Six of the best at Magics
Here, in lot order, is a guide to six yearlings likely to be among the top picks at next week’s Magic Millions Gold Coast sale.
Lot 78
Breeding: B c (rig) Written Tycoon – Away Game by Snitzel
Consignor: Yulong
DOB: 21-08-24
Yulong is making a huge splash at the Coast this year, with 69 lots catalogued (ten have been withdrawn) – a drastic increase from the 23 they sold there last year.
Reflecting Zhang’s massive investment in broodmares in the past five to ten years, the draft is quality-packed, but none of their yearlings come better credentialed than this colt.
He’s the second foal of Away Game, Australia’s Champion 2YO Filly of 2019-20 after winning four stakes races that season including the rich Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m). She later added seconds in two Group 1 sprints.
Away Game’s trainer Ciaron Maher teamed with US mega buyer John Stewart in paying $1.8 million at the Gold Coast last year for the sister to this colt. The mating exploits the highly successful cross of Written Tycoon over Snitzel (48 runners, four stakes winners, three at Group 1 level in Private Life, Velocious and Captured By Love).
“Physically, he’s an A-plus yearling, one we’d be excited to take to any sale in the world, and he’ll be one that’s well found. There’ll be plenty of people flying in to see him,” said Yulong’s sales and nominations manager Harry King.
“He’s got great muscle definition, a very balanced body, and an exceptionally strong hip with a good strong forearm. I guess he’s the quintessential in what everyone would look for in a nice colt like this.
“In terms of pedigree, it’s a very active family with no passengers. He’s Written Tycoon over a champion two-year-old mare. He’s certainly a yearling you could aim high with. Take your pick at the feature two-year-old races. We’d be very confident he’d be competitive in those at this time next year.
“He’s from a sireline that’s a proven Golden Slipper/Blue Diamond sireline, and obviously Ole Kirk [by Written Tycoon] was a champion three-year-old and Guineas winner.
“And he’s out of a champion two-year-old by Snitzel. If you’re chasing a Group 1 colt, start with this cross.”
Lot 372
Ch c Snitzel – Iffranesia by Iffraaj
Arrowfield Stud
02-09-24
At the Gold Coast last May, racegoers watching the Ken Russell Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) had their breath taken away when Beadman (Snitzel) won far more impressively than even his odds-on quote suggested, spearing away by 8.3 lengths.
Now, here’s the next member of the family, a full-brother who co-breeders Arrowfield believe is every bit as impressive as Beadman, who himself fetched a hefty $900,000 at this sale two years ago when bought by the China Horse Club/Newgate axis, and who added two Sydney spring stakes placings after that Ken Russell blitz.
By the late, great Snitzel, this colt has a page laced with black type, starting with his dam Iffranesia, who’s a bit of rarity in these parts as a French mare known for speed, with nine wins up to 1100 metres including a Chantilly Listed, to go with three stakes placings.
The colt’s breeders went back to the well in Snitzel after the dam had a year off after bearing Beadman, and the result appears an ideal replica of that runner.
“He’s a beautiful horse, a magnificent individual, and an outstanding mover,” said Arrowfield’s bloodstock manager Jon Freyer. “In fact I’d say he’s as good a colt as we’ve seen in a good while.
“He’s out of a speedy French mare who had a lot of talent, and I think she’s obviously making it as a broodmare.
“He’s a horse that fills the eye because he’s just got so much presence about him. He always has from when he was a foal and a weanling.
“When you went into a paddock of weanlings, he was the star, and he’s been a star all his life. He’s the star of our draft and he might be the star of the sale.”
Snitzel over Iffraaj has four winners from five runners including one stakes victor.
Lot 493
B c Snitzel – Loving Gaby by I Am Invincible
Vinery Stud
19-09-24
Vinery presents this strapping individual who’s recently been made more valuable through unfortunate circumstances.
He’s the third foal of elite speedster Loving Gaby, winner of two 1200-metre Moonee Valley Group 1s in the Manikato and William Reid Stakes, plus two other Group races.
Not only are they not making Snitzels any longer, following his death last June, sadly Loving Gaby also died in November.
Her first foal and only runner Just Like Gaby has somewhat emulated her mother by winning twice at Moonee Valley, as well as another victory at Sandown, amid 11 stars.
This colt presents as a particularly striking, beautifully coloured type, who Vinery expect to turn heads and sell well.
“He’s a nice colt – a very typical Snitzel,” said the stud’s general manager Adam White.
“He’s a great mover with a really good athletic walk on him, and when you consider everything – with pedigree and physique – he’d be the stand-out in our draft.
“He’s a very strong, forward looking colt and he’s got a great brain on him, so I’d expect him to get up and go early, as most Snitzels do.
“The main thing is his strength, plus he’s got a good amount of bone underneath him as well, which is what Snitzels are renowned for and why they run as two-year-olds.
“He’s good natured, and just a really nice horse – pretty much what you’d like to see by that stallion out of a mare who raced to the highest level.”
