Classy galloper Mourinho
Two sons of Avontuur’s exciting sire Oratorio will line up in Group 1 company – in two different countries this weekend.
The tough as teak 7yo gelding Mourinho (Oratorio – Benevolent) is set to run in Australia’s first Group 1 contest of 2015 – Saturday’s C F Orr Stakes for AUS $400 000. Mourinho, who is coming into the race off a score in the Group 2 Australia Stakes, is being aimed at the Group 1 Australian Cup on March 14th.
Trained by Peter Gelagotis, Mourinho has won eight races and over AUS $800 000 in stakes, with his victories including four feature races. Prior to his Group 2 success last time out, Mourinho’s biggest wins had come in the Group 3 Railway JRA Cup and Gr3 Tasmanian Derby.
Oratorio’s son Obliterator
In Hong Kong (also home to Oratorio’s former Horse Of The Year son Military Attack), another son of the former triple Group 1 winner is set for Group 1 action. Former Irish 2000 Guineas contender Obliterator (Oratorio –Faraday Light) has been entered for Sunday’s HK G1 Hong Kong Classic Cup over 1800m.
Obliterator, who will be making just his second Hong Kong outing on Sunday, showed huge potential as a 3yo last season. He finished second to the talented True Story in the Listed Feilden Stakes and ended his European campaign with a win in a Listed contest (he was subsequently disqualified and demoted to second).
Former European Champion Oratorio, who has been exceptionally popular in his first two seasons in South Africa, is a world class sire who has twice topped the Italian sires list. A proven sire at the highest level, the Danehill son has already 42 stakes winners to his credit.
Oratorio’s offspring have already earned over $39 million– and this total looks sure to increase substantially soon!
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