Timeform 129-rated sprint champion Kyllachy (by Pivotal) was a long-time popular member of the Cheveley Park Stud stallion team and he retired from active service last year at the age of 19. His Group 1-winning son Twilight Son is now in his second season at that important Newmarket base and the veteran's other top-level stars include the seven-figure earners Sole Power and Krypton Factor.
Although primarily associated with sprinters, Kyllachy was always a horse who, with the right mares, had the potential to get high-class seven-furlong horses and milers too, and this he has done. Group 2 Joel Stakes and Group 2 bet365 Mile winner Penitent, whose placings include second to Gordon Lord Byron in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret, is a fine example. It remains to be seen how good Altyn Orda will be at her peak and how far she will stay, but the Roger Varian-trained chestnut is also among his 32 stakes winners, and the way she won the Group 3 Godolphin Oh So Sharp Stakes over seven furlongs on good ground at Newmarket in mid-October suggested that she will be one of her sire's milers. Indeed, this filly, who is due to make her seasonal reappearance in the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday could be a leading Guineas contender next month and a high-class miler after that. A remarkable aspect of her neck and one-length defeat of Gavota and I Can Fly was that this was her first success. She had chased home Bye Bye Baby in a maiden over the course and distance two weeks before, and she was a half-length runner-up to Peace Trail – another daughter of Kyllachy – on their debut at the July Course in mid-August.
Altyn Orda was bred by Hesmonds Stud Ltd and is the second foal out of an unplaced mare named Albanka. As that chestnut is by multiple US champion sire Giant's Causeway (by Storm Cat) and out of listed scorer Alidiva (by Chief Singer), she certainly looks like 'the right mare' to get a miler by Kyllachy.
She is a full-sister to the nine-furlong Grade 2 scorer Oonagh Maccool, half-sister to Group 1 1000 Guineas heroine Sleepytime (by Royal Academy), to Group 1 Sussex Stakes winner Ali-Royal (by Royal Academy) and to middle-distance Group 1 scorer Taipan (by Last Tycoon), and she is out Alligatrix (by Alleged). That makes Alidiva a half-sister to Group 1 Prix Lupin and Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Croco Rouge (by Rainbow Quest), a colt who was a neck runner-up to Dream Well in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) when it was still run over 12 furlongs. But back to Alidiva's offspring. Sleepytime is the dam of Group 3 Winter Derby winner Gentleman's Deal (by Danehill), of Group 2-placed, pattern-winning miler Hathal (by Speightstown) and of US stakes winner Dame Ellen (by Elusive Quality), and she is the third dam of Don't Be (by Cape Cross), a prolific mare whose tally includes two listed races over a mile and one over 10 furlongs. Sometime, an unraced full-sister to the classic heroine, has also done her part at stud as she is the dam of Australian mile Group 1 handicap scorer It's Somewhat (by Dynaformer), who was third in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes and in the 12-furlong Group 3 Gordon Stakes when racing in England under the name Somewhat. She is also responsible for Group 3 Dee Stakes winner Art Deco (by Peintre Celebre) who missed out on classic placing when short-headed for third in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club, won by Darsi in a blanket finish. There are plenty of other talented horses in this family, but those noted here are the best of those who feature among the closest relations to Altyn Orda. She was rated 106p by Timeform as a juvenile, and with this strong pedigree behind her there is every reason to hope that she can improve a lot on that figure, especially at around a mile. |
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