YET ANOTHER GROUP 2 WINNER FOR OASIS DREAM

Article taken from the EBN:

Monitor Closely (OASIS DREAM) decimated the opposition in this St Leger trial, leading all the way and still travelling well as his rivals began to be urged along, and he comfortably saw off the challenge of Godolphin’s Gr.2 Derby Italiano hero Mastery (Sulamani), coming home four and a half lengths ahead in the Great Voltigeur Stakes Gr.2.

Eighth behind Sea The Stars in the 2,000 Guineas, this was the second victory for Monitor Closely, who lost his maiden tag at Newbury last October. He finished second in the valuable Tattersalls Timeform 3-Y-O Trophy on his return and was more recently fourth in the Gr.2 Dante Stakes, third in the Listed Hampton Court Stakes and fifth in the Gr.2 York Stakes.

A son of Juddmonte’s OASIS DREAM (Green Desert), he is the fourth foal out of Independence (Selkirk), winner of the Gr.2 Sun Chariot Stakes and Gr.3 Matron Stakes – both since upgraded to Gr.1 status. Her three previous foals are all winners and are headed by the Gr.1 Eclipse Stakes and Gr.1 Criterium International victor, and Newsells Park Stud sire Mount Nelson (Rock of Gibraltar). Independence is the best of two winners out of the mutiply-placed Yukon Hope (Forty Niner), whose unraced dam Sahara Forest (Green Desert), is a half-sister to Derby, St Leger and King George hero and sire Reference Point (Mill Reef). Their dam, Home On The Range (Habitat), also triumphed in the Gr.2 Sun Chariot Stakes.

Date: 19 August 2009