Photo: Trish Dunell
The emergence of Mary Shan this season has been welcomed by Prima Park who will offer her sister as Lot 393 at the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
The Waikato farm sold the quality filly at Karaka in 2022 to Andrew Forsman for $180,000 and under the Cambridge trainer’s guidance has met and matched the best of her age group.
The daughter of Almanzor was runner-up in both the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and in between times was an unlucky fifth in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
At her most recent appearance, Mary Shan finished a close fifth in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m).
“We’ve got some really nice horses and the pedigrees are pretty current with some nice updates, particularly with Mary Shan who has been very consistent this season with multiple black-type placings,” Prima Park Managing Director Kelly Van Dyk said.
“The filly we will be selling is quite different to Mary Shan and is probably a lot more compact and looks like she might get up and run early.
“She’s a lovely type and has been a pleasure to prepare, she’s got a great attitude and we’re looking forward to getting her to Karaka.
“She has probably thrown a bit more to Almanzor, just the way she looks and her constitution, whereas Mary Shan threw a bit more to her mother.”
They are out of the High Chaparral mare Shanzam who was successful three times up to 1400m in Australia.
Lot 229 is another well-credentialled youngster with the daughter of Contributer and the Black Minnaloushe mare Minnaleo a sister to the Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner Lion’s Roar.
“She’s another lovely filly and over the last few months Contributer has been going so well,” Van Dyk said.
“She is very athletic, leggy filly and maybe a little bit more late-maturing and very correct. She’s been straight forward as well.”
First through the ring for the farm will be Lot 76, a daughter of Ocean Park and the Iffraaj mare Faye Presto who is a half-sister to the three-time Group One winner Kolding, the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup winner (2000m) Sampson and Miss Upstart successful in the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m).
“The Ocean Park filly is an absolute stand-out on type and has been really well-received at the on- farm parades,” Van Dyk said.
“She has an incredible walk, a very good moving filly and just a stunner.”
Van Dyk also has high hopes for Lot 391, a son of Per Incanto and Testa Rossa’s daughter Shanina, whose profile has been boosted by events across the Tasman.
“He is a half-brother to Coeur Volante who won the Thousand Guineas Prelude (Gr.2, 1400m) and this colt is a really nice type we’re selling for Duncan Fell,” she said.
“He is only the third foal and she’s got that stakes winner and a stakes placegetter (Hasstobemagic).”
Prima Park will also offer a Per Incanto filly, Lot 228, out of the Listed Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes winner Mini Pearl from the family of former champion juvenile and Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winner Pompeii Pearl.
Another quality member of the consignment is Lot 294, an Almanzor colt who is a grandson of the former New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year and Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner Insouciant.
It is also the family of the two-time top-flight winner Dorabella and Media Sensation, also successful in the 1000 Guineas.
