It could not have been a better start to the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Wednesday for Victorian stud Woodside Park or the new VOBIS Sires scheme. Lot 13, a bay colt by Woodside resident stallion Written Tycoon from the Falvelon mare La Paris was the subject of an intense bidding war, eventually selling for $520,000 to agent Michael Wallace on behalf of China Horss Club. Lot 13 was the first horse at the sale sold carrying the VOBIS Sires scheme eligibility - meaning the colt is a candidate for the inaugural running of the $1 million...
January 11, 2018
“This is the perfect sort of horse for the Showdown.” As far as opening lines go, Noorilim Park’s Sherah Sullivan hit the nail on the head with her assessment of Lot 309, the colt by Sun Stud stallion Fighting Sun. The colt was sold to Victoria's Spicer Thoroughbreds for $160,000. “He’s strong, neat, he’s got a great action, he’s from a winning family, he’s got a strong dark brown colour. If he doesn’t sell well I don’t know what will,” Sherah said. Appearances aside, perhaps the strongest selling point for an athletic young horse like this colt is the $1...
January 11, 2018
When American farm Spendthrift announced the stallion roster for the inaugural year of its Australian operation, critics were fast to raise an eyebrow and wonder how successful the new venture would be. Alongside Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Hampton Court stood two unknown American raced and bred stallions – Jimmy Creed and Warrior's Reward. General Manager Garry Cuddy certainly had his work cut out. “Look we didn’t get big books in their first seasons, but with a little luck and with some lovely foals on the ground, that is changing,” Cuddy said. (And we add quite a bit of...
January 11, 2018
Positivity tends to ooze from Swettenham Stud boss Adam Sangster’s pores, but there’s an extra spring in his step when he starts speaking about Toronado. The prized stallion that Swettenham stands in conjunction with Al Shaqab Racing has his first yearlings at sales this season, with a handful at Magic Millions Gold Coast, and plenty more across the Inglis Classic and Inglis Melbourne Premier sales. “It’s a good start but the best is yet to come – the feedback we’re getting from breeders has been really encouraging,” Sangster said. “He’s such an athletic, imposing sort of horse and his record...