First crop sires to the fore in Inglis Australian Weanling Sale
It has been said that we need just three things in life: Someone to love, something to do and something to look forward to. (What about something to eat?)
The third ‘something’, something to look forward to, certainly applies to thoroughbred racing and breeding. We are always looking forward to the next season, the next crop of two-year-olds or the next crop of foals. That next crop being the first crop of a new stallion simply adds another dimension.
Sixteen new sires are featured in this week’s Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, starting at Riverside Stables today, and this year the anticipation might be heightened somewhat, due, in part, to Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock). However, his classmates have plenty of ammunition to fire and any one of them has the credentials to become a future champion or leading sire.
Ten of the 16 can claim a Group 1 success and eight of these elite performers were of sufficient class to manage more than one victory at the highest level. Of the remainder, all were either Group or Listed winners and six of them placed at Group 1 level.
In terms of Group 1 prowess, Highland Reel (Galileo) has the biggest bragging rights. This world traveller took his toughness to every continent, bagging seven Group or Grade 1 events. He raced against the best everywhere, including a third placing (as a three-year-old) in Australia’s weight-for-age championship, the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m), behind Winx (Street Cry). Yet he kept coming back for more, racing on until late in his five-year-old season; it was arguably his best season, still interested enough to score three Group 1s.
Of course buyers will have to be patient, despite his having won a Group 2 race at Goodwood as two-year-old, but he is by the hottest stallion in the world, Galileo (Sadler’s Wells). Highland Reel has two lots in the sale.
Another son of Galileo, Churchill, won four times in the best class and was sufficiently precocious to score five from six as a juvenile including two of his four career Group 1s. While his three-year-old season didn’t produce as many wins, the two he bagged were classics – Britain’s 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) and its Irish equivalent. Churchill has seven to represent him this week.
Also with four Group 1s to his credit is Ribchester, the son of Iffraaj (Zafonic). Shuttler Iffraaj has had great success in both hemispheres (72 stakes winners). Haunui Farm at Karaka, near Auckland, may have been disappointed not to have him back again but this year they will have a fitting replacement, his best-performed son.
Ribchester remained sound through his four-year-old season, which was also his best season, taking out three Group 1 miles – the Prix du Moulin (run at Chantilly in 2017), the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury. He will have just the one weanling for sale.
Judging by the quality of first book mares that Merchant Navy attracted in 2018, he is due to enjoy a terrific sale. This high class sprinter (a mere ten starts for seven wins) took his talent from a Flemington Group 1, the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) to Royal Ascot where he beat some the best sprinters in Europe in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f). He has nine listed for sale, representing some of the best families available.
Another exciting sprinter and – like Merchant Navy – a dual Group 1 winner, is Russian Revolution (Snitzel). The brilliant Russian Revolution’s two premier efforts were over 1100 metres, namely the Galaxy Handicap (Gr 1, 1100m) at Randwick as a three-year-old and at four, the Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) at Caulfield. He raced just 11 times, won seven and will have eight lots to represent him at Riverside.
The striking grey son of Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) and yet another dual Group 1 winner is Caravaggio. He was unbeaten in four starts at two, scoring the Phoenix Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at The Curragh as well as the Coventry Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at Royal Ascot. Back to Royal Ascot at three he beat two outstanding sprinters, Harry Angel (Dark Angel) and Blue Point (Shamardal), with a big win in the Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f). He has four lots on offer this week.
Tosen Stardom (Deep Impact) was well above average in his homeland of Japan where he secured two Grade 3 and two Listed wins but in Australia he proved not only his soundness but also his class in winning twice at Group 1 level, his premier effort beating Happy Clapper (Teofilo) in the Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Flemington. He has one lot in the catalogue.
There is one more new sire with two Group 1 victories and he is the second best-performed son (behind Pierro) of Lonhro (Octagonal), Impending. He ran nine times at the elite Group 1 level, won twice, was second once, third twice and was fourth three times. He gave his best against the best and just for good measure added two Group 2s in a brief career of 18 starts. Four lots by Impending are available.
In practically any other year, this first crop sire preview might be wrapped up but there are two more Group 1 winners to discuss.
The most represented among those (nine lots) is Invader (Snitzel), winner at two of the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick where he bested Champion 2017-18 three-year-old Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) by a length and half. At his last start at two he ran second, again at Randwick, in the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
With six lots is Hellbent (I Am Invincible). After going close against the top sprinters in the land, the late-maturing speedster broke through at age five to claim his Group 1 victory in the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Moonee Valley, a race he also ran second in the previous year. In all he won seven times.
Three Group 2 winners are represented: Time Test (Dubawi) scored twice, including the York Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 2.5f) and the Tercentenary Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 2f) at Royal Ascot in track record time. His best placing in England was third in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f) at Sandown. As a five-year-old he raced three times in the state of New York and twice finished second at Belmont and Saratoga against Group 1 company. There is one lot by Time Test.
Thronum (Snitzel), with two lots, scored his Group 2 win in the Australia Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) where he also finished second in the William Reid Stakes behind Hellbent. Thronum won a further four including a Listed race at Randwick.
Menari (Snitzel), with one lot, beat first crop sire classmate Pariah (Redoute’s Choice) in the Run To The Rose (Gr 2, 1200m) then ran second to Champion three-year-old Trapeze Artist in the Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Rosehill, winning three in only eight career starts.
Wrapping up the remaining four sires to be represented are three Group 3 winners: Pariah (Redoute’s Choice), six lots, won two Group 3s, both at Rosehill and ran second to Catchy (Fastnet Rock) in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). Supido (Sebring), two lots, won his at Caulfield, six other wins and also ran third in The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) behind Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars). Jukebox (Snitzel), three lots, also put up his best run at Caulfield in the Vain Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m), winning three plus three Group placings from eight starts.
Listed City Tatts Club Lightning Handicap (1100m) winner Spieth (Thorn Park), with five lots, won five races in total and was Group 1 placed twice at Flemington, in the Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) and the Darley Classic (Gr 1, 1200m).
In all, a super collection of well-performed young stallions and their future will indeed be something to look forward to.