Swettenham Stud celebrated a winning afternoon on Sportingbet Robert Sangster Stakes day at Morphettville on Saturday.  And it was appropriate Swettenham owner Adam Sangster played a big hand on the raceday that commemorates his father’s immense contribution to our racing and breeding industries.

Adam’s wife Sophie races Hidden Energy who was a comfortable winner of Race 5 at Morphettville.  The Dehere mare is trained by David Hayes and she is a blueblood half-sister to star sprinter Kaphero (Danzero).  He was Horse of the Year at Moonee Valley before retiring to Swettenham Stud last year.

Their dam Kapchat was a G1 winner of the STC Winfield Classic and she hails from the family of Golden Slipper winner Courtza and her champion sire son O’Reilly.

There was a Swettenham link with Race 2 winner River’s Lane (Street Cry).  He is a homebred for the Carvill family and has a yearling half-sister by Swettenham sire Dash For Cash.

Swettenham resident Bianconi sired Balzoni to win Race 3 at Morphettville.  He failed to reach a $30,000 reserve at the 2006 Adelaide Magic Millions when offered by the Sangster and Hayes families under their Collingrove Stud banner.

Although there were one or two degrees of separation, the Sangsters also had a hand in the breeding of Sportingbet Robert Sangster Classic winner Rostova.

Robert Sangster bred and raced Perugino and shuttled him to Australia in 1995.  A Danzig three-quarter brother to Sadler’s Wells, he sired champion colt Testa Rossa in his first southern crop.

Testa Rossa was multiple Group 1 winner and since retiring to stud has been represented by 255 winners in Australia & NZ at a magnificent 70% strike rate.

His Melbourne filly Rostova grabbed a well-deserved G1 of her own in the Robert Sangster on Saturday.  She was an unplaced favourite in the G1 Blue Diamond last year and trainer Steve Richards intends to freshen her up for the G1 The Galaxy at Randwick next month.

Swettenham went into the Sangster meeting on a high after a Group 1 double at Flemington the previous Saturday.

Australian Cup winner Zipping (Danehill) was bred by Swettenham and Australian Guineas winner Rock Classic (Fastnet Rock) is a direct descendant of Swettenham’s 1987 G1 Blue Diamond winner Midnight Fever.