Siyouni's Aylmerton could prove to be special following shock win

In racing you expect the unexpected. Last Saturday's ATC Todman Stakes provided not one but two surprises as favourite Performer lost his rider in the straight leaving the little considered Siyouni colt Aylmerton to win, defeating well-supported Queensland colt Ef Troop by a long-head in a driving finish.

The stylish winner of a mid-week maiden at Canterbury at his only other start, Aylmerton may well prove to be special. A well grown, powerful, mature colt of quality, he very much resembles his French-based sire and has an exceptionally strong female pedigree.

Bred in New South Wales by Dr David Chaikin at his Woodpark Stud south of Sydney, Aylmerton gained his name from a small town near the stud but was conceived in France when Chaikin sent his US-bred mare Aloona, a winner in France over 1850m, to leading young sire Siyouni to southern hemisphere time.

Siyouni, foaled in 2007, was bred and raced by the Aga Khan and was rated one of the best two-year-olds in Europe in 2009, capturing the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp and the Prix la Fleche at Maisons-Laffitte as well as finishing second in two black-type contests, the Prix Robert Papin and the Prix la Rochette.

He failed to win in six starts as a three-year-old but was runner-up to Dick Turpin in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly and registered two other stakes placings.

Retired to his owner's Haras de Bonneval in Normandy in 2011, Siyouni quickly established himself as one of the leading sires in France, his 20 stakes winners to date representing an exceptionally high eight per cent of his starters.

Siyouni has stakes winners in Britain, France, Germany, Qatar and now Australia headed by multiple Group 1 winner Ervedya and Fillies' Mile scorer Laurens plus another ten Group winners.

By Pivotal, one of Britain's best and most versatile sires of recent years, Siyouni is out of a Danehill mare Sichilla so expect more Australian breeders to book mares to him for southern hemisphere time coverings in 2018 if the Aga Khan cannot be persuaded to shuttle him to Australia this year or next. Siyouni's service fee in France this year is €75,000.

Breeding buffs will be impressed by the depth of quality and diversity of Aylmerton's female pedigree.

His maternal grandsire Smart Strike was champion sire in North America in 2007 and 2008 and among his well over 100 stakes winners are US Horse of the Year and now leading sire Curlin, champion English Channel, Lookin At Lucky plus a string of other major winners.

Aylmerton’s second dam, Altana, failed to win but produced three winners, including Group 3 winner Galatee, dam of high-class performers Dartmouth and Manatee and Listed winner Gaterie.

Stakes placed Albertine, third dam of Aylmerton, comes from a top French family being the dam of Arcangues, Agathe, dam of Aquarelliste and other important winners while other notable members of the family include Classic winner Cape Verdi and stakes-winning sire Ashmore.

To follow Aylmerton, his dam Aloona has a 2017 filly by Smart Missile and she was covered last season by Astern.

Aylmerton is linebred 5m x 3m to Mr Prospector and 5m x 5m x 6m to Northern Dancer as well as carrying a distant double of the brothers His Majesty and Graustark. His pedigree and racing style suggest Aylmerton should run at least 1600m and his cosmopolitan blend of bloodlines should make him an appealing stallion prospect.

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