Mare of the Moment: Scarlett Rose

Wandering Eyes · July 26, 2019

Mare Of The Moment is a TDN feature that looks to highlight the success of a broodmare and give her and her owner recognition for those achievements. In association with the Irish National Stud the mare will receive a personalised headcollar. This month Scarlett Rose (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) is the recipient of Mare Of The Moment.

There is a point in the year when mare owners start thinking about their stallion nominations for the following season. Hours can be spent debating the merits of one match over another and sometimes the process can rage on into the season. But for Linda and Reddy Coffey the mating plan for Scarlett Rose for her 2013 cover appeared to be somewhat of an easy decision.

On a previous cover with a son of Giant’s Causeway Scarlett Rose produced Formosina (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), a Group 2-winning 2-year-old. It is unlikely they suspected they would make history with their 2014 son of Shamardal, but fast forward to 2019 and history is just what was made. Blue Point (Ire) has been a flagbearer for the Coffeys’ Oaklodge and Springfield House Stud since he was sold as a foal as part of their Tattersalls December Foal Sale draft, adding to the stud’s already successful portfolio of graduates. He made just over double his sire’s covering fee for the year he was conceived (110,000gns) and upon being re-offered as a yearling and subsequently selling to Godolphin for 200,000gns, he entered training with Charlie Appleby where the wheels for an illustrious race career were set in motion.

A starter in 20 races from the ages of two to five and a ‘TDN Rising Star’, Blue Point was only out of the frame on three of those occasions. His 11 wins include four Group 1s, of which he recently completed the Royal Ascot double of the King’s Stand S. and the Diamond Jubilee S.–a feat that hasn’t been achieved for 16 years. He is the prime example of what breeders should be aiming to breed when they are mating their mares: a strong, tough, sound horse who tries. His career has eluded to his easy temperament but further proof of a kind nature was shown on his last day at Appleby’s Moulton Paddocks when the trainer’s children were pictured surrounding Blue Point.

Although she has already blossomed as a broodmare it is fair to say that Scarlett Rose is now in full bloom and deserving of all praise. Future buds of success could include her Night Of Thunder (Ire) 2-year-old, named Desert Destination, who is in training with Saeed Bin Suroor as well as an Invincible Spirit (Ire) yearling filly set to appear in the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Book 1. She is back in-foal to Frankel (GB) and is sure to be remembered as her history-making son enters his next career alongside his sire at Kildangan Stud for the 2020 season.