Big bids come late on day 2

Above: : Lot 321 Sebring filly purchased by Victorian Alliance

After more than 220 parades in front of potential buyers, a bay colt by champion Japanese stallion Lord Kanaloa was worth the wait for Ciaron Maher late into the second day of the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

The colt, offered by Victoria’s Kulani Park at Goulburn Weir, was the second day sale topper when Maher, inconjunction with Coolmore Stud, paid $900,000.

Smith said that after selling their Hunter Valley property, they bought their Goulburn Weir farm about 12 months ago ‘to get back into it’ and was delighted with their farm in Victoria.

The Victorian Alliance, headed by Rosemont Stud, was formed by a group of breeders and studs in an attempt to buy colts in the hope that they will develop into a valuable stallion.

And the group had to wait late into the second day to pay $520,000 for a colt by French stallion Siyouni, out of Bouquet de Flores (Street Cry x Floristry).

The colt, a first foal, was offered by Yulong.

They could be described as friendly rivals in the breeding industry, but it didn’t stop Rosemont Stud’s Anthony Mithen from paying $450,000 for a filly from Phil Campbell’s Blue Gum Farm draft.

Mithen said the team at Rosemont had rated the Sebring yearling as the best filly in the sale.

“They are not making any more of the Sebrings and she was, for us, the filly of the sale,” Mithen said.

“We just loved her. She is out of a Shamardal mare and she is a Sebring and an outcross filly and a great family and off a farm that do a magnificent job.

“They continue to produce great results at Blue Gum and we were more than happy to be pretty strong on her.”

Mithen agreed the flashy chestnut filly is not unlike in looks to Rosemont’s top sprinting mare Brooklyn Hustle.

“We had to be a little bit stronger on her than I wanted to be, anyway you come here to buy the ones you want, rather than the ones that are left as the auctioneers often tell you.’’

Mithen said hopefully the filly would be “flashing around” in a few stakes races.

“That’s the plan as we had a bit of luck here last year with Sneaky Five for $305,000 and I’m glad I didn’t have to go five more as I really didn’t have it,’’ he said.

Mithen said he threw in an extra, sneaky five thousand to secure the Fastnet Rock x Small Minds filly at last year’s yearling sale. Appropriately named Sneaky Five, the filly has had two starts for two wins and won $883,000 in prize money.

“Hopefully she is that two-year-old type that we can have a bit of fun with in 12 months.’’

Mithen said as Rosemont was also a breeding farm, they had to keep replenishing the stocks with similar fillies to the Sebring.

“And we like to think we breed a nice filly, but we don’t shut our eyes to what other people are producing,” he said.

“There’s plenty of people doing a good job breeding some nice horses and we’re happy to share the love and buy nice horses as well as breed them.”

Blue Gum, which combined with Robert Crabtree’s Dorrington Farm, to produce the opening day’s sale topper (Written Tycoon x Iglesia) of $1.1 million, had more success on the second day when they sold a Shalaa colt, out of Sistonic, to International Thoroughbred Solutions for $300,000. The colt is a close relationship to Black Caviar and the recently retired Ole Kirk.

Blue Gum Farm sold all 12/12 horses which Rob Crabtree’s Dorrington Farm had entered into the sale.

After an absence of three years of selling horses under their own name, Glentree Thoroughbreds returned to Melbourne Premier and had instant success on the second day of the sale.

Sydney trainer John O’Shea won a spirited bidding duel to pay $550,000 for Glentree’s Dundeel colt, out of Flying Spur mare Ruby Falls.

Glentree’s Bruce Wilson had sold his past three drafts at Melbourne Premier through Bhima Thoroughbreds but decided to return to the sale as vendors in their own right.

The result was a bit more than what was expected, according to Glentree’s stud manager Luke Simpson.

He said they had a full sister to the colt, but Ruby Falls was not in foal.

“We are excited to have a full sister to the colt that just sold,” he said.

Simpson said he heard some good things said during the sale about the yearlings offered by Glentree and described it as a testament to Wilson and his family and the commitment they’ve made to the farm and the investment in the thoroughbred industry.

“We made a bit of a plan and put a band of some nice horses together to target Melbourne Premier in our own backyard and so far it’s been paying off really well for us.”

O’Shea said the Dundeel colt would be raced with a syndicate, including Arrowfield Stud and Melbourne bloodstock agent Suman Hedge.

“It’s probably the best colt I’ve seen by him,” O’Shea said.

“And he had a big pedigree to match it. Bruce Wilson has put together a great quality of broodmares and this is a reflection of the horses they are producing at Glentree.

“So, we were really enthused by the horse with a syndicate headed by Arrowfield.

“They understand the stallion more than anyone and so consequently they were kind enough to join us in the syndicate.”

O’Shea said the colt made a bit more than what they thought but he was told to keep on bidding to buy it.

He said Hedge, who he described as a great young judge of bloodstock, would also be part of the colt.

Darren Dance’s Esker Lodge struck early on the second day with $160,000 for a black colt by Pierro, out of Fastnet Rock mare, Rockolicious.

Bigger money came for Esker Lodge’s Camelot (GB) filly out of Yours Ever (GB).

The filly was knocked down for $300,000.

The success for Victorian breeders continued when Noorilim Park at Arcadia sold an Exceed and Excel filly, out of Special Lover (Pins x Special Diamond), for $300,000 to Gelagotis Racing.

Balius Farm at Darnum promised that its third year at Melbourne Premier would be its best with an improved quality of yearling.

And they weren’t wrong.

A black filly, by Lonhro out of Singled Out, sold for $240,000. They then sold a Vancouver x Socialize filly to Moloney Racing for $160,000.

The second top price on the second day of the sale was an I Am Invincible colt, out of Risque, which sold to Cranbourne trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young for $700,000.

Sun Stud stallion Thronum (Snitzel) had his first yearlings go through the sale.

His first lot offered, out of four-time winning Hinchinbrook mare Thorsborne sold for $200,000.

Hollylodge Thoroughbreds at Avenel had their best result of the sale when they got $400,000 for a Deep Field colt out of Charge Forward mare, Western Gem.

The filly was bought by McEvoy Racing.

Yulong achieved a $300,000 sale – the equal best price of its yearlings on the second day – for a Snitzel filly out of Zaina Rizeena (GB), a winner as a two-year-old over 1500m in Great Britain.

Flemington trainer Michael Moroney was the successful bidder for another Yulong yearling, a Written Tycoon colt out of Zabeel mare Zibello (NZ). Moroney paid $300,000 for the colt.

And he quickly followed up by paying $300,000 for a Redoute’s Choice colt out of Starcraft mare Ain’tnofallenstar which was offered by Glentree Thoroughbreds. Redoute’s Choice died in 2019.

Swettenham Stud stallion Toronado continued to achieve solid results with a bay colt out of three-time Choisir winning mare Anatomica. Gilgai Farm at Nagambie sold the colt for $220,000.

Merricks Station followed up a good opening day of the sale with a $150,000 (Pierro x Whistle Baby colt) and a $210,000 (Dundeel x Alamonteel colt) sale on the second day.

Pakenham trainer Peter Moody paid $210,000 for a Dundeel filly out of seven-time winning mare Avenue. The filly was offered by Three Bridges Thoroughbreds at Eddington.

On day 2 of the sale, the clearance was 86%, which is up from 79% from the 2020 sale, the average was $143,195, which was up 11% from $129,162 from the 2020 sale and the median remained the same at $110,000.

 

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Artie on a roll

Above: Artie Schiller on a roll

STOCKWELL THOROUGHBREDS consistent sire ARTIE SCHILLER has been again been proving his talents with a string of winners from limited runners in recent times.

His four-year-old son Art Cadeau has become his latest flag bearer by taking out the $150,000 Country Champions Qualifier over 1400m metres at Goulburn on 16th February and putting himself in line for the $500,000 final to be run in April. It was Art Cadeau’s fourth win from 10 starts after finishing second at each of his other runs.

His win came two days after Kody Nestor produced a highly promising three year old filly Artie’s Aura to win by better than five lengths at Dubbo for owner-breeder Stuart Ramsey’s Turrunga Pastoral on debut.

Her stylish win followed on from Living The Dream returning to his best form to win over 1600 metres at Ascot on 13th February in a bold front running display.

Another Sheila winning at Coffs Harbour and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s promising Major Artie making it three wins on end when stepping up to 1550 metres at Canterbury on 12th February.

Artie Schiller has been a constant source of winners since he started his stud career in Australia in 2007. He began his career in fine form with a promising batch of two-year-olds which led him to being crowned Australia’s leading second season sire the following year, again with limited numbers.

His largest foal crop came in 2012 with 110 live foals but he has continued to bat above the average with smaller books of mares, returning stunning stakes performance results and winner percentages.

Another feather in his cap is the success his Group One winning son Flying Artie is having with his first crop two year old’s this season. He should follow in his sire’s footsteps and find outstanding results with his three year olds next season.

Artie Schiller ceased shuttling to the US two years ago and is a permanent resident at STOCKWELL THOROUGHBRES, Diggers Rest, Victoria.

 

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Stallion Nutrition: Coenzyme Q10 Improves Semen Quality

Stallions must be fed well to fuel spermatogenesis and to ensure breeding success. In addition to good-quality forage and well-fortified concentrates, researchers have identified certain nutritional supplements that improve semen. Researchers recently investigated the possible role of coenzyme Q10 on improving semen quality in stallions.

Coenzyme Q10 is an important cofactor in energy supply for spermatozoa and is responsible, in part, for motility. Two forms of coenzyme Q10 exist, ubiquinone and ubiquinol. Due to its ability to support the renewal of other antioxidants, such as vitamins E and C, coenzyme Q10 slows oxidative damage of lipids in cell membranes. Because of its extensive work in antioxidant mechanisms, tissue and plasma concentrations of coenzyme Q10 can dwindle and negatively affect semen quality.

To determine the effect of coenzyme Q10 on sperm motility and viability after cooling or freezing, researchers recruited seven Andalusian stallions.* The stallions were fed free-choice mixed grass-alfalfa hay throughout the duration of the study. Stallions were supplemented with one gram of coenzyme Q10 per day for 30 days or they received no supplement. Ejaculates were collected every two weeks over a 60-day period and treated in three ways: (1) cooled for 24 hours; (2) frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen; and (3) cooled for 24 hours and then frozen. Motility and viability of spermatozoa were evaluated in all samples.

Positive effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation were observed 15 days after supplementation and continued until day 60, which was 30 days after supplementation ended. This coincides with the life cycle of spermatozoa, which is less than 60 days. According to the researchers, “supplementing with coenzyme Q10 resulted in positive effects that were manifest for the life of the spermatozoa, even when coenzyme Q10 was discontinued.”

In two stallions with superior spermatozoa motility, no further improvement was seen in motility with ubiquinol supplementation. Spermatozoa vitality, however, did improve in these stallions.

