First European Stakes-Winner for Choisir
22nd July 2007
Globe-trotting sprinter Choisir is the leading Australian first season sire by earnings and is not far off the pace in Europe either, where he was represented by his first Northern Hemisphere stakes-winner in Ireland at the weekend.The Ken Condon trained filly Porto Marmay (2f Choisir - Nordicolini, by Nordico) stalked the pace in fourth place before charging clear in the heavy conditions to win the Listed Danehill Dancer Tipperary Stakes over five furlongs.
Coasting home by three and a half lengths, Porto Marmay showed a rare brand of resilience in backing up from finishing sixth in the Listed Silver Flash Stakes at The Curragh last Wednesday behind Triskel.
Purchased for just 24,000 euros from the draft of Castletown Stud at the 2006 Goffs Sportsman’s and Bonus Yearling Sale, Porto Marmay is a half-sister to stakes-placed Passage West who gained his Black Type in Hong Kong.
Her dam Nordicolini is a half-sister by Nordico to legendary Hong Kong galloper River Verdon, a winner of 16 races and the dominant player in Hong Kong racing during the early nineties.
Porto Marmay is one of 15 Northern Hemisphere bred winners for Choisir and is his first stakes-winner in the region, leapfrogging stakes-placed runners The Loan Express, Another Express and Luna Nel Pozzo.
Choisir was also prominent in Australia at the weekend with smart type Allervite resuming from a spell to win at Caulfield.
