Allandale Park sire Assafa kick-started his stud career with a quick-fire treble last season and his Port Macquarie gelding Elkay Star can keep the momentum going in 2012-13.
Assafa (Danehill) sired his first winner when Geelong based filly Afassafire saluted on April 8. Plenty in the Kit doubled up within 24 hours at Mudgee and then Dantess chimed in to make it three first-crop winners in the space of seven days.
Assafa’s strike-rate didn’t improve after the Easter treble but he started this season on a winning note with Allandale Park bred gelding Elkay Star. Owned and trained by Ron Broomhall at Port Macquarie, he a promising sort when winning the Nestle / Peters Maiden Hcp (1000m) last week despite hanging out for the majority of the race.
There a more wins in store for Elkay Star around the NSW Northern Rivers circuit later this year.
“Assafa is a lovely natured horse,” Allandale Park’s Claire Todd said. “He’s a leggy type and is leaving correct, well-conformed foals.”
Danehill sired Assafa from Leopardstown winner Marigot Bay (Fairy King) and he cost Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa $640,000 at the 2003 Gold Coast Magic Millions. Second dam Prawn Cocktail (Artichoke) foaled 8 winners including Danehill’s Australian stakes winners Langoustine (G2 VRC Maribyrnong Plate) and One World (G3 VRC Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes).
Prawn Cocktail was a half-sister to Royal Academy (Nijinsky) and the dam of Storm Cat (Storm Bird).
Trained by John Sadler, Assafa won at Sandown and followed up with a G3 placing behind Fastnet Rock in the L’oreal Paris Plate at Flemington. Transferred to Trevor McKee the following year, he won at Te Rapa before retiring to stud after just 16 starts.
Allandale Park is based at Hobby’s Yards in high country south of Bathurst. Assafa stands for a $2,200 service fee alongside Annenkov (Danehill), Diogenes (Marscay), Barbajuan (Danehill Dancer) and Carry the Crown (Vice Regent).
For further enquiries, owners and breeders can all John or Claire Todd on (02) 6368 8626
– Karl Patterson
ASSAFA
Allandale Park resident is the sire of promising Port Macquarie galloper Elkay Star