Daisy Hill has two yearlings by Darley's Impending, one by Coolmore's Merchant Navy and one by another Coolmore stallion in Caravaggio (USA), accompanied by lots by So You Think (NZ) and Fiorente (Ire).
At the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Daisy Hill sold three yearlings by first-season stallions, netting a combined $355,000 for colts by Churchill (Ire) and Merchant Navy and a filly by Hellbent. Significantly, all three of those horses went to Victorian buyers, indicating the faith local buyers have in the Doreen-based operation, which has been consigning horses in Melbourne since 2015.
Gerry Ryan, Colleen Bamford (centre) with Americain (USA) | Image courtesy of Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria
Speaking to Daisy Hill manager Shane Freeman, it becomes clear how much time he and the Bamfords put into their mare matings.
That is in evidence with Lot 189, the filly by Merchant Navy out of Miss Shamrock (Zabeel {NZ}), who was purchased for $75,000 from the 2013 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale for $75,000.
Miss Shamrock is an unraced half-sister to Listed winner and late Sun Stud stallion Fighting Sun, out of G1 Australasian Oaks winner Irish Darling (Ivory's Irish).
She was primarily purchased to support the Bamford's stallion Americain (USA), and produced the stakes-placed Amerock, who the family still own a share in and who was recently second in a race at Moonee Valley.
After sending her to a couple of younger stallions in Real Impact (Jpn) and Pride Of Dubai, the decision was made to send the daughter of Zabeel (NZ) to Merchant Navy.
"We really like this cross of Merchant Navy with Zabeel mares," Freeman said when asked about Lot 189. "We’ve had three at home that are all great types and are good movers with great attitudes. We think he's a very exciting up-and-coming sire."
"We’ve had three at home (Zabeel mares) that are all great types and are good movers with great attitudes." - Shane Freeman
The nicking stats between Merchant Navy's sire Fastnet Rock and Zabeel mares would back up that theory. From 62 runners from that cross, there have been 43 winners and eight stakes winners, highlighted by star Te Akau Racing mare Avantage, who has now won seven Group 1s.
The success of Zabeel mares with stallions with Snippets' bloodlines - Merchant Navy is out of a Snippets mare - is also firmly established through the likes of Snitzel, who nicks very well with daughters of Zabeel, at 11 per cent stakes-winners-to-runners.
The Bamfords have retained a share in Lot 189's older half-brother, Pride Of Galway (Pride Of Dubai), who secured $60,000 at last year's Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
"We have a high opinion of him and wanted to send him around in the Adelaide Magic Millions (Sale) before he went shinsore," he said.
Lot 189 - Merchant Navy x Miss Shamrock (filly)
Impending faith
Darley's Impending, who stands at Northwood Park in Victoria, is expected to make a splash at the Sale, with 21 of his first crop set to go through the ring, including two from Daisy Hill.
Lot 499 is a colt out of Balalaika (King Of Kings {Ire}), making him a half-brother to G2 Queensland Guineas winner and G1 Blue Diamond S., runner-up Jabali (Exceed And Excel) and three other winners.
His grandam is the multiple Group winner Love Of Mary (Zeditave), who has also produced South African Listed winner Miss Scaramanga (Second Empire {Ire}). It’s the extended family of Hong Kong champion Sacred Kingdom (Encosta De Lago).
"He's been very well received here," Freeman said. "He's by an exciting first-season sire, who has sold really well. We are pretty confident we will have a good result with him."
Lot 499 - Impending x Balalaika (colt)
Again, the perfect three winners from three runners record of Impending's sire Lonhro, with daughters of King Of Kings (Ire) back-up that mating decision.
The Impending filly which is set for the Showcase session, Lot 752, is from a strong New Zealand family with her dam, Almost Grace (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}), a half-sister to stakes winners All In Black (NZ}) (Don Eduardo {NZ}) and All In Brawl (Bertolini {USA}).
Pedigree is again to the fore with Lot 445, the colt by Caravaggio (USA), out of Wyetta (NZ) (Keeper), who is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Aloisia (NZ) (Azamour {Ire}).
"He's a very good type of colt," Freeman said.
Set to stay
Daisy Hill is using the Melbourne Sale to offer two colts they believe will make excellent staying prospects in Lot 108 by So You Think, and Lot 682 by Fiorente.
Freeman is particularly excited about the So You Think colt, who is out of the Elvstroem mare Karata. Not too many yearlings can boast three genuine racetrack champions in the first two generations of their pedigree, when you consider the two names mentioned above in concert with his second dam, the legendary Let's Elope (Nassipour {USA}).
The pedigree got some recent punch through the racetrack deeds of another horse that has Let's Elope as her grandam, Swat's That (Shamus Award), a Group 3 winner who has finished second in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. and third in the G1 Lightning S.
"So You Think is one of the hottest sires in the country right now and he is out of Let's Elope's family," Freeman said.
"So You Think is one of the hottest sires in the country right now and he (Lot 108) is out of Let's Elope's family." - Shane Freeman
"It’s a great family and Karata has a 3-year-old Press Statement running around in Hong Kong (Leisure And Gold), who has shown a bit of form. We have kept the half-sister by Pierro, and the trainer is very impressed with her at the moment, and she looks a serious Oaks-type filly.
"This guy's stamped quite well by So You Think, but he is going to be a nice, later maturing type of 3-year-old."
It’s a similar profile for Lot 682, the Fiorente colt, who is out of Protracted (Encosta De Lago), the half-sister to stakes winner Doubt I'm Dreaming (Not A Single Doubt).
"This colt is from one of the better crops of Fiorente. These matings were done when he was leading second-season sire in Victoria. Once again, he's out of a family that looks like they get a bit of distance and he's another nice staying prospect," Freeman said.
Lot 108 - So You Think (NZ) x Karata (colt)
