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WOODED
Wootton Bassett x Frida La Blonde
Bay – 2017 – 16.2 hh
2025 Service Fee: $16,500 (inc GST)
Race Record
At 2-years-old, in 4 runs
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1st Prix de Tour en Bessin Deauville, 7f .1400m
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2nd Prix la Rochette Gr.3 ParisLongchamp, 7f . 1400m
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2nd Prix Charles Pichegru Dieppe, 7f . 1400m
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3rd Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie Gr.3 Saint Cloud, 7f . 1400m
At 3-years-old, 5 runs
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1st Prix de l’Abbaye de longchamp Longines Gr.1 ParisLongchamp, 5f . 1000m
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1st Prix Texanita Gr.3 Chantilly, 6f . 1200m
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2nd Qatar Prix du Petit Couvert Gr.3 ParisLongchamp, 5f . 1000m
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4th Qatar Prix Jean Prat Gr.1 Deauville, 7f . 1400m
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Race Record
Sales Results
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Stud Summary
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Inglis graduates’ recent dominance of the prestigious Hong Kong 4YO Series continued at Sha Tin tonight with Stormy Grove (Toronado) winning the second leg of this year’s series, the Hong Kong Classic Cup.
Stormy Grove settled in his customary position toward the back of the field but showed a spectacular turn of foot to charge past some of Hong Kong’s best up-and-coming middle-distance horses to score a second consecutive victory.
Owners Marc Chan and Lili Chan Li Lei will now target the third and final leg of the series – the Hong Kong Derby, the most important race on the Hong Kong calendar – with Stormy Grove (pictured) at Sha Tin on March 22.
Stormy Grove led in an Inglis graduates quinella tonight, defeating Invincible Ibis.
Bred by Adam Sangster, Rebecca and Simon Lurati’s Ealing Park, John Dickson’s Sandown Lodge and Tim Jones, Stormy Grove began his racing career in Australia for Patrick and Michelle Payne.
He won impressively on debut at Geelong in December 2024 before finishing an eye-catching second at Flemington in BM70 Saturday grade, after which he was exported to Hong Kong.
Originally he was a $135,000 Premier Yearling Sale purchase for Nardoo Valley Stud’s Philip George, from the Collingrove Stud draft.
Co-breeder Sangster said: “It’s a great thrill to co-breed a horse like this, it’s a fabulous result for Toronado who has an incredible record in Hong Kong and it’s a great boon for our home sale, the Inglis Premier Sale which showed again today just how strong it is.
“Full credit to Jamie McCalmont, who purchased Stormy Grove on behalf of Marc Chan following his two Australian runs.
“This horse is loaded with talent. He was loaded with talent as a yearling, he was loaded with talent when he was racing early on in Australia and he’s loaded with talent in Hong Kong and is now starting to get recognised and deservedly so.
“The Hong Kong Derby is the biggest race of the year for Hong Kong owners and to have a live chance in a race like that is fabulous.’’
Stormy Grove becomes the fourth consecutive Inglis graduate to win the Hong Kong Classic Cup following the success of Rubylot (2025), Helios Express (2024) and Super Sunny Sing (2023).
Inglis graduates have also won the first two legs of this year’s 4YO Series after Classic Sale star Little Paradise won the opening leg, the Hong Kong Classic Mile, four weeks ago.
Original Article: https://inglis.com.au/news/stormy-grove-too-strong-in-hong-kong-classic-cup
Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Written by
Renee Geelen
Toronado added his second Listed Classic Mile winner in Hong Kong on Sunday through Little Paradise, reinforcing his growing influence at Sha Tin. With seven yearlings catalogued for the Inglis Classic – the same sale Little Paradise was sourced from – the result will be particularly welcomed by vendors preparing to offer 38 Toronado yearlings at Premier. Trainer John Size began his march to the top with a treble including a debutant by Shamus Award.
