Full-brother to Breeders' Cup winner Aunt Pearl set for Kempton debut for Varian

A Lope De Vega full-brother to the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Aunt Pearl is among the newcomers for the British EBF Novice Stakes at Kempton (4.15) on Monday.

Dragon Icon, who is trained by Roger Varian, was bred by Ecurie des Charmes and Ballylinch Stud and sold to Blandford Bloodstock for 360,000gns from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2021.

He is the fourth foal out of the Hurricane Run mare Matauri Pearl, herself a winner and stakes-placed performer in Sweden, making him a full-brother to the Grade 1-winning Aunt Pearl.

Her three wins, all as a juvenile, also included the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland. She was retired after her sole start at three for Brad Cox, selling for $3,000,000 to Masahiro Miki at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Sale in 2021, having been picked up by BSW Euro Venture and Liz Crow for 280,000gns from Ballylinch at Book 1 as a yearling.

The Lope De Vega colt is not the only eyecatching newcomer in the seven-furlong contest. The George Strawbridge-owned and Gosdens-trained Brightly stands out as a daughter of Sea The Stars and the unraced Frankel mare Aurora Gold.

Aurora Gold is a full-sister to the Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed Sun Maiden, as well as being a half-sibling to the brilliant Midday.

Aurora Gold: the daughter of Frankel pictured selling at TattersallsCredit: Laura Green/Tattersalls

Aurora Gold sold from Juddmonte to Bertrand Le Metayer for 550,000gns from the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2018.

Another newcomer to note from a pedigree perspective is Sea Of Thieves, a Cracksman homebred of Brightwalton Bloodstock and out of an Oasis Dream close relation to last year's King's Stand Stakes second Arecibo and a half-sister to three further black-type horses including Group 3 winner Snowday.

It is the family of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Pas De Reponse and French 2,000 Guineas and Prix d'Ispahan winner Green Tune.

William Haggas's magnificent handling of Sea The Stars' son Baaeed was one of the highlights of the 2022 Flat season and he saddles another son of the Aga Khan Studs' brilliant sire in the Godolphin-bred Elnajmm.

Sporting the colours of Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, he is the first foal out of the winning Dubawi mare Muneyra, a full-sister to Singapore Group 1 winner and Manikato Stakes second Lucky Nine. She is a half-sibling to Japanese Graded scorer Teehaff and the Graded-placed Sudden Storm.

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