Race results recorded during October have given Magic Millions a major promotional boost, leading up to the 2011 Tasmanian Yearling Sale.
The sale scheduled for Launceston on Tuesday 22 February features a host of entries that are a full and half-relation to some of October’s stand out performers.
One of the leading entries is a full brother to the outstanding mare Lady Lynette (Ladoni). Lady Lynette’s lead up form to the Group 3 Tesio Stakes had been below her previous standards, but she was back to her best on Cox Plate Day. Lady Lynette won the same race in 2009, and will now be set for the Group 2 Matriarch stakes, a race she finished 3rd in last year. Lady Lynette was a $13,000 purchase at the 2006 Tasmanian sale from the Armidale Stud draft.
This year’s Listed Bendigo Cup was won by Tasmania’s leading stayer Dream Pedlar (West Quest). Dream Pedlar was placed in both of last year’s Hobart and Launceston Cups, and his trainer Troy Blacker decided to give Dream Pedlar an interstate campaign to prepare him for his 2011 Tasmanian Cups campaign.
Dream Pedlar’s lead up form had been very good with a win in the $50,000 Ballarat Gold Nugget, followed by a 4th placing in the Group 3 David Jones Cup at Caulfield.
Troy also trains Dream Flyer (Savoire Vivre), a half brother to Dream Pedlar, who recorded two impressive wins during October at Launceston. Like Dream Pedlar, Dream Flyer has taken time to mature and he is also showing similar staying traits to his older brother. Both Dream Pedlar and Dream Flyer are out of the good producing mare Unamah, and she has a Ladoni colt entered for the 2011 sale.
The first 2yo race in Tasmania was conducted at Hobart on 24 October, and it was won in extremely impressive fashion by the Ken Keys’ trained Triple Asset (Nadeem) a $28,000 purchase from the 2010 Sale. The Armidale Stud-bred filly is sure to provide her owners with a lot of enjoyment in the early 2yo races and she will also be aimed at the $50,000 Magic Millions 2yo race on Launceston Cup Day. Pleasingly, the owners of this filly also picked up a $6,000 Tasbreeders sales credit for the 2011 sale. The win for Triple Asset was a great boost for the Tasmanian sale, proving Tasmanian vendors can also breed early 2yo runners. Triple Asset is out of Caralowe, and she is represented by a stunning Churchill Downs filly at the 2011 sale.
In general, October was also a highly successful month for Tasmanian sale graduates. In total, 36 races were conducted in Tasmania during October, with 20 of these winners being Tasmanian-bred. Additionally, 12 of the winners were previous graduates of the Tasmania Sale – an amazing 33% strike rate.
While the 33% strike rate for the sale is an extremely impressive figure, it is even more impressive when you consider the calibre of these winners. Over and above the outstanding performances listed above, several more above average gallopers have now emerged. This includes Rocky Times (Ladoni) and Our Super (Tough Speed), plus the return of top line gallopers in Secdolrue (Dolphin Street) and Western Wager (West Quest). Both Secdolrue and Western Wager are well above average, however injuries have curtailed their careers. Fortunately, their trainers now have these horses firing again, with better races awaiting these horses during the rich Spring and Summer Carnivals.
Full details of Tasmanian Yearling sale graduate winners during October are listed below:
10 October – Devonport
Rocky Times, Ladoni x Fracas ($16,000, 2008 – Armidale Stud)
King Of Gondor, King Cugat x Handy Rebel ($5,500, 2007 – Bowthorpe Stud)
Miss No Socks, Ladoni x Flying Sword (P/I $7,000, 2008 – K Thomas)
Redbougg, Tobougg x What’s The Goss (P/I $6,000, 2008 – K Thomas)
Western Wager, West Quest x Never Trumped ($8,500, 2007 – R Howarth)
14 October – Launceston
Speedy Genie, Tough Speed x Al Genie (P/I $8,500, 2008 – R Moleworth)
Secdolrue, Dolphin Street x Secolo ($16,000, 2007 – Armidale Stud)
24 October – Hobart
Highland Lassie, Partners Choice x Scottish Lass (P/I $7,500 2008 – O & S Atkins)
Triple Asset, Nadeem x Caralowe ($28,000, 2010 – Armidale Stud)
Rocky Times, Ladoni x Fracas ($16,000, 2008 – Armidale Stud)
Our Super – Tough Speed x Super Rory ($20,000, 2008 – Armidale Stud)
28 October – Launceston
Fabulously Fake – Delzao x Kimbra’s Way ($5,000, 2009 – Armidale Stud)