By Emma Berry
Paul and Marie McCartan know a thing or two about Nando Parrado (GB), having bought him as a foal, raced him, and retained part-ownership of the son of Kodiac (GB) since his retirement to the Irish National Stud. They were, therefore, pleased to be able to welcome the G2 Coventry S. winner's first foal on Saturday at their Ballyphilip Stud.
The filly foal is a daughter of Cafetiere (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who was herself a winning juvenile over five furlongs and is a half-sister to G3 Prix du Bois winner Percolator (GB) (Kheleyf). The mare has already produced the G2 Norfolk S.-placed Imperial Force (Ire) (Camacho {GB}).
Of the latest arrival at Ballyphilip, Paul McCartan said, “I'm delighted with her. We've had four mares foal already and they are all fillies but she is the best of them. She's a good size, with a strong gaskin and forearm, a very nice head, and she is very much the same shape as Nando Parrado himself. He was a very good-looking foal.”
Bred by Anita Wigan, Nando Parrado, who is out of the Argentinean Grade 3 winner Chibola (Arg) (Roy), was the pinhook that returned to Ballyphilip. McCartan, who is as noted as a foal buyer as he is as a breeder, bought him for 165,000gns as a weanling at Tattersalls and then bought the colt back at 200,000gns at the December Yearling Sale. It proved a shrewd move, as six months later Nando Parrado won the Coventry at Royal Ascot on his second start for Clive Cox. He was also runner-up in both the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
McCartan sent three mares to Nando Parrado in his first season at the Irish National Stud, where he is owned by a syndicate and covered 130 mares in total.
He added, “They all got in foal first pop. He's an extremely fertile horse. I've another mare due a foal by him on 10 February. I'm hoping to get some colts soon. The more fillies I have the more colts I'll be buying at the sales!”
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