Racehorse TALK

Former Australian Horse-Of-The-Year & 5-time Gr1-winning 8YO mare Miss Andretti (Ihtiram-Peggie's Bid, by Marooned) has delivered her 1st foal at Toolooganvale Stud in the NSW Hunter Valley: a colt by dual Gr1-winning Darley stallion & former Australian champion 1st-crop sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill-Patrona, by Lomond). Miss Andretti's managing owner Sean Buckley told The Age newspaper: “She (Miss Andretti) was 2 weeks late, so we were getting a little anxious & then it was a difficult birth because the foal presented the wrong way around. They tell me he is a good size & has straight legs & both of them are fine so I'm really happy." Buckley added the colt would be offered at the 2011 yearling sales & "realistically bring in $750,000 to $1.5 million". However Buckley's "joy at the arrival of the foal has been tempered by a dispute with part-owner David Mueller, who "is keen to sell his remaining share. But with the pair unable to come to an agreement on price, he has taken the matter to the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal." On the track, Miss Andretti recorded 19 wins (including smashing the course record by 2.35 seconds in winning the UK Gr2 King's Stand Stakes over 5 furlongs at Royal Ascot in June 2007, plus 2007's Gr1 Coolmore Lightning Stakes over 1000m at Moonee Valley in course record time, Gr1 Newmarket Handicap over 1200m at Caulfield in course record time, Gr1 Australia Stakes over 1200m at Moonee Valley & Gr1 The Age Classic over 1200m at Flemington, as well as 2006's Gr1 Manikato Stakes over 1200m at Moonee Valley in course record time, Gr2 Schillaci Stakes, Gr3 McEwen Stakes & Listed The Straight Six, to add to 2005's Gr2 Winterbottom Stakes, Gr3 Prince Of Wales Stakes & Listed Ruabon Stakes) & 5 placings (including 2006's Gr1 Salinger Stakes over 1200m & Gr1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1400m, plus 2005's Listed Crawford Stakes) from 31 starts for $2,848,991 earnings.