Big day for Tiger Hill

Until Thursday (Oct. 22), Darley’s former shuttler Tiger Hill had sired four winners in  Australia – now he has seven, after producing a treble of winners.

The most impressive winner for the son of Danehill was Mick Price’s previously unraced filly Nakaaya (b f 3, ex- Duchess Talaria, by Marwina) who finished powerfully to win easily over 1000m at Ballarat. The filly ran the trip in a slick 57.59 secs.

Tiger Hall also sired a maiden winner at Ipswich, Street Sign (b f 2006, ex-Direct Sign, by Zoffany (USA) and a promising gelding, Martial Art (b g 2006, ex-Kwan (IRE), by Sadler’s Wells (USA)), who won at New Plymouth (1400m) in New Zealand for leading trainer Mark Walker.

The new winners come from Tiger Hill’s first Australian crop of 79 foals. His final Australian crop are foals this spring and he has 35 on the ground from 85 coverings.

Darley imported Tiger Hill after the stallion built a big reputation for siring winners over all distances in Europe, particularly in Germany (where he stood for a number of season) and France. In fact, the stallion has an incredible strike rate of 24 Stakes winners from 147 winners, including two Group 1 winners.

Tiger Hill wasn’t expected to leave early runners, so it is not surprising that some of them are starting to show up as 3YOs. Nakaaya was bought by trainer Cliff Brown for $60,o00 at the 2008 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, but Brown left her with Price after taking an offer to train in Singapore.

Nakaaya’s dam Duchess Talaria, as her name suggests, is a granddaughter of the former top class racemare Princess Talaria (br m 1974, Dignitas–Winged Beauty, by Port Vista (IRE)). Princess Talaria won the 1977 Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield and the 1977 Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

Martial Art looks a likely customer, who will improve as Walker stretches him over more ground. His dam Kwan is a product of the famed Sadler’s Wells-Shirley Heights cross.