Astern Sires First Black-Type Winner in Australia
Image:
Description:
Photo: Courtesy of Darley
Darley's freshman sire Astern who initially entered stud in Australia sired his first black-type winner March 8 when his daughter Seradess won the TAB Cinderella Stakes at Morphettville.
The filly trailed in last place with 300 meters to go in the 1,050-meter (just over five furlongs) race when she kicked into high gear and won by five lengths. Seradess was bred by The Quality Thoroughbred Breeding Joint Venture and sold as a yearling for US$32,932 to trainer Mark Kavanagh by Mill Park Stud at the 2020 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. She is trained by Kavanagh and owned by a partnership group with 15 members.
Seradess, who has won both her lifetime starts and earned US$67,371, is the first winner and first stakes winner for both her sire and dam, Obsidian Dragon, a multiple stakes-placed winner by Hidden Dragon.
Astern is a group 1 winner and Darley homebred by Medaglia d'Oro out of the winning Exceed And Excel daughter Essaouira. His four stakes wins included the 2016 De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (G1) and the Uvex Silver Slipper Stakes (G2) at Rosehill. The stallion is a half brother to eight-time group stakes winner Alizee, by Sepoy, whose record includes three group 1 victories.
Astern stands at Darley in Kentucky for $7,500.