She’ll be all white
Pure white thoroughbred mare The Opera House has given birth to her fourth foal – and it too is all white.
The Opera House is a white daughter of the legendary sire Zabeel and she delivered a filly of her own unusual colour at Windsor Park Stud in Cambridge on Tuesday morning.
The newborn is by resident stallion Mongolian Khan, who two years ago won the Caulfield Cup, while the mare has previously produced three other white wonders.
‘‘A lovely Mongolian Khan filly arrived at 3am and both mother and daughter are doing very well,’’ studmaster Rodney Schick said.
The Opera House’s white filly by High Chaparral was sold by Windsor Park at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2016 Premier Sale at Karaka for $450,000 to Japanese interests and racing there as Casta Diva she has won once from five appearances.
She then delivered a colt by Shamexpress, who was snapped up for $510,000 at Karaka earlier this year by the China Horse Club and Victorian horseman Ciaron Maher, while the mare has also foaled a white daughter of Charm Spirit.
"Ciaron is in New Zealand looking at yearlings and horses and he was at the stud this morning and saw the Mongolian Khan filly,’’ Schick said.
Pure white horses are an attractive proposition for Japanese buyers as white is a popular colour associated with the royal family.
A decision has yet to be made as to which stallion The Opera House, who was a winner in Australia for trainer Kris Lees, will be visiting this spring.