Of the seven stallions included in the study, five were considered to have suboptimal motility. In these stallions, improvement was noted in all parameters, including total motility, progressive motility, and viability following 24 hours of cooling. The same held true for frozen semen from these stallions.

“Based on the results of this study,” the researchers explained, “there is strong evidence that daily oral supplementation of these stallions with coenzyme Q10 was associated with improved semen quality. These findings are compatible with the results of studies of the effects of daily coenzyme Q10 supplementation on semen quality in men.”

When choosing a coenzyme Q10 supplement, select one from a reputable manufacturer, such as Nano-Q10 from Kentucky Equine Research. According to Peter Huntington, B.V.Sc., M.A.C.V.Sc., director of nutrition for Kentucky Equine Research, “Research has shown that supplementation with Nano-Q10 can rapidly boost levels of coenzyme Q10, and has been fed successfully to a number of stallions since being introduced into the market.”

*Ruiz, A.J., A. Tibary, R.A. Heaton, I.P. Hargreaves, D.P. Leadon, and W.M. Bayly. 2021. Effects of feeding coenzyme Q10-ubiquinol on plasma coenzyme Q10 concentrations and semen quality in stallions.  Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 96:103303.

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Impending colt highlights record day in Tasmania

Demand for the local emerging stallions powered the Magic Millions Tasmanian Sale to a record high, but it was a first-crop colt by Darley’s Impending which stole the headlines at Quercus Park, going to young Tassie trainer Cameron Thompson for $150,000.

Thompson steps up

Cameron Thompson made a statement of intent in seeing off strong competition to land the day’s top lot, an Impending colt, for $150,000.

The colt, offered by Armidale Stud on behalf of breeders Ken and Jen Breese, is the first foal out of Dream Food (Snitzel), the three-quarter sister to stakes winner Snitz (Snitzel), from the family of the Breese’s multiple Group-winning mare Tickle My (Perugino {USA}).

While the interstate buying brigade tended to sweep up all the higher-priced lots of the day, it was 27-year-old Thompson, whose team is based at the nearby small town of Cressy, who stood firm, and surrounded by his family and stable supporters, landed the prized colt.

Above: Lot 104 – Impending x Dream Food (colt)

“I haven’t ever been in the position to just go and get the horse I want. I was just very fortunate enough to have a new group of owners that are willing to give me an opportunity as a young trainer and have the funds to go and purchase him,” he told TDN AusNZ.

“I could never purchase a horse like this myself and I probably couldn’t risk trying to syndicate one at such an early stage of my career. I’m grateful to be given that opportunity.”

Thompson said the Impending colt was a clear standout for him in the Sale.

“I just thought he was the complete package. Early horse, a really good type, a lovely shoulder, and strong hindquarter. Most importantly, I’ve had one good horse in my stable, who has won us nine races, called Concentrate, who is from Darley. He has the same head as that horse and the same intelligent eye,” he said.

“I just thought he (Lot 104) was the complete package. Early horse, a really good type, a lovely shoulder, and strong hindquarter.” – Cameron Thompson

“Every time I saw him parade, which was probably six or seven times, he really looked like a horse that has got a brain on him. If you have got that, got the body and you x-ray and scope up clear, it’s a fair start.”

Armidale’s star shines

Armidale Stud presented 31 horses on Monday, but it was no surprise to Managing Director David Whishaw that it was the Impending colt that topped the Sale.

“He was a lovely type, by the right stallion, out of a super family. Ken and Jen have been wonderful supporters of ours, and it was great to get a result for them,” Whishaw said.

“It is great to see Cameron Thompson, a young, local trainer with some big owners behind him, it’s great to see them investing in him and giving him some quality stock.”

Armidale Stud finished the Sale as the top vendor on aggregate, with close to $1.2 million in sales across 26 lots sold on the day. Resident stallion, Alpine Eagle, also claimed leading sire honours on aggregate ($969,500 across 21 lots) and average ($46,167).

“I’m over the moon about how strong the demand was for Alpine Eagle’s stock. It was lovely to see the mainlanders buying at all ends of the market and lovely to see some of his stock going into good stables,” Whishaw said.

“The top lots really brought serious money and it was lovely see the interstate buying bench down here, so strong and so active. There are horses going all over Australia from here. We were thrilled with the Sale as a whole.”

“The fact that the Sale was able to reach a high-water mark after such uncertainty over meaningful interstate participation was further evidence of the robust nature of the Australian bloodstock industry at the moment, as well as the quality of stock on offer,” Magic Millions Managing Director, Barry Bowditch, said.

“The sales results this year have been significant. They have been very strong and obviously once the border went our way, going into this Sale, we had anticipation we could have a strong Sale. To have an average which is significantly higher than ever before, and a clearance rate at 82 per cent and a gross that is right on target with last year, where we had 20 more lots, it’s a sensational result,” he said.

“Kudos to Tasracing, Tasbreeders and obviously to our team to pull this together. We all work closely to make sure the Tassie horses can shine and that’s happened again this year.”

Above: Alpine Eagle | Standing at Armidale Stud

A banner day for Alva Stud

Also breaking records was Alva Stud, from nearby Hagley, who sold Lot 5, a Deep Field filly, to David Vandyke for $120,000.

The filly’s successful sale was the embodiment of the value of the pedigree update with her full sister, Cotton Fields, a Doomben winner earlier this month for Vandyke, while her sire secured his first Group 1 winner when Portland Sky dead-heated in Saturday’s G1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.

It was the best result ever at a yearling Sale for Alva Stud, with owner Catherine Hills very proud of what had been achieved.

“I was hopeful. I thought she was probably one of the best fillies I have ever brought here. She was a lovely filly, all her x-rays were good. Her scopes were good and Deep Field is going really well at the moment,” she said.

“Sometimes things work out perfectly in terms of timing, and the sister shows there has been proven success with Deep Field as well, which meant she had a lot going for her.”

Hills had purchased Lot 5’s dam, Medusa (Stratum), the unraced sister of stakes winner View The Stars (Galileo {Ire}), for $30,000 with Belmont Bloodstock’s Damon Gabbedy at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in foal to Deep Field.

“I said to Damon, we have to go have a look at this one,” she said. “I liked the fact that she was by Stratum and at that stage, she had one to the track for a winner. The reports on Cotton Fields were that she was a nice filly. I took a punt and figured that she’d be in my budget to come back to Tasmania,” Hills said.

“I took a punt and figured that she’d (Medusa) be in my budget to come back to Tasmania.” – Catherine Hills

“This result means a lot for me and the team. My yearling manager Tracey Rothall, she manages the farm and does all the yearling prep for me and it’s really exciting for them and for me.

“For me, it’s gratifying when everything all comes together and you’ve got a nice filly and you know it’s a nice filly. When it passes all its tests and it’s been recognised by the market, that’s just so gratifying.”

Vandyke wasn’t even aware the filly was in the Tasmanian Sale until alerted by Magic Millions Sales Director David Chester.

“I have got David Chester to thank for that. He rang me up and alerted me that she was in and Cotton Fields is a lovely, scopey type of mare who I have had a good opinion of. It’s a lovely family, it’s versatile, there’s good depth to it and my spies down there told me she was a lovely type. She is certainly worth giving a go,” he said.

“The fact that she’s Magic Millions (Race Series) eligible – and I know the full sister is training well – so she will be an easy sell to any clients.”

Eagle soars as Zulus make their mark

The top-priced Alpine Eagle on the day was Lot 68, a colt who went to John Foote Bloodstock for $110,000 from Armidale Stud’s draft. He is out of Listed Gold Sovereign S. winner Testamarriage (Testa Rossa) from a family which features Group 1-winning mare Reactive (Geiger Counter {USA}).

Foote, who was represented at the Sale, by fellow agent Merrick Staunton, was the second biggest buyer, spending $189,500 across four lots. He was superseded in total spend by local trainer John Blacker, who purchased 11 yearlings for $320,500.

Grenville Stud’s Zululand made a substantial splash with his crop, with 15 sold in all at an average of $42,067, a significant return on his first-season service fee of $5500 (inc GST).

There were two of his colts which secured $100,000, both offered by Grenville Stud’s McCulloch family.

Graeme McCulloch’s pre-Sale prediction that Lot 87, out of Benoit (Domesday), was the best colt he had ever presented proved pretty much on the mark as Gabbedy picked him up for $100,000.

“China Horse Club owned the stallion and they really wanted to invest and support him, so I picked him out as the best colt here. He’ll go to Tony McEvoy. It was bought in partnership with China Horse Club, McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock,” Gabbedy said.

“He was a real standout. He was a great physical specimen, a great loose walker and had a great attitude, and he ticked a lot of boxes. He also had a good pedigree. Domesday mares are doing a very good job at stud and the mum is a half to a Group 1 winner in Ekstreme.”

The other $100,000 Zululand colt was the half-brother to unbeaten Tasmanian 2-year-old and Magic Millions Tasmanian 2YO Classic winner, Turk Warrior (Outreach), out of the dual stakes winner Ehor (Val Royal {Fr}). He was purchased by Lindsay Park Bloodstock.

Gabbedy was taken with what he saw of the first crop of Zululand, who was himself a $1.5 million Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase by Coolmore and China Horse Club.

“He’s really stamped them. He’s really impressed me. They all look very similar, have got good physical strength and bone and have got good, loose swaggers,” he said.

Lonhro filly heads to Victoria

There were six lots which drew a pricetag of $100,000 or more on the day, with the final one being a Lonhro filly, Lot 69, which was secured by Griffiths/De Kock Racing for $100,000, also from Grenville Stud’s draft.

“Mat and I were there yesterday and we thought she was a ripper filly. She had the right pedigree and the right mix of crosses in the genetics,” Robbie Griffiths said.

“She is not that tall, but none of the family are. If she runs anything like Snitzerland and those other fillies in the genetics, it’d be great, There’s a lot of Group quality fillies in that family.”

The black filly is out of Time Commands (Commands), a daughter of Listed winner Extension Of Time (Dash For Cash), who has produced the stakes-placed Morrissy (Snitzel). G1 Lightning S. winner Snitzerland (Snitzel) features under the fourth dam, on a page which gives the filly considerable long-term value.

“There’s a real sense of dual purpose for this filly, as both a racehorse and a breeding prospect down the track. There is great residual value down the track in her,” Griffiths said.

Griffiths purchased the top lot of last year’s Tasmanian Sale, paying $95,000 for a filly by Alpine Eagle, who has made a considerable impression in the Cranbourne-based trainer, but will be given time to develop.

Article courtesy of Bren O’Brien TDN

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Toronado adds two new Stakes winners in a day

Above: Masked Crusader won G3 Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick (Image: Steve Hart)

With 25 of his yearlings headed to the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Swettenham Stud stallion Toronado (IRE) has given the industry a  timely remember of his potent results.

