Snitzel colt provides Segenhoe a result to savour
Before the Easter sale, Segenhoe Stud’s Peter O’Brien described the farm’s son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and La Mexicana (I Am Invincible) as “an Adonis”.
On Sunday the colt lived up to that statuesque billing, selling for $1.7 million to bloodstock giant James Herron, Tony Fung and his future trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, beating out Chris Waller’s main associate Guy Mulcaster.
Offered as Lot 16, the colt was an early clubhouse leader and held the position comfortably for 60 lots – until Switzerland’s (Snitzel) brother came along. It was a standing in keeping with his rich pedigree.
Bred by the Surace family’s southern highlands concern B2B Thoroughbreds, he’s the first foal of the speedy La Mexicana, who Anthony and Sam Freedman trained to two stakes victories, while second dam Cailin Miss (Domesday) was also a stakes winner.
I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) is beginning to replicate his siring success as a father of broodmares. As his numbers in that department grow, he’s moved up to 20th on the broodmare sires’ table this season, with Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Kimochi (Brave Smash) his star grandchild among three stakes winners this term.
Harron was delighted with the purchase, concurring with O’Brien’s assessment.
“The colt really announced himself when he came out of the box and really grabbed you,” Harron said. “He just powered along every time he paraded and behaved himself impeccably well.
“He’s good and strong, has a great middle to him, a very purposeful action and has a good brain. He was willing and wanted to do his work. He was never reluctant to walk or shy away from being paraded, which is great to see when they’re so popular.
“Those are all things that attract you because ultimately the pressure just keeps getting piled on as a racehorse. If they can’t handle it now at this stage of the sale it’s not a good sign.
“It gives you a lot of confidence when they come off a farm like Peter’s and are bred by astute people like the Suraces. They put a lot of work into their matings and bloodlines.”
Harron is confident in the Snitzel – I Am Invincible cross, and was a fan of La Mexicana.
“She was really talented. I think she was probably even better than her record suggests,” he said.
“Snitzel needs no introduction. He just keeps doing it and doing it. He’s broken all the records, and you just have to look at the Slipper a couple of weeks ago and he’s done it again,” he said of the super sire’s third win as a sire in the two-year-old feature, with Marhoona.
“With the cross, you’ve got speed over speed, and I think I Am Invincible is just starting to get going as a broodmare sire. He’s not got huge numbers out there, but we’re seeing him emerge nicely.”
O’Brien was thrilled to see the colt live up to his rating.
“He was the best yearling on our farm from this current crop,” he said. “I’m delighted for the Suraces, they’re good friends and clients. We knew he was going to sell well – there was so much interest.”
O’Brien said the $1.7 million mark was “around about” his expectation, adding with a smile that there were “plenty of times” such predictions were unfulfilled.
“It’s a good way to start the day. It’s all downhill from here,” he quipped.