Dam of Apocalyptic in Foal to Pierro
It was a close run race for Coolmore Breeder of the Year in 2025 and while Julia Ritchie got the title this year, Kate Nivison was right there in the mix and she is now a G1 breeder thanks to outstanding filly Apocalyptic, whose dam is due to foal this spring to Pierro.
Kate Nivison bred exciting filly Apocalyptic(3f Extreme Choice x Shadow, by Medaglia d’Oro), who claimed her third win in a row at Randwick on Saturday when capturing the Group I ATC Stakes (1600m) at her fourth race start.
Trained by Michael Freedman, Apocalyptic was sidelined with a lingering foot abcess following her debut second at Randwick last year, but has come back a spring superstar.
Tommy Berry took luck out of the equation and went forward to sit behind the leader and when he set sail for home it was race over as she powered clear to win by more than a length.
“What a filly, just saying before for a filly having a fourth lifetime start, and she's won two Group 2s and a Group 1. I'm a bit lost for words,” said Michael Freedman.
"You know, as any trainer would attest, you spend a lot of time getting up early and trying to find good horses to train. And when these sort of ones come along, they certainly make it easier to get out of bed in the morning.”
Bred by Kate Nivison’s Etak Thoroughbreds, Apocalyptic was a $400,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Coolmore draft for MyRacehorse Pty Ltd/Michael Freedman Racing/Julian Blaxland Bloodstock and runs for a big syndicate of owners with Nivison also retaining a share.
She has the overall record of three wins and a second from four starts with prizemoney topping $800,000, but the surface has barely been scratched on this super talented filly and Freedman is yet to settle on a path forward for Apocalyptic.
"I'm not sure at the moment, I think we just get her home, see how she pulls up,” he said.
“Obviously, the Thousand Guineas (G1) in Melbourne is a possibility. The Empire Rose (G1) at Flemington on Derby Day is another possibility, or going to the paddock. "She's done such an amazing job in a short space of time. I'd just like to spend a few days with her and see how she comes through it and work it from there."
Foaled and raised at Coolmore, she is the second foal and second winner from Shadow, an unraced Medaglia d’Oro grand-daughter of dual Group I winner Virage de Fortune, whose grand-dam is the great champion Emancipation.
The third foal from Shadow is a grey colt by Extreme Choice that was sold in the Coolmore draft at Inglis Easter this year fetching $1.7million when purchased by Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock / B2B Thoroughbreds.
After having a year off in 2023 she was covered last season by Pierro and there will be plenty of anticipation surrounding the arrival of this precious foal.