New Stakes-Winning Juvenile for Royal Academy

1st March 2008

Whisper Bay (2f Royal Academy x Winds of Peace, by Bletchingly) confirmed her status as one of the leading contenders for the $1.5 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic after an exciting win in the Listed MRC National Jockey Celebration Classic at Caulfield on Saturday.

The David Hayes trained filly gained a late split between runners and shot through to grab a long neck win over high priced colt Grande Jardin (2c Redoute's Choice x Liberty Rose, by Royal Academy) , the top seller for Coolmore at last year’ s Magic Millions where he made $1.5 millionn.

Hayes' decision to skip last Saturday's Blue Diamond Stakes with Whisper Bay has rewarded her connections, who now have a stakes-winning filly on their hands and a great shot at the Magic Millions.

"We held back for this race thinking it would be a great chance to get her some black type," Hayes said. "Being a filly it's valuable to get the black type and it's an easier run in to the Magic Millions. She'll go up to Queensland now as our number one seed for the Magic Millions."

Whisper Bay has the smart record of two wins and a second from fours starts and prizemoney of $126,750.

Bred by Hobartville Stud and offered at the 2007 Magic Millions Yearling Sale by Kitchwin Hills, Whisper Bay was secured by Mark Pilkington Bloodstock for $165,000 and runs for a large group of owners.

Whisper Bay is from the Bletchingly mare Winds of Peace, a full sister to Golden Slipper winner Star Watch.

20 year old Royal Academy has been a stalwart for Coolmore Stud for a great many years and is now permanently based at their Jerry’s Plains headquarters in Australia following the decision to end his shuttling career.

The sire of close to 150 stakes-winners worldwide, Royal Academy runs at 10% stakes-winners to runners placing him firmly in the outstanding bracket as a sire making him unbeatable value for both breeders and yearling buyers at a fee of $27,500.

Royal Academy has a large draft of 23 yearlings for the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and 19 for Magic Millions on the Gold Coast.