Lot 537
B c All Too Hard – Mid Summer Music by Oamaru Force
Cressfield
01-09-24
We all know the spiel about what stunning individuals most yearlings are at sales.
Well, you won’t hear it about this boy.
But what breeder Cressfield does promise is 100 per cent racehorse toughness.
He’s a brother to dual elite winner Stefi Magnetica, with the pair being by Vinery’s thoroughly proven stallion All Too Hard and out of another top-tier victor in Mid Summer Music. That mare – who died soon after this colt was born, leaving him to be foster-raised – also has the Group 3-winning Hellfest (Fastnet Rock) among her brood.
“You wouldn’t say he’s a stunning looking individual,” Cressfield’s general manager Wayne Bedggood said, as a thousand past studmasters turned in their graves.
“But he’s a nice horse. Stefi’s probably still no movie star either, but she’s grown out and looks alright now.
“He’s very much like his mum to look at, in body shape. He’s average sized, very muscular and strong, and he’s got his dad’s head. Mum’s body; Dad’s head.
“The All Too Hards mostly aren’t the prettiest-headed horses. But this guy is just a real tough individual. I’ve worked with him all the way through, and I love working with him. You can’t knock him up. I’m not too sure how far he’ll run, but he’ll run all day.
“The All Too Hard people know they’re not the best looking individuals,” he continued, hopefully referring to the stock not the people, “but when I say he’s not so good looking, he does have a good body and is quite a presentable animal.
“He’s got the Roman nose of the All To Hards, which I happen to like because I’m an All Too Hard fan. I think it adds to his character.
“He’s got a good mentality. He will just gobble up whatever trainers throw at him. He loves it. The more he’s doing the happier he is. He’ll work all day.”
Aside from Mid Summer Music’s elite deeds, the colt’s fourth dam was Black Satin (Linacre), winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m).
Lot 835
B/br c Zoustar – Solar Charged by Charge Forward
Widden Stud
24-08-24
By Australia’s reigning champion sire Zoustar, this colt’s page speaks for itself in that not only does it show he’s a brother to the outstanding Sunlight, but there is only room for one dam on it.
That extremely rare distinction is all down to the mighty Solar Charged (Charge Forward), who’s making a strong case for blue hen status.
A dual Group 3 winner herself, Solar Charged has had 11 foals up to this one, which also helps fill the page by herself.
They’re topped of course by Sunlight, the triple top-tier winning sprinter – including of the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), which helped her become Australia’s Champion 3YO Filly in 2018-19.
Solar Charged has had two other stakes winners in Sisstar (Zoustar) and Clean Energy (Zoustar), both of whom boast a Group 3 and Listed victory. There’s also Sheikha (Sebring) and Dio (Zoustar), who are both stakes-placed.
And this stand-out page is complemented by the fact the colt is an imposing physical specimen, according to Widden’s Antony Thompson.
“He’s a very impressive type,” Thompson said. “The thing that stands out is just his strength and his power. He’s just a very well-muscled horse, he’s very strong, he’s got the size and scope and has a good bone to carry it. He’s the male version of Sunlight, but with a lot more strength and bulk.
“He’s got a super pedigree, and he’s a good sound, strong horse; a very forward going type who’s a very good example of a Zoustar.”
Zoustar over Charge Forward has yielded ten winners from 11 runners including three at stakes level (27 per cent).
Lot 865
B f I Am Invincible – Stellar Pauline by Not A Single Doubt
Yarraman Park
06-08-24
Yarraman is delighted with its 33-lot draft at this year’s sale, and one of their finest is this well-pedigreed filly by their all-conquering triple champion sire I Am Invincible.
She’s the second foal of Stellar Pauline (Not A Single Doubt), a city winner who was thrice stakes placed, including when second in the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) behind Away Game.
Stellar Pauline is also a sister to Secret Agenda, who won the SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) plus four other stakes races, and has shown her broodmare prowess by leaving Group 2 winner Hidden Motive (Capitalist).
Second dam Negotiate (Red Ransom) has had 12 winners from as many runners and has thrown three others stakes-placed runners, and the dams of two Group victors. On a page deep with black type, third dam Euphoria (Marauding) won Randwick’s Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
“We’ve got a lot of good I Am Invincibles this year and this is certainly one of the better ones,” said Yarraman’s Arthur Mitchell.
“She’s a good second foal – a lovely medium-sized filly with a nice big backside and a good head. She’s a typical, strong Vinnie, and she was an early foal and looks like being one of the earlier Vinnies.
“She’s got a great walk and a good temperament, and was very well received at our yearling parades. She really ticks all the boxes.”
*Two Additional worthies:
As already mentioned in ANZ News’ front page stories over the past two days:
Lot 250 – b c I Am Invincible – Eloping (full-brother to In Secret). Offered by Segenhoe Stud
Lot 362 – b f Extreme Choice – I Am A Star. Offered by Newgate Farm