Easter graduate makes his mark in South Africa

OCTOBER, 2007:The www.racingandsports.com.au website reports that Emirates Park-bred and -sold Causation (3c, Giant’s Causeway-Wily Trick) has made an immediate impression racing in South Africa by winning on debut for the Charles Laird stable.

Assigned a 1600-metre Maiden Plate at Clairwood for his first appearance in public, Causation “burst clear with 400m to go to eventually win by three and three-quarter lengths”.

Sold by Emirates Park at the 2006 Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $550,000, the son of Giant’s Causeway (USA) is a half-brother to resident stallion Wily Trader (by Marscay) and Danewin’s international Group One winning racemare Elegant Fashion.

One of the world’s greatest thoroughbred families, second-dam of Causation is the celebrated race- and broodmare Highclere, winner the English 1000 Guineas and French Oaks in the colours of Her Majesty The Queen.

Among Highcere’s 10 foals was the champion race filly Height of Fashion, who in turned produced no fewer than eight stakes winners including the champions Nashwan (English 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby), Unfuwain and Nayef.

Continuing the line’s influence in European Classics, both Nashwan and Unfuwain sired Oaks and Derby winners themselves, while Nayef has one of the early favourites for the 2008 English 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks in the form of Spacious, recent winner of the Doncaster May Hill Stakes (G2).

Further illustrating the international nature of the recent South African winner’s pedigree is the fact that Japanese champion Deep Impact is also a very prominent member of this outstanding familiy, as is recent Belmont Park Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) winner Lahudood.

Half-brother Wily Trader currently has first crop 2-year-olds in training with a string of leading trainers and is again available to breeders at a fee of just $2,750 (inc. 10% GST).