Date posted January 19, 2010 | Posted by Brian Russell | Filed under
Sales NewsMuswellbrook, NSW (January 19th, 2010) - AMAZINGLY, considering the usual armada of mares that in recent years regularly crosses the Tasman for matings, particularly in the Hunter Valley, was impeded in 2007 by the equine influenza outbreak in New South Wales and Queensland, Australian sires have one of the biggest and strongest representations in the catalogues covering New Zealand Bloodstock’s annual yearling sale commencing Monday February 1 and concluding Monday February 8.
All told there are over 280 yearlings got in Australia among the 1621 lots covered by three New Zealand catalogues, in order of appearance the Premier, Select and Festival sessions.
Heading the list of the 71 Australian used sires contributing the yearlings are three most recent Australian champion sires Encosta de Lago (13 lots), Redoute’s Choice (10) and Flying Spur (7). Also represented are Fastnet Rock (16), Holy Roman Emperor (12), Starcraft (11), Rock of Gibraltar (9), Nadeem (9), Fusaichi Pegasus (8), Dehere (7), Elusive Quality (7), Choisir (6), Stratum (6), Oratorio (6), Exceed and Excel (5), General Nediym (5), Dubai Destination (5), Testa Rossa (5), Commands (4), Bel Esprit (4), Hussonet (4), Lonhro (4), Snippetson (4) and Stravinsky (4).
Normally a shuttler to Cambridge stud in New Zealand, Stravinsky because of EI was quarantined in NSW where he stopped off on the way to his 2007 southern hemisphere duties and spent that season at Coolmore in the Hunter Valley.
Besides providing the sires of many of the best quality yearlings available at the 2010 New Zealand sale, the Australians have a big input through the dams. They include daughters of Danehilll (a big representation), More Than Ready, Encosta de Lago, Redoute’s Choice, Snippets, Danzero, Rory’s Jester, Danehill Dancer, Zeditave, Giant’s Causeway, Flying Spur, Scenic, Anabaa, Last Tycoon, Hennessy, Grand Lodge, Woodman and Dehere.
The Encosta de Lago contingent of yearlings appears to include some of his best prospects in the current crop. All in the Premier catalogue, they include close relations to top performers Alinghi, Diatribe (same family as Danehill),Tully Dane (dam by Danehill), Dehere and Delzao (a half-brother).
Naturally, all the Redoute’s Choice yearlings are also in the Premier catalogue and they are headed by a colt that is a three-quarter brother to Lotteria, a dual Group1 winner and Cox Plate second. Another is from a sister to Don Eduardo and nearly three-quarter sister to Octagonal and another is from a three-quarter sister to two times Australian Horse of the Year Might and Power.
The Redoute’s Choice collection also includes a three-quarter brother to the Danehill New Zealand champion 2YO, 3YO and sprinter Darci Brahma, a sire standing at The Oaks, Cambridge whose first crop yearlings at this year’s sale are certain to attract a lot of attention.
His massive 68 lot contribution includes offspring of mares by More Than Ready, Sunday Silence, O’Reilly, Machiavellian, Deputy Minister, Centaine, Kingmambo, Southern Halo, Polish Precedent, Montjeu, In The Wings, Success Express, Fairy King, Unbridled’s Song, Carnegie, Pins and Canny Lad.
Other New Zealand used sires offering big potential with first crop yearlings include the Redoute’s Choice stakes winners Fast ‘N’ Famous (49 lots) and Lucky Unicorn (42). Also, the More Than Ready Group1 sprint winner Perfectly Ready has 63 first crop lots listed.
Lucky Unicorn is a new sire for Patrick Hogan’s all conquering Cambridge Stud, the home also of the current sire giant of southern hemisphere breeding Zabeel, one who has 44 lots available. There are 15 fillies among and some of these could have big futures as broodmares. In addition, Zabeel’s Cox Plate winning son Savabeel, a proven young sire standing at Waikato stud, has contributed 51 lots.
Also tempting buyers among the 1300-plus New Zealand sired yearlings will be big representations by O’Reilly (91 lots), Pins (61), Pentire (35) and One Cool Cat (41), to mention a few.
