Zefferino set to continue Frankel's red hot start at stud

Newmarket's 7f maiden at 6.40pm on Friday gives Zefferino the chance to do his bit to maintain the remarkable start that his sire Frankel has made to his stud career, with the Roger Charlton-trained colt set to become the ten-time Group 1 winner's thirteenth individual runner worldwide, nine of which have been successful.

Owned and bred by Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar, Zefferino is the first foal out of their once-raced mare Turama, a Pivotal half-sister to the 2006 Sun Chariot winner Spinning World.

That means he is bred on the same cross that produced last month's Ascot 7f maiden winner Seven Heavens.

A stablemate of Seven Heavens at John Gosden's Clarehaven Stables is among Zefferino's opponents, with Jupiter Light set to carry the colours of his owner-breeder George Strawbridge.

By Lonhro, the unraced colt is the second foal out of triple Group/Grade 3 winner Fantasia who was placed three times at the highest level when runner-up in the 2008 Fillies' Mile, 2011 Just A Game Stakes and third in the 2009 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas).

The daughter of Sadler's Wells is a three-parts sister to the 1m4f Group 3 victress Pink Symphony and the winning dam of Group 2 scorer Western Hymn with Tasit, her first foal by Tapit, a two-time winner in the US over 1m½f.

Dubawi has two representatives entered in the contest with William Haggas training the well-bred colt Seniority for The Queen.

Bred by Darley out of the Group 3 Prix d'Aumale heroine Anna Palariva, a daughter of Caerleon, Seniority is a brother to the French 1m Group 3 winner and Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up Anna Salai and seven-time winner Anglophile.

Anna Palariva has produced eight individual winners to date with Seniority also being a half-brother to Listed scorers Advice and Iguazu Falls from the family of top class winners Anna Monda, Ave, Epaulette and Helmet.

Brother to Prince Gibraltar set for second start

The mile maiden at Haydock sees two siblings of Group winners in opposition with the Richard Hannon-trained Procurator and Sofia's Rock representing Mark Johnston at 6.15pm.

Bred by Lisieux Stud, Procurator is the third foal produced by the unraced Kyllachy mare Lulawin, a three-parts sister to 2007 St James's Palace Stakes winner Excellent Art.

Both Lulawin's previous foals have been successful on the racecourse, most notably Procurator's year-older brother Painted Cliffs who hails from the first crop of Canford Cliffs and became his sire's first black-type winner when victorious in last year's Group 2 Railway Stakes.

Since then Canford Cliffs has been represented by Group 3 heroines Al Jazi and Most Beautiful, Listed scorer Aktoria and this season's Oaks and Irish Oaks third Harlequeen.

Offered by his breeder at the 2014 Tattersalls December Foal Sale, Procurator was purchased by JC Bloodstock for 67,000gns before returning to Park Paddocks at the following year's October Yearling Sale where Peter and Ross Doyle signed the docket at 120,000gns for the colt.

Sofia's Rock was bred by Jean-Francois Gribomont out of the five-time winner Princess Sofia, a Pennekamp half-sister to the French Listed scorer Queen Catherine who is the dam of Italian Group 3 victress and Italian Oaks runner-up Lady Catherine and grandam of the recently retired Illuminate, winner of last season's Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes.

Princess Sofia has produced six foals to date, five by the seven-time Group 1 winner Rock Of Gibraltar, with Sofia's Rock being a brother to Criterium de Saint-Cloud and Grosser Preis von Baden hero Prince Gibraltar, dual winning miler and Listed-placed Princess Gibraltar and the three-time scorer Prince Of Sofia.

Johnston purchased Sofia's Rock for €100,000 at last year's Arqana August Yearling Sale.