With his first southern hemisphere crop rising three, Danzig’s dual G1 winner Ad Valorem was represented by his seventh individual juvenile winner on July 15 at Geelong.
Racing in the maroon and white silks of Sheikh Mohammed, the Peter Snowden-trained Henshaw was having his second race day appearance after finishing behind Golden Archer at Stakes level on debut. Jumping away well from barrier five, the colt settled in fourth position on the rails and as the field rounded the home turn, jockey James Winks pushed the colt out from behind the leaders to score a short head win over Elusive Quality filly Pecuniary.
Bred by Darley Australia, Henshaw is out of the Stakes-placed Octagonal mare Huit, a daughter of the G2–winning, G1-placed Canny Lad mare Seika. From the family of G1 winner Sports and the Stake-winning Lonhro gelding Territory, Henshaw raced as if he will appreciate further than the 1000m of his debut win. A half-sister to G3 winner Clothilde, Huit has a yearling filly by Commands and a weanling filly by Street Cry on the gorund.
Currently sitting in equal second on the first-season sire table by winners behind fellow Darley stallion Nadeem and a clear second on prize money, Ad Valorem is the only first-season sire to have two individual Stakes winners. Highlighted by the G2-winning Free Wheeling and the G3-winning, G1-performer Uate, Ad Valorem will stand the forthcoming season at Darley Kelvinside at a fee of $11,000 (inc GST).
