New Approach Colt Gets the Blue Ribbon

New Approach Colt Gets the Blue Ribbon… 
A New Approach (Ire) colt (lot 51) out of a sister to the great Soviet Song (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) was bought for 300,000gns with a single bid from Sheikh Fahad’s representative Hannah Wall. Consigned by Kirtlington Stud, the son of Sister Act (GB) has been the subject of two decent updates since the catalogue was printed, with his half-sister Ribbons (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) having won the G1 Prix Jean Romanet in August before finishing runner-up to We Are (Fr) in last weekend’s Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp. 

Wall said, “He’s a lovely horse and he’s been bought for Qatar Racing. I’m not sure who will train him yet but we’re pleased to get him, we loved him.” 

Not many Thoroughbreds can claim to have 10,000 breeders, but this colt is a rare exception, as he was bred by the members of the Elite Racing Club, which has enjoyed such success with the James Fanshawe-trained Ribbons this summer. Elite Racing’s distinctive white and black spotted silks were also carried to Group 1 glory on five occasions by the colt’s illustrious aunt Soviet Song, who was another to emanate from Fanshawe’s Pegasus Stables. 

“This is an absolutely lovely result for the club with the one sad note being that Sister Act died foaling an Exceed And Excel filly earlier this year,” said Chris Budgett of Kirtlington Stud, where Sister Act was a boarder along with several other mares owned by Elite Racing. 

“Fortunately, they still own Ribbons and I doubt the Exceed And Excel filly be sold. Elite Racing Club has been such a success story over the last 15 years–it has a really diverse membership and provides such a good access point to bring people into racing, giving so many people a chance to get involved.”