Glory Maker First European Winner for The Wow Signal
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Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
The Wow Signal wins the 2014 Coventry Stakes at Ascot
Ill-fated stallion The Wow Signal, who died at 6 following a battle with laminitis in March last year, supplied his maiden northern hemisphere winner July 23 when Glory Maker got off the mark at the third time of asking in the Prix de Dreslincourt at Compiegne.
Trained by Karl Burke for owner Ahmad al Shaikh, Glory Maker is from the debut crop of The Wow Signal, who stood at Al Shaqab's French base of Haras de Bouquetot at a fee of €8,000 in 2016 and 2017.
The son of Starspangledbanner, who won the Coventry Stakes (G2) and the Darley Prix Morny (G1) during his 2-year-old campaign, was beset by fertility problems during his time at stud, and has just nine 2-year-olds and six yearlings registered with France Galop.
The Wow Signal also shuttled to Swettenham Stud in Australia in 2015, where he left 12 foals. Among those was Wowsers, who became his sire's first winner when scoring at the Sunshine Coast in December.
Glory Maker was sourced by his owner for 22,000 guineas (US$30,255) at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, where he was offered by Con Marnane's Bansha House Stables, who pinhooked the youngster for €22,000 ($25,564) from the Osarus Yearling Sale.
Bred by Genevieve Neveux and Hubert Delpech, the colt is the first foal out of the Vespone mare Storia Dell'Isola, a half sister to the listed-placed Kahyasola. Further back is the family of group 1 winners Satwa Queen, Spadoun, and Mille Et Mille.
Despite such minuscule representation, The Wow Signal did manage to supply a six-figure yearling, as Paul Nataf went to €100,000 ($114,380) for the filly out of Sister Golightly at last year's Arqana August Sale.
Bred by retired classic-winning trainer Tommy Stack, The Wow Signal was first bought for €13,000 ($17,541) by Lynn Lodge Stud at the 2013 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, before he was re-offered at the Ascot Breeze-Up Sale, where Sean Quinn, son of trainer John, struck a winning bid of £50,000 ($83,145).
The Wow Signal remains the second-highest rated progeny of his sire with a Racing Post Rating of 116, 2lb behind Home of The Brave.