AHEAD OF THE FIELD-BEAT HOLLOW FOALS
Sadler’s Wells has sired many top class sons but right up there
amongst the best of them was Beat Hollow, the four-time Group/Grade
1 winner whose first crop, produced from a book of talented and
well related mares, includes a filly out of Irish Oaks heroine
Bolas. Though beaten by only Sinndar and Sakhee in the Derby, on
what was just his third racecourse appearance, Beat Hollow went on
to show more pace than might have been expected for a son of his
parents – he became a top class 10 furlong performer and had the
speed to win a Grade 1 over nine.
For a horse by Sadler’s Wells and out of Dancing Brave’s Irish
Oaks heroine Wemyss Bight, this sort of pace may initially seem
somewhat surprising but one should remember that Wemyss Bight’s
full-sister Hope is the mare responsible for both classic winning
Zenda (by Zamindar) and star sprinter Oasis Dream (by Green
Desert). Also, Vacamonte (by Caerleon), a half brother to Wemyss
Bight is a pretty quick performer at around seven furlongs. There
is speed in the family.
This is also a family that has enjoyed from notable successes in
2004. Spanish Wells, dam of shock Cambridgeshire hero Spanish Don
(by Zafonic) and Coraline, dam of Group 2 winner Martaline (by
Linamix) and his talented brothers Clear Thinking (Rainbow Quest)
and Reefscape (by Linamix) are both three-parts sisters to Beat
Hollow.
There may not have been as many exceptional stallion sons of
Sadler’s Wells as one might have hoped at this stage of his career
but he has given us such as El Prado, Fort Wood, In The Wings,
Scenic and others of note. El Prado has been champion sire in
America and is challenging for the title again this year, Fort Wood
is one of the best in South Africa, In The Wings has enjoyed major
success in Europe, Alnasr Alwasheek is a leading classic sire in
India, while Scenic has sired a string of Grade 1 winners in
Australia.
Several of his other sons have also sired two or more
Group/Grade 1 winners, including Carnegie, Saddler’s Hall and
Barathea. In fact Barathea has been having a tremendous season in
2004 with his list of pattern winners headed by the six furlong
Group 1 winning fillies Magical Romance and Tante Rose. Former
Guineas hero Entrepreneur is another of the Sadler’s Wells clan to
have excelled in 2004 as, despite a couple of poor seasons, he has
caught the eye this year with Group 1 star Damson, Group 1
runner-up Berenson and stakes winner Screwdriver all amongst his
latest batch of juveniles, having sired the classic winner Vintage
Tipple in 2003.
Beat Hollow is a good-looking, regally bred horse who had class
in abundance and more pace than might have been expected for a son
of Sadler’s Wells and Wemyss Bight. He is a very bright
prospect.
Date:
26 October 2004