Fontanelice goes from strength to strength

First-season sire Vale Of York has made a tremendous start to his stud career, siring five individual winners to date and on 29 June his talented daughter Fontanelice remained unbeaten in four starts when landing the G3 Premio Primi Passi in Milan.

Dead-heating for first in the six-furlong contest, Stefano Botti’s charge was recording her third straight Stakes win, having landed two Listed contests at Rome and Milan earlier this month.

Bred by John Martin McLoughney, Fontanelice is the second foal out of the Choisir mare Choose Me Please, herself from the family of Japanese Derby winner Deep Brillante. Choose Me Please also has a yearling filly by Iffraaj.

The best juvenile son of Invincible Spirit, Vale Of York was the thrilling winner of the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, where he beat five G1 winners including Lookin At Lucky and Eskendereya. His first yearlings were very well received at the sales and sold for up to 150,000gns.

He is also sire of Haxby (a promising winner who was a creditable fifth in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot), first-time out winners Sunny York and Great Park, plus another winner in Olivia Fallow.