Little Paradise adds to Toronado’s Hong Kong record
Trainer Jimmy Ting won the coveted first leg of the 4-Year-Old Series as a jockey 26 years ago on Industrialist (GB) (Rudimentary {USA}), and now he has the Listed Classic Mile trophy as a trainer thanks to the two-length victory of Little Paradise (Toronado {Ire}).
He becomes the 47th stakes winner for Toronado (Ire), and his second winner in the Listed Classic Mile in the past three runnings after Helios Express won the race in 2024.
Toronado had a double at the meeting with Blazing Wukong winning for trainer Ricky Yiu, and he’s now fourth on the Hong Kong Sires’ Premiership behind Deep Field, Acclamation (GB), and Shamexpress (NZ).
He is SO GOOD! 😳
Little Paradise finds a way through to land the Hong Kong Classic Mile – the opening leg of the #4YOSeries – at Sha Tin under @Vincenthocy for Jimmy Ting! #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/SbDdThrehu
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 1, 2026
4-year-old gelding Little Paradise was trapped behind a wall of horses coming around the bend, but jockey Vincent Ho didn’t panic, guiding him between traffic, changing direction twice in search of clear running, until he flew home with a storming run to win easily over the mile.
“Once I pressed the button, he just kicked it. He finished off very well, so he can definitely handle a mile without a problem, and I told Jimmy even for 1800 metres, he will also produce that sort of kick as long as we relax him early,” Ho said.
“So, I’m looking forward to the Classic Cup and the Derby. I’m very grateful for the support I’ve had in coming back from injury and to win the Classic Mile is encouraging and I’m always grateful for everything.
“Little Paradise is a very nice horse. The main thing stepping up to the mile for him was to relax no matter what and I didn’t rush him because we couldn’t and we know he has a really good turn of foot from his last run.
“He’s a really flexible horse as well. If the pace is slow, he can be very close to the speed and still give you a give turn of foot when you ask him. So, he’s a really nice horse to handle. Also, thanks to Jimmy and (owner) Mr Ko for the opportunity.”
Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
In second was Infinite Resolve (Snitzel) with Beauty Bolt (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in third. Beauty Bolt’s rider James McDonald was suspended for one meeting and fined HK$60,000 (AU$11,000) for causing interference to Top Dragon (Pierata) at the 150 metres. Top Dragon finished in fifth, 3.3 lengths off the winner and a length behind Beauty Bolt.
The victory takes Little Paradise’s record to six wins from nine starts and earnings over HK$13.9 million (AU$2.6 million). Little Paradise was sold by Carramar Park at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $270,000 to Dullingham and Legends Bloodstock. He was catalogued for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale but withdrawn. He won a trial in Sydney almost a year later as an August 3-year-old before heading to Hong Kong.
Toronado (Ire) | Standing at Swettenham Stud
Toronado has seven yearlings in the upcoming Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, the same sale that Little Paradise was sourced from. He is also represented by 38 yearlings at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, and a further 12 at Easter.
Little Paradise is the only runner to date, from four named foals, for Devil In Her Heart (Star Witness). Carramar Park will present Little Paradise’s half-brother by Farnan at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 268.
Devil In Her Heart is an unraced half-sister to three stakes winners being G2 Emancipation Stakes winner Olentia (Zoustar), Group 3 winner Wandabaa (Wandjina), dual Listed winner Malkovich (Choisir), and stakes placed Seewhatshebrings (Sebring).
Original Article: https://www.ttrausnz.com.au/edition/2026-02-03/hong-kong-review-classic-mile-winner-adds-fresh-momentum-to-toronados-sale-season
Swettenham Stud are thrilled to announce that Frankel’s exceptional Group 1 winner DIEGO VELAZQUEZ (IRE) will shuttle to their Nagambie operation, commencing in 2026.
Winner of the 1600m G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, just like sensational sires Dubawi and Kingman, Diego Velazquez will be a welcome addition to the Victorian Stallion Ranks.
