First Stakes-Winner for Van Nistelrooy

11th June 2007

Young shuttle sire Van Nistelrooy was represented by his first Northern Hemisphere winner and also first stakes-winner when two year-old filly Maileys Cat (2f Van Nistelrooy - Miss Malley, by Grindstone) won the TTA Sales Futurity over five furlongs at Lone Star Park on Saturday.

Having her second race start, Maileys Cat won by half a length, improving off her debut effort when second.

A $70,000 purchase from the Texas March Two Year Olds in Training Sale, Maileys Cat is the first foal of the Grindstone mare Miss Malley, an unraced grand-daughter of Group One winner Dreamy Mimi.

A superbly bred Group Two winning son of Storm Cat, Van Nistelrooy was brought to New Zealand by a partnership of breeders including Chequers Stud, Curraghmore Stud, Fairdale Stud, Haunui Farm, Pencarrow and Trelawney Studs, although he will remain in the Northern Hemisphere at Ashford Farm this year.

Van Nistelrooy also had a winner in Singapore on the weekend when NZ bred two year-old colt Onceuponatime (2c Van Nistelrooy - Scarlet Runner, by Kingdom Bay) won the juvenile maiden over 1200 metres at Kranji by ten and a half lengths.

A $60,000 purchase from the draft of Haunui Farm at the 2006 NZB Ready to Run Sale, Onceuponatime is the fourth foal of Group Two winner Scarley Runner, a daughter of Kingdom Bay from the family of Group One winner Sky Cuddle.