More magic in store for Meon Valley's magnificent broodmare band

Having enjoyed another successful renewal of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, leading breeders Meon Valley Stud are set to reinvest in a hugely exciting round of coverings for its blue-chip broodmare band in 2018.

The highlight for the Hampshire operation during the 2017 sales season was when the Dubawi colt out of Meon Valley's Prix Jean Romanet heroine Izzi Top fetched 2,600,000gns from Roger Varian.

Just 12 months earlier Classic hopeful Emaraaty, who is by Dubawi and out of another of the farm's Group 1 winners in Zee Zee Top, was sold to Shadwell for the same price.

Prix de l'Opera heroine Zee Zee Top, a 19-year-old daughter of Zafonic who hails from the stud's famous Reprocolor family, is in line for a visit to Nunnery Stud's exciting young sire Muhaarar once she delivers a Siyouni foal in March.

Mark Weinfeld, who manages and part-owns the stud with his sister Helena, said: "Muhaarar is a beautiful-looking horse. We've had a lot of luck with the Reprocolor family and using Danzig, Green Desert, Oasis Dream-line sires so it made sense to go to him. He's an exciting sire prospect and it'd be very disappointing if he couldn't produce something good."

Izzi Top, a ten-year-old daughter of Pivotal and Zee Zee Top - who also landed the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes while in training with John Gosden, is in line to visit Cheveley Park Stud's sire Intello when she produces a foal by Frankel at the end of March.

Weinfeld said: "Intello is a stallion who I like a lot, as Galileo has proven to work with Pivotal-line mares, as highlighted by Aidan O'Brien's Group 1 winners Hydrangea, Rhododendron, and this match is going along those lines."

Jazzi Top, a six-year-old daughter of Zee Zee Top, came within a head of emulating her dam when runner-up to Covert Love in the 2015 running of the Prix de l'Opera. She will deliver her first foal, by Pivotal, later this month before heading to Dalham Hall Stud for a date with Darley's flagship sire Dubawi.

Weinfeld said: "When using Dubawi you have to send a very good mare, which Jazzi Top is, to justify the price he is [£250,000]. There are high hopes for her half-brother Emaraaty, in training with John Gosden, and it would be great if he could go on and run well this year. Physically it's a match that suits Jazzi well."

Dual Group 1 heroine Speedy Boarding was a new addition to Meon Valley's broodmare band for 2017, and excitement is building as she is set to deliver her first foal by Dubawi later this month. Next on her dance card is a visit to dual world champion Frankel at Banstead Manor Stud.

"It's a very exciting mating and it's a case of breeding the best to the best and hoping for the best," said Weinfeld.

"We've used Frankel nearly every year he's been at stud and he's proven his worth as a sire. We're looking forward to Speedy Boarding's first foal arriving soon and we're hoping it might be a filly, but we don't sex test so we'll wait and see."

Dash To The Front, a 15-year-old daughter of Diktat who is due to deliver a Lope De Vega three-parts brother or sister to Speedy Boarding this year, is one of two Meon Valley mares being sent to another Dalham Hall Stud resident, Iffraaj. The other is Shirocco Star, who was placed three times at Group 1 level - including when a neck second to Was in the 2012 Oaks.

Weinfeld said: "Iffraaj is a good proven sire and previously we've had a lot of luck with Zafonic. Several good horses have been bred on a similar cross to this mating and physically he's a very good match for Dash To The Front.

"The Iffraaj mating for Shirocco Star will suit her physically and will possibly put a bit of speed into the mix, the mating of Zafonic on Colorspin produced Zee Zee Top so it will be interesting to see the result as both mares hail from the Reprocolor family."

Unfortunately the nine-year-old daughter of Shirocco slipped to Frankel towards the end of last year.

Listed winner Dash To The Top, a half-sister to Dash To The Front and the dam of the stakes-placed Dynasty and Very Dashing, was barren to Fastnet Rock in 2017 but is now set for a date with Ballylinch Stud's Lope De Vega.

Weinfeld said: "Dash To The Front produced Speedy Boarding when mated with Shamardal so it's a case of working along those lines by sending Dash To The Top to Lope De Vega. She's a quality mare and he'd put a bit of size and substance into the mix."

Galaxy Highflyer, a 14-year-old daughter of Galileo in foal to Paco Boy, will be rested this year, while Strictly Lambada, an 11-year-old daughter of Red Ransom, is not in foal but will visit Farhh this year.

Weinfeld added: "We've a lovely Farhh filly out of Zee Zee Gee who is going into training this year with Roger Varian, we've had a lot of luck with Pivotal so hopefully using his son will work for us."

Completing 2018's matings is Millistar, a winning daughter of Galileo, who was rested last year and will be going to Ireland for a date with Fastnet Rock.