Less
than 24 hours after siring his first Southern Hemisphere bred winner in South
Africa, Coolmore's exciting young sire Zoffany (IRE) posted his first
Australian winner with Persistent Shadow scoring a dominant victory as
favourite.
A close third on debut at Rockhampton a week ago, the Peter Fleming trained filly
gave her rivals a galloping lesson at Mackay in the 1050 metre maiden as she
raced away to win by four lengths.
A modest $4,000 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale purchase from the Mane
Lodge draft, she is the fourth winner from Green Desert mare Green Mirage, a winning
grand-daughter of French Group I winner Loving Claim from the family of
Australian stakes-winner Soft Sand.
The current yearling from Green Mirage, a stunning colt by Zoffany, was much
admired at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale this year fetching $300,000 for
Coolmore when secured by Jadeskye Racing/ Gerald Ryan.
Persistent Shadow is the second Australian bred winner for Zoffany following on
from Soweto Moon, who scored at Kenilworth in South Africa on Wednesday. (Read
about him here)
Zoffany sired 33 first crop winners in Europe last year including five
stakes-winners to be Champion First Season Sire. Interestingly, two of his
European stakes-winners Illuminate and Washington D.C are from Green Desert
line mares, which might be something worth noting for the future.
His burgeoning results in Europe last year sparked considerable interest in
Zoffany from Australian breeders and he covered an impressive 213 mares here
last spring.