Brighthill Farm freshman Dalghar (Fr) has cut the ribbons with his first southern-hemisphere winner at Ellerslie.

Donna Logan’s grey filly Astara powered to a convincing victory in the Ginde 2YO Stakes (1300m) on Saturday.  She was coming off a close-up fourth in the G2 Matamata Breeders Stakes to prevail by a length as favourite from Quantum (Keeper) & Blue Twilight (Sakhee’s Secret).

Her Perth-based owner-breeder Neven Botica bought Dalghar in France and stands him in association with Brighthill owner Nick King.  A grey son of Anabaa, he was a juvenile winner at Maisons-Laffitte before graduating to black-type victories at Deauville & Longchamp and a Group 1 placing behind Bewitched and Star Witness in the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot.

Astara is from Svita (Success Express), a Tony Noonan trained Moe winner over 2069m and she foaled a Dalghar colt for Botica in October.  The mare is a half-sister to Group winners Schilling and Estonian Princess.

“Astara has showed plenty of promise and it’s great to see the stallion off the mark here,” King said.  “We’re really chuffed it’s come at a Saturday meeting at Ellerslie.  Neven bought Dalghar off the Aga Khan and then retired him to stud in France.  He contacted us about bringing the horse to New Zealand.”

Dalghar yearlings proved popular in their first year at Karaka in 2015 selling for up to $130,000 and the interest in his stock has continued.  “He’s done very well and the buyers really got after them at Karaka this year,” King said.  “They sold up to $90,000 at K2 and in K3 three of them broke $50,000.

“He will have a lot more runners out in the next month and they will be better at three than two.  I know Donna and Chris think a fair bit of Astara and they debated whether to go to Awapuni for the Group 1 but there was the question of a heavy track.

“She’s got the job done at Ellerslie and it’s great for Dalghar to get on the board.”

Dalghar sired three winners from a handful of runners from his first crop in Europe last year following a one-off season at Haras de Saint Arnoult in France in 2012.

ASTARA