Everest Contender and race favourites, Pierata was foaled at the historic Hobartville Stud which is owned by Grahame Mapp.
In addition to being a passionate horseman and Thoroughbred pedigree Mapp, is also the Chairman of the Mapp Group of companies, which comprise an extensive portfolio of investments in shares, commercial properties feature films. He is also known for his extensive philanthropic work for children’s causes.
Pierata’s dam, November Flight, is one of Hobartville's top broodmares descended from the Mr. Prospector line on the sire side and the Golden Slipper winning Century Miss on her dam side.
Hobartville’s other breeding families include their foundation mare, Light Of Peace, descended from the famous First Lady family. She has produced many black-type winners over the past almost 40 years.
“November Flight’s first foal, a colt by More Than Ready was a standout at the 2011 Inglis Easter Yearling sale where he sold for over A$800,000. Named Ashoken, he went on to win the Group 3 Skyline Stakes for 2YO before an injury. Other progeny by More Than Ready also sold very well and produced city winners.
“Pierro retired to stand at Coolmore Stud in 2013.
“He was an outstanding racehorse, by far the best of his era, in my opinion. He won 11 Stakes races including 5 Group Ones from 14 starts as a 2YO and 3YO. He was undefeated in 6 starts as a 2YO including the Golden Slipper.
“Pierro also has a strong pedigree to back up his outstanding racing ability, being by Lonhro who himself was an outstanding racehorse, winning 25 Stakes races including 11 at Group 1, from 26 starts. Lonhro also has an outstanding pedigree, and he has proven himself to be a very successful sire.
“I was keen on Pierro’s prospects as a sire, and in consultation with Mick Malone of Kitchwin Hills Stud I decided to send one of our better mares to him. November Flight has the conformation and the pedigree and has consistently produced quality foals,” he said
Mapp, who is very interested in pedigree analysis himself, explains the fortuitous mating of Northern Flight and Pierro.
“As with Pierro himself and also November Flight, there is not one pedigree feature in this mating that I would highlight, rather there are many excellent features which have together produced another outstanding racehorse in Pierata, who now has the credentials to be a successful sire as well,” explained the seasoned horseman.
There is a very interesting relationship between his foundation mare Light Of Peace and her predecessor, the famous First Lady.
“Thoroughbred writer Jennifer Churchill wrote a very informative article about our and her family which was published in Country Life magazine (I think) in about January 2012.
“Before then, I had no idea that Light Of Peace, whom I purchased from Bart Cummings when he trained her daughter Clear Apollo for us, was directly descended from the imported mare First Lady, who also happened to be the dam of outstanding Australian thoroughbred racehorse and sire, Grand Flaneur, who stood at Hobartville in the 1880/90’s. Amazing!
“Grand Flaneur won 9 successive races including the AJC Derby, the VRC Derby, the Cox Plate, and the Melbourne Cup before retiring undefeated to stand at Hobartville Stud. He was a highly successful sire, producing Bravo to win the 1889 MELBOURNE Cup defeating odds on favourite Carbine, and two other subsequent Melbourne Cup winners. I’m pleased to say that Carbine came out and won the following year!
“What a coincidence! Almost 100 years later I purchased Light Of Peace, sent her to Bletchingly, and she produced Star Watch to win the 1988 Golden Slipper and himself become a successful sire,” said Mapp.