Half-brother to Fillies' Mile winner Commissioning debuts for the Gosdens at Hamilton

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

Military Academy

Darley EBF Novice Stakes (6.35 Hamilton, Friday)

What's the story?

Subsequent Listed winner Gather Ye Rosebuds picked up this contest last year and the well-bred Military Academy could follow suit if he has inherited any of his family's rich talent. The Isa Salman and Abdulla Al Khalifa homebred has a pedigree full of Group 1 talent, with some familiar names jumping out on the page. 

How's he bred?

The John and Thady Gosden-trained three-year-old is by Fastnet Rock and out of the Galileo mare Sovereign Parade, a winning sister to Irish Derby and St Leger winner Capri, this year's Curragh Cup and Dubai Gold Cup victor Tower Of London and two further Group winners in Cypress Creek and Passion. They are out of the Aga Khan-bred Dialafara, a Anabaa mare from the immediate family of Prix la Rochette scorer and Poule d'Essai des Poulains and St James's Palace Stakes second Diamond Green.

Capri: Irish Derby and St Leger winnerCredit: Patrick McCann

Military Academy is therefore a half-brother to the unbeaten Fillies' Mile winner Commissioning, a daughter of Kingman who sadly sustained a career-ending injury the following spring. Also a winner of the Rockfel Stakes, she was exported to Japan in 2023. Sovereign Parade has a yearling filly by New Bay and a colt foal by Dubawi. 

Who does he face?

Among his seven rivals is the winning The Reverend, a Lope De Vega brother to Italian Group 2 winner Angel Power and a half-brother to Flaming Stone, Listed-placed when third in last month's Star Stakes at Sandown. 

The unraced Le Havre colt Meridian Way is the first foal out of the Listed-placed Hulcote, a Frankel daughter of dual Listed winner and Lancashire Oaks second Polly's Mark.

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