Pierro Celebrates 100 Seasonal Winners

Golden Slipper winner Pierro became the latest sire to crack a century of Australian winners for the season and he did it with a very promising horse in Sikorsky (4g Pierro x Musidora, by Rock of Gibraltar), who saluted at Flemington on Saturday for the Lindsay Park team.

Stakes-placed twice in the spring of 2018, Sikorsky was fourth in the Group I VRC Victoria Derby before a tendon injury disrupted his career.

Gelded during his time away from racing, Sikorsky was having his third run back from a spell in the 1600 metre 78 event and won running away by a length and a half.

“We really like this horse, we like him before he had his injury,” said co-trainer Ben Hayes.

“Today proved to us that he’s come back really well. I’m sure Ollie (Damien Oliver, winning jockey) will be very happy with what he felt under him today.”

Oliver was also full of praise for Sikorsky nominating the $128,000 Listed Winter Championship Final (1600m) on July 4 as a suitable short-term assignment as the stable ponders Group I spring goals such as the VRC Cantala Stakes (1600m).

“I was just saying to Ben (Hayes) that I reckon a race like the Winter Championship would be a good option for him,” Oliver said.

“He’s on the way up, he’s low in the (handicap) ratings and seems to like it here.

"He‘s a horse that runs 2000 metres but I think I like him at the mile on a big track too.”

A $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Coolmore draft for Lindsay Park Racing, Sikorsky is a full brother to Group III winner and Golden Slipper place-getter Tulip and half-brother to Sacred Eye, who won the Group III MRC Schweppes Classic at 2000 metres and was fourth in the Group I SAJC Oaks.

He is one of six winners from Group III winner Musidora, a daughter of Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) from the Grand Luxe family that has produced champion sires Encosta de Lago and Flying Spur as well as more recent Group I winners such as I Am a Star.

Musidora has a weanling filly by Pierro and was covered by him again last year.

Pierro has achieved his 100 winners from just 201 runners, the least runners of any other sire in the century club and those winners include nine stakes-winners.

He stands this year at a fee of $137,500.