HEAVENLY Blue, the beautiful five-year-old Gr1 winner, has been retired to stud at Dr Ashley and RoseParker’s Ascot Stud. The only son of champion stallion Snitzel at stud out of Australia, he will stand ata service fee of R8,000 (live foal).
As a racehorse, Heavenly Blue attracted immediate attention and a fan club, winning his first two outings over a mile and 1400m respectively. He was narrowly defeated in the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes (1400m) before going down a length to Singapore Sling in the Dingaans, the winner himself going on to a top international career.
It was in the Gr1 2017 SA Classic over 1800m that Heavenly Blue truly came into his own, defeating subsequent Gr1 Durban July runner-up Al Sahem by just under three lengths, with international Gr2 winner Janoobi and 2018 Summer Cup winner Tilbury Fort in his wake.
Heavenly Blue suffered a knee chip and was out of racing for several months, before travel sickness put
paid to his contesting the 2018 Sun Met. He was retired from racing in July 2018 and had now beensyndicated for stud by Jehan Malherbe’s FormBloodstock. He ended with a race record of three wins and four places from 11 starts, with earnings approachingR1,9-million.
Malherbe commented: “The value of Heavenly Blue asa Gr1-winning son of Snitzel comes into perspective if one considers that an (obviously unraced) yearling by Snitzel sold for $AUS2.8-million (nearly R29-million) at the Sydney Easter Sales last month.
Malherbe said that a number of special share offers had been devised for investors interested in Heavenly Blue, including two services per year, per share, for the first four seasons.
Mike de Kock commented: “Heavenly Blue has the right credentials, aside from the Snitzel factor he has a veryuseful female line. He won a Gr1, but due to his setbacks he was an under-achiever in my opinion. He could’ve won a few more Graded races if not for his knee chips and his illness before the Met, when he was in goodform.”
Parker said: “We kept Heavenly Blue at De Kock’s stables so we could bring him to the National Sale last week where all the breeders could see him and I’m glad we did. Not many of them come to our farm in Port Elizabeth. He’s a big, strapping horse, in great shape and we are excited about his future. He’ll get the pick of our mares.
Ascot Stud also stand Global View (USA) whose first foals averaged R175,000 at Nationals last week. “We are happy with that, buyers are never sure first time out and we’ll see more support for Global View next year.”
-turftalk.co.za // Images: Candiese Marnewick
