Friday, 10 November 2017: Former champion colt Pierro became a Group One sire at Flemington on Thursday when his first crop filly Pinot won the VRC Kennedy Oaks.

Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott celebrated their first VRC Oaks when Pinot (Pierro x Dizelle by Zabeel) won the classic to cap her outstanding rise through the spring.
She landed in Melbourne as a maiden and her record now stands at three wins and two seconds from six starts with prizemoney of $733,275.

Pinot wins the Oaks

Pinot  was purchased as a yearling for $200,000 by Eclipse Thoroughbreds at the 2016 Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She was the first ever yearling purchased by Eclipse’s US-based founder Aron Wellman.
She was offered by Coolmore Stud on behalf of her WA-based breeder Keith Biggs, who originally intended to retain a 25 percent share in the filly but withdrew.
His share was subsequently filled by leading bloodstock authority James Bester. Bester attempted to buy Pinot for a client from Wellman soon after the yearling sale but when the offer was rejected was able to take a 20 percent share in the filly.
Bester had previously advised Keith Biggs on his breeding of Pinot, her dam Dizelle and grand dam Danelagh. He recommended that Biggs breed his G1 winner Palatious to Danehill, the resulting foal being Dizelle’s dam Danelagh who won the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes for the WA breeder
Other partners with Eclipse Thoroughbreds in Pinot include Newgate Farm and Gai Waterhouse’s daughter Kate Waterhouse.

Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Stephen Baster

Biggs can take consolation from the fact that he has retained two subsequent foals produced by Dizelle, both by Fastnet Rock.
A half-sister to Pinot by Fastnet Rock will be offered at the Easter sale next year.
Pierro is fast becoming one of Australia’s leading young sires, the triple G1-winning son of Lonhro having been the champion Australian first season sire last season and currently leading the second season sires list.
Pinot was bred to win a classic as her dam Dizelle won the G1 AJC Oaks and boasts a 2 x 4 double cross of the great Zabeel.
Dizelle, a sister to Hong Kong champion Vengeance Of Rain from the G1 winner Danelagh, has also produced stakes-winner Dizlago and G2-placed Lucky Lago