Edinglassie seeing there is power in a union
The name Edinglassie conjures a joining of two halves.
The combination of Scotland’s two largest cities, it was in fact once mooted for a certain settlement not far north of today’s Magic Millions sale complex, until it was decided to honour the then governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane.
Instead, the name has been carried on by a thoroughbred farm that’s become a fixture in Australian breeding for many, many years.
And this year’s Millions will showcase the first draft offered by an Edinglassie Stud itself empowered by a twinning of forces.
Since the start of the season, Mick and Michelle Talty have been joined by former long-time Gooree breeding and racing manager Andrew Baddock and his partner, breaker and breeder Natasha Akland.
And after some three decades of running the nursery, which now numbers around 120 mares – 80 of whom foaled down this season – the Taltys are certainly feeling there is power in a union. Indeed they’re no doubt wondering why they didn’t do something similar sooner.
“It’s been great,” Mick said, on the eve of presenting Edinglassie’s 15-horse draft.
“The way it’s taken a lot of the work off Michelle and I has been very much appreciated. Andrew lives right on the farm there, so he’s around the whole time. Plus the experience and expertise he brings is invaluable. He’s been in the game a very long time.
What the non-cognoscenti might not appreciate about the unstoppable cycles of a stud farm is that the time that mares are foaling overlaps with the time yearlings must be prepared for the Magic Millions sale.
“When they come in for the start of their prep in early November, there’s still mares to foal down. Andrew’s helped with that and Michelle and I can concentrate more on getting the yearlings ready, so it’s enabled us to do a little bit more,” Talty said.
Edinglassie has celebrated many triumphs through its long history, from the near-ancient – like Chester’s 1877 VRC Derby-Melbourne Cup double – to the more modern, including breeding Deep Field (Northern Meteor).
Its Millions draft this year will comprise a broad spread of stallions – 11 different sires across 15 lots – with two in particular catching many an eye in pre-inspections.
Lot 205 is a colt by Darley’s much-discussed first season stallion Harry Angel (Dark Angel), out of Legal Eagle (More Than Ready), a sister to West Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Dreamaway, and three-quarter sister to Celebrity Miss, the stakes-winning dam of Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) joint-winner Celebrity Queen (Redoute’s Choice).
“The colt’s got a lot of attention” Talty said. “People are saying the Harry Angels are very nice types and this guy is a very nice horse.”
And Lot 655 is a filly by aforementioned Edinglassie product Deep Field, the second foal out of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Uptown Gal.
“There should be a lot of speed in her,” Talty said. “It’s a Fastnet Rock mare with Deep Field, and we bred him so I know how fast he could go.”
Other sires in the draft include Hellbent (I Am Invincible), More Than Ready (Southern Halo), Rubick (Encosta De Lago) and Kermadec (Teofilo).