The Seven Seas, an unraced half-sister to R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Away Game (Snitzel), will be unveiled in Saturday’s lucrative R. Listed Inglis Nursery at Randwick after showing plenty of ability in two recent trials for trainer John Sargent.
Bred by Peter O’Brien and Chris and Jane Barham, The Seven Seas was acquired for $280,000 after failing to meet her reserve at this year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
The Seven Seas as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Peter O’Brien from Segenhoe (Stud) came up to me after she was passed in and asked what we thought of her, and when we went and had a good look at her we really liked her and realised the reserve price wasn’t unfair at all,” Pilkington told TDN AusNZ.
“A lot of people thought she would’ve made more money, but she slipped through the cracks and we were a bit lucky to get her and while she was a lot of money, in the context of what gets spent on fillies she was on the cheaper side.”
Merchant Navy's first-crop of yearlings averaged over $125,000 across the select sales of the 2021 Australian sales season, but Pilkington felt his first offerings weren’t as well received by the market as might have been expected.
“A lot of people thought she (The Seven Seas) would’ve made more money, but she slipped through the cracks and we were a bit lucky to get her." - Mark Pilkington
“It’s nice to see the progression of his (Merchant Navys) progeny as people seemed a bit ambivalent towards them at the yearling sales but all the breakers and now everyone who has a Merchant Navy in training says they show good talent and are quite pleased with them,” Pilkington said.
“In hindsight, they weren’t the big bummed, big, strong, forward-looking yearlings that a lot of people like to buy but Merchant (Navy) wasn’t like that himself, he was a mid-sized colt and for those who knew the horse weren’t fussed that he didn’t get big, sexy looking things.”
Mark Pilkington (FBAA) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Pilkington and Thomas will be active in their pursuit of Merchant Navy’s progeny during the course of the 2022 yearling sales regardless of what they produce on the track over the coming months.
“We’ve seen enough of them (Merchant Navy's) to be confidently looking again, we have three homebred progeny by him that we have sent to trainers that have all shown talent, we also bought four last year and have sent another six mares to him this season,” Pilkington said.
“We’ve seen enough of them (Merchant Navy's) to be confidently looking again. We have three homebred progeny by him that we have sent to trainers that all have all shown talent." - Mark Pilkington
Pilkington doesn’t want to put the mozz on The Seven Seas but holds high hopes for what she can achieve on the racetrack before eventually joining Seymour Bloodstock’s burgeoning broodmare band.
He said it would be extra special to own the first winner by Merchant Navy, who already has a stakes performer with Drisana, the first of three runners to date, finishing second to boom filly Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) on debut in the G3 Gimcrack S. on October 2.
Merchant Navy | Standing at Coolmore Stud
“She’s (The Seven Seas) a nicely bred, talented filly and it looks a good time to start her off, so if Saturday isn’t her day, she will probably get her day soon,” Pilkington said.
Sargent likes what he Seas
John Sargent is delighted to be entrusted with The Seven Seas, saying he is thankful of Pilkington and Thomas’ decision to reward him for his efforts with four-time Group-winning heroine Luvaluva (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and the ill-fated Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}), a winner of $1.25 million.
“I was very happy to get the chance to get her into my stables, add another earlier 2-year-old type to the team, especially with her breeding,” Sargent told TDN AusNZ.
“So, let's hope she can get off to a good start on Saturday as I’m very happy with her leading into the race.”
John Sargent
Sargent isn’t concerned about The Seven Seas’ awkward draw on Saturday, barrier 13 of 15, saying the likely wet conditions at Randwick could benefit horses running on out wide.
He said Alysha Collett won’t be given any clear instructions and that his gallopers natural speed will see her forward of midfield in the run.
“She jumps and runs a bit, so we will try and slot in hopefully with cover, but you never know with fields of first starters, some might fly the gates, and some might miss it a bit,” Sargent said.
“She (The Seven Seas) jumps and runs a bit, so we will try and slot in hopefully with cover, but you never know with fields of first starters." - John Sargent
“So, I will leave it to Alysha (Collett) and after she’s gone 100 metres in the run, she can work out what to do from there.”
The Seven Seas’ has the right attributes to perform at stakes level as a juvenile, however, Sargent believes that she will be at her best as a 3-year-old and beyond.
“She needs to mature a bit, she’s not a big horse but neither was Away Game,” Sargent said.
“So, I’ll give her a couple of days out after the run and then assess where we go but she is a natural runner a really talented 2-year-old type.”
Away Game | Image courtesy of Sportpix
The Seven Seas and Away Game are out of Listed Chairman S. third placegetter Elusive Wonder (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}), making the former a half-sister and the latter a sister to the stakes-winning, dual Group 3-placed Modern Wonder.
Elusive Wonder is a half-sister to Listed winner Tantra (Royal Academy {USA}) and hails from the extended family of multiple Group 1 winner and stallion Inference and G3 Carbine Club S. hero Ranier (Lonhro).
Stable star moving towards autumn
Sargent’s current stable star Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel) has returned from a spell in superb order and will be aimed towards the G1 Surround S.
“She’s been back in for three weeks now and she will be at her peak for this Sydney’s autumn, she has returned looking a lot bigger and stronger,” Sargent said.
“She’s (Four Moves Ahead) been back in for three weeks now and she will be at her peak for this Sydney’s autumn, she has returned looking a lot bigger and stronger." - John Sargent
“So, hopefully this is her time to prove that she is a genuine Group 1 horse.”
Owned by prominent owner/breeder Jonathan Munz of Pinecliff Racing, Four Moves Ahead is out of the unraced Doulmera (USA), making her a half-sister to the G3 Angst S.-winning dual Group 2-placed Emeralds (Sebring).
