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Van Nistelrooy Makes Impact with First Crop 6 Aug 2007
The 2006/2007 racing season saw the first crop of Van Nistelrooy (USA) (Storm Cat) hit the racetracks and upon season’s end, his two-year-olds performing well on Southern Hemisphere soil and they have already made their presence felt only partway through the Northern Hemisphere season.

Arguably the best result to date for Van Nistelrooy was the win of Strike The Deal (USA) (Van Nistelrooy) in the Group Two Richmond Stakes (1200m) at Goodwood on Friday. Unlucky when third in his last start in the Group Two Prix Robert Papin (1100m), Strike The Deal has won two of four starts and may head toward the Group One Prix Morny in a fortnight’s time.

Van Nistelrooy got his first points on the board through the deeds of Vanny Fair (NZ) who broke her maiden tag in her first start in January. Trained by Ross Elliott, toward the end of the season she became her sire’s first stakes performer when finishing second to stablemate and fellow Trelawney graduate Martini Red (Aus) (Red Ransom). “She showed me a lot right from the start,” said Ross Elliott. “I couldn’t have asked much more of her this season and she’s having a well earned rest at the moment,” he said. “We’ll look at either a Guineas preparation for her or, maybe give her a bit more time in the paddock and look at the nice filly’s races around December and the early New Year,” he said.

Australia has seen the Peter Moody-trained Pit Lane (NZ) notch up three wins in-a-row with Moody now aiming to have him firing toward the end of the Melbourne Spring. “I’ve just bought him back into work and will look to have him going forward to races like the Carbine Club Stakes and Sandown Guineas,” said Peter. “He did a lot more than we expected him to last time in so he should hopefully move on from there,” he said.

In Singapore, Van Nistelrooy was represented by the smart colt Onceuponatime (NZ). Bred and sold by one of Trelawney Stud’s partners in Van Nistelrooy, Haunui Farm, the colt won his second start by ten-and-a-half lengths and proved this effort was not a one-off when winning the Group Three Magic Millions Juvenile Championship (1200m) at season’s end, beating the race favourite on the way in Singapore’s major two-year-old event of the season. Trained by David Hill who purchased the colt at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready-to-Run Sale, claims are his three-year-old season will be even better still. “Whatever he is now, he is going to be twice as good in a year’s time and a year again after that,” said David Hill after the race on the 27th of July. “He is going to develop into a very nice horse,” he said.

Victory has also come in Japan for progeny of Van Nistelrooy when last weekend, two-year-old Cosmo Kilauea (NZ) broke his maiden status against the older horses. This colt would have to be awarded the “Tough Guy of the Year Award” with his efforts at two. In his first raceday start, he was lined up against three-year-olds over 1800m in March and at two week intervals was lined up again over 1800m and 2000m respectively Lining up consistently since his first raceday appearance, a drop back in distance has proven a success with two seconds in his two starts previous.

From 24 runners from his first Southern Hemisphere crop, Van Nistelrooy has posted four individual winners, a Singapore Group-winner and, a stakes performer. He has also had six individual placegetters.

The Northern Hemisphere has seen 23 runners with eight winners so far, among them Group winner and placegetter Strike The Deal in Europe whilst in the USA he has produced the stakes winning filly Mailey’s Cat (USA) and stakes placed colt Set Play (USA).

“When you look at the overall statistics, you couldn’t really ask for much more,” said Brent Taylor of Trelawney Stud. “Van Nistelrooy has had a stakes winner and stakes performer from his first Southern Hemisphere crop and a stakeswinner and two stakes performers from his first Northern Hemisphere crop so far,” he said. “We can only look forward to seeing more of his progeny this season and with the opportunity that he has been given at stud, particularly in New Zealand, I’m sure there will be many more successes to come,” he said.

With many of his first southern hemisphere crop still to hit the track, the new season offers many more opportunities for success. “With only 24 starters from his first southern hemisphere crop so far, there are still plenty that we haven’t seen yet,” said Brent. “We’ve kept in contact with trainers who have progeny of Van Nistelrooy in their stables and the underlying factor coming through is the great temperaments that they have,” he said. “There has been plenty of education and preparation going on behind the scenes and I’m sure we will see some top class performers emerging this season, said Brent.