NEWSLETTER, WEDNESDAY 12 OCTOBER 2016

Top US three-year-olds retired to stud

USA classic winner and leading sophomore win in the Belmont Stakes really topped off a magi- Exaggerator , the only three-year-old colt with three cal year for me and my family. I am appreciative of Gr1 wins in 2016, has been retired from racing and the opportunity to have trained a horse like him that will enter stud at WinStar Farm near Versailles, proved he's good enough to win a classic." Kentucky. - Bloodhorse.

"We could not be more excited to add another classic winner the calibre of Exaggerator to the WinStar stallion ros- ter," said Elliott Walden, WinStar presi- dent & CEO about the son of Curlin.

"He is a sound horse that passes all physical ex- ams, but as the only 3-year-old to test all the Triple Crown races and summer classics, he's a horse that is asking us for a rest. The fact he remains sound after 15 big-time starts in the last 16 months is a testament to his ability, consistency, fortitude, and class. He is an extreme racehorse—a tough, durable throwback to the old days, like Curlin." Exagerrator with trainer, Keith Desormeaux. A stud fee will be announced at a later date.

Meanwhile Creator, the three-year-old colt by Tapit who won the 2016 Belmont Stakes (Gr1) and Ar- kansas Derby (Gr1, has been sold by WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay to the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association.

"The JBBA approached us with a strong desire to stand a top grade I-winning son of Tapit like Crea- tor, and since we already have one on our stallion roster with Constitution it was ultimately too good of an opportunity to pass up for everyone involved, including the horse," said Elliott Walden.

The JBBA intends to retire him from racing to stand stud at Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido, Japan Creator. for 2017.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Creator retires with a 3-4-1 record from 12 starts and earned more than ADVERTISE WITH TURF TALK $1.6 million on the racetrack. Read by Industry Leaders Phone Jo on 083 399 6353; or Justine on 084 922 2241 "I'm very proud of Creator," Asmussen said. "His 1

Moreira booked on top runner for Melbourne Cup

HONG Kong Champion Jockey Joao Moreira has been booked to partner the French-bred galloper Heartbreak City, a last start winner of the famous Ebor Handicap (14f) at York.

Heartbreak City, prepared by Irish trainer Tony Martin, has been assigned 53kg for the Melbourne Cup.

Heartbreak City is a $13 chance with online bookmakers, and is an early fancy of many pundits. - Racenet.

Multiple Hong Kong Champion Joao Moreira, big ride.

Impressive Marchfield has four lots on sale at CTS R2R

MOUTONSHOEK Stud’s well related sire The champion son of sire legend A P Indy has four Marchfield (CAN), hails from the same family as first-local crop members on offer at Saturday’s CTS one of North America’s most exciting colts. Ready To Run Sale Presented by Lanzerac Hotel & Spa. Go to www.capethoroughbredsales.co.za to Two-year-old Classic Empire, who made it three wins from four runs when romping home in Satur- day’s G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. Keeneland, is a direct descendant of the great mare Alablue – who is also ancestress of Marchfield.

Classic Empire, who had previously won the G3 Bashford Manor Stakes, has now banked over $380 000 in prize money and Saturday’s G1 win guaranteed him a berth in the upcoming Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Dual Canadian champion, and millionaire, March- field, will be represented by his first South African Marchfield, Moutonshoek. runners this season.

2 has died, five years into retirement. Stallion Marju dies, aged 28

SUCCESSFUL Irish stallion Marju, sire of five-time group I winner So- viet Song and Hong Kong Horses of the Year Viva Pataca and Indige- nous among 68 stakes winners, has died at the age of 28, Derrinstown Stud in County Kildare announced on Tuesday.

A son of who passed away of natural causes, Marju had been pensioned from stud duty since 2011 at Sheikh Hamdan's County Kildare farm.

A three-quarters brother to outstanding filly Salsabil (by Sadler's Wells), Marju proved a proficient miler when taking the 1991 St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-1) at Royal Ascot. His record also includes a victory in that year's Charles Heidsieck Champagne Craven Stakes (Eng-3) prior to a runner-up finish in the Ever Ready (Eng-1) for owner Sheikh Hamdan and trainer John Dunlop.

Marju was retired to Derrinstown at the end of his three-year-old season and was immediately successful, getting English and French group I winner and 1996 (Fr-1, French Oaks) victress in his first crop.

Overall, 12 offspring won at the highest level, including Irish classic win- ner, , , and Marbye in Europe; Chinchon in the United States and Singapore; and Marju Snip in Australia, where Marju had shuttled. His progeny from 20 crops amassed purse earnings of more than $69.9 million.

Marju was bred in Ireland by Pat O'Kelly of Kilcarn Stud. His dam is English and Irish group II winner Flame of Tara (by ), producer of five stakes winners, including Salsibil, who in 1990 became the first filly in 90 years to win the Budweiser Irish Derby (Ire-1). She also won the Gold Seal and General Accident One Thousand Guineas (both Eng-1).

Marju also proved effective as a broodmare sire as evidenced by recent Qatar Prix de l'Abbaye (Fr-I) winner Marsha as well as 's young sire Canford Cliffs among several Gr1 winners.—TDN 3