Al Shira'aa Racing's Siyouni half-sister to Nassau Stakes winner Al Husn set for Leopardstown bow

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

Native Verse

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden (4.50 Leopardstown, Thursday)

What's the story?

Whether any fillies in this line-up can follow in the footsteps of last year's winner, Content, remains to be seen, but what is without question are the pedigrees on offer, none more so than that of Native Verse, a half-sister to a Group winner who makes her debut for Al Shira'aa, Willie McCreery and Billy Lee.

Last season's scorer, a daughter of Galileo and dual Nunthorpe Stakes winner Mecca's Angel, took Group success that term before her second in the Irish Oaks this season. She bids for a first Group 1 win in the Yorkshire Oaks shortly before this maiden at Leopardstown. Hopefully, this batch can prove similarly talented.

How's she bred?

Native Verse, sporting the Al Shira'aa Racing silks, was picked up for 550,000gns from Tattersalls Book 1 when consigned by breeder Barronstown Stud. 

The two-year-old by Siyouni is the sixth foal out of the stakes-winning Sea The Stars mare Hadaatha, a Shadwell homebred out of 1,000 Guineas third Hathrah who was also second in the Prix de l'Opera.

That makes Native Verse a half-sister to 2023 Nassau Stakes winner Al Husn, who also captured another Group contest in the Hoppings Fillies' Stakes at Newcastle, both times beating the top-class Nashwa. 

Al Husn after winning the Nassau Stakes at GoodwoodCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Dubawi filly has since retired to Shadwell's broodmare band and visited Frankel earlier this year. Al Husn and Native Verse are also related to Melrose Handicap second Moshaawer, while their dam has a yearling filly by No Nay Never.

Who does she face?

Her rivals include once or twice-raced blue-bloods Proxima Centauri and Sweet Chariot. The former, fifth on her debut at the track last month, is a Niarchos homebred by the team's top-class miler Circus Maximus and out of the brilliant Alpha Centauri. Sweet Chariot, a homebred for Coolmore, is a Wootton Bassett half-sister to stakes winner Unless and out of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Clemmie, a Galileo sister to European champion two-year-old and dual Guineas hero Churchill.

Of the other unraced ones, Scott Heider homebred Icona catches the eye. She is by Kingman and out of the Group-placed Zoffany mare A New Dawn, herself a daughter of Simply A Star, a half-sister to Irish Oaks winner Bracelet, Belmont Oaks scorer Athena and Group winners Goddess and Wading. 

They are out of Cherry Hinton, a Group-placed daughter of Green Desert and Urban Sea, thus making her a half-sister to immortal pair Galileo and Sea The Stars.

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