Santapietra (IRE)

Overview

Santapietra is a lovely Mare with a lot of potential and improvement to come. She is by a proven Sire and out of a dual-winning Mare who won under rules in both France and Ireland in two different disciplines. She has good conformation, and with the breeding lines and her PTP form, everything points in the right direction.

She finished 2nd (beaten a neck) in her second of two point-to-points on November 12, 2023, at Knockmullen. Not only did she almost win, but she also beat 3rd place by 15 lengths! The winner of the Point-to-Point, Wednesday Addams, was sold to Ben Case and has since finished 2nd in a Bumper by 2 and 1/2 lengths to the Harry Derham-trained Jasmine Bliss. The third in this Wetherby Bumper finished 16 lengths behind Wednesday Addams, strengthening our belief that we have a very good horse on our hands.

Breeding Overview

Santapietra is a 5-year-old bay Mare by the popular Sire Flemensfirth, who has produced the likes of Imperial Commander (185 OR), Flemenstar (173 OR), and Lostintranslation (173 OR). Some of his more recent progeny include Ashtown Lad (2022 Becher Chase winner), Minella Drama (Grade 2 winner and 3rd in the 2023 Grade 1 Melling Chase), and Grey Dawning (winner of both the 2023 Leamington Grade 2 Novices’ Hurdle and the Grade 2 Hampton Novices' Chase (by 14 Lengths), rated 141 OR and has won seven times, finished second twice, and finished third from just 11 runs under rules).

Santapietra is a first foal by a dual-winning Mare, Pietralunga (who was trained by Adrian Lacombe in France before being bought and trained by Willie Mullins). This Mare won on the Flat Turf in France back in 2017 before winning a 15-runner Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel in 2018, beating Moonlight Escape (who went on to win a Bumper, Hurdle Race, and Chase in Ireland for Gordon Elliott), Cool Saint (trained by Henry De Bromhead), and Belle West, who both went on to win over Hurdles in Ireland.

Ballyboy Stables (Consignor) Thoughts

Santapietra was bought from Dennis Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables, whose recent winning graduates include Grangeclare West (purchaser: Cheveley Park Stud), An Tobar (purchaser: Robcour), Croke Park (Gigginstown House Stud), and Corrigeen Rock (Lucinda Russell and Paul McIvor).

The breeder expected to get more for this Mare than one of the PTP stable’s other lots in the sale, Lot 10, ‘Dawn Supreme’. A major benefit that comes with Santapietra is the residual value that comes with buying this Mare, with the potential to breed her ourselves after her career or sell her at public auction to be a Broodmare. The team really believes this one slipped through the net of top purchasers with bigger budgets!