Carramar Park's successful past few seasons at the yearling sales have ridden on the back of the popularity of the progeny of its Exceed And Excel mare Sonnenblume and that pedigree could be set to get another injection of black type courtesy of her 2-year-old colt Garibaldi (I Am Invincible).
Garibaldi, trained by Tony Gollan, who secured the colt at the 2018 Classic Sale along with Craig Rounsefell from Boomer Bloodstock and Aquis Farm, contests Saturday's BRC G2 Sires' Produce S. at Eagle Farm.
Coming off an unlucky fourth in the G2 Champagne Classic at Doomben two weeks' ago, Garibaldi is looking for his second win having won with some authority on his debut at Doomben back in February.
"He's going very well. As they get a bit further, he'll get better. I know Tony is very happy with him," Carramar Park's Wayne Alchin told TDN AusNZ.
"He had a very good run last start. It was a shame he got bumped, he probably wouldn’t have won, but he could have got second or third."
Garibaldi holds a special place at Carramar Park being the most expensive yearling the Grose Wold-based farm has ever produced.
He fetched $475,000, the second highest price of the 2018 Classic Sale, as the Alchins' faith in Yarraman Park's I Am Invincible paid dividends.
"I thought he'd sell well, but I was very happy with what he got. He's always been a standout. He's just a very good looking horse," he said.
"He's always been a standout. He's just a very good looking horse." - Wayne Alchin
"I've always liked I Am Invincible, I liked him when he stood at $11,000, and we’ve always supported him."
After the death of one of Carramar Park's mares, Sonnenblume was sent to I Am Invincible as a free return in 2015, the year his price doubled from $27,500 to $55,000. In 2019, I Am Invincible stands for $247,500.
The Alchins purchased Sonnenblume, a daughter of Group 1 winning mare Shindig (NZ) and a three-quarter sister to Group1 winner Shinzig (Danehill {USA}) and stakes-winner Strada (Danehill {USA}), privately from Phillipa Duncan Bloodstock as a broodmare following her nine-start racing career, which yielded just the one win.
Described by Alchin as a stunning-looking mare, she was sent to Sebring, producing a filly, named Seeblume, which sold for $240,000 at the 2015 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and has raced 17 times for three wins, including a victory at Randwick.
Her second foal, Consider It Done (Manhattan Rain) won three of her eight starts, while the Shamus Award-sired Rapid Award, who reached $170,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Sale, had just one run.
Pick of the bunch
When Garibaldi arrived at the farm in the spring of 2016, Alchin always knew he'd do well in the ring given he showed all the best qualities of his dam, as well as his sire.
"She is an outstanding type of mare. The key is her temperament. She has a great temperament, and her conformation is a big asset too. They have all had very good conformation," he said.
While the price was a huge result for Carramar Park, the destination of the colt was also significant.
"He's a very good trainer," Alchin said of Gollan. "It's an important thing, where they end up."
At the time of purchase, Craig Rounsefell described the colt as an exceptional type with an incredible attitude and a stallion's pedigree.
"Since purchasing Garibaldi he has continued to grow and develop into a beautiful horse," Rounsefell said.
"Tony has really looked after him and anything that he does as a 2-year-old is a bonus as we all believe he will be an exciting 3-year-old."
Classic timing
Garibaldi's debut win at Doomben in February was particularly good timing for his half-sister by Dissident, who went through the Inglis Classic Sale for Carramar Park a few days later.
Blandford Bloodstock's Stuart Boman went to $340,000 for her, putting her third on the list of the most expensive yearlings Carramar Park has sold.
"That was a very good result and we were happy with that price. She was a nice filly though, lovely moving filly," Alchin said.
Her younger full brother will go through the sales again next year, and given his similar colouring to Garibaldi, Alchin is confident he too will make a splash.
"He's a big strong colt. He's bay and he's very strong," he said.
Sonnenblume has certainly earned her reputation as the star of the 30-odd broodmares the Alchins have at Carramar Park, including 14 they own themselves.
She missed to Russian Revolution last season and Alchin said he hasn’t decided where she will go in 2019.
That may depend on what Garibaldi does over the next few weeks, with the likelihood he goes from Saturday's Group 2 race at Eagle Farm to the G1 JJ Atkins Plate on June 8.