The highly sought after son of High Chaparral (IRE) continued his blitz around the globe two weekends ago with winners of high class races in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore – he also produced a $101 winner at regional Colac.

He is throwing both stakes winning colts and fillies.

The flurry of wins for Toronado began in Sydney on the Saturday with the Victorian bred Masked Crusader perhaps delivering on the huge wraps on him when he won his first stakes race by taking out the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Randwick for Team Hawkes.

And then a couple of hours later at Ascot in Perth, Toronado filly Solaia won the Listed WATC Challenge Stakes (1500m) for trainer Darren McAuliffe.

Producing two stakes winner on the same isn’t new for Toronado who achieved the same feat on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington last November when Shelby Cobra won the Listed Amanda Elliott Handicap (1400m) and Affair To Remember won the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m).

Swettenham Stud principal Adam Sangster said Toronado now had five individual stakes winners in Australia – Still A Star is the other – and says having two doubles on the same day is like a case of “when it rains it pours.”

Over in Hong Kong, the highly regarded Master Montaro, trained by David Hayes,  again lived up to his two impressive Victorian victories before he was off shipped to Sha Tin as a million dollar-plus buy.

Master Montaro’s victory, his second at Shan Tin, will only heighten interest in his yearlings by Hong buyers.

Sangster said it was good to see Toronado go from three to five stakes winners on the same day.

“Obviously Master Montaro capped off the weekend as well,” he said.

“And just to see Masked Crusader also finish off the race was great and I suppose what we are seeing with his progeny is that they can get out to a trip and they can sprint, they can get out to a mile and they just have a turn of foot that only good racehorses have.

“Masked Crusader was no chance at the 200 but he got there and it was similar with Master Montaro.

“They are exciting horses and the diversity of Toronado’s progeny is probably the most exciting aspect.”

Sangster said the demand for Toronado horses in Hong Kong continues to grow and he has 11 there and six have raced for five winners.

Hong Kong interests made massive offers for Masked Crusader which was bred by Rick Jamieson’s Gilgai Farm and sold for $340,000 at the 2018 Melbourne Premier Sale. Jamieson retained a share in the horse which is raced by several prominent owners including Rupert Legh.

With four wins and two thirds from his eight starts, Masked Crusader could win the race, in an expanding field, to give Toronado his first Group 1 winner.

Sangster said the stakes win of Solaia wasn’t a surprise to McAuliffe who has always had a high opinion of the three-year-old filly who is out of Isola Blue (Blackfriars), a metropolitan winner at Ascot, and a half-sister to Group 2 winner Goon Serpent (Reset x Capri Blue).

Solaia, a homebred, has been talked up by McAuliffe along with his unbeaten three-year-old filly Clairvoyance.

Sangster said that while Solaia was already a city winner, she had been a bit like Masked Crusader as a stakes horse in waiting.

And he said Toronado could throw quality colts and fillies, where some sons of High Chaparral or Sadler’s Wells descendants tend to throw some really good colts and the fillies can be a bit behind.

“Out of his five stakes winners, three are fillies and two are geldings,” Sangster said.

“Just to even that spread, or at this stage an ever so slight dominance to fillies, is a rarity and you’re not upset if you end up with a filly.”

Toronado stood his first season at Swettenham Stud in 2015.

Despite being a Victorian stallion, Sangster said fewer than 50 per cent of his book of mares from last season were from Victorians. He had strong support from New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland.

Swettenham Stud closed the book early on Toronado before the last breeding season and admitted there were some disappointed breeders who couldn’t get their mares to the stallion.

After serving his biggest book of mares last season – 210 – Sangster said Toronado would do fewer numbers this season.

“We’ll limit his book to make sure his longevity is protected,” Sangster said.

“He is a highly fertile horse with a great libido so he can cover really good sized books but we are just going to make sure he covers a bit of a smaller book this coming season to make sure everyone gets the right opportunity, but also he doesn’t get too tired.”

The deeds of Toronado’s progeny on the track has been rewarded with the quality of mare being sent to him and Sangster estimates the stallion had an increase last year of up to two or three times the number of stakes winners and stakes produces compared to previous years.

“He is covering some of the best mares out there, like Out Of Caviar which is the unraced Snitzel daughter of Black Caviar,” Sangster said.

“And he has again covered Masked Crusader’s dam, She’s Got Gears.”

He said with the Hong Kong market also chasing Toronado, as well as his popularity in Australia, breeders with any of his progeny or mares in foal to him can expect a healthy return both as sellers or owners going to the races.

“And it’s just another reason why Toronado will be in hot demand at Melbourne Premier,” Sangster predicted.

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The building of a Boss

Above: Street Boss standing at Darley Northwood Park

A decision to boost support for shuttle stallion Street Boss (USA) with quality mares is delivering dividends for Godolphin, which has two representatives by the stallion in the G1 Blue Diamond S. at Caulfield in Anamoe and Arcaded.

Above: Arcaded

Having just completed his 11th season standing at Northwood Park in Victoria, Street Boss’ stocks have never been higher and he has delivered 42 winners this season, including the two above mentioned 2-year-olds, both trained by James Cummings, as well as his second Australian-bred Group 1 winner, Elite Street, who claimed the G1 Winterbottom S. for WA trainer Daniel Morton.

With Street Boss currently 34th on the Australian Sires’ list for this season, it shapes as the most successful campaign yet for the multiple Grade 1-winning sprinting son of Street Cry (Ire).

Andy Makiv, who has just assumed the role of Darley Australia’s Head Of Sales, has worked closely with Street Boss through his time in Victoria, and has seen the benefit of the better support of quality mares he has got in the past few years.

“He’s a stallion that we probably didn’t support a lot in the early days. We were really taken by what he was throwing physically. When he came over the first year, he was a really exciting horse. He was a good-looking son of Street Cry, which was something we really looked to stand in Victoria,” Makiv told TDN AusNZ.

Having debuted at Northwood Park in 2009, Street Boss would miss shuttling in 2010 with a leg injury.

“That put him back a bit. To have a smallish first crop (46 foals) and no second crop, he had to do it the hard way. But out of that first crop, he did get (G1 Newmarket H. winner) The Quarterback, which got things ticking,” he said.

“He produced a really consistent type, which made a big difference. They were good-topped horses like him, always had good hindquarters, plenty of strength and bone. They were horses that looked like they would suit this part of the world.”

“They were good-topped horses like him (Street Boss), always had good hindquarters, plenty of strength and bone.” – Andy Makiv

he emergence of his sire Street Cry as a sire of significance in Australia through the deeds of early flagbearers Whobegotyou and Shocking, and then later Winx, also helped boost the prospects of his son as a stallion.

“The Street Cry story got them really rolling in Australia as well. So from that slowish initial start, albeit with a Group 1 winner from that first crop, and then no second crop, he then he got Petits Filous from this third crop and we thought, there’s a stallion that can get a runner,” Makiv said.

“They are fast horses which are good types. We thought we should start supporting him and since we started sending him those groups of 10-15 mares, it made a big difference.”

Reward for Street support

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained colt, Hanseatic, became the first Australian stakes winner by Street Boss raced by Godolphin when he won the Listed Merson Cooper S. in late 2019 and then won both the Blue Diamond Preview and G3 Blue Diamond Prelude for the colts and geldings, before running second in the G1 Blue Diamond S.

Velaquenta emerged as a twice metropolitan winner for Godolphin at the same time, strengthening the case for Street Boss to receive ongoing support from the better credentialled Godolphin mares.

“Our first real go, we got Hanseatic and Valaquenta and a few others. The second crops, we got Arcaded, Anamoe, plus Sliders, who is a half to Flit, and Naples as well. Those are the ones that have shown us a bit. There is also a half to Pierro (Backstreets) to come through from that same crop,” Makiv said.

“I feel the story is just starting with him and it’s only going to get a lot better. In the yearling crop, we have halves to Osborne Bulls and Epaulette. And then there’s the foal crop which is also strong. There is another 18 or 20 in utero to Godolphin mares as well. The Street Boss story is only going to get bigger and better over the next few years.”

“The Street Boss story is only going to get bigger and better over the next few years.” – Andy Makiv

It could get better as soon as Saturday, with Anamoe, who won the Listed Merson Cooper S. in November and was a fast-finishing second in the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (colts and geldings), and Arcaded, an easy last-start winner in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) afforded excellent chances in Victoria’s richest 2-year-old race.

Hanseatic also features in the G1 Oakleigh Plate for the Freedmans and Valaquenta for Cummings in the G3 Zeditave S.

Above: Hanseatic

Quality mares make for quality foals

Both the Blue Diamond contenders are the result of matings with Godolphin mares with big pedigrees. Anamoe is out of the Group 1-winning Redoute’s Choice mare Anamato, already a stakes producer through the Listed winner Anamba (GB). Arcaded is the first foal out of Gloriette (Lonhro), who was Group 3-placed and is out of Viennese (Redoute’s Choice), a one-time $1.4 million broodmare who is the full sister to Snitzel and half-sister to Hinchinbrook.

The nicking statistics say Street Boss matches well with a lot of Australia’s leading stallions of the past 15 years. He has produced 10 winners, including four stakes winners to mares by Exceed And Excel, seven winners, including a stakes winner, Anamoe, to Redoute’s Choice, while Arcaded is the first stakes winner out of a daughter of a stallion that Godolphin has a plentiful supply of mares by, Lonhro.

“We’ve got a lot of Lonhro mares and a lot of Exceed mares. The Street Cry-Lonhro mix has worked well, so in turn the Street Boss-Lonhro is working well, having produced a filly like Arcaded. We have got a lot of Exceed mares as well and he is working well with them too,” Makiv said.

In terms of the external breeders that have supported Street Boss, they are getting rewarded as well, with a near continuous increase in his average yearling price in Australia over the past five years. In 2016, he averaged $38,118, but that jumped to $64,500 in 2017 and to $79,333 in 2018. It levelled off at $73,655 in 2019, but jumped again to $87,347 last year.

The Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale has traditionally been his strongest Sale and he has 13 lots catalogued to sell at Oaklands Junction later this month.

View the catalogue

“It’s all correlated. He gets a very good type and what he is now getting through his deeds on the track is a better mare quality, and not only that, he is getting better performances on the track. It’s all marrying up and things are looking very good for him going forward,” Makiv said.

“He’s been very popular for us the past few years for the nominations team selling nominations to him, and this year he’s going to be busy again.

“We use him internally with Godolphin and externally our clients are having luck using him as well.”

A quick return

Makiv, meanwhile, is settling into his new role, having briefly left Darley at the end of last year before having a change of heart.

“It was a quick departure and back. I obviously love the industry and it was sad. In the end I’ve been fortunate enough to poke my head back in. It’s great to be back,” he said.

“Essentially, it’s a little bit more of an expanded role. I was more focussed on Victoria in my previous role, and my new job takes in both New South Wales and Victoria in a sales capacity. The nominations team is essentially the same, but I’ll have more of an involvement in New South Wales. It’s more of a national role and I’m delighted and excited to be back in the fray.”

