,000 at the 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale – plucked from the draft of Emirates Park.

Being a daughter of the champion Arrowfield Stud based sire Redoute’s Choice and hailing from a pedigree that is proven at black type level in both hemispheres, Alzora has turned out a bargain buy.

The filly is trained by David Hayes for the Crabtree family’s Dorrington Farm Syndicate. She has already earned $90,000 from a handful of starts and looks a great prospect for the future – with the VRC Oaks an immediate and attainable goal.

“She has been very unlucky in a couple of runs, but being a Redoute’s (Choice) filly she has won a stakes race now and we’re heading towards the Oaks and we are very excited,” Hayes said.

“If she eats up really well then we will go to the Wakeful because you can see she is quite green, but if we feel she is fit then she will go straight into the Oaks,” he added.

Alzora, who ran fourth in a Dequetteville Stakes at two, is the 94th individual stakes winner for Redoute’s Choice and one of five winners for her related dam Bryce Canyon.

Also the dam of the Hong Kong winner Octagonal Canyon, Bryce Canyon is a Gulch half sister to Beyond the Sunset – the dam of kiwi based stakes winners Te Akau Coup and Don Garcia.

Further back it is the same family as international stars including Seattle Slew, Lomond, Seattle Dancer and Hakassan.

Alzora continues a golden run of stakes wins for fillies to have emerged from the Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Others include Wednesday’s Group One winner Commanding Jewel and Saturday’s Group Three winner Whateverwhenever.

Winner: Alzora
Breeding: Redoute’s Choice-Bryce Canyon (Gulch)
Race: MRC Ethereal Stakes LR (2000m)
Sold for: $115,000
Sale: 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Emirates Park (As Agent)
Buyer: Mark Pilkington Bloodstock
Earnings: $89,842
Owner(s): Dorrington Farm Syndicate (Mgr: RJ Crabtree)
Trainer: David Hayes (Flemington)