Sheikh Hamdan’s colt Atyaab capped an action-packed 36 hours for Arrowfield’s young sire Dundeel when he won the R1 million Cape Derby 2000m G1 in South Africa on 26 January.

Bred by Arrowfield & John Leaver, Atyaab was bought for $260,000 by Shadwell Stud from the Stud’s 2017 Inglis Easter draft and is trained by Mike de Kock. He is Dundeel’s fourth stakeswinner and the fourth Group 1 winner to emerge – so far – from Arrowfield’s Class of 2017, after The Autumn Sun, Estijaab & Maid Of Heaven. 

Dundeel’s first Group 1 winner, Sheikh Hamdan’s colt Atyaab, pictured as a yearling at Arrowfield. (PHOTO: Georgie Lomax)

 Atyaab is also the fifth Group 1 winner found by Shadwell’s master buyer Angus Gold in Arrowfield’s Easter consignments, joining Mustaaqeem (2016), Rafeef (2014), Majmu (2013) and Reaan (2007).

 The colt’s dam is the now 21 year-old multiple Group 2 winner Sylvaner (by Danasinga), whose late-career fertility and success, following her early stakeswinner Vesper, can be credited to both the care and the opportunities she’s received at Arrowfield. Sylvaner has a 2YO Dundeel filly (a $100,000 Inglis Easter purchase for the Bulla Thoroughbreds Trust), a 2018 Dundeel colt and a positive test to the six-time Group 1 winner. 

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Melbourne Premier star Booker (Writte Tycoon ex Noondie) became the sixth individual Inglis graduate to win a Group 1 race in 2019 when successful in the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.

The 4YO mare secured her maiden Group 1, having won two other Stakes races previously, defying a wide barrier and little luck in running to win first-up from a spell.

Booker joins In Her Time (Oakleigh Plate), Manuel (Orr Stakes), Beat The Block (Centenary Sprint Cup), Enzo's lad (Telegraph Hcp) and Atyaab (Cape Derby) as Inglis graduates to win at the top level this year.

She also becomes the second consecutive Inglis graduate to win the Oakleigh Plate following Russian Revolution's success in 2018.

Booker, trained by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, was a $230,000 buy for Barry Griffiths from the 2016 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Mill Park Stud.

"It's a fantastic result for the farm and a fantastic result for loyal clients of ours in Liz and Tony Freebairn and Bill Rigg,'' Mill Park's Chris Watson said.

"Booker was always an absolute powerhouse of a filly from day one. She was always going to be an early-running type, which she turned out to be, and to win a Group 1 so early in her career is amazing.''

Inglis Premier  graduate Booker won the G1 Oakleigh Plate

Widden Stud are in mourning tonight following the passing of Golden Slipper winning sire Sebring, who died quietly of a heart attack on Saturday afternoon.

Bought for $130,000 from the Magic Million in 2007 by Denise Martin's Star Thoroughbreds, Sebring was the syndicators dream horse come true. Prepared by Gai Waterhouse, Sebring won five of six starts including the Group I ATC Golden Slipper and Sires' Produce Stakes to be crowned Champion 2YO of 2007/2008.

Bred by George Altomonte of Corumbene Stud, Sebring earned in excess of $2.5 million in prizemoney for his adoring owners before embarking on a lucrative stud career at Widden that would prove every bit as successful as his racetrack achievements.

"Sebring was the horse of a lifetime, as a racehorse and a stallion, he changed lives," said Antony Thompson.