The stars aligned for Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco at last weekend’s Turffontein meeting.
The South African-born royal celebrated not one, but two winners on that auspicious day, amongst which her very first stakes winner, the three-year-old Follow Me, who captured the day’s main event, the Gr3 Fillies Mile.
Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco
A daughter of reigning champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, Follow Me is also the latest stakes winner to emerge from the renowned Varsfontein paddocks.
And while the filly’s maiden black type win immediately upped her value, it also boosted the standing of her dam Imperial State, a stakes-placed daughter of the stud’s former stalwart Caesour and the Free State mare State Treasure.
Follow Me wins the Gr3 Fillies Mile on Saturday (Pic – JC Photos)
Varsfontein bought State Treasure from the revered Broadlands Stud of the late Honourable Pat O’Neill and as stud manager Carl de Vos recalls, the chestnut was no oil painting: “She wasn’t overly big or robust, as were many of her offspring.”
However, handsome is as handsome does, for State Treasure could not be faulted on her racing prowess or bloodlines.
A Gr1 winner of the Gosforth Park Fillies Guineas and third in the prestigious Gr1 Paddock Stakes, she boasted a royal pedigree and hailed from a notable Broadlands foundation family, that of the fine race and broodmare Miss Lindeman.
A very strong, well-muscled and quality individual, this Australian import ranked amongst the top sprinters of her generation, more than holding her own against some top class colts. She won the Matchem Stakes from the very smart Free Agent, while only the brilliant Captain Bell was able to run her down in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.
A successful broodmare, Miss Lindeman’s six winners from nine foals included the stakes winners Royal Mail (also third in the Gr1 Gilbey Stakes) and Featherstone.
The former was by Broadlands standout stallion Royal Prerogative, sire also of her daughter Imperial Jade, the dam of State Treasure.
Although she lacked the stakes talent of her dam – she won four races at two and three – Imperial Jade proved her superior as a dual Gr1 producer.
Miss Lindeman
In addition to State Treasure, she also bred the Averof colt Priceless Asset, an outstanding sprinter/miler who scored a career high in the Gr1 Schweppes Challenge. His Gr1-placed full sister Stolen Gem is grandam of champion sprinter Tara’s Touch, a subsequent Gr3 winner in the States.
State Treasure arrived at Varsfontein in foal to Mr Prospector’s successful son Secret Prospector, the country’s second leading stallion at the time. The resultant foal was Buccellati, the first of no less than ten fillies amongst her dam’s twelve foals!
Interestingly, State Treasure’s daughters also proved to be her most successful runners.
To Jet Master she produced the dual stakes winner State Coach, Imperial State placed at Gr3 level, while Flaming Rock is the sire of stakes-placed Diamond Rock. Remarkably, all three have now followed in their dam’s footsteps as stakes producers, as have her non-stakes winning daughters.
State Coach’s liaisons with Silvano resulted in the Gr2 Betting World Derby winner and Gr1 Champions Cup runner-up Silvano’s Jet, as well as Winter Oaks third Jetano.
Third in the Gr2 SA Oaks, Diamond Rock is the dam of Gr1 Paddock Stakes third Kimberlite.
Jet Master’s affinity with the family extended even further. He was a regular consort of Al Nibari, an Al Mufti daughter of State Treasure’s daughter Al Nibari, the results of which no less than four stakes performers, amongst which Gr1 Empress Club heroine Little Miss Magic, who subsequently threw the multiple Gr3-placed Trippi filly Miss Katalin.
As for State Treasure’s first foal Buccellati, she scored just once, but has outdone herself at stud as the dam of the Gr1 winning Lateral filly Bilateral and Gr1-placed stakes winner Blaze Of Fire, by Victory Moon.
State Treasure with Imperial State (dam of Follow Me) at foot as a foal
Buccellati’s Elliodor half-sister Zeigler, also a modest one-time winner, already has three stakes performed fillies to her credit. Captain Al daughter Red Disa won the Irridescence Stakes, while full sister Tick Tock was runner-up in the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas and is the dam of Gr2 SA Nursery winner William The Silent and stakes-placed Stopalltheclocks.
As recently as last season, Zeigler’s three-year-old What A Winter daughter Winter Mosaic finished second in the Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery.
Physically, Imperial State takes after her dam, but as Carl de Vos remarks: “She throws better looking foals than herself, Follow Me being one of them. She was a very nice yearling.”
There is no arguing that State Treasure’s impact as a broodmare has been profound and who knows, Follow Me may yet go on to emulate her grandam at the very elite level!
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