NEW RECORD SET FOR MERCURY RISING

Talented filly Mercury Rising, a controversial non-runner in the recent G2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes and a runner in the G1 Schweppes Majorca Stakes next weekend, bought a new record price of R860 000 at the recent Bloodstock South Africa’s January Online Auction.

Catalogued for sale as Lot 20, Mercury Rising was consigned to this week’s sale by Snaith Racing.

The filly was purchased by Sandy Arundel.

Bred by Cheveley Stud, Mercury Rising appeared to have a graded race last time out when making all to “win” the G2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes. However, the filly was judged to have got a head start on her rivals and she was subsequently made a non-runner, with victory awarded to her paternal half-sister Gimme Dat.

Prior to that, the three-year-old daughter of Gimmethegreenlight had won two of her five starts, notably the 2021 Listed World Sports Betting Perfect Promise Sprint, and had finished a creditable fourth in the recent G1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas prior to her “start” in the Sceptre Stakes.

Out of the smart Captain Al mare Earth’s Orbit (a four-time winner who ran third in the G2 Choice Carriers Fillies Championship and three other graded races), Mercury Rising is a half-sister to smart four-year-old filly Veronica Mars, who ran a close up second in the recent Listed Lady’s Bracelet.

The well-bred Mercury Rising hails from the same family as globe-trotting champion Hinterland as well as multiple champion South African sire Foveros.

Image: Mercury Rising header image – Candiese Lenferna Photography.