Makiv is anticipating a busy 2021, with several new faces, including some new shuttle stallions, set to be confirmed for the Darley roster in the next month or so.

“It’s an exciting time ahead with some great horses joining the roster, including Bivoauc in the near future and some exciting overseas prospects. Who knows with horses like Hanseatic as well,” he said.

“It’s an exciting time for the stallion roster and it’s a credit to the whole racing team that the stable is on fire as well.”

Article courtesy of Bren O’Brien TDN

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Run Fox Run Retired to Stud

Above: Run Fox Run has been retired to stud

Outstanding Australian bred and South African trained sprinter Run Fox Run has been officially retired from racing, and is expected to retire to stud in Ireland.

The plans are that Run Fox Run will be transferring to her owners’ Barnane Stud in County Tipperary, Ireland, where the daughter of Foxwedge is destined for a first covering with Juddmonte’s star stallions Frankel or Kingman.

Bred by Mill Park, Quality TB Joint Venture, the Ridgemont owned Run Fox Run was a $420,000 buy from the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and was the most expensive yearling by her sire sold in that year.

Sent into training with Brett Crawford, she made a big impression straight away. The filly won her first five starts by an aggregate of nearly 12 lengths, with her five race winning streak including scores in both the 2019 G2 World Sports Betting Southern Cross Stakes and Listed Olympic Duel Stakes.

Run Fox Run went on to win three more races, and ended her season on the perfect note when holding off Rio Querari by three-parts of a length to win the 2021 Cape Flying Championship, beating a field that included seven G1 winners, including champions Celtic Sea, Kasimir, Russet Air and Tempting Fate.

In total, the brilliant mare won eight of just 11 starts, for earnings of R1 140 350.

Ridgemont’s Craig Kieswetter paid tribute to Run Fox Run by saying, “Run Fox Run is a beautifully bred athletic mare and has nothing more to prove on the track. She has given us so much pleasure and we could not have scripted her final Cape appearance better. Bowing out with a dazzling Grade 1 victory on Met day was the cherry on the top.”

The next opportunity to secure a yearling from the family of Run Fox Run comes up at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, where Mill Park Stud will consign Lot 540, a colt by G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win out of Champagne Jane, a half sister to Run Fox Run.

News from Mill Park

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TBV member story: Brad Thomas from X-Factor Pedigrees

Above: Brad Thomas after Dalradian won the Inglis Banner.

Brad Thomas from X-Factor Pedigrees celebrated another top-rated pedigree match as Tradewind upset the punters with an impressive victory in the VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade on Ballarat Cup day. This success is by no means a stroke of luck as his knowledge as a talented pedigree consultant is well known in the industry.

As is often the case, Brad’s first experience in the industry was joining a group of friends in ownership twelve years ago. It didn’t take long for Brad to find his passion where he decided to pursue opportunities for ownership on his own. After a move from Melbourne to Ballarat, Brad opted to support local trainers and became involved in none other than Trust in a Gust. “The fire gets well a truly lit being in with a good horse.’

Above: Brad with Trust in a Gust in the the stalls

‘After this experience I became more entrenched in the industry and knew I wanted to be more involved somehow although I was not quite sure how or what I could do.’ Trust in a Gust was bred by Swettenham Stud, who later purchased the sire after his racing career, and through this connection Brad started conversations with Adam Sangster. ‘This was a big turning point for me, as Adam put me in touch with Brian Messner to discuss pedigree analysis, a very narrow, niche area of the industry that turned out to be perfectly suited to how my brain works!’

After a visit to Hahndorf in South Australia to meet Brian, Brad commenced his journey into pedigree analysis. He spent a few years learning a different approach to pedigrees and gaining valuable experience prior to setting up X-Factor Pedigrees. ‘Meeting with Brian made me change the way I look at pedigrees. I was fascinated by how deep bloodlines go while still being influential, as well as the genetics and science behind it got me really excited.’ For Brad, learning from Brian couldn’t be more appropriate as his system is based on science, biology, chromosome transferral, and what is and isn’t still active in pedigrees, are all factors to take into consideration.

X-Factor Pedigrees is still in its infancy after being set up by Brad two years ago. Already with a large number of clients ranging from those needing one-off assistance at the yearling sales, to others requiring assistance with matings, X-Factor Pedigrees work with clients on the full circle of the breeding process. ‘My core business is mare analysis for matings and matching them to stallions. The breeding is my passion, to produce an athletic thoroughbred and get racetrack results is very difficult but I love the challenge.’  Brad has achieved strong results from yearling selections that are now starting to come through with Latenighttoughguy, Money in my Pocket who came 4th in a Group 3 to Swat’s That and more recently Tradewind. Brad’s first X Factor matings are now yearlings and have sold up to $800,000 for an Almazor colt for clients Sunlight Trust.

Brad’s support for the Victorian Breeding industry is quite remarkable, sending his client’s mares to seventeen Victorian stallions. ‘I feel strongly about supporting Victoria as a breeding network, with the support and investment of Yulong Investments, Spendthrift bringing out new and exciting stallions, also Rosemont stud and Leneva Park who are stepping up in the industry. I am loyal to my home state and like to focus on Victorian stallions.’ As a relative newcomer on the scene, Brad is enthused by the synergy of work of the different stallion farms. Brad has developed very good relationships with the different farms across Victoria and explains that Victoria has a supportive family feel to the industry.

When Brad was asked if he has a favourite horse, it is no surprise that without hesitation it is of course, Trust in a Gust. Not only as a racehorse was he hugely successful, Brad is now enjoying the success of his progeny with the likes of Tradewind making a name for himself on the racetrack. ‘There was something about him that took me, I was obsessed with him, I use to watch the sire cam video on Inglis Sires multiple times a day. There was something about him, I thought he was just amazing physically, it was on type more than anything. Trust in a Gust was actually a mating by Brian Messner who did some work for Swettenham Stud, so it is a lovely link and adds some romance to the story!’

Brad can be contacted via email if you would like more information – brad@xfactorpedigrees.com.au

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Two Group winners for Red Hill’s Morning Rise Stud

Above: Parure after winning ZircoDATA Autumn Classic, at Caulfield Racecourse (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Morning Rise Stud’s Rob and Barbara McClure had the sort of day last Saturday that can make breeding and racing worthwhile when two horses they race in partnership had Group 2 success in Melbourne and Sydney.

Three-year-old Parure, which the McClures bred and race along with Coolmore Stud and breeders John and Kath Murray, won the Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

And in Sydney, two-year-old I Am Invincible colt, Home Affairs, won the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.

The colt had a narrow victory over the fast finishing Rocket Tiger whose sire, Cluster, stands at Neville Murdoch’s Victorian Stud, Larneuk.

And the McClures own a significant portion of Parure’s dam Fontein Ruby which is by Blue Gum stallion, Turffontein.

And Rob McClure revealed that they weren’t going to get what they wanted at the sales for Parure, they bought her back.

“She (Parure) had a bad leg and had a problem with it at the sales and  we bought her back for $150,000, I think, and decided to race her,” McClure said.

“She is now probably worth close to a $1 million. Her mother was a Group 2 winner and she is now also a Group 2 winner.

“It’s a bit of Cinderella story really. It’s amazing how that happens.

“I had an interest in another horse called Yosei (Invincible Spirit x Fuji Fairy) and couldn’t sell it for $15,000 at the sales and ended up racing her and she won three Group 1s.

“Sometimes it happens and most times it doesn’t.”

McClure and his partners bred and sold Parure’s full sister, now an unraced two-year-old named Carmen Lucia, which has also joined the Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes stables at Euroa.

Carmen Lucia was sold for $700,000 at last year’s Easter Yearling Sale and McClure retained 16.6 per cent of the filly.

“When Parure won on Saturday that family just jumped right out of the ground,” he said.

“It all sounds great but there are lot that don’t do it.”

McClure said the logical next step for Parure was the Group 1 Vinery and then the Group 1 Australian Oaks.

“Even if she does nothing, she is already stamped herself with a Group 2 win and of course a Group 1 would be fantastic for her,” he said.

“It will be a pretty hot field in the Vinery and also the Australian Oaks where all the best staying fillies will be, but if you watched the race on Saturday she couldn’t have been any more impressive.”

Another horse they had to bring home from the sales because he couldn’t pass the scope test was a horse called Overkill (Fastnet Rock x Anabandana) and although he’s had other issues, McClure said he’d had no issues whatsoever with his throat. But he has won three races and two minor places from eight starts.

Silver Slipper Stakes winner Home Affairs is one of several colts the McClures, along with Coolmore and other partners have invested in heavily as they try to unearth a potential stallion.

Coolmore bought Home Affairs for $875,000 at the Inglis Easter sale.

The other colts include Head of State (American Pharoah x Derelique), O’president (Fastnet Rock x O’marilyn) and Acrobat (Fastnet Rock x Hips Don’t Lie). Head of State was a $850,000 buy, O’president cost $520,000 and Acrobat was passed in at a $1 million reserve.

“We just went into this fund because I suppose it’s everyone’s dream to get a stallion I suppose as breeders and we have got a close association with Coolmore and we share a numbers of mares together and quite a few horses,” McClure said

“And when the opportunity arose, we thought why not and we went into it and at the moment it’s looking good.”

And McClure is still breeding plenty of horses at his Red Hill farm

McClure said Fontein Ruby was of three mares they purchased in partnership.

“We bought three mares, Jazz Song (Fastnet Rock x Absolut Glam), Fontein Ruby and Rezoned (Zabeel x Better Alternative) from a broodmare sale,” he said.

“And I think there were three of us in each of them, a breeder from Sydney, Coolmore and ourselves.

“The Rezoned first foal was a highlight and she made one a quarter million dollars and turned out to be Southbank (bred by Morning Rise Stud) which ran third in the Guineas.

Jazz Song’s third foal Sword Point (American Pharoah) sold for $750,000 was also bred by Morning Rise Stud and McClure said they should know in the next few weeks whether he’s any good. McClure has also retained a share in the two-year-old colt.

McClure said he had 40 mares on his property and owned about 25 of them.

And while McClure plans to send Larneuk owner Neville Murdoch a note about Cluster producing a second placegetter to his horse in the Silver Slipper Stakes, he points out that he sold a horse he raced, Wolf Cry, to Murdoch to stand at stud.

The stallion produced his fist winner two weeks ago and a filly by him – Wolves – which was bred and is raced by Murdoch, finished ninth in the Blue Diamond last Saturday.

McClure said that Wolf Cry (Street Cry x Starfish) would have been a champion if he’d had good legs.

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RANGAL PARK OFFERS LAST YEARLINGS AT PREMIER

It’s an end of era when long-time breeder Eric Buttler offers six yearlings at Melbourne Premier.

Poor health has forced the 81-year-old to sell his Rangal Park Stud at Euroa.

