Godolphin to unleash $1,750,000 half-sister to Nyquist on Friday

Friday's card at Wolverhampton will feature the exciting debut of Maria Rosa, a War Front half-sister to Nyquist bought by Godolphin for $1,750,000 at Keeneland last September.

The April-foaled youngster is trained by John Gosden and will be ridden by Robert Havlin in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes over an extended mile (7.25pm).

Maria Rosa was bred by Hinkle Farms, who acquired her dam - the Forestry mare Seeking Gabrielle - for $100,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November Sale.

Hinkle Farms have reaped the rewards ever since, selling four of her yearlings for a combined $5,040,000, including her Tapit yearling colt who was also snapped up by Godolphin for $2,500,000 this September.

The best of her brood has been Nyquist, who strung together five wins at the highest level, with his victories in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Del Mar Futurity and Frontrunner Stakes leading him to be crowned the champion two-year-colt in the US of 2015.

The son of Uncle Mo subsequently annexed the Kentucky Derby and its Florida equivalent as a three-year-old, and began his stud career at Darley's Jonabell Farm in Kentucky, where he stood his first two seasons at a fee of $40,000.

Maria Rosa has big shoes to fill, with Seeking Gabrielle's other two runners having also returned to the winner's enclosure.

Friday's seven-runner race looks a competitive heat and Maria Rosa could be given most to do by the Distorted Humor colt Maqtal, a Shadwell-raced half-brother to the Group 3-placed Turjomaan who opened his account at Yarmouth last month.

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