SELKIRK ENJOYING THE HIGHLANDS

LANWADES Stud’s Selkirk (Sharpen Up), pictured, certainly enjoyed a productive Easter weekend as he sired four winners worldwide.

In France the Juddmonte Farms home-bred, Glaswegian, looked an impressive winner of the Prix De Fontainebleau on Sunday’s card at Longchamp when beating another Selkirk son Rosanabad. The winner, who looks now to be aimed and the French 2,000 Guineas, is out of the Lear Fan (Roberto) Prix Marcel Boussac fourth Starfan, who is a half-sister to Prix Foret winner Etoile Montante (Miwaski). The family is that of Gr 1 winners Sightseek, Tates Creek, Chief's Crown and winning Colours. The Darley bred runner-up also has an interesting pedigree as he is out of the Aga Khan bred Listed winner Rosawa (Linamix), who is the dam of the Marcel Boussac winner and French Oaks runner-up Rosanara (Sinndar) and is the family of the Falmouth Stakes (Gr 1) winner Music Show (Noverre).

Juddmonte Farms and Selkirk also enjoyed further success in England as there five-year-old horse, Cityscape, finished runner-up to Dick Turpin (Arakan) in the Sandown Mile (Gr 2) on Saturday’s card at Sandown. Cityscape, who won Joel Stakes (Gr 3), last October, is out of the Listed winning Distant View mare, Tantina, and from the family of Xaar (Zafonic). Selkirk also had a group-placed in the next race on the same card when Shamali, also out of line Mr Prospector daughter, finished third in the 10 furlong Gordon Richards Stakes (Gr 3).

Back in France, Concordat became the second winners bred on a Selkirk/Roberto cross when the Darley home-bred won the 7 ¾ furlong conditions race at Marseille-Borely. Concordat, who is out of African Peace (Roberto), is a three-parts-brother to Gp 3 winner Mkuzi (Halling). Selkirk’s Born Friendly, a nine-year-old gelding, also won in France and is a half-brother to Gr 3 winner Goldwaki (Dalakhani). Their dam, the Gr 3 winner, Gold Round (Caerleon), is a half-sister to the ‘great’ Goldikova (Anabaa).

Selkirk’s final winner over the weekend was in the US when the Lawn Stud’s homebred filly, Desert Sage, won her second race, in as many starts, stateside, when impressing in an Allowance Optional Claiming Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Desert Sage, who is bred on the Selkirk/Danzig cross, is out of the Listed-placed Zieten daughter Prairie Flower, and looks a filly to add more black type to her name while in the US.

Selkirk, who was raced by his breeder George Strawbridge, proved to be top-class miler. Trained by Ian Balding he won a Listed race on his maiden start at two before finishing fourth to Hector Protector (Woodman) in the Grand Criterium (Gr 1). Selkirk, who was out of the Nassau Stakes (Gr 2) winner, Annie Edge (Nebbiolo), started his three-year-old career slowly due to a bit of discomfort. However once resolved he proved to be on the finest miler in Europe when winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr 1) at Ascot on his final start of the season, having taken on the older horses, to earn a Timeform mark 129. Kept in training as a four-year-old Selkirk added the Lockinge Stakes (Gr 2) and the Challenge Stakes (Gr 2). It was therefore not surprising that Timeform’s Racehorse of 1992, described him as “a high-class miler with a fine turn of foot and has both looks and the pedigree to match his ability.”

As a sire Selkirk, who is currently 23, certainly lived up to this as he has produced 442 winners from 999 foals of racing age, of which 83 (8%) are stakes winners. Of these stakes winners 12 are at Gr 1 level and after last weekend’s performances there could well be more in the near future for Europe’s senior stallion ranks. CWC