He’ll move out of his 530-acre property, which has been sold to a local cattle breeder, at the end of June.

Buttler has been going to Melbourne Premier for the past 30 years, but says the time has come to look after himself.

Most of his mares will be sold and he’ll offer yearlings and weanlings at sales. Rangal Park also has four stallions, Soul Patch, Danerich, Boom Time and Cliff’s Edge.

Buttler plans to keep a couple of his mares.

“We’ll keep a couple more as boutique than a commercial operation,” he said.

“Rangal Park is in the process of going through its sale.

“I’m going to look after myself and that’s about the size of it. I’ll smell the roses and try and look after myself.

Buttler has been going to Melbourne Premier for 31 years.

“I’ll retain a couple of my broodmares to retain an interest but that’s about the size of it.

“My daughter, Michelle, has got a property at Lancefield so I’ll run them down there, apart from when I’ll send them to the studs to foal down and get in foal again.

“But in the off season my daughter will look after them and she has a nice little property.”

Buttler says he has a Savabeel to sell at the Easter Yearling Sale and some weanlings at the Great Southern Sale.

“And then after that we’ll hide in the corner somewhere,” Buttler said.

“But We are very pleased with the yearlings this year with what we’ve got going down there to Melbourne Premier,” Buttler said.

“We unfortunately had to withdraw the Brazen Beau filly (Lot 159) and didn’t have any other options as horses are horses as you know.”

Buttler is offering three colts by Tosen Stardom (JPN) and said he couldn’t be more pleased.

He said he had a high regard for the stallion.

“And what we’ve seen of him, we couldn’t be more impressed,” Buttler said.

“I haven’t seen any other by Tosen Stardom at any other stud so I sort of can’t compare them, but I am very pleased with them.”

The first Tosen Stardom colt to be offered for sale – Lot 318 – is out of Seven Year Itch (Keltrice x Love to Honour) and has had six foals to race for four winners.

Two of the winners – Ritch Itch (Danerich) and Scratchy Lass – are both Listed winners and were bred by Rangal Park Stud.

Scratchy Lass won 10 races and finished with $364,000 in prize money. Ritch Itch is still racing and the gelding has won three races and $269,395 in prize money.

“Of course the dam has thrown to stakes winners and in my opinion this is the nicest foal she’s thrown,” Buttler said.

And he’s also impressed with Tosen Stardom colt out of  Aquada (Flying Spur x Freestyle) – Lot 489.

“Aquada is a very impressive mare and she carries that Flying Spur over a Snippets mare which is highly successful and she has The Astrologist out there running,” he said.

Also bred by Buttler, The Astrologist (Zoustar) has an imposing record of four wins, three seconds and two thirds for prize money of $406,140 from his 13 starts. The four-year-old gelding’s last win was three starts ago when he won the Victorian Gold Bullion at Pakenham in December.

Butler said The Astrologist appeared to be getting better with age and had a big future ahead of him.

The third Tosen Stardom colt – Lot 698 – is out of unraced Savabeel mare, Sav Royal (NZ) and this is our first foal. The second dam, Royal Sonata (Royal Academy) won six races, including the Listed WATC Jungle Dawn Classic (1400m).

Buttler said he liked Tosen Stardom (Deep Impact x Admire Kirameki) as racehorse and sent five mares to him.

“He was a Group 1 winner overseas and then came back her and did the job and from the five mares I sent him, I had five lovely colts and unfortunately I lost one up in the Hunter Valley and it left us with four and I’ve still got one at home which we will probably aim for Hong Kong.

“But I’ve put them in the sale and I believe they’ll be really commercial.”

Buttler said Lot 609, a filly by Magnus out of French Tang (Ne Coupez Pas x Watange Trice) is a racy type and gives him the impression that she’ll “ping pretty quick.”

“Ne Coupez Pas has done an outstanding job for the very few foals he’s had and our course he is the broodmare sire of Pippie.”

Buttler’s final yearling on offer – Lot 667 – is a colt by Irish stallion Ribchester (Iffraaj x Murarah) which stood for two seasons in Australia, 2018 and 2019, before returning to Ireland after serving a total of 116 mares for 62 live foals.

“He stood at Darley and they didn’t bring him back and there are only two by Ribchester in the sale,” he said.

“This colt is a very nice type. It’s a shame the stallion didn’t back, but you can’t change those things.

“You can’t discount any first season sire. You just don’t know where they are going to come from and I Am Invincible is a perfect example of that.”

The Ribchester colt is out of Mastercraftsman mare, Moorish (NZ) whose first foal, a two-year-old filly by Savabeel, is now in training with Mick Price.

The Buttler family will race the filly, Jade’s Mission, with Price who is also in the ownership after taking a “big slice” of her.

 

 

 

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THINK AGAIN IF YOU THINK YOU’VE GOT THE BEST SO YOU THINK

Foal enjoys the sun and pasture at Tarcoola

Tarcoola Stud’s Ken Williams isn’t into making bold predictions, but he reckons the So You Think colt they’ll offer at Melbourne Premier is a ripper.

“In our draft there is a So You Think colt that will be the best So You Think colt in the sale,” he said.

“It’s a half-brother to Tarcoola Diva (Cluster) that runs round with Gemma Rielly (Caulfield trainer).

The So You Think of Tarcoola’s draft

“It’s the mare’s third foal. Tarcoola Diva is the first one and he is in the family of Alfa which is the Caulfield Guineas winner a few years back.
“Tarcoola Stud will now run with full families but up to now it’s been three families, so when you see stuff going to the sales it’s generally inter-related.”

Williams said the So You Think colt – Lot 24 – was a beautiful colt and the flagship of what the Tuerong Stud will offer at the sale.

A Written Tycoon colt – Lot 385 – is out of Listed placegetter Tarcoola Spirit (Stratum) whose dam Vivacious Spirit won the Group 3 How Now Stakes (1200m).

“Vivacious Spirit (Bel Esprit x Bit Of Bliss) was an unbelievable mare who produced Group 1 winning mare Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago),” Williams said.

“The colt is a nice type and is probably a little more of a time job and hasn’t really grown into himself properly yet and I would have liked the sale to have been in another four months for him.

“But he is still unbelievably well bred, so it will be interesting to see how we go.”

While Written Tycoon can no do no wrong at the moment, Williams said Tarcoola Spirit was a very good mare and this is her first foal.

Tarcoola Stud is agent for Lot 634, a colt by Supido out of Juggles (Rock of Gibraltar x Demanding).

“He is out of a very strong family, related to Spacecraft, Washington Heights and Phenomenons,” Williams said.

“And the colt is black and looks like Supido. Whether that is also the Rock of Gibraltar influence, I am not sure but again he’ll be very popular.”

And a colt – Lot 668 – is by Inference (So You Think x Pontiana) and out of Miss Tangles (Encosta de Lago x Intertwined), an unraced mare.

“It’s obviously Inference’s first year and the colt it out of one of my families which includes Twining which was Group 2 placed in the Blue Diamond a number of years ago,” Williams said.

“More recently the ones that are known are How Funny and Thought Of That (winner of the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m).

“And there is a little colt in this family coming out of my mare (Hold Me Closer) called Daily Bugle (Press Statement) who looks pretty interesting and the next couple of weeks will tell us how good he is.

“But he is a two-year-old won pretty easily in his first start at Pakenham.”

Despite his age, Bel Esprit keeps producing winners.

Tarcoola Stud is offering a grey colt – Lot 722 – by the 21-year-old stallion out of six-time winning mare Strawberry Malt (Lion Hunter x Royal Malt). The dam of five foals to race, they’re all winners.

 

Williams said the Bel Esprit colt is big and might go back to Strawberry Malt, winner of two Listed races – one at 1200m and the other at 1300m) – who is 17 hands.

“She is a grey and threw to Lion Hunter and this horse has thrown to the mother. And he is a full brother to a horse that Symon Wilde has got called Realeza,” he said

“He has had four starts for two wins and a third, but if you look at the tapes he should have won all of them. He is a city class horse and is a four-year-old who had problems with injury as a two-year-old.

Williams said Bel Esprit was an unbelievable racehorse.

And Williams admits that a filly by Pariah – Lot 747 – is in the wrong sale.

He bred and sold the filly’s dam, Whirlpool (Sebring x El Tornedo), and admitted he was disappointed when the owners retired her to stud after she’d just won the three of her past four runs.

Williams said the owner sent Whirlpool – which finished second in the Listed Adelaide Guineas (1600m) – to the stallion Scissor Kick but wasn’t happy with the foal and put her back onto the market.

“I ended up buying my own horse back and put her to Pariah,” he said.

Williams said the filly had grown tremendously since last November and deserved to be in the main session on today’s looks as she’s a standout filly.

“She is just a beautiful filly but is sitting in the second session and will be sold later in the day,” he said.

Tarcoola Stud is also agent for the only IIovethiscity colt (Cyndiana Star) in the sale (Lot 797) but there are two fillies.

His colts have sold for big money to Hong Kong in recent months.

“IIovethiscity isn’t a bad sire and he had does a good job with the mares he gets,” Williams said.

“This colt is a nice horse.”

Williams said he expects to get a good response from buyers for all seven of Tarcoola Stud’s seven yearlings.

To view Tarcoola’s draft, click here.

 

Tarcoola
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Rushton Park a proven formula for success

Tinker McPhee (Racing and Sports)

For David and Kayley Johnson of Rushton Park, the past year has been one which has been a whirlwind.

The pair celebrated their first Group 1 win as owners of the Will Clarken trained Bella Vella, albeit, they had to watch from afar due to COVID restrictions and then came more stakes success with Tinker McPhee, who they bred and sold and The Art of Flying who is twice stakes placed, sold out of their 2020 Premier draft and Victoria Quay sold out of their 2019 MM Adelaide draft, who won the Group 2 Wakeful and is on track for some autumn Group 1 targets.

Given the duo continue to have graduates from their drafts who goon to be promising gallopers, there is little doubt that this Melbourne Premier sale will be any different.

The draft for the 2021 Melbourne Premier sale, is as Kayley puts it “¾ fillies and ¾ proven.”

“This year our draft is predominantly fillies and mostly by proven sires. We have yearlings by Written Tycoon, Starcraft, Magnus, Frosted, So You Think to name a few,” Kayley said.

The yearlings in the Rushton Park draft, are either Super VOBIS nominated or Super VOBIS eligible, with one exception.

“The year which we bred this crop, we purposely decided to focus on proven stallions as we thought that would be beneficial for us,” Kayley commented.

“The draft is pretty much all VOBIS, which is important as it is such a lucrative scheme with the rewards on offer for those who purchase nominated yearlings,” Kayley said.

With a draft of 18 heading to Oaklands Junction, Kayley was hard pressed to highlight only a few yearlings from her draft, as she felt that the quality of this draft was consistent throughout.

However, Kayley lists her highlights, in no particular order, as follows; lot 403, a Victorian-bred colt by Astern out of a Duporth mare, Tizso Wicked.

