PORTLAND SKY

Deep Field x Sky Rumba, by Shrewd Rhythm 
Height: 16hh

  • Outstanding First Foals, with weanlings selling for up to $120,000

  • Only Gr.1 winning son of Deep Field at stud

  • Won the Oakleigh Plate as a 3YO – like Fastnet Rock, Snitzel and Starspangledbanner

  • Only Gr.1 winner as a 3YO colt in open company from the entire 2017 crop 

  • Ran Second in the Gr.1 WFA William Reid Stakes as a 3YO

  • Won Gr. 3 sprints Red Anchor & Manfred Stakes

“He’s a particularly good looking horse and history says these colts, that excel in open company, have the ability to become great sires.” – Matt Laurie

2025 Service Fee: $16,500 inc GST

G1 True Nicks

VIDEOS

FIRST CROP WEANLINGS

OVERVIEW

Portland Sky looks set to continue the tradition of stud success for Oakleigh Plate winners, that test of class and speed having been won by the likes of Fastnet Rock, Snitzel, Starspangledbanner and Snippets.

The first Group One winner for his well related sire Deep Field, Portland Sky boasts a pedigree of considerable depth, making him a suitable match for a wide range of mares.

The inspiration behind the mating that produced Portland Sky was the influence in both his sire Deep Field and his dam Sky Rumba of the great broodmare Selene and her grandam Gondolette.

Selene is the fourth dam of Sir Tristram to whom Portland Sky is line-bred 5 X 5 – and he is a horse who has always combined well with fellow Selene descendant Star Way, dam sire of Deep Field’s grandsire Encosta de Lago.

Star Way’s Chesham Stakes winning grandam New Move (granddaughter of Selene) is also the fourth dam of Portland Sky’s dam sire Shrewd Rhythm whilst Sir Tristram’s third dam All Moonshine (daughter of Selene) is the dam of Mossborough who features twice in Portland Sky’s pedigree.

He also carries multiple strains of Selene’s two most prolific sons; 29 of Hyperion and 11 of Pharamond II and one of Sickle – direct male line ancestor of Mr Prospector. Selene’s relations, descendants of Gondolette, also make their mark – five strains of Big Game accompanied by strains of Sansovino, Bosworth, Fair’s Fair and Chamossaire.

Further Selene/Gondolette influence is desirable, making it a great exercise to seek strains of Entrepreneur (dam sire of Deep Field’s dual stakes winner Riddle Me That), Lucky Owners, Our Maizcay, Hunter’s Moon (such as in Dubawi, Timber Country, Bianconi/Nicconi), Icelandic, Snow Knight, Great Sport, Fair Copy (in Vice Regent), Afghan II, Schiavoni, Double Jump, Priamos, Big  Boost, Husson Lightning, Creese, Beckett, Sabaean (in Nadeem, Sovereign Red, Keltrice, Spartacus) and Underwood. No harm in more Hyperion, Pharamond II, Big Game and Sickle either!

The Mumtaz Mahal/Lady Josephine family from which Deep Field hails is also a strong influence in Portland Sky’s pedigree; especially the Mumtaz Begum (fifth dam of Deep Field’s famed fifth dam Eight Carat) branch with his 14 strains of Nasrullah as well as Royal Charger, Jambo, Coeur Volant and Lucky Bag.

With this in mind, good matches are mares by or with Mossman, General Nediym/Nediym, Pins, Lonhro/Octagonal, Kenmare/Kalamoun, Commands (dam sire of Deep Field’s dual Group winner Cosmic Force), Danewin, Special Bond, North Reef, Ladoni, Kaapstad, Savoire Vivre, Telesto, Eire, De Beers, Kempinsky, Don Eduardo, Adraan, Kreisler, Viscount, Colombia, Court Of Jewels, Prince Taj, Shergar, Khairpour, Nilo, King Of Roses, Rock Hero, Centre Stalls, Lacryma Cristi and Bao Lack.

There is further Mumtaz Mahal/Lady Josephine in Portland Sky via Fair Trial (16 strains), Mahmoud (13), Tudor Minstrel (3), Aristophanes and Faux Tirage. Other stallions whose pedigrees are strongly influenced by this family include  Rubiton, Bel Esprit, Rory’s Jester, Golden Snake, Nassipour, Spirit Of Boom/Sequalo, Toorak Toff, All Too Hard, Pierro, Not A Single Doubt, Written Tycoon/Winning Rupert/Rich Enuff/Capitalist and Starcraft.

Portland Sky’s grandsire Northern Meteor is bred on a 6 X 4 cross of his own fourth dam Rough Shod II, also fourth dam of Encosta de Lago’s sire Fairy King. There is more of this family in Portland Sky – Windsor Slipper and Lorenzaccio. And it is a case of the more the better – which makes members of the Sadler’s Wells, Nureyev and Thatching/Thatch sire lines great options for Portland Sky. As are mares by or with strains of Smart Missile (his grandam Explosive is Northern Meteor’s dam), Ridan, Geiger Counter, Headwater, Fiorente, Tate Gallery, Perugino/ Testa Rossa (dam sire of Deep Field’s Gr.2 winner Xilong), Yeats, Dusty Boots, Jade Robbery Lt Stevens, Topsider and Val de Loir (most easily found in Zabeel).

