Cape of Good Hope Takes Ladbrokes Stakes

Cape of Good Hope, a Galileo brother to globetrotting star Highland Reel and dual group 2 winner Idaho, returned to his Australian roots Oct. 12 by winning the Ladbrokes Stakes (G1) at Caulfield.

He is the 15th group 1 winner to be bred on the Galileo-Danehill cross, and his victory increases Galileo's record to 83 top-flight winners worldwide, one shy of the all-time record held by Danehill.

Cape of Good Hope was making his first appearance in Australia for the Lindsay Park team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig since his transfer from Aidan O'Brien.

The 3-year-old colt, who got up in the dying strides of the Caulfield feature under Mark Zahra, has displayed a strong level form this year by winning the listed Investec Blue Riband Trial at Epsom in April and finishing third to A Thread of Blue in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes on his previous start.

Cape of Good Hope showed plenty of promise as a juvenile. He found only Quorto too good in the Bet365 Superlative Stakes (G2) at the Newmarket July meeting and completed a Ballydoyle 1-2-3 behind Mohawk and Sydney Opera House in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) at Newmarket.

He holds entries to both the Coongy Cup (G3) on Wednesday and the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1) in two weeks' time. 

Bred by the Hveger Syndicate out of the Australian-bred Danehill mare Hveger, Cape of Good Hope is a sibling to three stakes performers led by Highland Reel, whose seven top-flight wins came in Britain, Hong Kong, and the U.S.

Hveger has also produced Hardwicke Stakes (G2) and Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes (G2) scorer Idaho, who placed in both the Investec Derby (G1) and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1), and her Australian-bred Encosta de Lago daughter Valdemoro was second in both the Crown VRC Oaks (G1) and Vinery Stud Storm Queen Stakes (G1). 

Highland Reel and Idaho have since taken up stud duties at Coolmore Stud and the Beeches Stud, respectively. 

Hveger, who took third in the SAJC Australasian Oaks (G1) during her own racing career, hails from one of the strongest families in the Australian stud book. She is a full sister to prolific group 1 winner and sire Elvstroem.

She is also a half sister to another multiple top-level winner in Haradasun, a son of Fusaichi Pegasus  who etched his name onto the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) roll of honor at Royal Ascot. That trio in turn are out of the Australian Oaks (G1) heroine Circles Of Gold.