The colt has American Group 1 winning galloper, Paynter in his family, who in 2012, was awarded Leading 3YO male on 2021 WTR (Mile).

“Lot 403 is from an international stallion pedigree. His dam is also a stakes place mare and is an athletic colt who is a good size for a first foal,” Kayley commented.

Kayley also made mention that she had two really nice Pride of Dubai fillies in her draft. Catalogued as lot 22 and lot 89, the fillies are out of Evening Glitter and Ice Creme respectively.

Lot 22, by the Rock of Gibraltar mare, Evening Glitter, is the dam of two foals to race for two winners. The filly on offer at Oaklands, also includes Group 1 Australia Stakes winner Tempest Morn, in her family.

The second Pride of Dubai filly, out of the Encosta de Lago mare, Ice Creme, has had one foal to race for one winner.

“They are two really nice Pride of Dubai fillies. Pride of Dubai is doing quite nicely and both fillies have really good pedigrees on them,” Kayley said.

Another filly which Kayley has a high opinion of is lot 223, a daughter of Champion stallion Written Tycoon, out of the Fastnet Rock mare, On A Given Day.

“This filly is by a sire who couldn’t get any hotter, in the Champion Written Tycoon. She is a quality filly, who is sharp and looks to be an early style of filly. I have no doubt that she will go well in the ring and also on the track,” Kayley enthused.

The daughter of Written Tycoon not only is a pretty picture to look at her but also has a pedigree to match, with gallopers such as Snitzel, Hinchinbrook, Viennese, Rathlin in her family.

Another for the ‘pedigree buffs’ as Kayley eagerly mentions, is lot 312, who is a direct descendant of Eight Carat the dam of Cotehele House.

Cotehele House is none other than the dam of Danewin, Commands and Bramshaw.

“This filly definitely should appeal to those who love their pedigrees given the family she is from and that she is also the half-sister to the stakes winner Miss Exfactor,” Kayley commented.

“She is an exceptionally conformed filly, very athletic and she just looks like a runner. She quite possibly is one of the best types we have ever bred,” Kayley said. “Sooboog also started off his carer very nicely with four winners from seven starters.”

Lot 303 of Rushton’s draft is a Shalaa filly out of the stakes-winner, Saigon Tea. She is by the same sire as the Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Shaquero.

Saigon Tea is out of the Champion 3YO in NZ, Boulevardofdreams, who boasts all her progeny to race, to be winners.

This filly is the half-sister to the promising Saigon who is currently being trained by the Waller stable and is being set for some Autumn carnival stakes races.

The Shalaa filly

“This filly is a well put together filly and with her pedigree, there could be some nice pedigree updates to her in the future,” Kayley said.

After starting off his season with Ingraitiating winning and Cloudy placing in the first stakes race of the 2020/21 season, Frosted is another stallion on everyone’s lips. His progeny have continued to step out on track and show that they appear to be seriously talented horses.

Lot 234 of Rushton Park’s draft is a beautiful filly by the Darley Northwood sire and true to her sire, she is grey.

“She is a very attractive filly and is possibly in our top two or three of our draft as far as types go. She is from a strong family and has a great temperament as well,” Kayley said.

The last lot Kayley highlighted is lot 365, a daughter of More Than Ready. The filly is a ¾ sibling to multiple Group 1 winner Prized Icon.

The More Than Ready filly

Champion stallion More Than Ready has shuttled to Australia for years, but last year it was announced that he would not return, which means that this daughter who is on offer at Oaklands is out of his second last crop.

“This filly is from a good pedigree and would make the perfect residual style filly for those who are interested in them. She is a tidy filly and very typical of her sire, and we have no doubt that she will do well,” Kayley commented.

With Rushton Park’s last year of success and their proven track record, there is no doubt that yearlings who graduate their 2021 draft will continue to follow in their footsteps.

To view their entire draft click here.

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Flinders Park are offering a top-class draft of eight yearlings at Premier

Above: Flinders Park yearling parade

Flinders Park manager Michael Cumming has another top-class draft of 8 yearlings coming up from the Mornington peninsula to the Inglis Melbourne Premier this weekend.

First to parade on Sunday is the Zoustar – Humma Mumma filly (Lot 87) who received another timely update at Bendigo on February 13 when her older half-sister Tycoon Humma (Capitalist) won on debut in the Academy Uniforms 2YO Plate (1000m).

The John McArdle-trained filly was a $240,000 buy from Flinders Park at the 2020 Melbourne Premier and that looked like money well-spent after she overcame interference and cruised clear for a two-length victory.

There could be an even better update this Saturday when Tycoon Humma comes to town for the LR Very Special Kids Plate (1000m) at Flemington.  “When Johnny came down to look at the Zoustar filly, he told me they have a bit of time for Tycoon Humma,” Cumming said before loading the float to Oaklands on Tuesday morning.  “A black-type win or even a place would be perfect a day before the Sale.”

McArdle’s Redgum Racing team also prepared their older half-sister Humma Humma (Denman) to wins in the G3 Proud Miss Stakes, LR Alinghi Stakes and LR Redelva Stakes.

“The Zoustar is an athletic filly and there’s been plenty of interest during inspections at the farm,” Cumming added.  “I’m sure she will be well-received on the sale-grounds and hopefully she’s as popular as Tycoon Humma in the sale-ring.”

Flinders Park has also catalogued a first-crop filly by Godolphin’s Group 1 winning sprinter Impending on Sunday.  Catalogued as Lot 168, she is out of Moonee Valley winner Marli Magic (Host) from the family of Champion Singapore 3YO Recast (Thunder Gulch).

Marli Magic’s current 2yo is a colt by Maurice (Jpn) with Cranbourne trainer Julius Sandhu.

On Monday, Flinders Park presents the Deep Field – Seeking Status filly (Lot 316) and she’s a forward type according to Cumming.  Seeking Status a half-sister to the dam of Run Fox Run (Foxwedge) who won the G1 Cape Flying Championship last month.

Tuesday’s draft includes another Premier-quality yearling in the shape of the Cable Bay – Cianara colt (Lot 555).  His dam was a Stakes winner at Flemington and her Palentino filly was purchased by Ciaran Maher at last year’s Melbourne Premier.  She has been named Talantino.

Flinders Park has four lots entered for the Showcase Session including the Thronium – Probationary colt (Lot 681).  He’s a half-brother to promising Sydney sprinter Patrolling who won his first two starts during a short spring prep for trainer Joe Pride.

Patrolling (Epaulette) has been nominated to resume his second campaign this Friday night at Canterbury.

To view the full draft click here.

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Franklin Farm offering a draft of three at Oaklands

Above: Lot 771 Danerich x Bon Vacance colt

For Chris Charles of Franklin Farm, her life has always centred around horses in one way or another.  

These days, after many years of different roles throughout her life, she is a hobby breeder who breeds a few horses at her 40-acre farm in Euroa.  

This year, she will present a draft of three yearlings for the Melbourne Premier sale. 

“I am quite happy with the draft. If buyers are looking for good boned racehorses, they will find them here,” Chris said.  

“All three have had pedigree updates and we try to breed horses that will become racehorses,” she said. 

“I like to buy mares from families which I know from past associations,” Chris said.  

The first lot to go through the ring, will be lot 640, a gelding by Starcraft out of Lady Jouster.  

“This yearling is a lovely huge walking horse, and you need almost half the Tullamarine runway to turn him around,” Chris laughs. 

“He was gelded because he was a big heavy horse and it’s done the trick. Now he’s just a nice big horse and he will just need a bit of time now,” she said.  

The next yearling to head through the ring for Christine, is lot 746, a filly by Sepoy out of Which Vault.  

“This is a beautiful Sepoy filly who carries a double cross of Jesmond Lass, the mother of Canny Lass, Canny Lad. For the pedigree lovers, she has good residual value and is out of the Lemon Spice family, which is well known in Victoria and is a great filly family,” Christine said.   

The final lot which will head through for Chris, is lot 771, a colt by Danerich, out of the Good Journey mare, Bon Vacance.  

The dam of the colt has had two foals to race for two winners and the colt includes seven-time winner Truly Great and Special Alert in his family.  

Since the catalogue went to print, Truly Great won the Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes beating Trap For Fools and was a very close second in the Perth Cup.   

“He is a nice big walking colt, and it is always helpful having a pedigree update before the sales. I am very happy with him and I think buyers will be pleased with him,” Chris said.  

To view the full draft click here.

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Fillies are leading the way in Woodside Park’s draft at Premier

Above: Lot 65 Written Tycoon x Gretna filly

After Woodside Park has celebrated the success of the 2021 Inglis Classic lots, where they offered one of top lots of the sale. A Written Tycoon filly out of Ariaz who was knocked down by James Harron Bloodstock/Freedman Brothers who went to $380,000 to secure the filly. As we look ahead to Melbourne Premier, Woodside Park are offering a strong draft of fourteen through the sale. The fillies are leading the draft with eight on offer ‘They are an even group of yearlings who are athletic, good moving types which we expect to present well when buyers see them.’ Remarked James Price CEO of Woodside Park.  

Woodside Park are offering three Written Tycoon fillies in the draft and there is expectation following the recent success of the sire that they will be popular with buyers. The first Written Tycoon is Lot 65 out of the Snitzel mare Gretna who is half-sister to Stakes placed and Melbourne Premier graduate Snogging. Lot 346 is another daughter of Written Tycoon also out of a Snitzel mare, Snitzel’s Goddess who is a three-quarter sister to Stakes winner Snickerdoodledandy. The final filly is Lot 367 by the stakes placed Street Boss mare Star Via Strada.  ‘The highlights on pedigree are the Written Tycoon fillies we have to present. They are all chestnut fillies with a resemblance to Pippie which can only be a positive.’ 

This is the first year we will see yearlings by Woodside Park’s sire, Tosen Stardom who has two colts in their draft (Lot 391 and Lot 728). ‘We also look forward to introducing the market to Tosen Stardom and we have two in our draft. They are both good actioned colts with plenty of size and scope. Lot 728 out of the mare Tie me Up is an absolute spit of his father which will be an attraction to many buyers. The colt has a huge girth, stands over plenty of ground with a good hindquarter.’   

Rich Enuff has been an incredibly exciting sire with the likes of Dosh making her start in the Blue Diamond Stakes and this support has been filtered to the sales where impressive results were achieved at the Classic sale. James Price has noted their Rich Enuff colt as a highlight of their draft. ‘We also present a lovely Rich Enuff colt who achieved some tremendous results at the Classic sale – a filly sold for $180,000 and a colt for $200,000. I would expect buyers to be attracted to this colt and believe he is a highlight in our draft. He is a big strong impressive colt with a good stride and can’t be faulted.’  

