1.6 million guineas Frankel filly out of Group 1 winner Millisle set for Kempton debut on Wednesday

Our resident bloodstock experts profile the well-bred eyecatchers and expensive purchases set to grace the track.

Alfareqa

Unibet Zero% Mission EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes (4.10 Kempton, Wednesday)

What's the story?

There's a fascinating newcomer to kick off proceedings at Kempton on Wednesday, Shadwell's Alfareqa looks the part on paper as a 1.6 million guineas Book 1 purchase and daughter of two Group 1 winners in Frankel and Millisle. 

The chestnut was presented at Park Paddocks by Watership Down Stud and sold to Shadwell for the seven-figure price, which was little surprise given her immense residual value. 

She was placed with Owen Burrows, and Jim Crowley takes the reins for her debut over seven furlongs.

How's she bred?

The Owen Burrows-trained youngster is the first foal out of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Millisle, a daughter of Starspangledbanner who also captured the Ballyogan Stakes and Curragh Stakes for Jessica Harrington and Stonethorn Stud Farms. 

The mare is in turn out of the Indian Ridge-sired Green Castle, making her a half-sister to four black-type performers, including Listed winner Ithoughtitwasover.

Their Listed-placed Duke Of Marmalade half-sister Glenmayne is the dam of Galashiels, a Listed winner for Godolphin and Andre Fabre this year when defeating subsequent King George hero Goliath at Longchamp. The Australia gelding was also second in the Group 3 Prix d'Hedouville behind that same rival. 

Another half-sister, the winning Montjeu mare Fleur De Nuit, is the dam of Novus, a winner of last year's Group 3 Pride Stakes who landed the Listed Foundation Stakes at Goodwood in September, while another, Greenisland, has also been productive at stud, producing two Listed winners in Shamshon and Boerhan.

What was said at the sales?

Alfareqa was comfortably the most expensive of Shadwell’s seven Book 1 buys last October, a haul that cost a combined 3,660,000gns. All seven acquisitions were fillies. 

Angus Gold, on buying duties for Sheikha Hissa's team, told the assembled media including colleague James Thomas: "She’s a lovely first foal. I saw her on the farm and loved her there, and Sheikha Hissa absolutely loved her when she saw her up here. I told her she’d make a lot of money but she said, ‘We need some fillies for the stud’. 

“She’s out of a Cheveley Park winner and by one of the world’s great stallions, so it’s fairly self explanatory. She seems very athletic and looks to have a very good mind. Now she’s got to be able to run a bit to justify that price.” 

On the seven-figure sum, Gold said: “I was getting my orders. I thought she’d make a million two, maybe a million three, but Sheikha Hissa seemed determined to buy her.

“This is obviously a period of rebuilding and it’s a long-term project for her, for long after I’m pushing up daisies! They won’t all make racehorses but we’ve been lucky this year with some of the older horses.”

Who does she face?

Among the filly's 13 rivals is the Gosden-trained debutante Sand Gazelle, a Frankel filly out of Kingman mare Desirous, a winning half-sister to this year's Arc, Prix Vermeille and Pretty Polly heroine Bluestocking. The regally bred youngster sold to The Thoroughbred Racing Corporation from Barton Stud for 425,000gns at Book 1. 

Another to note is Volcanic Dancer, a homebred Pinatubo filly of Jeff Smith's who is out of the Group-winning Aqlaam mare Dancing Star and hails from the family of top-class sprinter Lochsong. Jaber Abdullah's homebred, Mehmas Shy Angel, is unsurprisingly by Mehmas and out of a stakes-winning Zamindar close relation to St James's Palace Stakes winner and 2,000 Guineas second Zafeen. 

Of those who have raced, Arabian Leopard looks of interest having finished fourth on her debut behind subsequent Group 3 winner and Fillies' Mile fourth Dreamy at Goodwood. A daughter of promising first-season sire and world champion Ghaiyyath, she was bred by Essafinaat Uk Ltd out of the Group-placed Helmet mare Mur Hiba.

Godolphin homebred Dancing Colours was beaten eight lengths on her debut but could well improve on that. By the sensational Blue Point, she is out of a Dubawi half-sister to champion juvenile and leading first-season sire Pinatubo.

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