Northern Meteor is a son of Encosta de Lago whose grandam Rolls is also the dam of Flying Spur, noting that 12 of the 16 Deep Field runners out of Flying Spur mares are winners.  Rolls is a granddaughter of Northern Dancer’s famed daughter Fanfreluche, in turn daughter of the influential Ciboulette. This family is a proven high class line-breeding force, one which can also be found in Snaadee, Brazen Beau, Family Ties, Night Shift, Archregent, Kheleyf and Holy Roman Emperor.

Whilst Danehill generally underperforms as a line-breeding subject, Danehill Dancer (sire of Portland Sky’s dam sire Shrewd Rhythm) has combined with other Danehill strains in the pedigrees of 52 stakes winners.

Danehill’s dam sire His Majesty hails from a family always worth line-breeding to and Portland Sky is one good example with His Majesty’s full brother Graustark making an appearance in Deep Field’s dam sire Elusive Quality. Further strains are definitely worth seeking – such as Crowned Prince, Whiskey Road, Our Poetic Prince and Majestic Prince.

The prolific Marchetta family is strong in Portland Sky who has strains of My Babu, Klairon (four), Turn-To (eight) and Alycidon (three). Look for strains of the latter’s siblings Acropolis, Agricola and Borealis as well as for Marco Polo II, Sayani, Cagire, Ambiorix, Hotfoot, Imperial Prince, Bustino, Alvaro, Cheraw, Blevic, Universal Prince, Irish River, Stunning, Hayil and Testa Rossa.

Also of great influence is the Aloe family… Portland Sky’s strains of Round Table, Gone West and Atan bound to be well complemented by strains of Tell (sire of Pompeii Court), Deep Impact, Tentam, Known Fact, Doutelle, Aureole, Kingstone, Tale Of The Cat, Nashwan, Unfuwain, Voodoo Rhythm, True Hero, Lion Cavern, Dance Spell, Pulpit, Above Suspicion, Imperialist, Robellino, Song Of Tara, Hemingway, Balestrini, Red Tony, Alcide and Marju.

Portland Sky has Nearco, Neckar, Niccolo dell’Arca and Fortino all from Federico Tesio’s Nogara/Catnip family. Not always easy to find further strains but look for Novalis, Navarro, Raimondo and Pinturischio (second dam sire of Piccolo and third dam sire of Casino Prince).

Portland Sky has the close relations Nijinsky II and Free America; seek strains of the latter’s close relations The Minstrel and Far North whilst noting that this is the Torpenhow family which also produced Redoute’s Choice.

The Frizette family is also prolific in Portland Sky’s pedigree via Mr Prospector (three strains), Tourbillon (ten), Djeddah, Elusive Quality and Bismark II. Another ‘the more the better’ family – making Portland Sky suited by mares by or carrying  strains of Roan Rocket (dam sire of Rory’s Jester), Lomond, Seattle Slew, Roy, Shecky Greene, Seattle Dancer, Bold Native, Bahri, Bahhare, Baldric, Half Iced, Sing Sing, Jugah, Artie Schiller, Prince True, Mukaddamah, Twenty Four Karat, Darshaan, Daliapour, Tiger, Straight As A Die, Heart Of Darkness, Gold And Ivory, Sunrise County and Bailjumper.

La Troienne is another mare of note in Portland Sky’s pedigree – appearing through her descendants Hero’s Honor, Caerleon and Buckpasser. She has had plenty of influence in this part of the world with her descendants including More Than Ready, Woodman, Rhythm, Caerleon, Forest Glow, Air de France, Belong To Me, Yamanin Vital, Monashee Mountain, Hula Chief, Noble Bijou and Congrats.

Other mares worthy of duplication include Grand Splendor (the grandam of Northern Meteor’s dam sire Fappiano can be found in Ogygian via Street Boss and Johannesburg as well as in Quiet American and Honour And Glory), Princess Ru (the grandam of Portland Sky’s second dam sire Bletchley Park is also ancestress of Danasinga, Red Element, Last Typhoon, Shaft, Master Of Design, Cullen, Prince Arthur, Shalford and Towkay), Mowerina (the ancestress of Danzig, Bletchingly and Rockefella is also ancestress of I Am Invincible’s sire Invincible Spirit), Gleam (Portland Sky has Sovereign Edition and Princely Gift – she is also ancestress of Smokey Eyes, Reward For Effort and Turffontein) and Lalun (the Kentucky Oaks winning dam of Fairy King’s dam sire Bold Reason is easily found via her other outstanding son Never Bend).