Questing soars in G1 Alabama Stakes by nine lengths

The only word to describe Questing's G1 Alabama Stakes victory at Saratoga August 18 is dominating. The Hard Spun defeated a field filled with the top three-year-old fillies in the country. Questing stamped her second G1 in a row, having won the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 21.

In the 2000m race Questing went straight to the lead to set a grueling pace with splits of :22 4/5, :46, and 1:09 3/5. Maintaining her leading position throughout, she opened up to an enormous lead in the stretch and was never challenged to take the race in spectacular fashion by nine lengths. Bernardini's G3 winner Via Villaggio ran third.

Questing was bred by Darley and is out of the Stakes-winning mare Chercheuse, by Seeking The Gold. Chercheuse is from the fantastic family of Quiet American's multiple G1 winner Switch, and has a weanling by Cape Cross currently.

Hard Spun's 12 Stakes winners from his first crop include dual G1 winner Questing and G1 Mother Goose winner Zo Impressive. He is also the sire of European G2 winner Red Duke and 2012 G3 winner Hierro. His 25 Stakes horses include a remarkable 15 in Graded/Group company.

The sire of more winners than any other Victorian-based first-season sire last season in Australia, Hard Spun is due out of quarantine towards the end of the month and will then commence his southern hemisphere stud duties, standing at Northwood Park, Victoria, at a fee of $16,500 (inc. GST).