Ocean Fantasy gives Make Believe his second Pattern winner

Ocean Fantasy became the second Pattern winner for her Ballylinch Stud-based sire Make Believe by winning the Preis der Winterkonigin at Baden Baden on Sunday.

Often an informative race for fillies’ Classics in Germany, Ocean Fantasy dug deep to deny Gestut Gorlsdorf’s homebred Sea The Moon filly Tickle Me Green by a short head. Ocean Fantasy was bred by Haras du Mezeray and fetched €30,000 from Panorama Bloodstock when offered at the Arqana December Sale in 2017.  She is the second foal out of the Dansili mare Oceanie, a half-sister to 1m6f/1m7f Group 2 winner and sire Watar, and they in turn are out of a half-sister to the Group 1 winner and sire Grape Tree Road.  Trained by Jean-Pierre Carvalho and raced by Gestut Hony-Hof, the filly was winning for the second time in four starts, having also returned victorious at Hannover on her previous start.

Make Believe, who landed the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Prix de la Foret during his Classic campaign, subsequently embarked on his stud career at Ballylinch Stud in County Kilkenny, where he stood the latest season at a €12,500 fee. The son of Makfi has also supplied the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes scorer Rose Of Kildare and the Listed-placed Tammani.

Ballylinch Stud enjoyed further success on Sunday as part-owners owners of Solage, a three-year-old Galileo filly who made her stakes breakthrough in the Listed Bluebell Stakes at the Curragh. Solage – who is out of the Cape Cross mare Secrete – previously hit the headlines when purchased by Meridian International for €1 million at last year’s Arqana December Sale.

Originally appeared in the Racing Post on October 20th, 2019

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