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Half-sister to Grade 1 winner and seven-figure Fasig-Tipton graduate McKulick a highlight at Kempton on Wednesday

McKulick takes centre stage at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale
McKulick taking centre stage at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale

Our resident bloodstock experts profile the well-bred eyecatchers and expensive purchases set to grace the track.


Joy Of Dubai

Get Daily Price Boosts At Unibet Fillies' Novice Stakes (5.30 Kempton, Wednesday)   


What's the story?

Joy Of Dubai is the latest progeny by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum's wonderful producer Astrelle to hit the track. As a half-sibling to three Group winners, including one at the highest level, she has plenty to live up to but remains a valuable prospect in her own right. 

How's she bred?

The Pinatubo three-year-old is the sixth foal out of Astrelle, a Makfi mare who cost just €30,000 from the SGA Yearling Sale in 2013 but went on to much greater things. She struck twice as a two-year-old and was also a neck second in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes. 

Astrelle is out of the Hussonet mare Miss Mariduff, making her a half-sister to Group 2 Premio Ribot winner Porsenna, dual Italian Listed scorer Basileus and the black type-placed pair Our Candidate and Libertine.

The now 13-year-old is the dam of three individual Group winners, headed by Grade 1 Belmont Oaks heroine McKulick. The daughter of Frankel won six Graded events for Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables before selling to Japan's Grand Stud for a cool $6,000,000 at the recent Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Sale. 

Astrelle (yellow silks): Group-placed filly and now the dam of Mckulick, Fearless King and Just Beautiful
Astrelle (yellow silks): Group-placed filly and the dam of Mckulick, Fearless King and Just BeautifulCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Just Beautiful was a three-time black-type scorer, including in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes, while Fearless King struck Classic success in the German 2,000 Guineas. Astrelle's other winner, Lieber Power, has won three times. 

Who does she face?

The Roger Varian-trained filly faces six rivals including Thurloe Thoroughbreds' Blue Wonder, a Blue Point half-sister to the Listed-placed Corando from the family of dual Derby-placed Contested Bid. The filly was second over course and distance on her debut for Hughie Morrison last month and should be among the contenders here. 

Another to run well on her debut was Selenic, a daughter of Sea The Moon who was just edged out at the track by Sorbus when outrunning her 66-1 odds. She is a half-sister to the smart Pita Pinta and from the family of American Grade 1 scorer Red Lark.

Champagne On Ice has a particularly strong pedigree, being out of a winning Camelot half-sister to Group 3 scorer Hazapour and Listed winner Haparanda. It is the top-class Aga Khan family of dual Derby hero Harzand.


Read more

'It's a case of sending the best to the best' - regally bred Al Shira'aa mares set for the top sires 


Good Morning Bloodstock is our unmissable email newsletter. Leading bloodstock journalist Martin Stevens provides his take and insight on the biggest stories every morning from Monday to Friday.


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