Woodside Park are offering three yearlings by their new and exciting sire Cable Bay with two fillies in the first session and one colt the second session. ‘Cable Bay’s oldest yearlings are two-year-olds and the ones on the track have performed very well. Although they haven’t quite hit the winner’s circle, trainers are still talking very positively. The Cable Bay’s we will be taking to the Melbourne sale this year are two lovely fillies in the first session (Lot 232 and Lot 544) who have been very well received and a very well-put together colt (Lot 632) out of the fast Choisir mare in the second session.’   

Another stand-out yearling that Woodside will be offering is Lot 236, a Sebring filly out of the Group 1 winner Pasadena Girl who is a past graduate of Melbourne Premier purchased by Peter Moody. ‘Although not an overly tall filly, she has a lovely action. She will have plenty of residual value and believe she will appeal to buyers.’  

James Price remarks that despite the challenges of COVID they are confident heading to the Melbourne Premier sale with a strong uptake in farm inspections. ‘Our farm inspections have been very strong and we predict a very busy week leading into the sale. The sales this year have not been without setbacks of COVID but sales conducted this year so far have seen some extraordinary results.’   

James explains the way the industry has coped with the last year is a testament to the participants, racing authorities and those involved who have been supportive through-out this difficult time and aided the longevity of the industry. ‘This industry never ceases to surprise or amaze us even with curve balls that are thrown our way. This past year has shown how incredibly resilient the industry has been. The extent vendors go to with photos and videography gives buyers confidence despite not being at the sale. The breeding industry need to be incredibly grateful to the racing authorities that they have managed their way through COVID and have racing continue through-out 2020. It has meant that owners, trainers and syndicators have all managed to have cash flow which has allowed them to come to the sales and purchase more horses.’  

The VOBIS scheme has always been a demand for buyers at the Melbourne sale who will specifically source VOBIS nominated horses, James explains the strong support for the scheme seen through-out other sales. ‘During the Classic sale Victorian buyers were definitely picking out VOBIS nominated horses. There is no doubt that there is a demand from buyers and owners to have horses that are eligible for the scheme. For the Melbourne Sale there is no doubt that buyers will be purchasing horses with the potential to win extra prizemoney the scheme offers.’ 

To view the full draft click here. 

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Shalaa colt looms as Yulong’s top lot at Premier

Above: Lot 226 Shalaa x Our Daisy colt

A colt by emerging sire Shalaa looms as Yulong’s most sought after yearling among the 25 the breeding and racing operation is offering at the Inglis Premier Sale. 

Yulong boss Sam Fairgray said the colt – Lot 226 – had the looks and pedigree to be highly pursued by buyers. 

“He is a lovely colt, a lot of quality and moves well and Shalaa was obviously the sire of the Magic Millions winner (Shaquero) and has been very popular at the yearling sales,” Fairgray said. 

“This colt I’m sure will be really, really popular at the sales.” 

The Shalaa colt is out of Our Daisy (Commands x Wooden Melody), a winner of three races. This is her second foal. 

Another yearling Fairgray has high on his list is Lot 145, a Zoustar filly which is the first foal of a Sebring mare, Longmu. 

“She is a lovely, big strong first foal with a good shoulder and hip on her and there is a lot of strength there,” Fairgray said. 

“And she’ll be a popular filly.” 

A Written Tycoon filly – Lot  340 – out of Sky Princess (Street Sense x Versailles Pike) is  described by Fairgray as sharp looking and ready to get up and go early. 

“And at the moment Written Tycoon can do no wrong and he loves mares that have Mr Prospector in the pedigree,” he said. 

“She is a really neat quality filly.” 

The filly’s dam, Sky Princess won six races. 

And Lot 347 is a Sebring filly out of Exceed and Excel mare, So Serene (Radharcnafarraige) 

Fairgray said she is an athletic, quality filly that was quite feminine but also had a lot of strength about which would make her extremely popular, especially being from Sebring’s last crop. 

Lot 449 is a chestnut filly by Snitzel out of Zaina Rizeena (Shamardal x Sweet Lilly), a winner as a two-year-old over 1500m in Great Britain. 

“She looks like she will be very early and looks sharps,” Fairgray said. 

“She is a typical Snitzel type of filly and she’ll be one for someone who is looking for an early two-year-old. She has got the temperament and looks like a filly that will go very quick.” 

Yulong’s Lot 538 is a Capitalist colt out of Casino Club (Casino Prince x Volted In) and Fairgray says he has plenty of size and scope about him. 

“Capitalist is setting the tracks on fire already sort of thing and he’ll be a colt that will be super popular,” Fairgray said. 

And Yulong also has a colt by French stallion Siyouni (Pivotal x Sichilla) as Lot 524. 

“He is a big strong colt who is by a very successful sire that has only had a few performers here in Australia but a couple of them have run in the Golden Slipper,” Fairgray said. 

“So it shows the quality of horses he can get and with the size and strength of this colt, he’ll be very popular with people who are in inspecting.” 

Siyouni stands in France.   

Fairgray said Yulong owner Yuesheng Zhang wanted to support the stallion with a couple of mares, including the colt’s dam Bouquet de Flores (Street Cry x Floristry) which he had in Ireland, and they were served in France and then brought to Australia where they were foaled down. 

He said Yulong’s draft was interesting with a mix of proven and up and coming stallions. 

 “We have got Fastnet Rock, Written Tycoon, Snitzel, Sebring, and Zoustar and then we’ve got Pariah, Preferment and Russian Revolution among the sires,” Fairgray said. 

“So there is a really good mix and we’ve also got a couple of colts by Savabeel (Lots 107 and 238) and he is obviously a fantastic stallion and if someone is looking for a nice three-year-old, these colts are definitely worthwhile having a look at. 

“We have got a filly by Frankel (Lot 568) and she is the first foal out of a Scat Daddy mare (Daddys Poppit) and she is only medium sized by with the Frankels they come in all shapes and sizes and although she is not big, she is a well put together filly.” 

A filly by Merchant Navy, who will have his first yearlings at the sales this year, is represented by Yulong at Lot 245. 

The filly is the first foal out of the unraced Street Cry mare Petulance (USA) and is a big strong type who Fairgray believes will impress potential buyers. 

Fairgray said Yulong’s broodmare band had increased year on year as have the numbers of foals on the ground. 

“Our drafts at all the sales will be increasing and obviously Melbourne is our home base and we are happy to support Inglis with some really nice yearlings,” he said. 

“We have got about 230 broodmares and will be foaling down 200 mares this year and will continue to buy some more nice mares to add into our broodmare band to support the stallions that will be retiring to stud this year.” 

 To view the full draft click here. 

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Willaroon Thoroughbreds offering their best draft at Oaklands

Above: Lot 211 Merchant Navy x Mytic Medusa colt

For those who know Sally Watkins of Willaroon Thoroughbreds, they know that for her, horses are her life.  

Sally has been involved with horses for many years prior to the establishment of Willaroon Thoroughbreds. 

Originally operating properties on the Peninsula, she decided to make a move to the North East, after falling in love with how peaceful and beautiful the landscape is there. 

Based in Lurg, in Victoria’s North East, she is set on 500 acres of undulating lush green pastures. 

The property also is the birthplace of Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes winner, Nonconformist.  

The 2021 Melbourne Premier sale marks her fourth draft for the sale and her eleventh year at her property. 

Prior to consigning her own drafts, Sally would sell through Millford Thoroughbreds and Rushton Park but initially this was when she had a few horses, this number slowly grew, and she realised she needed to put her own draft together for the sales. 

For the upcoming sale, Sally will bring ten yearlings to Oaklands for sale. The yearlings have all been bred on the farm, and most have spent their entire lives at Sally’s property.  

For Sally, it means that she knows every little thing about them and can inform buyers accordingly. 

“We know them all the way through and if anyone asks me a question, I can answer it and I know exactly how they have been all the way through. Temperaments, their dams and their siblings,” Sally said. 

“This by far is the nicest draft I have had, and they are a very even bunch of horses. I’ve got six lovely colts and four nice fillies,” Sally commented. 

“They are all good looking and well grown. They are also nicely bred and just a very attractive bunch of horses,” Sally commented.  

“You often look at your draft and it’s not always you can say you have such a consistent good-looking bunch of youngsters for sale,” Sally quipped. 

“They are by a mix of proven stallions and first season sires. I have yearlings by So You Think, Lonhro, Merchant Navy, American Pharoah, Al Maher, Territories, Headwater, Zoustar and Toronado,” Sally said. 

When asked to give insights into some of her yearlings, Sally gave insights into the following yearlings. 

“I really like both my Merchant Navy colts-these two are great types,” Sally said. 

The two Merchant Navy colts which Sally refers to are Lot 211 and Lot 451, out of Mystic Medusa and Zanteca respectively. 

Lot 211 is out of a Magic Albert mare, Mystic Medusa who is a five-time winner with three of those in succession and is from the family of stakes winner Most Important. 

The second Merchant Navy is Lot 451, out of a stakes winning Zabeel mare, Zanteca. 

“There is a little bit of Zabeel about him, but he is just a lovely, neat horse and the mare had a lot of ability,” Sally said. 

A colt which Sally gives us insight into, is lot 537, by So You Think out of Casino Card. 

The mare is a six-time winner with two of those at two and is the sister to Group 2 Crystal Mile winner, Hooked. 

“He is a lovely scopey colt and is very typical of his sire. He is leggy and has a beautiful head and front – he is very well grown,” Sally said. 

Another colt which Sally mentions is Lot 112, a Lonhro colt out of Kobe Queen. The colt according to Sally is the “image of his father.” 

“We have sold the progeny of this mare all the way through. Luke Oliver bought her first two foals by Reward For Effort, and her Toronado filly ended up in the stable of Chris Waller, but unfortunately had a fatal accident. Her Frosted colt was retained and is going to be trained by Luke Oliver,” Sally said. 

“He has handled his prep really well and is the image of his father,” Sally said. 

Willaroon Thoroughbreds will be parading at Oaklands Junction from Wednesday morning and you can find the entire draft.  

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Two Bays Farm offering a diverse draft at Melbourne Premier

Above: Lot 8 So You Think x Ellas colt

Two Bays Farm are a regular at the Melbourne Premier sale. For the farm located on the Mornington Peninsula, the sale is their main sale for the year.  

Two Bays will offer 19 yearlings at Oaklands Junction for the coming sale.  

With a wide range of stallions on offer from first season sires right through to some of the top ten stallions, with progeny from Sebring, Magnus, Flying Artie, Divine Prophet and Toronado, the draft offers something for everyone.  

“The draft really is diverse and for trainers, they will definitely find something which appeals to them. The other benefit is most of our horses are nominated for VOBIS,” Rob Carlile commented.  

With such a big draft, it was always going to be hard to have to pick only a few highlights, but Rob highlights the following as ones to watch through the ring.  

One lot which will go through the ring early on day one of the sale, is lot 8, a colt out of a Canny Lad mare, Ellas. 

“He is a lovely big scopey colt out of a mare who has done a really good job at stud,” Rob commented.  

