Catu rra–acha nce that couldnot be missed

Kitty Trice gets the insidetrackfrom Simon Sweeting atOverbury Stud

COULD lightningstrike twice for Overbur yStud? Theacquisitionof Caturra, the winnerof the2021 FlyingChilders Stakesand asimilarmodeltothe team’s provenGroup1 sireArdad, meansit wouldnot be the worst bet in the world.

TheGloucestershirestudboastsa diverseandtalentedline-up –ranging from speed-orientedstallions suchas Ardad to bona fide National Hunt prospectslikeJackHobbs,Golden HornandFrontiersman,as wellas old guardSchiaparelli –butthereis no doubting stud manager Simon Sweeting’sexcitementabouthislatest recruit.

Caturra, wholikeArdad wasbred by Tally-HoStud,joins Overbury in theglowofsireMehmas’s red-hot successoverthelastfew years.

In anothersimilaritytoArdad,he blazedhis waytovictor yinthe Flying Childers, fiveyearsafterhis studmate’sthree-quarterlength score for John Gosden.

Havingbeenintroducedto breeders at anopening feeof£6,500–the samepriceArdad stoodforinhis firstseasonin2018 –Sweetingreports thefour-year-old to have settledinto hisnewlife well,andthat breeders have welcomed him with openarms.

He says :“We showed him at Newmarketduringthe December MaresSaleand hadaround120 visitors overthree days.Wesold breeding rightstheretoo and we’re sellingnominationsnow.

“He’sprobably at the sameplaceas Ardad,perhaps abitfurtherfor ward, so I’dbeconfidentofhim getting120 maresthis year.”

Sweeting, whoconfirmedhis owner Saeed binMohammedAlQassimi will supporthim with “sevenoreight mares” alongsidefiveofhis own, adds :“Caturrahasdoneeverything we’veasked ofhimandtakenitallin his stride.Hehasn’tcoveredamare yetbut hasdone alotof teasingand is doingthat right, butequallyis retaininghis easytemperament.”

So,how doArdadandCaturra comparephysically? Sweetingis considered inhis response.

“He’sabitbiggerthanArdad, slightly rangier,”hesays. “In comparison with Mehmas,I’d sayhe’s aslightlybigger versionandperhaps with aslightly betterbackleg, althoughthat’s notacriticism of Mehmas –you can’tcriticise him afterallhe’s done.He’ssimilar to Ardadin that he’s gota very good walk.”

With Mehmasfeverinfull swing, Sweeting was keento standthefirst sonofthe Tally-HosireinBritain, especiallyconsideringother sons suchas Supremac yand Minzaalare nowensconcedinIreland.

He says :“At theendoflastseason we gottheopportunityto buyinto himand standhim at Overbur y–it wasn’tachancetomiss.Thereare severalsonsofMehmasinIreland but Ibelievehe’sthefirst one overhere, so we wanted totakethe opportunity.”

While Caturrasets outonhis date withdestinyoverthecomingweeks, stablemateArdad hasprovenhis capabilitiesfromhisfirst twocropsof runnerstohitthetrack.

They includeCommonwealth Cup, Middle ParkStakesandPrix Morny winner Perfect Power, now setforhis first season at Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud.

Sweeting reportsthethoroughly likeable sonof Kodiac to be as popular as ever, saying:“We’ve been staggered howquicklyArdad’s book hasfilledupthis year. He’s got 130oddlisted at themoment, whichI wasthrilled about, and I’d be surprised if we don’t getto150.

“Breeders have comeback to him andhe’s got someexcitingthree-yearolds to runthis year, suchasCrispy Catand Pure Angel,afilly I’m really excited about.She won at the back end at WolverhamptonandIthink she’s got anexcitingfuture.

“He’s gotasmallercropoftwoyear-olds but somenicethree-yearolds,plusa very nice bunchof yearlings.”

Theadditionof Golden Hornto the Overburyteam last summer, following his purchase from Darley by Jayne McGivern,is also setto keep Sweetingon histoes.

He reportsthe sonof Cape Cross’s bookto be fillingup nicelyand says of the2015 Derby andArchero:“We’ve had some very high-class National Huntmares booked tohim; again,he’s got alotof mares, andit’s a similar scenario towhen Kayf Tara was at hismost popular.

“We’ve yettodecidehow many

ROGER VARIAN

willcover butthe response has been very positive. I couldn’t be happier to have himandhe’s going to keepus very busy this year.”

Sweeting stressesthereis still plentyto lookfor ward to with Golden Horn’s Flat runners too, citingas examples Juddmonte’s Listed winner Haskoy and Godolphin’s Hong Kong VasesecondandGroup2 scorer Botanik– particularly astheytake aftertheirsireinlooksand temperament.

Sweeting says : “G olden Hornis gorgeousandheknowsit,andhe’s in really good nick at themoment. He gets somefabulous-lookinganimals and has some reallyexcitingonesto comeas Haskoy could be absolutely anythingand Botanik was secondin the Hong Kong Vase.”

Jack Hobbsisanother withabig yearahead,onethat willfeature his firstcropoffour-year-old National Hunt runners.

The sonof Halling hasproven immensely popularsincehis retirementtothe studin2018andis alreadythe sireof winnersonthe Flat, including The Gadget Man,who sold to Australiafor310,000gns at last year ’s Tattersalls Autumn Horsesin Training Sale.

Sweeting says : “He’sdone betteron the Flat than we couldever have expected. Thenext12monthsare very importantforhim withhisfirst National Hunt runners, butiftheydo what the Flat ones have donethen he’s going to be havingplentyof winners.”