Group One Winner for Van Nistelrooy

4th September 2007

Exciting juvenile filly Set Play (2f Van Nistelrooy - Boldy's Reflection, by Bold Ruckus) provided her young sire Van Nistelrooy with his all important first Group One winner when she scooted clear to win the Del Mar Debutante Stakes by two lengths on Monday.

Sent off at odds of 14-1 despite finishing second at her previous start in the Group Three Sorrento Stakes, Set Play traveled sweetly just off the pace and after moving to the lead in the straight kept going too strongly for the favourite Spring Awakening.

Prepared by Peter Miller for Gerson Racing and Charleville Stables, Set Play has won two of four starts earning $220,920.

Purchased for $105,000 at the Ocala Breeders March Two Year Olds in Training Sale, Set Play is the first Group One winner trained by in-form Miller who has saddled 11 winners during the Del Mar meeting.

"We've been trying to get her to relax and not move too early," Miller said.

"She moved too early in the Landaluce and she showed too much speed to my liking in the Sorrento. Brice is a magician at getting horses to relax. He rode a tremendous race and I had the utmost confidence in him and in the filly, because he had worked her three times and he knew how good she was. And so did I. This is my first grade I. To win a grade I at Del Mar is just unbelievable."

Bred by Carolin Von Rosenberg, Set Play is from the Bold Ruckus mare Boldy’s Reflection whose immediate family is unremarkable, but does go back to include Group winners With a Twist and Hello Liberty.

Set Play is the fourth stakes-winner worldwide for Van Nistelrooy joining English Group Two winner Strike the Deal, American stakes-winner Maileys Cat and the Southern Hemisphere conceived NZ bred Onceuponatime, a stakes-winner in Singapore.

A bargain priced son of Storm Cat that stood for just $7,500 at Ashford Farm this year, Van Nistelrooy is running second on the US First Season Sires List.