The mare has had three foals to race, all of which are winners. The Victorian-bred colt on offer for sale, has the likes of Street Cry, Helsinki, Shamardal and Territories in his family.  

The next lot which Rob mentions is lot 144, a colt bred by Two Bays Farm, out of the Street Sense mare Loading Zone.  

The mare has produced the stakes winner Military Zone who has had five wins with three of those being stakes wins.  

“He’s a really nice horse and his half-brother is a multiple stakes winner,” Rob said.  

The next lot which Rob mentions is lot 326, a colt sired by Brazen Beau out of Sheeza Commander.  

The dam is the half-sister to the stakes winner Jacqueline Rouge and stakes placed Sheila’s Star.   

“He is a big strong colt and just moves easily over the ground. With Brazen Beau progeny doing well on racetracks with the likes of General Beau, On the Bubbles and North Pacific, he is one to inspect,” Rob commented.  

The final highlight which Rob mentions is lot 389, the Makybe Breeding and Racing bred, Sebring x Tempting filly.  

Tempting is the full sister to Hurtle Myrtle the Group 1 Myer Classic winner. The filly is also Super VOBIS nominated with Rob commenting; “She is a strong sort of filly which gets along really well. She has a bit of a tough demeanour, which I like in a filly, and carries herself really well.” 

“This draft would not be made possible without the continued support of some great clients who continue to back us in. I would also like to thank the team at home, who have put their hearts and souls into getting these horses to sale. They have done a fantastic job and should be very proud of the way these horses are presented,” Rob enthused. 

The Two Bays draft will be available for inspections at Oaklands Junction from lunchtime on Tuesday the 23rd of February 2021.  

To view the entire Two Bays draft, click here. 

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Sun Stud’s yearlings blossom in recent weeks

Above: Lot 342 Sebring x Slapstick filly

Sun Stud’s sales and nominations manager Phillip Marshall believes the 14 yearlings they’ll offer at Melbourne are blossoming at the right time to show their potential to buyers. 

“They have come a long way,” he said. 

“I think we’ve got a draft that will suit everyone and it’s a nice bunch of 14 horses. 

“They’ve prepped up really, really well and I can’t be happier with the way they have improved over the last four of five weeks which is great to see. 

“You always love to see a horse really thrive over the last few weeks of its prep and these all have. 

“They are all good moving horses and when a walk is a key at the sales, to have a draft of good walkers is a great because it just makes them so much easier to sell. 

“There a handful of them at all different prices, I suppose, in the draft. 

Marshall said Sun Stud’s Lot 342, a Sebring filly out of Slapstick (Anabaa x Glasnot), had a lot of potential on the track and later on in the breeding barn. 

“She is a filly with a pedigree and is worth her weight in gold just as a broodmare prospect alone,” he said. 

“Her pedigree is going to standout and of course it’s Sebring’s last crop of yearlings so you would like to think that all of his yearlings in the sale will be well sought after because there aren’t going to be any more produced. 

“But this a quality filly and she is very good looking with a lovely head, a good stride on her and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her rate as a sharp early horse. 

“She has got the pedigree to boot so she is certainly high on people’s lists just on that alone.” 

Lot 398 is a Thronum (Snitzel x Helena’s Secret) colt out of Thorsborne (Hinchinbrook x Maltese). 

The colt is from the first crop of the Group winning Thronum that stands at Sun Stud. 

“We have been very impressed with what he has thrown so far and they look like early running types which is exactly what you would expect from a son of Snitzel,” Marshall said. 

“This colt is that exactly and is a very, very balanced strong good moving colt who shapes as though he will run as a two-year-old. 

“He is very good looking but he has just got phenomenal balance and great length of stride on him and really uses himself well. And he is a colt I’ve got a lot of time for and he is difficult to fault.” 

Marshall said it’s exciting to see Thronum represented at the sale for the first time. 

 Lot 618 is a colt by another Sun Stud stallion, Palentino. 

Out of Goody Two Shoes (Encosta de Lago x Angelic Song), Marshall said the bay colt was another outstanding walker 

“I would recommend to anyone who is down at the sale’s complex, even if they are only looking at one horse, to come and look at him because I doubt there would be a better walker on the complex. 

“He has just got a great stride on him and really uses himself tremendously well. But not only that, he is also a lovely bodied colt, has a lovely head and a very kind eye and is also a very kind natured horse. 

“I think he is going to appeal to a lot of people not only because of that walk but he has just got such a great nature to him and I’d be surprised if he didn’t make into a nice racehorse because of his mentality.” 

Marshall said they were happy with the sale results of Palentino’s yearlings last year and only a couple had raced but the sire was never expected to produce early runners. 

Another Thronum, this time a filly, will go through the sale as Lot 692 and Marshall said that similar to the colt, she is very powerfully made and has great length of hip. 

“She has a great shoulder and gaskin as well and is another one he’d be surprised if she wasn’t an early runner,” he said. 

“Thronum showed a lot of ability at two and he was a very fast horse and this filly certainly looks to be in that mould to be fast and precocious. 

“She is a lovely filly for the second session and I think she will certainly sell well given her physique.” 

The filly is out of Role Reversal (Shamardal x Miss Hepburn). 

And  filly by the ill-fated Sun Stud stallion Fighting Sun (Northern Meteor x Irish Darling) is out of There’s Only One (Testa Rossa x Aunty Hilda). 

Marshall said it was extremely sad to lose Fighting Sun last year. 

“He has done a remarkable job at stud in that he produces winners every week,” he said. 

“He is becoming a stallion that you can almost set your watch on.” 

He said the filly (Testa Rossa x Aunty Hilda) – Lot 726 – is a stunner and almost black in colour and has a good stride, great balance and plenty of strength. 

“She is extremely difficult to fault and the guys from Inglis came to see the draft the other day and they fell in love with his filly and it just goes to show how good a type she is,” Marshall said. 

“She is a stunning type and I’ve got no doubt that she will stand out in that second session. 

“But she is nigh on perfect just in every way and is by a stallion who just keeps producing winners and of course is by another stallion that they are not making any more of.” 

Marshall said it was a sad day when Fighting Sun died as he was much loved on the stud and was a gentle giant, a trait he has passed down to his progeny. 

Sun Stud is also agent for a Lord Of the Sky colt, which is the only offering by the sire in the sale. 

Marshall said the colt, out of She Brings Joy (Sebring x Mandikova), is powerfully built and will go through the sale as Lot 703.  

“He is a running sort of horse and what I would call a great trainer’s horse,” he said. 

“And he is very tough and the sort of horse that would run through brick walls for you. He has a great temperament and given Lord Of The Sky was a very fast horse, it wouldn’t surprise me to see this horse run early.” 

Lord Of The Sky won three Group 3 races – one at 1100m and two at 1200m. 

Marshall said with such a big catalogue of horses it was going to be busy but also exciting to be back at Oaklands. 

To view the full draft click here.

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Supreme Thoroughbreds are excited for Melbourne Premier sale to commence

Above: Mares and foals at Supreme Thoroughbreds

The team at Supreme Thoroughbreds, like most, have been eagerly awaiting the 2021 Melbourne Premier Yearling sale day to arrive.  

When the sale commences on Sunday, they will have 26 yearlings ready to offer buyers at Oaklands.   

Neil Shaw and the team at Supreme is excited ahead of the sale and proud of the draft they have on offer.  

“On type and on pedigree, this is the highest bar William Inglis has ever set. We are very proud of the quality of our horses in both sessions,” Neil said.  

The draft will bring yearlings by proven sires such as So You Think, Dundeel, Magnus, Toronado, Manhattan Rain and Choisir.  

“We also have yearlings in the draft by emerging young sires with their first crop of two-year-olds racing this season – the likes of Frosted and Extreme Choice.      

They also have yearlings by sires with their first crops being offered at yearling sales this year – Invader, Impending, Merchant Navy and Russian Revolution. 

Neil Shaw lists six highlights Supreme will take through the ring.  

Lot 130, is a Victorian-bred filly by So You Think out of a winning Sepoy mare in Larapineta. The dam has one foal on the ground who is sired by Star Turn.  

“She’s a lovely bodied, really good walking filly. When she walks out people are just drawn to her when they see her,” Neil said.  

The next yearling Neil highlights is Lot 201, a daughter of Impending out of the stakes winning Exceed and Excel mare Mrs Kipling. Mrs Kipling has had five foals to race for four winners, including stakes place See Me Excel. 

“She has been a standout amongst the fillies since the day she was born and I think she is a great advert for Impending” Neil said. 

The next yearling Supreme takes through is lot 349, a daughter of Russian Revolution out of a New Approach mare, Socialista.  The filly is from a strong female family which has produced Epaulette, Helmet and National Defense.  

“She is a compact type with a big walk and is the image of her father.   The more I look at this filly, the more I like her” Neil said.   

The next lot on Neil’s list of highlights is lot 394, a son of So You Think out of stakes producing mare The Girlfriend.  

“This colt is a standout on type, he is a very attractive horse and he knows it. He was born an outstanding foal and has a good presence and I think he will be very popular.  I’ve no doubt he will progress into a really good racehorse,” Neil said.   

No list of highlights is complete without a Dundeel.  Lot 517 is a son of Dundeel out of seven-time winner Blue Light. Blue Light has already produced two winners and the colt on offer at Oaklands Junction is from the same family as stakes winner Natural Tycoon.  

“He’s a strong forward sort of horse for a Dundeel and he will have plenty of admirers down at the sale. In my opinion he will be running as a late 2YO/early 3YO,” Neil said.  

The final yearling which Neil highlights (although he could have added even more to his list)  is lot 550, a son of Brazen Beau out of the Encosta De Lago mare, Chevovessence. The mare’s first foal is already a winner and the colt on offer, looks strikingly like his father.  

“While he is a late foal, he was definitely one of the better foals on the farm. He is very flashy looking, and he is the image of his father. He has the same three white socks and the same spots on the white socks below the fetlock, just like Brazen Beau,” Neil commented.  

“He has a lovely flowing walk and will continue to mature, he has handled his prep very well,” he said.  

“Brazen Beau is starting to really get his 2YO runners and we saw General Beau line up in the Blue Diamond, which is really exciting for the stallion,” Neil said.  

For the first time in a few years, Supreme will be selling horses in the P2 session to meet the market after all the changes due to COVID.  

“I believe there are some serious opportunities in our P2 horses. While they may be in P2, I don’t believe this means they are of any less quality, it’s just with the strength of the sale, you can’t fit them all in P1,” Neil said.  

“I strongly recommend buyers take a look at our yearlings in P2 by Frosted, Smart Missile, Akeed Mofeed, Astern, Manhattan Rain and Magnus. They are exceptional types, and I believe they are going to make first-rate racehorses,” Neil remarked.   

Supreme Thoroughbreds will begin parades on Tuesday 23 February from 1pm and to view their entire draft, click here.  

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