Ballack Back to his Best

New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Ballack returned to Brisbane to score his second Group 3 success at the Queensland Winter Carnival on Saturday.

Ballack's (Montjeu x Trephina, by Last Tycoon) last win came at this Carnival just under twelve months ago on a slow track in the Group 3 Tattersall's Cup (2200m), but his win yesterday in the Group 3 BTC Chairman's Handicap (2020m) was on a track rated good, and his finishing burst was brilliant.

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Fellow NZB graduate Sir Slick (Volksraad x Miss Opera, by Paris Opera) led the field of fifteen for a majority of the journey and looked likely even 200m out from the finishing line. Ballack, in the hands of an irrepressible Damien Oliver, quickly put paid to a Sir Slick victory however with a barnstorming late flurry along the rail to win by three quarters of a length over Rabbuka (Giant's Causeway) with a game Sir Slick in third.

Ballack's trainer, Danny O'Brien, is a strong supporter of the Karaka Yearling Sales where he has been amongst the top ten leading buyers for the past two years. Ballack is one of O'Brien's successful purchases from 2007 Karaka Premier Sale, having paid $70,000 for the bay from breeder, Windsor Park Stud.

Having now secured five victories and A$470,725 in prize money for owners Danny O'Brien, Barry Broomhead, A S Jones, Russell and Jacqui Krause, A C Lennen & Tim Rourke, Ballack now heads to Queensland's premier staying event, the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) next month.

Ballack is out of Trephina, a daughter of Procrastinate which makes her a half-sister to Laisserfaire, Foreplay, Time Thief, and Personify. Windsor Park Stud have also bred David Payne's promising Listed Darby Munro Stakes winner Centennial Park (Thorn Park) from Trephina, and she has a weanling filly by star sprinter Falkirk at foot and is back in-foal to the son of Tale of the Cat.

Ballack continues the recent success of Montjeu who sired the 2009 Group 1 Australian Derby quinella with Roman Emperor and Harris Tweed along with Aidan O'Brien's Fame and Glory who took out the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown over the weekend and is now favourite for the Group 1 Epsom Derby to be run on 6 June.

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�Gallant Guru pictured at White Robe Lodge

With Montjeu having ceased shuttling to Windsor Park Stud in 2004 the only access Australasia has to Montjeu blood at present is through Group 2 Sandown Classic and Group 2 Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Gallant Guru (Montjeu x Proud Halo, by Don't Say Halo) who stands at Brian and Lorraine Anderton's White Robe Lodge in Mosgiel, New Zealand. His oldest progeny are foals and will debut at the 2010 Karaka Yearling Sales.

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