Pride Of Dubai Hoping To Emulate His Southern Hemisphere Success
Sunday will see the first yearlings by dual Group 1 winning two-year-old Pride Of Dubai to be offered at auction, with the Arqana Yearling Sale catalogue containing three from his first crop. Among them is a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Harlem, to be offered by Coulonces Sales as Lot 241.
Pride Of Dubai’s first crop should prove popular with buyers, judging by the sales results the reverse shuttler achieved in the southern hemisphere. A filly out of Little Miss Smiley brought $340,000 at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was bought by Phoenix Thoroughbreds from Coolmore. Pride Of Dubai’s 13 yearlings sold for an average of $180,385 at that particular sale, while his progeny sold for an average of $160,000 at the earlier Karaka Yearling Sale.
This figure marked Pride Of Dubai as the leading first season sire by averages at Karaka, his most expensive progeny being a filly out of Mystique, who sold for $220,000 from Inglewood Stud to Ciaron Maher Racing/ Eales Racing.
Pride Of Dubai boasts a pedigree very familiar with European buyers, with the son of Street Cry being out of a half-sister to French Oaks winner Rafha, also known as the dam of Kodiac and Invincible Spirit. Bred and raced by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, he was trained by Peter and Paul Snowden to win the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes over six furlongs and went on to win the Group 1 Inglis Sires contest over seven furlongs two months later.
Among his yearlings to look forward to is a colt out of Michael’s Song, who was sold by Knockainey Stud at the 2018 Tattersalls December Sale for 82,000gns to top pinhookers JC Bloodstock.
Pride Of Dubai’s first Northern Hemisphere book of mares included the dams of Leger victor Rule Of Law, Grade 1 winner Lahaleeb and top sprinter Hamza. Among his well-bred mares were half-sisters to Dylan Thomas, Toylsome, Beauty Only and Rip Van Winkle, as well as to the dams of Frankel and top US sprinter Stormy Liberal.