Check out the first New Zealand foals by our Gr.1 winning son of Frankel.

Sword Of State has made a dream start to his stallion career with a black-type victory posted by his second representative and first on Australian soil.

We couldn’t have wished for a better result for our young son of Snitzel at Caulfield where his daughter Torture belied her name, providing a painless watch to claim top honours in the Listed Debutant Stakes.

The well-related filly, who had finished runner-up in an 800-metre trial on the track earlier this month, belied her starting price of 15 to 1 with a faultless display over 1000 metres to the sound of champagne corks popping at Cambridge Stud.

“To get black type is fantastic, she was very impressive,” said Ben Hayes, who trains the youngster with brothers Will and JD.

“She’s well-bred and a stakes winner now with so much more improvement to come, the Blue Diamond might be right up her alley.”

The quaintly named Torture bounced out of the gates to settle close the pace before striding to the front 200 metres from home to put the issue beyond any doubt.

“She was very professional and felt like she had strengthened off her trial,” successful rider Ethan Brown said.

“I gave her a squeeze, and she lobbed into a beautiful position and flowed into the race well and was strong to the line.”

Bred by GSA Bloodstock, Torture was offered at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by Curraghmore and was knocked down for $250,000 to Lindsay Park and Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock.

She is a half-sister to Tavistock’s daughter Ruthless Lady, who won the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes, with their dam Ruthless Dame.

The Keeper mare is a half-sister to multiple South African Group winner Oracy and the family of three-time Group 1 winner Sea Siren, whose daughter Warm Heart also claimed a trip of top-flight titles.

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Hello Youmzain’s star daughter Platinum Diamond has picked up where she left off last season with another stylish stakes victory.

The Lisa Latta-trained representative ended her juvenile campaign with wins in the Listed Castletown Stakes and Listed Ryder Stakes and opened her three-year-old season in style with victory in the Listed Wanganui Guineas.

“She’s pretty special and she paraded a bit fresh, but she’s a smart filly and just keeps stepping up,” Latta said.

“We may head south early because there’s a lack of three-year-old races in the Central Districts and I don’t want to travel her up north if she’s going to the 1000 Guineas.”

The filly was tardily away to settle back of midfield before improving wide across the top and, when asked for a serious effort by rider Bruno Querioz, proved superior in the run home.

“She’s an amazing horse, the victory was very precious and she was so strong over the last 300 metres,” he said.

Platinum Diamond was bred by Beaufort Downs and was purchased out of their draft for $90,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.

She is a daughter of the Thorn Park mare Spritz who is a half-sister to the dam of the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes winner and multiple stakes black type Aotea Lad.

Chaldean and Hello Youmzain arrived back at Cambridge Stud safely following their trip from Europe. Chaldean returns from Juddmonte Farm in England for his second season while Hello Youmzain is shuttling from Haras d'Etreham in France for the fifth time.

It was a reunion of sorts for our GM Ben Tappenden who foaled Chaldean back in 2020 at Whitsbury Manor Stud and was on hand to welcome our son of Frankel back to Cambridge Stud for the season.

Hello Youmzain’s high-class daughter Platinum Diamond completed a late season black type double in cracking style at Otaki.

The Lisa Latta-trained filly had proved too good in the Listed Castletown Stakes on the course last month and returned to add the Listed Ryder Stakes, again over 1200 metres.

She has no doubt that Platinum Diamond will be just as effective on the improved spring and summer tracks.

“Definitely, I don’t think she’s just a wet tracker. I’ll give her two or three weeks in the paddock now to freshen up.”

Platinum Diamond tracked the pace along the fence and rider Bruno Queiroz cut the corner into the straight.

“I was a little bit worried when there was a kerfuffle turning in, but I think hard against the rail is as good as getting out wide,” Latta said.

“Bruno got her in a good part of the track and that helped. She has a summer type coat already, but she keeps herself well and she is very exciting.”

The youngster held a strong gallop to take her burgeoning record to three wins and a debut fourth from four appearances.

“She is a very, very good horse and such a lovely type,” Queiroz said.

“I was very confident as she travelled well and in the last 600 metres she came through on the inside and was very happy to be there.”

Platinum Diamond was bred by Beaufort Downs and was purchased out of their draft by Latta for $90,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.

She is a daughter of the Thorn Park mare Spritz who is a half-sister to the dam of the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes winner and multiple stakes black type Aotea Lad.

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Gezora crowned her impressive ascent to the elite level with a stunning victory in the G1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) at Chantilly.

The outstanding daughter of our resident Almanzor was making just her seventh appearance and her previous four wins included the G2 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp and Deauville’s G3 Prix des Reservoirs.

Trainer by Francis Graffard, Gezora lodged her claim for glory 300 metres from home and held a strong gallop to land the 2100 metre Classic by a length.

“She ran a nice race at Longchamp, she showed something new to me. She's improving all the time, and I saw after the race she really improved again, she was so happy, so confident in herself,” Graffard said.

Gezora was expertly handled by Christophe Soumillon, who had been in a bullish pre-race mood.

“What an amazing race, I was very confident before the race as she was going down to the start very easily. She was moving perfectly,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

"I had a good draw but I was a bit, not nervous, but thinking that if a lot of fillies without (strong) chances are in front of me, I could be stuck inside so I told Francis before the race and said if I have an option to come out then try to stay second-deep or third-deep, it will be great.

"When they started to quicken in the straight, I was following them really easily, I knew she’d be able to change gear and that’s exactly what she did. The pace was on, and she was ready to react at the right time.”

Gezora was raced by Haras d’Etreham before she was purchased by Peter Brandt’s White Birch Farm three starts back.

“I think it's probably one of the three or four races I've dreamed of winning. I think it's the greatest three-year-old filly race, it’s always stiff competition,” Brandt said.

Gezora is now likely to return to Longchamp for the G1 Prix Vermeille over 2400 metres before a call is made on the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, also 2400 metres.

She is a daughter of the Silver Hawk mare Germance, who won five races including the Saint-Alary in 2006 when it carried Group 1 status and then finished runner-up in the Oaks.

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