Sunday 14 th May saw the running of the French 2000 Guineas Gr.1, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and I was very pleased to see Isaac Shelby placed 2nd.
Whilst I do not take any credit for the purchase of Isaac Shelby my link to the horse is via his breeding, having purchased his mother Kentucky Belle for owner Elaine Chivers when in-foal to Raven’s Pass. Working with Elaine we then sent her to Night Of Thunder that year – the resulting progeny being Isaac Shelby.
Kentucky Belle cost just 4,500gns when I purchased her in the Tattersalls February sale. A medium-sized, strong, correct mare was what appealed to me as an individual and she was herself a half-sister to a USA Grade 2 winner Ramazutti who was also placed 4th at Grade 1 level. We did not expect to only pay 4,500gns but it is great when that happens – she is certainly worth 100 times that value now!
Since Isaac Shelby, Kentucky Belle has an Al Kazeem 2yo colt who is bred on the same lines as Isaac Shelby as both Al Kazeem and Night Of Thunder are sons of Dubawi. That colt is retained and in training with Owen Burrows and Kentucky Belle now has a Sergei Prokofiev filly foal at foot and in in-foal to Pinatubo.