Cusack has Fernrigg Farm dreaming of back-to-back Classic wins
Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained colt aims to follow fellow Magic Millions graduate Shaquero as winner of lucrative race
In the ebbs and flows of what can be ruthless breeding and bloodstock fashion, setting off to a flying start can be of paramount importance for long term success, be that as a young stallion or mare or, indeed, in the realm of raising young horses for sale in the weanling, yearling or two-year-old markets.
First established in 2017, you would need to go some way to bettering the rapid-fire start of young Muswellbrook nursery Fernrigg Farm, who are faced with the tantalising prospect of having sold back-to-back winners of the lucrative Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m).
As part of their select 2020 draft at the Magic Millions yearling sale, just their third offered on the Gold Coast, Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) colt Shaquero was unearthed by leading agent Guy Mulcaster for the Chris Waller stable and, after winning the juvenile season-opening Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) at Randwick, the colt went on to land the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the turn of the year.
Enter January 2022, and the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic (1000m) winner Cusack (Not A Single Doubt), a graduate of last year’s Fernrigg draft, presents himself as a leading chance for Saturday week’s renewal of the $2 million contest, and warmed up for the challenge with an eye-catching performance in a trial win over 1000 metres at the Gold Coast yesterday, having won another trial at the track in December.
The showing saw Cusack narrow to a $26 chance for the juvenile feature, behind odds-on favourite Coolangatta (Written Tycoon).
“It’s incredibly exciting,” said Fernrigg Farm’s Padraig Kelly, who runs the operation with Rae-Louise Charlton. “For a small little farm set up just four years ago, it’s absolutely brilliant. And hopefully it shows that we’re doing things correctly and having a little bit of luck.”
Veterinarian Kelly and former Widden Stud yearling manager Charlton took over the 70-acre property in May 2017, presenting their first yearling draft in 2018, one that featured subsequent Hong Kong Classic Mile (Listed, 1600m) winner Excellent Proposal (Exceed And Excel), among six other winners from their first consignment.
Sourced by Bill Mitchell for $200,000, Excellent Proposal is the first in a series of value offerings from the farm, with $1.4 million earner Shaquero a $160,000 buy, and Cusack snapped up for just $200,000. Last year’s draft also included Calaway Gal Stakes (Listed, 1000m) third Penthouse (Capitalist), a $55,000 buy for Matthew Dale.
“I think the trainers and bloodstock agents are taking notice of Fernrigg now. Being a small farm and a young, new farm, the fact we are getting those great results on the racetrack, they’re paying more attention to the draft,” Kelly said.
“Also, the fact that Shaquero was bought for $160,000 and Cusack $200,000, there’s good value to be found in our draft, so I think it makes it easier for them to pass it on to their clients and show them that this farm is producing some great racehorses just in the last few years and at reasonable prices as well in the sales ring.”
Out of two-time winning Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) mare Belle Que, Cusack is a product of Kelly and Charlton investing in acquiring a foundation band of broodmares, with Belle Que having been a $150,000 buy for Fernrigg Farm from the Magic Millions broodmare sale in 2018 when in foal to Written Tycoon (Iglesia).
A young and dynamic family, the pedigree goes back to Listed winner and Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) placegetter Moqueen (Uncle Mo) and Mica’s Pride (Bite The Bullet), dam to Group 1 winners Criterion (Sebring) and Comin’ Through (Fastnet Rock).
As part of this year’s seven-strong Magic Millions yearling draft, the team will offer a sister to Cusack, catalogued as Lot 792.
“We’ve invested a lot in our own broodmares over the last few years, and that would be Cusack who we did it all with; we foaled him down, weaned him and then prepped him for the sale,” said Kelly.
“We find it very rewarding to be able to go the whole story with these horses and follow them the whole way through from birth to the racetracks.
“She’s (filly out of Belle Que) a very nice filly. She’s a little bit of a darker filly to what (Cusack) is and has a little bit more size and scope to her than what he had this time last year, but she has exactly the same temperament at this stage.”
While the establishment of a quality broodmare band of their own necessitated the time to blossom, the pair presented yearlings on behalf of clients as well as having an eye for a pinhook opportunity within their opening consignments.
This year’s draft includes the first foal out of Group 2 winner Quilista (Scandal Keeper), who was purchased for $340,000 at last year’s Magic Millions National Weanling Sale from the Segenhoe draft. Catalogued as Lot 412, the filly is from the family of Group 3 winner Red Can Man (Gingerbread Man).
“She’s one of Rae-Louise’s favourites and is known as ‘The Queen’ of the yearling barn. She’s a beautiful I Am Invincible filly and obviously Quilista was an unbelievable racehorse,” Kelly said.
“We purchased her last year at the Magic Millions weanling sale and we were delighted to be able to get her. We didn’t think we’d be able to afford her, and then the following week her mother (Quilista) actually sold for $1 million.
“Our first year when we set off we backed ourselves and we had to go out and purchase these weanlings if we were to have a draft in our first year. We started from nothing to bring the farm up, whereas now the pinhooking supplements the stock on the farm,” Kelly added.
Among those offered on behalf of a client is a filly by Yulong’s first season sire Grunt (O’Reilly), who, being out of Savabeel (Zabeel) mare Black Pearl, taps into the dynamite cross between the two Waikato Stud stallions.
Catalogued as Lot 811, her third dam is Group 2 winner Waihora’s Lass (Tights), the dam of Group 2 winner Legible (Zabeel) and granddam to multiple Group 2 winner and Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) runner-up Trusting (Tale Of The Cat).
“She’s a lovely filly who has actually developed really well through the prep. A lovely, dark colour,” said Kelly.
“She’s a good mover and she’s owned by a good client of ours in Paul Lofitis who owns the Lofty Thoroughbreds Group. He purchased her as a weanling and we sent him a few photos of her the other day from when she arrived at the farm at the start of the prep and how she looks now, and he’s very excited about her.”
Although afforded the opportunity to dream of a second Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner in as many years, Kelly and Charlton are not ones to rest on their laurels.
“We can’t wait to get up there and showcase the nice, boutique draft we have for this year and hopefully Cusack can win the Magic Millions and then the three in a row might be in this year’s draft,” Kelly said.
The prime candidate for that, in what would be the most extraordinary of feats, could be an Exceed And Excel (Danehill) colt out of the US-bred stakes-winning mare Devious Rumor (Street Boss).
The first foal from Devious Rumor, who was purchased for $220,000 in foal to Written Tycoon at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, the colt is from the family of Grade 1 runner-up Medallist (Touch Gold) and is catalogued as Lot 910.
“He looks like he’ll be an early, up-and-going two-year-old, that’s precocious and strong and has a very good attitude. One of the best Rae-Louise has prepped in the last couple of years,” Kelly said.
“We’re delighted with how Fernrigg is going since we set up four years ago. We’re hoping to keep the quality very high. It will be quality over quantity, and we’ll continue to get out these great horses and build up our broodmare band in order to continue the success we’ve had in such a short space of time.”