Breeders will have unique access to the only Group 1 winning son of Global Super sire Frankel standing in Australia.
Diego Velazquez is impeccably bred and is an extremely good-looking, 2.4 million guineas Tattersalls October purchase. The flashy son of 2yo Stakes winner Sweepstake was already the three-quarter-brother to G1 winner Broome and G2 winner Point Lonsdale before he stepped in the ring—and he would prove in time that he is better than both.
Named for famed Baroque painter Diego Velázquez, the colt previewed what he would become with a 4.8-length demolition over 1400 metres on debut in the August of his juvenile season, followed by claiming the G2 Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown. At three, Diego Velazquez added the G3 Meld Stakes, by an astonishing seven lengths, and the G2 Solonaway Stakes to his resume.
“(Winning jockey) Ryan (Moore) said he’s got all the class and all the speed in the world,” O’Brien declared after his Solonaway victory.
This year, Diego Velazquez extended his record with the G2 Minstrel Stakes at The Curragh and defeated 4-time Group 1 winner Notable Speech (he won the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile on Sunday) in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, carrying the blue and green Sangster family silks to victory for new connections Sam Sangster Bloodstock.
“He is a fast son of Frankel,” Sam Sangster said after the race. “But you can see that, physically he’s all there, he’s all power and quite compact. Aidan said to me before the race that his trip is a mile, so we knew he had that little bit of stamina up his sleeve. But he’s quick, he’s genuine, he’s tough. He’s a beauty.”
“We always thought the world of Diego Velazquez,” said O’Brien. “He’s a very legitimate and desirable horse – he deserved to win his Group 1. He’s a great model, and is determined and very brave.”
In his Prix Jacques Le Marois victory, Diego Velazquez joined an elite honour roll alongside Dubawi, Kingman, and Palace Pier.
“He’s a horse who leaves little to the imagination,” said Sam Sangster. “He is the stamp of his father and a top-class racehorse to match. He’s done it at Group 2 level across three seasons and was Classic-placed, which gives him a rare depth of form and longevity. Topped off with a Group 1 success in the Prix Jacques Le Marois, one of Europe’s premier stallion-making races.”
Diego Velazquez will spend the first half of 2026 at the English National Stud, where Toronado also began his career, before heading south to Swettenham Stud for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.
“Diego Velazquez ticks every box for British breeders,” said English National Stud CEO Anna Kerr upon the announcement. “(He has) the physical, the pedigree, and the performance. This horse will be given every chance to succeed.”
Swettenham Stud Principal Adam Sangster added, “As an industry, we have all been waiting for a fast son of Frankel to stand in Australia, and to purchase the most precocious son of his generation who won the stallion-making European mile was a stroke of genius from my brother Sam.
“The victory certainly helped facilitate standing Diego Velazquez in Australia for Sam and his partners, as we at Swettenham are very selective in who we stand so that breeders can have the greatest chance of a return on investment.”
“There is a tremendous sense of family pride working together with Sam to stand Diego Velazquez. We have already discussed the mares they’re supporting him with in the Northern Hemisphere, and we are incredibly excited about getting behind him with some quality mares in the Southern Hemisphere.”
A Group winner at two, three, and four, Diego Velazquez combines the greatness of his sire Frankel with the speed and precocity desired by the Australian market. He offers everything the Australian breeder could want; proven early talent, the ability to train on at the highest level, and the physique to reproduce the same types at stud.
A fee will be announced in due course for Diego Velazquez.
Resolute Racing’s Woodshauna gives Al Shaqab’s Wooded a first Group 1 winner
Woodshauna provided his sire Wooded with a first Group 1 winner when springing a surprise in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. The Francis Graffard-trained three-year-old was carrying the colours of John Stewart’s Resolute Racing for the first time, with the operation having bought the colt for £625,000 from Al Shaqab at last month’s Goffs […]