Oaks Winner Boosts South African Sire

Young South African-based sire Crusade received a handsome boost to his pedigree when his half-sister Seventh Heaven prevailed in last Saturday’s G1 Irish Oaks at the Curragh.

Seventh Heaven, who provided trainer Aidan O’Brien with his fifth win in the Irish Oaks, came with a storming finish to win the Irish classic by 2.75 lengths from Investec Oaks placegetters Architecture and Harlequeen.

A daughter of Galileo from La Traviata, Seventh Heaven had previously won the Listed Oaks Trial at Lingfield.

Her half-brother Crusade is standing at the Scott Bros stud in Natal.

A son of the Gone West sire Mr Greeley, Crusade was a top class two-year-old whose wins included the G1 Middle Park Stakes.

Crusade and Seventh Heaven are both out of the brilliant racemare La Traviata, winner of the G3 Victory Ride Stakes.

Seventh Heaven is the third black-type performer produced by La Traviata, being a half-sister to Crusade and the twice G2 placed Cristoforo Colombo.

Their dam is a daughter of Johannesburg out of an unraced half-sister to dual G3 and Listed winner Jack Sullivan and won a G3 at Saratoga by nine and a quarter lengths over six furlongs.

La Traviata’s sire Johannesburg, champion 2YO and G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, is also responsible for the ill-fated Kentucky sire sensation Scat Daddy.

Crusade’s first two­ year olds will race in South Africa next season.

Seventh Heaven is the seventh classic winner of the year for Irish bred and trained horses.

Mecca’s Angel landed her fourth Group win at the Curragh with an impressive three length win in the G2 Sapphire Stakes.

The G1 winning mare was bred by Yeomanstown Stud and DOC Bloodstock and is by speed sire Dark Ange, whose fee rose to €60,000 this season.

A full-sister to dual G3 winner Markaz, Mecca’s Angel is the first foal out of the stakes placed Folga, herself out of dual stakes winner and Norfolk Stakes second Desert Dawn.

Completing a Group treble on the card for Irish sires was Peace Envoy, a son of first season sire Power who defeated a competitive field in the G3 Anglesey Stakes.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt was coming off a second in the G1 Railway Stakes, having previously finished fourth in the Norfolk Stakes and won a Listed event at Naas.

Peace Envoy is currently the highest-rated performer by Power, whose first crop also includes two other stakes-placed horses and six winners.