Godolphin were keen to get Silver Peak and splashed out €1.25m to do so - now it's time for his debut at Kempton

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

SILVER PEAK

Unibet/British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes (5.50 Kempton, Wednesday)

What's the story?

Silver Peak cost a pretty penny, well, euro, from the Arqana August Yearling Sale this time last year when Godolphin forked out €1.25 million to see off rival bidders.

The son of Dubawi makes his debut for the Charlie Appleby yard, with the increasingly go-to Billy Loughnane in the saddle, in a 7f novice stakes at Kempton on Wednesday.

He’s drawn in stall seven of the 12 runners, with eight of his rivals having experience to some degree.

How's he bred?

The dam is a winning three-parts sister to three-time Group 1 scorer and now Haras d’Etreham sire Persian King. 

Silver Peak was offered on the first day of the Arqana August Sale of 2023 by Ecurie des Monceaux.

France Galop listed the colt as being bred in partnership between Monceaux, Langlais Bloodstock, who signed for Pretty Spirit at €150,000 at the 2018 Arqana Breeding Stock Sale, Beauregard Bloodstock and David Redvers. 

The colt is a sibling to one winner as the dam’s first foal, So Spirit, claimed a minor race at Craon. Her second foal, the Too Darn Hot colt Geolocation, sold to Oceanic Bloodstock for €90,000 at the 2022 Arqana August Sale but was subsequently withdrawn from the Ocala Breeze-Up Sale last April. The page features Wildenstein-bred Group 1 winners Planteur and Peintre Celebre.

What was said at the sales?

Shortly after the hammer fell, Sheikh Mohammed appeared at the door of his ringside office and promptly exited the packed auditorium with the rest of his entourage, wrote James Thomas, reporting on the sale.

The Dubawi colt out of Pretty Spirit, now named Silver Peak, in the Arqana ringCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

Anthony Stroud, a key cog in the Godolphin buying team, said: “All of us were keen to get him. He’s a very good representation of his sire, who’s done unbelievably well. He was very well presented and Monceaux is a brilliant nursery producing very good horses. It’s a lovely back pedigree. We’re very happy to buy him.” 

Who does he face?

In different circumstances, one of Silver Peak’s rivals would have been a worthy nose to an MYC, given that Detain is a Wootton Bassett half-brother to last year’s St Leger runner-up and dual Group 3 winner Arrest. 

Juddmonte purchased the John and Thady Gosden-trained colt for €340,000 from Swordlestown Little at Goffs as a foal. One of Intikhab mare Nisriyna’s other success stories is 11-time winner Spring Loaded.

Camelot colt Pendragon was a €155,000 yearling from Goffs Orby. He makes his debut for the Sir Mark Prescott yard.

Of those to have run, Zarak’s 125,000gns breeze-up son Chemical was a fair third on his debut over course and distance this month for the Andrew Balding team, while Hello Youmzain’s son Afentiko, a Book 2 graduate, won second time up at Windsor for Paul and Oliver Cole. That was in May, however, so he might not have the sharpness edge over the newcomers he might have had.

Premier Yearling Sale

Premier Yearling Sale

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