Half-brother to Via Sistina sets out on his own road to glory at Kempton on Wednesday

Nazionale

Racing TV Novice Stakes (6.00 Kempton, Wednesday)

What's the story?

Nazionale, a three-year-old colt from the first crop of July Cup and Middle Park Stakes winner Ten Sovereigns, makes his debut for Richard Hannon on Wednesday evening in a seven-furlong maiden just days after his older half-sister made headlines Down Under.

How is he bred?

That aforementioned half-sister is none other than Via Sistina who won the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday, her first start since her 2,700,000gns purchase at Tattersalls in December. Making her debut for Chris Waller in the green and white of Yulong Investments, the six-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock was adding to her top-level victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes for George Boughey, when ridden by Jamie Spencer who is in the saddle for Nazionale's debut.

Via Sistina put together quite the Group 1 run last season, finishing second to King Of Steel in the Champion Stakes and Mqse De Sevigne in the Prix Jean Romanet. She was also third in the Falmouth Stakes and her other victories include the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes and Group 3 Prix Fille de l'Air.

She ran in the colours of Rebecca Hillen and so too will Nazionale, who is owned by Hillen and partners, and was acquired by Peter and Ross Doyle for €90,000 from the draft of La Motteraye at Arqana's August Yearling Sale in Deauville. He had previously made 50,000gns when sold by Far Westfield Farm as a foal.

Jamie Spencer with Stephen and Rebecca Hillen after Via Sistina's victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the CurraghCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Their dam Nigh, who also changed hands at Park Paddocks during December but for the more modest sum of 200,000gns, is an unraced Galileo half-sister to Golden Jubilee and Nunthorpe Stakes winner Kingsgate Native.

Nigh is also a half-sister to the stakes-placed Vanishing Grey, dam of Listed Prix Millkom winner and Group 1 Jebel Hatta third First Contact. 

Second dam Native Force is out of a half-sister to Tommy Stack's 1,000 Guineas winner and Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up Las Meninas.

Who does he face?

Nazionale is not the only horse making their debut in the field of 13. The others is Cuban Melody, who is trained by Andrew Balding for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and hails from the second crop of Havana Grey. 

Bred by Denniff Farms, she cost 155,000gns at Book 2, and is the second foal of Jacquotte Delahaye, a winning Kyllachy three-parts sister to Molecomb winner Kachy, who was also placed in the Commonwealth Cup and Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Of those who have already run, Clive Cox's Midnight Drive is also bred on the Ten Sovereigns-Galileo cross. Fifth on her most recent start, she is the first foal out of Cruise Control, who is a three-parts sister to Listed winner Hidden Dimples and out of Manderley, a Listed-placed Clodovil full-sister to Hungerford Stakes winner and multiple Group 1-placed Gregorian.

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