Price looks to Alamosa

FILLY BY ALAMOSA (EX ASTRALITA)

The TTSC's Authorised Representative, Ontrack Thoroughbreds secured this filly from the Premier session of the New Zealand Bloodstock sale in January.

Now a two-year-old, Ontrack have selected Mick Price to train the filly, after all he is the man who applied the polish to Alamosa to win the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m).

Born in New Zealand Alamosa is by O'Reilly a true trans-Tasman horse, conceived in Australia from a meeting between one of the first high profile shuttlers, Last Tycoon and a NZ-bred Golden Slipper winner, Courtza.

A group one winner in Australia and New Zealand Alamosa is adding another chapter to that story.

Alamosa, a son of the Centaine winning mare Lodore Mystic has added his hoof print to the family by earning recognition in both New Zealand as well as Australia and is attempting to follow his sires record off the track at stud.

Alamosa won the Thorndon Mile, Otaki WFA and Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes in New Zealand. Retiring to stud in New Zealand where he was well received by breeders.
O'Reilly is a highly influential sire and his stock have proved remarkably tough and versatile and of his 836 starters, 539 of them are winners, with earnings of more than $71.5million, 58 are stakes winners and another 47 are stakes placegetters. His stock are hotly sort after by buyers in Hong Kong and Australia.

Ontrack Thoroughbreds' principal Grant Morgan said at the time of purchase; "I saw a lot of yearlings in November when I was last in New Zealand and was impressed with the stock by Alamosa.

"I was looking to buy a classic type of three-year-old filly and think this filly is the right type."

The fillies dam, Astralita is a Group 2 winner of the SAJC Breeders' Stakes and retired for stud duties with more than $100,000 in earnings. Now the dam of six winners among them is Astronomia (by King's Best).

Astronomia winner of four races and two of them were in America and at Belmont Park the chestnut won the Listed Valor Lady Stakes. In Australia, when trained by Gai Waterhouse, Astronomia collected prizemoney when runner-up in the Group 2 VRC Wakeful Stakes, Group 3 Fernhill Handicap and Listed T.L Baillieu Handicap.

A measure of Astronomia's talent included fourth placing's in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) and the Group 1 AJC Flight Stakes (1600m).

Astralita, is also the dam of the talented galloper, Zulu King (by Volksraad) two wins in Victoria before injury forced the chestnut's early retirement.

NOT ENOUGH? As a damsire Kenny's Best Pal (Bletchingly - Eau d'Etoile by Sir Tristram), appears in the pedigree of the multiple Group 1 winner, Racing To Win (Doncaster Handicap, George Ryder Stakes, George Main Stakes & All-Aged Stakes) and the Group 1 Epsom Handicap hero, Captain Sonador.

Syndicate to be managed by Ontrack Thoroughbreds

Since taking out his licence in 1991, Mick Price has firmly established himself as one of the leading racehorse trainers in Australia. In 2003 Mick trained the trifecta in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview when Halibery, Gaelic Princess and Roedean strode home 1-2-3. A year later, World Peace took out the race for his stable. Mick continued to build on his record in the Blue Diamond Preview the following year when Perfectly Ready and Doubting nailed the colt and fillies divisions, respectively, in 2005.

Two years later Rubiscent claimed the Group 1 Underwood Stakes, a race Price has won again since with Heart of Dreams, at his home track in very strong time of 1:49.08seconds. That Autumn, Price saddled up Pompeii Ruler to win the prestigious Australian Cup.

In 2008 Price collected the Spring Group 1 trophies in the Thousand Guineas with Gallica and the Toorak Handicap with Alamosa. Price show cased his skill when Pompeii Ruler, returned from a nasty injury, to claim the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick during the Autumn.

A year later the Vinery Stud owned Bel Mer, another fast sprinting filly by Bel Esprit, led-all-the way in the Group 1 Robert Sangster. Price, returned to the state a year later to claim South Australia's other feature Group 1 Sprint when Velocitea held off Catapulted in the 2010 Goodwood Handicap.

Winners at the highest level have continued to flow from the Price stable with Aloha recording a strong win in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill last Autumn as Price continues to display his skills when Testa My Patience stepped-up another notch last spring to claim the Group 2 Crystal Mile on WS Cox Plate Day. The Price yard was in the winners' enclosure during Oaks Day of the famous Flemington Carnival when he saddled up Proliferate to win the $150,000 Myer Spring Fashion Stakes.

Since the calendar clicked over to 2012 Price has saddled up the Group 1 Blue Diamond (1200m) winner in, Samaready.