Iffraaj started the new year with a bang, as his two-year-old daughter Melt ran out the determined winner of the G3 Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie, New Zealand on Monday, 1 January.
Settled off the pace early on in the 1200m contest, Melt was asked to quicken once the field approached the400m marker and flew home during the closing stages to sweep past her rivals and win by just under a length. This was her second victory in as many starts and confirmed Iffraaj's position as one of the top sires in New Zealand.
Melt was bred by C J Cochrane and W A Fowler and is out of the multiple Black Type winner and G1 Lightning Stakes third Ticklish, from the family of G1 VRC Derby winner Omnicorp.
Iffraaj has enjoyed great success in the southern hemisphere, also siring G1 winners Gingernuts, Jon Snow and Turn Me Loose. He enjoyed a superb European season in 2017, headed by multiple G1 winner and European Champion Miler Ribchester, who will stand his first season at stud this year.
