Lynward Park manager Troy van Heemst is counting down the days before the first Sunspeed foals by Alfred Nobel arrive at Bullsbrook.

Expectations kept growing last week when his close relation New Approach sired a stakes-winning treble at Royal Ascot.

“New Approach has the whole industry talking in Europe,” van Heemst said on Monday.  “His first crop dominated the two year-old races at Royal Ascot and that’s helped lift the profile of Alfred Nobel.”

Sheikh Mohammed owns New Approach (Galileo) and his feature winners were Dawn Approach (G2 Coventry Stakes) in Tuesday, Newfangled (G3 Albany Stakes) on Friday and Tha’ir (LR Chesham Stakes) on Saturday.

New Approach’s immediate family has also switched to fast-forward on several fronts.  His half-sister Dazzling Park (Warning) is the second dam of Alfred Nobel and another half-sister Alluring Park (Green Desert) foaled this month’s G1 English Oaks winner Was.

Alfred Nobel (Ire) topped the European juvenile rankings in 2009 and emulated his own sire Danehill Dancer with a G1 victory in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.  “He covered 64 mares here last year and it was a quality book,” van Heemst explained.  “He’s a good natured horse and a gem to work with.”

van Heemst anticipates more numbers this year and, like the rest of the industry, has discounted his fee to $7,150 (inc gst).  “We only had photos of him as a three year-old in training before he arrived last year.  Obviously, he looked a bit light back then but he’s filled right out and breeders will see a magnificent stallion at our open day in September.”

Black In Time (Blackfriars) is one of the mares due to deliver an Alfred Nobel foal in August.  She won six races and was placed behind G1 sprinter Ortensia in the first of her Winterbottom Stakes victories.

Royal Drive (Victory Drive) is another black-type mare carrying a PPT to Alfred Nobel.  She won the 2005 WA 1000 Guineas and then doubled up in the G2 WA Oaks.

Alfred Nobel stands alongside Stravinsky sire Balmont (USA) at Lynward Park.  He was a G1 winner of the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket and is priced at $4,400 (inc gst).

Alfred Nobel