Commanding Jewel Off To Stud
- Monday, 17 November 2014 07:59
The racing career of Group One winning mare Commanding Jewel is over.
The Leon and Troy Corstens trained five-year-old, a three-quarter sister to retired champion Atlantic Jewel, will be given time to let down before heading to the breeding barn next year.
Commanding Jewel won the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield as a three-year-old but persistent injuries resulted in the daughter of Commands spending long periods on the sidelines.
Damien Oliver rides Commanding Jewel
The decision to retire her came after the mare jarred up following her 10th behind Trust In A Gust in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on October 11.
Brad Spicer, a part owner of Commanding Jewel, said Greg Perry of Greenwich Stud had bought the mare outright.
Perry bred Commanding Jewel from the Zabeel mare Regard before offering her for sale as a yearling.
After Regard died, Greenwich Stud bought back into the filly.
"Greg bred the mare and sold her to us at the yearling sales and purchased 10 per cent after he lost her mum Regard," Spicer said.
"It's all come full circle. She had a nice racetrack career and now she can go on and be a nice broodmare."
He said it was sad to see Commanding Jewel retire but at the same time he was fortunate to have raced a mare of her quality.
"I'm sure I won't be able to afford her progeny but I'll be happy to go and have a look and follow them when they go through the ring," Spicer said.
Leon Corstens was also disappointed to be losing a horse of her calibre but said she provided quite a bit of joy while in the stable.
"I wish the buyer all the best and hope she throws a couple of champions for him," Corstens said.
Commanding Jewel won five of 11 starts and almost $700,000 prize money.
Crafty, a Listed winner and placed at Group Two level, has also been retired after suffering a suspensory ligament injury after her unplaced effort in the VRC Oaks at Flemington on November 6.
She will travel to the United Kingdom to be mated with Frankel.
