Highlands Stud part of Ridgemont’s G1 winning sire Potala Palace gained a handsome update to his already impressive female line at Kenilworth on Saturday.
His Highlands Stud bred 3yo half-sister Front And Centre (by Highlands’ own sire Dynasty) stamped herself a filly to watch when defying a drift in the betting to win as she liked over 1200 metres.

Trained by Brett Crawford, Front And Centre, despite being bred for further, drew clear to post a facile 1.5 length at the expense of the blue blooded 5-4 favourite Juniper Spring.

Front And Centre is a half-sister to seven winners, notably G1 Premier’s Champion Stakes/G2 Joburg Spring Challenge winner Potala Palace, as well as to the dam of graded winners Excellent Result (G2 Dubai City Of Gold) and Midnight Crossing (G3 Robert J Frankel Stakes).

She is out of Prestige Stakes runner up Alignment, whose sire Alzao is also broodmare sire of the great stallion Deep Impact.
A half-sister to G2 winning sire Bonny Scot and the outstanding producer Highland Gift, Alignment’s second dam is a half-sister to the G1 winning dam of Epsom Derby winner North Light and this is the same family as top stallions Sadler’s Wells, Nureyev, Fairy King and Reform.

A son of world champion Singspiel (whose offspring include the likes of Solow, Moon Ballad, Confidential Lady and Lahudood), Potala Palace made a pleasing start with his first 2yos last season including debut hero Basilius and the stakes placed filly Watsonia.