A fourth career Group 1 winner for Magnus via Streets Of Avalon in Saturday's G1 Futurity S. was a fitting reward for his consistency across a long breeding career, according to Sun Stud's Sales And Nominations Manager Philip Marshall.
Streets Of Avalon, trained by Shane Nichols, broke through for his first Group 1 success and the first for his sire since 2017, when leading all the way holding off G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth (Dundeel {NZ}).
Magnus has always been a prolific producer of winners and has had over 90 in Australia in each of the past five completed seasons and 59 already in 2019/20. But top-level winners are what reputations are built on and having had three stakes winners already this season, the career-best performance of Streets Of Avalon comes as the latest selection of Magnus's yearlings are hitting the sales rings in Tasmania, Melbourne and Adelaide.
"Getting a Group 1 winner at any stage of your career is always fantastic, so it’s a wonderful achievement for him. He's a horse that we have all been able to set our watches by, very rarely does a day go past when he doesn’t get a winner," Marshall said.
"He's a horse that we have all been able to set our watches by, very rarely does a day go past when he doesn’t get a winner." - Philip Marshall
"We saw with Streets Of Avalon what Magnus is able to put into his progeny. He puts that toughness and will to win into them. That's a decisive factor in becoming a good racehorse. You can have the best conformed, best looking horse in the world but if it doesn't have that will to win and that fight, then they probably won't go on to great things.
"A horse like Magnus does seem to put those characteristics into most, if not all of his progeny."
Magnus | Standing at Sun Stud
Indeed, Streets Of Avalon summoned every bit of that famed character in winning on Saturday, and he's a horse that Marshall believes fully deserves his status as a Group 1 winner.
"The field was extremely strong, maybe not in numbers but in quality. The horses Streets Of Avalon beat, you’ve got Super Seth, Melody Belle and Kolding behind him. It was a fantastic event and I think Streets Of Avalon has really confirmed himself as a top-notch performer. He goes to the All-Star Mile now with every chance," he said.
Big books make for bright future
Sun Stud stood Magnus at $16,500 (inc GST) in 2019, where he again served a big book of 111 mares. Across his 12 seasons, he has only dipped below 100 services on two occasions, and Marshall feels that his broad appeal has helped build that continued success.
"He gets really well supported by all aspects of the industry. The higher-end support him, your breed-to-race guys still support him and those looking to get a nice return from the sales support him," he said.
"Despite his advancing age, he doesn't look like slowing down. He covered as good a book of mares last season. He certainly doesn't seem to have been affected by it physically, that's for sure."
Magnus during his racing days
Having averaged over $80,000 for three lots at last week's Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Magnus had three go through the ring for a total of $108,000 in Tasmania. He has four lots catalogued at the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne and four more at the Magic Millions Adelaide sale next month.
"Everyone dreams of having a yearling by a stallion that has had a Group 1 winner days before a sale. It’s fantastic timing and it’s certainly going to be a boost to the horses he has got coming through both the Melbourne and Adelaide sales," Marshall said.
Scene set for Palentinos to make a big splash
While delighted with Magnus' latest success, the focus at Sun Stud is very much on how the first crop of Palentinos will sell this season.
The dual Group 1-winning son of Teofilo (Ire) had three through the ring in Tasmania on Monday, but the moment of truth will come at the Premier Sale at Oaklands Junction next week, where he will have 25 for sale, 10 from Sun Stud's own draft.
Palentino has 25 Lots catalogued at the upcoming Melbourne Premier Sale
"We've been pretty clear about how excited we are to get these Palentinos to market. We are rapt with what we’ve seen. We’ve been on the road and seen all the Palentinos in the Melbourne sale. I have to say that there isn't one I wouldn't happily take home," Marshall said.
"He's done everything right so far. He's got the mare numbers, he's got the quality of mare and most importantly, he is leaving a substantial type as well.
"We’ve been on the road and seen all the Palentinos in the Melbourne sale. I have to say that there isn't one I wouldn't happily take home." - Philip Marshall
"He's throwing to himself, which is always what you want to see in stallions. They have all got plenty of quality, plenty of substance and a lot of presence. We market him as power, presence, performance and certainly the yearlings have the power and presence and we will see if they have the performance."
Palentino | Standing at Sun Stud
Marshall has a couple of favourites from the Sun Stud selection of Palentinos at Melbourne. Lot 153 is a colt out of Evasive (NZ) (One Cool Cat {USA}), the half-sister to Group 1 winner Zabrasive (Zabeel {NZ}), while Lot 480 is a colt out of Tantalized (Octagonal {NZ}), the daughter of star sprinting mare Excited Angel (Don't Say Halo {USA}).
"They are two very nice chestnuts, which a lot of people will be very keen to see. The colt out of Evasive, he's strong, walks well. He just looks like a nice jump-and-run sort of horse," Marshall said.
"We've got a colt later in the sale out of Tantalized. He is a big, strong, powerful, masculine horse who is a half-brother to Lazumba, who was placed in a Sires' Produce."
The right formula for success
Sun Stud has anchored its 24-strong Melbourne draft around the rich middle bracket, with eyes to making a significant impression on the sale as a vendor.
"One thing that people coming to Melbourne will know is that the sale is very strong in that $80,000 to $150,000 bracket. You've got to mould your draft around those horses. I think we’ve done that. We’ve got eight to 10 horses in that mould and that will be the backbone of our draft," Marshall said.
"We’ve got half a dozen in that $200,000 plus bracket and we’ve got a few horses that will suit those looking to resell through a Ready To Run sale.
"I think it's the strongest draft we’ve brought to Melbourne in my time at Sun Stud. As long as Inglis has brought the buying bench, I would like to think we will be up there with the leading vendors when the sale is all done and dusted."
