Best of Bordeaux

Best of Bordeaux (Snitzel-Chateau Cheval, by High Chaparral) ticks many of the boxes that Australian breeders and trainers love. A boom two-year-old who trained on at three, a stunning physical type who sold well as a yearling, and a quality laden pedigree.

by Renée Geelen

Best of Bordeaux (Snitzel-Chateau Cheval, by High Chaparral) ticks many of the boxes that Australian breeders and trainers love. A boom two year-old who trained on at three, a stunning physical type who sold well as a yearling, and a quality laden pedigree.

“Best of Bordeaux is an exemplary product of one of the most successful sire lines in Australian history with the first three ancestors on his tail male line all being Champion Australian stallions. His sire Snitzel, still very much active at stud, is also proving to produce some superior sires. We look forward to adding Golden Slipper winner Shinzo by Snitzel to our roster in the future. Like his sire, Best Of Bordeaux was a natural, forward-running speed horse, faster and more accomplished at two than other effective sire sons of Snitzel such as Shamus Award and Russian Revolution,” said Coolmore Australia’s Head of Sales Colm Santry. “Best Of Bordeaux has a wonderful group of leading breeders involved in his ownership, each of whom will support him with quality mares. He was bred by Gerry Harvey who remains in the ownership, and we feel that he is the perfect horse for breeders to target, with sales like the Magic Millions January yearling sale in mind. He has been very well received by breeders already.”

Trainer Kacy Fogden had a big opinion of Best of Bordeaux because his first outing was in the Gr3 Canonbury Stakes over 1100m. On a good track, Best of Bordeaux won easily by nearly five lengths in the slick time of 1:03.91. Best of Bordeaux joined a list of impressive  past winners of the Canonbury Stakes such as Vancouver, Hinchinbrook, Sebring, and Not a Single Doubt.

His next mission: the Gr2 Silver Slipper Stakes. He won by half-a length to take his record to two from two. Recent previous winners of the Silver Slipper Stakes include Home Affairs, Farnan, Sunlight, She Will Reign, Astern, Mossfun, Pierro, and Written Tycoon’s sire Iglesia. The formline from this race into the Golden Slipper is well established, and so Fogden’s colt headed to the big race as an unbeaten juvenile star.

With form like that, it was surprising that Best of Bordeaux wasn’t sent out as favourite, but those honours went to Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Coolangatta at $3.70 with Best of Bordeaux at $11. The heavens opened the night before the big race and the already soaked ground turned heavy. When the gates opened, Best of Bordeaux jumped into the leading bunch, and quickly found his way to the rail and the lead. He set a strong pace, sprinting for home and asking everyone else to chase him.

Coolangatta rallied late, but it was the flying filly Fireburn who found a pathway home along to rail to win. Best of Bordeaux dug deep and held on for second to be the first colt home with the favourite Coolangatta in third.

Rated Timeform’s best two year-old colt in 2020/21, and Australia’s Joint Champion

2YO Colt, Best of Bordeaux was sent out to spell after the Slipper, concluding his two-old-year season with two group wins and a Gr1 second from three starts. Meanwhile, the only horse to beat him, Fireburn, went on to win the Gr1 Sires’ Produce, then she ran second in the Gr1 Champagne Stakes to She’s Extreme who had only managed seventh in the Slipper. Third placed Coolangatta came back at three to win the Gr1 AJ Moir Stakes and the Gr1 Lightning Stakes.

The form around Best of Bordeaux’s Golden Slipper effort is simply outstanding. And the form around him at three is arguably even better, and Santry agrees, “The brilliantly fast and precocious Best of Bordeaux won the Gr3 Canonbury Stakes by more than four and a half lengths on debut, and only ever competed in Group races in each of his eight starts.

Leading to the turn, Best Of Bordeaux kicked clear in the Gr1 Golden Slipper Stakes, beating home Gr1 winners such as Coolangatta, Jacquinot and She’s Extreme when a tough second. This saw him become Timeform’s highestrated juvenile male of his generation. As a three year-old, Best Of Bordeaux emulated successful sires Fastnet Rock, Zoustar, Exceed And Excel and Russian Revolution by convincingly winning the Gr2 Roman Consul Stakes. Following this he took on older horses when third in the Gr1 Manikato Stakes, beating home five individual Gr1 winners.”

Back at three, Best of Bordeaux won a trial before being asked another big question. First up in the Gr3 San Domenico Stakes, he ran mid-field, then he went to the Gr2 Run to the Roses over 1200m where he ran second to In Secret, who would go on to the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and the Gr1 Newmarket Handicap later that season. At his next start, Best of Bordeaux won the Gr2 Roman Consul Stakes over 1200m. Sent out as favourite, he jumped well and led. He showed plenty of fight to fend off the other runners, increasing his lead down the straight to win by nearly two lengths. The Roman Consul Stakes has always been a good form race for stallions with winners such as recently retired Paulele, Wild Ruler, Cosmic Force, and then proven sires Russian Revolution, Brazen Beau, Zoustar, Foxwedge, Fastnet Rock, and Exceed and Excel; all in the last twenty years.

