Pedigree Picks with Mike Rennie – 5 July, 2019

Killavally was impressive winning on debut by 8L at Ballarat on Sunday.

Bred by the stud he is a 3yo Ocean Park gelding out of the O’Reilly mare Enjoy (ex Playful Fingers by Defensive Play). Ocean Park over an O’Reilly mare gives us a 4 x 4 cross duplication of Pompeii Court and a 5 x 4 of Hunza, via the blood sisters Eastern Princess and Courtza (dam of O’Reilly).

It’s an interesting talking point, line breeding in this fashion, will it work, won’t it work? The winners to runners on the nick are just fair at present averaging 53% whilst it is worth noting that Arrogant who put up a timeform rating of 120 in the Rosehill Guineas is also out of an O’Reilly mare.

Last Tycoon was a nice nick under Thorn Park so there’s no doubt some influence present; Rondinella, King Opie, Ocean Deep and Fabric support this. Defensive Play was super under the Zabeel sireline so that can only be helping here too.

Mark has always had a gut feeling this family would kick on with another top horse. After watching Killavally’s win and also Shoshone the other week (Sacred Falls ex Dee I Why ex Playful Fingers) we might need to listen to his gut more often!