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Chinese Dragon (Stravinsky–Fabulous Fairy, by Alydar)

Holding court at Goodwood Stud in Palmerston North, New Zealand, is the exciting young sire Chinese Dragon (TrueNicks). Foaled in the U.S., Chinese Dragon was purchased by Coolmore, and as a 2-year-old broke his maiden over six furlongs in the colours of Mrs. John Magnier. Transferred to the U.S. the following season, Chinese Dragon enjoyed a tremendous 3-year-old campaign, winning five of his six starts, including the Alcatraz, Pasadena, and Sir Beaufort Stakes – all at a mile – and the nine-furlong La Puente Stakes. His sole defeat was a neck second in the Paradise Valley Stakes at 7½ furlongs. As an older horse, Chinese Dragon vied with the best turf milers on the West Coast, earning a graded stakes win in the San Francisco Mile (gr. II); a third, beaten a head and a nose in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (gr. I); and in the race immediately following the Kilroe Mile, a second in the Arcadia Handicap (gr. II), with the Kilroe Mile victor Milk it Mick back in third.

Like the red-hot young stallion Thorn Park, Chinese Dragon is a grandson of Nureyev. His sire, Stravinksy, staked his claim to be considered Nureyev’s best sprinting son when defeating Europe’s best speedsters in the July Cup (gr. I) and Nunthorpe Stakes (gr. I). During his time as a shuttle sire, Stravinsky’s New Zealand-sired crops left no doubt about how well-suited his offspring were to local conditions. So far he has been represented by nearly 40 Southern Hemisphere-sired stakes winners, including the Australasian Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and Older Mare Seranade Rose, and other group I scorers Keeninsky, Time Keeper, Mr. Baritone, and Captivate. Overall, no less than 24 of his his Southern Hemisphere stakes winners scored at the group level.

Chinese Dragon is out of Fabulous Fairy, a winning daughter of Champion U.S. Sire Alydar and the English 1,000 Guineas (gr. I) heroine Fairy Footsteps. Fabulous Fairy is also a half sister to the dam of Desert Prince, winner of three group I events, including the French and Irish 2,000 Guineas (gr. I), and a group/grade I sire in Australia and Europe. The classic theme is continued as one goes back down the family line, as the third dam, Glass Slipper, produced not only Fairy Footsteps, but also St. Leger (gr. I) victor Light Cavalry, and she is a sister to English 2,000 Guineas (gr. I) and Derby (gr. I) hero Royal Palace, and to Selhurst (sire of West Australian Derby (gr. I) captor Seltrice).

Chinese Dragon’s first crop are yearlings, and have been in demand at the sales, fetching up to NZ$80,000 (for a half sister to Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes (gr. I) winner Mi Jubilee).

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