Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
With the iconic Great Western Tiers mountain range as a backdrop, the Sale's new location, at Quercus Park at Carrick, emphasises the best virtues of the Tasmanian breeding and bloodstock industry, which has built a formidable record of producing champion racehorses in recent times.
Head 5km north and you are at the gates of Armidale Stud, the nursery of a wealth of Tassie champions, including the G1 Australian Guineas and The All-Star Mile heroine Mystic Journey (Needs Further). Head another 10 minutes west, and you will come across Jenny and Geoff Watson's Macleay Thoroughbred Stud, where another recent Australian Guineas winner, Palentino, was bred and raised.
Head south-east for 10 minutes, and you will come across the town of Longford, the home of cult horse The Cleaner (Savoire Vivre {GB}) and now Tassie's latest champ, Still A Star (Toronado {Ire}), who will fly the local flag in the upcoming The All-Star Mile, for trainer Bill Ryan.
Graeme McCulloch | Image courtesy of Grenville Stud
Similarly, McCulloch's own Grenville Stud, which produced the G1 Caulfield Cup, Australian and New Zealand Derby winner Mongolian Khan, is less than 10km away from Quercus Park.
Given Tasmania is a state which prides itself on bringing people as close as possible to the source of its much-esteemed local product, it seems completely appropriate that the 2021 Tassie Sale should be held in the heart of thoroughbred country.
"I've been here for a few days and they have done a fantastic job. It’s a nice little set-up. Everyone will be pleased," McCulloch said of the new venue.
"It's just a good set-up with all the stables in a little circle. It’s a lot easier for people to get around, with everything so compact. It’s ideal."
Return on investment
The move into a more rural backdrop for the Sale comes off the back of an incredible run of success from its graduates, enhancing its reputation as the best value Sale in Australia when it comes to return on investment.
The average for the Sale jumped above $30,000 for the first time last year, off the back of a great tagline that you could have purchased every horse at the preceding three sales and still made a profit in terms of prizemoney returned.
"It's the best Sale in Australia, as far as horses making back what they cost. That's a pretty big effort for a Tasmanian Sale to achieve that. But we’ve got the best country in Australia to rear horses without a doubt," McCulloch, an undoubtedly proud Tasmanian, said.
"It's the best Sale in Australia, as far as horses making back what they cost." - Graeme McCulloch
The greatest threat to this Sale was the possibility of Victorian buyers, who spent $1.3 million of the $3.4 million aggregate last year, remaining shut out by border closures. But with a sense of timing, the Tasmanian Government opened things up on Saturday morning, and judging by those on complex on Sunday, the 'mainlanders' are back in good numbers.
Zulu time
That's excellent news for McCulloch, who offers 14 yearlings by the first crop of his stallion, Zululand, on Monday.
"I couldn't be happier with them to tell you the truth. They are good types of horses, strong-bodied horses with plenty of bone, and they are very correct. We had a parade on the farm last week and people were so impressed with his progeny," he said.
Zululand, by Fastnet Rock, was a $1.5 million Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase by Coolmore and China Horse Club. Prepared by Lindsay Park, he debuted with a second at Caulfield over 1000 metres before graduating to win the G2 VRC Sires' Produce at his fourth start.
He was placed in a G1 Champagne S. later in his 2-year-old campaign, while he concluded his career in Singapore, where he was second in a Listed Singapore Cup.
Lot 52 - Zululand x Snow Festival (filly)
McCulloch said Zululand has very much stamped his stock in his image.
"You’d say that they have a fair bit of Fastnet Rock in them. They really look like racehorses," he said.
"For a Fastnet Rock-line stallion, I reckon they will be pretty precocious. His first start, he ran second at over 1000 metres. They should be up and about, but I do feel they will stretch out to a bit of ground like he did."
Pressed specifically on his best by the stallion in the catalogue, McCulloch points to Lot 52, who is a filly out of Snow Festival (Street Sense {USA}), who has already produced the three-time winner Little Pegg (Mossman).
"Of the colts, the Benoit colt (Lot 87) is probably the best colt I have ever bred. He's just an outstanding colt in every way. He's correct, he is strong and good boned," he said.
Pedigree updates fuel interest
One of the busiest colts for McCulloch and his son Bart at pre-Sale inspections has been Lot 106, the half-brother to recent dual Tasmanian stakes-winning juvenile and Sunday's Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Turk Warrior (Outreach), out of Ehor (Val Royal {FR}), who in her racing days was also Tasmania's best 2-year-old.
"He's a lovely colt. He's a little bit different than the other fella, maybe not as big and strong as Turk Warrior, but he looks like he’ll get up and go as a 2-year-old," he said.
"Turk Warrior is by far our best 2-year-old over here, and the dam was a very good 2-year-old as well. With Turk Warrior, you wouldn't know how far he’ll go, because he has been very impressive. The further he goes, I think the better he will be."
"Turk Warrior is by far our best 2-year-old over here, and the dam was a very good 2-year-old as well." - Graeme McCulloch
The other Zululand which has taken McCulloch's eye is Lot 98, from, who is out of a half-sister to Listed Tasmanian Derby winner Jerilderie Letter (Bushranger {Ire}).
"He is a beautiful colt and a good example of the way Zululand really stamps his horses."
Lonhro filly grabs attention
Outside of the Zululands, the one yearling that really stands out in Grenville Stud's draft from a pedigree perspective is Lot 69, by Champion sire Lonhro out of Time Commands (Commands), the daughter of Listed winner Extension Of Time (Dash For Cash {USA}) and half-sister to stakes-performed sprinter Morrissy (Snitzel).
"She might just be the first by Lonhro that has been offered here. We could have taken her to the Melbourne sales, but we decided to keep her here, just for a bit of an attraction factor in our draft," he said.
Lot 69 - Lonhro x Time Commands (filly)
"She is very correct and a lovely, typical Lonhro filly, type wise. She's out of a good family. She is very much along those Lonhro lines. Hopefully, there can be a bit of interest in her."
McCulloch also offers a trio of colts by another Grenville Stud resident in Mawingo (Ger), who has produced 15 winners from 43 runners to the track.
"Mawingo lacks numbers, but gee he has done a fantastic job. On New Year's weekend, he had four runners for three winners and a second at Randwick. You can't get much better than that," he said.