Not one of shy away from tough competition, Best of Bordeaux was asked to compete against the older sprinters in the Gr1 Manikato Stakes at his next start. This time, he was challenged by Gr1 winner Rothfire on the turn, with the pair rounding the bend at the front of the field, with Rothfire just in front of Best of Bordeaux. Eventual winner Bella Nipotina ducked through on the rail to sprint away with the win, while Rothfire and Best of Bordeaux went head to head all the way down the straight with the older horse maintaining the slight lead he’d had at the turn. Best of Bordeaux once more showed his fighting spirit, battling alongside a proven seasoned Gr1 sprinter. Back to his own age group for the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, Best of Bordeaux didn’t show his usual sprint, but he fought hard ending up in a blanket finish for fourth with Lofty Strike, Coolangatta, Economics, himself, Queen of the Ball, and Jacquinot all within half a length of each other. The winner was the filly In Secret. Best of Bordeaux’s three year-old spring would end after this run as he caught pneumonia. He spent the summer battling the illness, and unfortunately for racing fans who love a good front running sprinter, Best of Bordeaux’s lung condition after the illness wasn’t good enough for him to return to the races.

Sold by Baramul Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $425,000, Best of Bordeaux’s price reflects his stunning physical attributes and his pedigree.

Best of Bordeaux’s sire, Snitzel, was a quick two year-old, winning four of his six starts at that age, two at stakes level including the Gr3 Skyline Stakes, and then was

BEST OF BORDEAUX Bay colt, 2019

Redoute’s a Gr1 winning sprinter at three. At stud, his stock have shown the same ability, and Snitzel is now a four-time Champion Sire, as well as a three-time Champion Sire of 2YOs with 134 stakes winners and likely more to come. His colts are beginning to show their merit at stud, lead by Shamus Award who has 21 stakes winners and the young Russian Revolution who already has eight stakes winners, while horses like Trapeze Artist, Wild Ruler, Invader, Sword of State, In the Congo, Summer Passage, Spill the Beans, and Showtime are all waiting in the wings.

From the family of excellent sires Casino Prince (Flying Spur) and Just Awesome (Last Tyccon), Best of Bordeaux’s dam, Chateau Cheval was a city winner of three races and is by brilliant sire High Chaparral. Chateau Cheval comes from one of Australia’s strongest families with her dam being stakes placed winner Lady Capel (Last Tycoon), the dam of Gr1 winner Casino Prince, as well as stakes winners Tagus (Encosta de Lago), Lord of the Land (Timber Country), Metallurgical (Redoute’s Choice), and the winning dam of Gr1 winner Prince Fawaz (Fastnet Rock), and the winning dam of recent Listed winner Vienna Princess (Snitzel).

Lady Capel is a sister to group winner Palia (Last Tycoon), dam of Gr1 winning two year-old Onemorenomore (Red Ransom) and two year-old stakes winner Dr Green (Fusaichi Pegasus), but more importantly, she is a full sister to Listed winner Just Awesome (Last Tycoon) who had only two small crops resulting in 90 foals, of which 84 got to the races, 68 won, and six became stakes winners including Gr1 winner Sound The Alarm. Best of Bordeaux is closely related to Casino Prince who has been a quality stallion, although underrated in the marketplace, with 23 stakes winners from 603 runners (3.8%) lead by Gr1 winner and excellent sire All Too Hard, and Gr1 winner Escado.

Potential crosses for Best of Bordeaux can be gleaned from what has worked with his sire Snitzel, his damsire High Chaparral, and his close relations Casino Prince and Just Awesome.

Snitzel has multiple stakes winners out of mares by Encosta de Lago (7), Zabeel (6), Elusive Quality (5), More Than Ready (4), Red Ransom (4), General Nediym (4), and Street Cry (4), while mares by French Deputy and Lonhro have produced 3 stakes winners each to Snitzel. For those with young mares, Sniztel mares have produced multiple stakes winners to Capitalist (3), Zoustar (2), and Rommel. Rommel is a son of Commands and his stakes winners are out of Snow Pixie (Snitzel).

High Chaparral has produced a stunning 16 stakes winners out of Danehill mares, however, Best of Bordeaux is already bred on the Snitzel (grandson of Danehill)/High Chaparral cross, so that may suit breeders keen to attempt a mirrored pedigree. Other damsires who have produced multiple stakes winners to High Chaparral are Zabeel (8), Encosta de Lago (5), Danehill Dancer (4), Cape Cross (4), Acatenango (4), Fastnet Rock (3) and Danske (3). From another perspective, High Chaparral mares have crossed well with Starspangledbanner (3), Pride of Dubai (3), No Nay Never (2), Iffraaj (2), Snitzel (2 – including Best of Bordeaux) and Oasis Dream (2).

Casino Prince (Flying Spur) should provide further clues as he is by a son of Danehill, while Best of Bordeaux is by a grandson of Danehill. Casino Prince’s twenty three stakes winners come from twentytwo different damsires, showing a remarkable versatility. Best of Bordeaux’s second dam is a full sister to Just Awesome. As a damsire, Just Awesome mares have produced three stakes winners, by Falvelon, Easy Rocking, and Foreplay.

Snippets

Snippets’

Sadler’s

Looking over this list, there are several horses who have had success with both Snitzel and High Chaparral, and mares by these horses would appear to be lower risk prospects for Best of Bordeaux in particular mares by Encosta de Lago and Zabeel (and his sons and grandsons such as Savabeel and Lonhro).

Best of Bordeaux is an exciting prospect for breeders who want early maturing speed in a horse with an outstanding pedigree that was competitive against the best sprinters in Australia, and dare we say it, the world!