Cover image courtesy of Valiant Stud
Connolly and his team present their fourth draft at the Riverside Stables at the Classic Sale, which starts on Sunday, as the Valiant Stud business approaches the fifth anniversary of its establishment in 2018.
Connolly had previously spent five years at Segenhoe Stud and it was in his early days there that he played a role in nurturing a Fastnet Rock colt who would go on to become a dual Group 1 winner and then a Coolmore stallion.
Fergal Connolly | Image courtesy of Inglis
This week, Valiant Stud presents four yearlings from Merchant Navy's second crop, two colts and two fillies.
"He's a stallion that has a strong place in my heart. I worked at Segenhoe for many years and we foaled him down there and looked after his mother and the whole family," Connolly told TDN AusNZ.
"I really think Merchant Navy is a stallion that is flying a bit under the radar. No doubt we will see better results on the track in the short-term future."
"He's (Merchant Navy) a stallion that has a strong place in my heart. I worked at Segenhoe for many years and we foaled him down there and looked after his mother and the whole family." - Fergal Connolly
There have been two winners from Merchant Navy's first crop as well as stakes-performed filly Drisana. He has only had seven runners to date and given he himself didn't debut as a 2-year-old until March, before peaking as a 3-year-old, winning the G1 Coolmore Stud S. and the G1 Diamond Jubilee S., the expectation is that more winners will flow in the next few months.
The first cab off the rank for Valiant Stud at the 2022 Inglis Classic Sale will be a Merchant Navy colt, Lot 46, who is out of Magic Obsession (Magic Albert), a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Red Excitement (Excites) from the family of Group 1 winner and star young Newgate stallion Capitalist.
Gallery: Valiant Stud's yearlings by Merchant Navy to be offered at the Inglis Classic Sale, images courtesy of Inglis
The other Merchant Navy colt in the draft, Lot 304, will be offered on behalf of Richard and Kim McClenahan's Mullaglass Stud. He is a half-brother to the $625,000 Classic Sale record-breaking Capitalist colt (Capital Theatre) sold by Kitchwin Hills last year.
"They (the McClenahans) sold the Theatric colt by Capitalist last year and that was a great result and he went to the stables of John Moore. We've got a nice Merchant Navy colt, his half-brother to offer through the Sale and we are delighted for Richard and Kim to offer him," Connolly said.
Richard McClenahan and Capital Theatre as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The dam of the two colts, Theatric (Casino Prince), is a granddaughter of November Song (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), who also features as the grandam of Aquis stallion and Group 1 winner Pierata.
The Mullaglass connection
That Merchant Navy colt is one of 13 yearlings that Valiant Stud will offer on behalf of Mullaglass Stud at the Classic Sale.
"Richard and Kim have been long-term friends of mine, and Richard is also my vet. I've always had an ongoing relationship, and I'm delighted to offer some horses for Mullaglass and I'd have to say, they have been prepared to a T. They are being very well-received at the complex," he said.
The McClenahans sold subsequent Group 1 winner and now Yarraman Park Stud stallion Hellbent through this Sale in 2014.
Hellbent | Standing at Yarraman Park Stud
The remaining two Merchant Navy fillies are from Connolly's clients. Lot 471 is out of Coconut Dream (Denman), from the family of Group 1 winner Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt) and is a half-sister to a Spieth (NZ) colt which secured $150,000 for Valiant Stud at last year's Classic Sale.
Lot 703 is a filly out of imported mare Quality Moment (Ire) (Casamento {GB}), who was owned by Go Bloodstock and whose Frankel (GB) colt fetched $280,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Fresh blood
It's a draft with a definite preference for young sires. There are six yearlings by first-crop sires, 11 by second-crop sires and five by third-crop sires.
"Going from champion first-season sires to up-and-coming horses that have their first 2-year-olds on the track this year like Churchill, Invader, Merchant Navy, we have a broad draft there consisting mainly of colts, with seven nice fillies to complement it," Connolly said.
"Some of these dams of these yearlings just needed a bit of life brought into them. These younger stallions offer great appeal to the buying market. The trainers here in Sydney are often looking for that new flavour and syndication companies are the same."
"These younger stallions offer great appeal to the buying market. The trainers here in Sydney are often looking for that new flavour and syndication companies are the same." - Fergal Connolly
Last year's Inglis Classic Sale was an excellent example of that, with Capitalist, off the back of Profiteer's dominant win in the R. Listed Inglis Millennium, producing the top two lots and three of the top seven.
The Newgate stallion continues to be very appealing to buyers and Valiant Stud's 2022 draft contains two colts by the sire, Lot 83, out of stakes-placed mare Miss Loren (Stryker), and Lot 527, out of Group 3-placed mare Elfee (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}). Both are offered on behalf of Mullaglass and have been among the more popular on early inspections.
Another popular one is the Extreme Choice colt, Lot 86, also one of the Mullaglass representatives. He is out of Starcraft (NZ) mare Miss Spiritualty, giving him a close cross to influential broodmare Singles Bar (Rory's Jester), the dam of Not A Single Doubt. There are only 14 colts in Extreme Choice's third crop.
Gallery: Some of Valiant Stud's yearlings to be offered at the Inglis Classic Sale, images courtesy of Inglis
Another relatively rare offering who is proving quite popular is Lot 148, a colt by Ocean Park (NZ). There have only been 26 yearlings by Ocean Park offered at public auction in Australia in the past four years and there are just three at this year's Classic Sale.
Lot 148, is from Poppy O'Neill (NZ) (Pins), a half-sister to G2 Edward Manifold S. winner She Will Be Loved (Strategic) and is offered on behalf of noted New Zealand breeders Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax of Blandford Lodge.
"He's been brought over here to be sold and he's a lovely looking animal with great balance and scope. He offers that other element that sometimes trainers over here like to obtain," Connolly said.
"Getting these bloodlines is not easy in Australia, so it's nice to have him here to appeal to buyers that like that bloodline."
"Getting these bloodlines is not easy in Australia, so it's nice to have him (Lot 148) here to appeal to buyers that like that bloodline." - Fergal Connolly
With its biggest-ever Classic Sale draft, Connolly said Valiant Stud is confident it has the right mix of horses to suit the market.
"This Sale is renowned for producing good racehorses and winners, so we try to bring those horses here that we think have a good career in front of them, horses that are athletes that will fulfill the hopes of the trainers and the new owners and that warrant a space in a stable all over Australia," he said.
"The Inglis Classic Sale is renowned for having a good clearance rate and good results. There seems to be a huge appetite for racehorses and racing in Australia. It couldn't be going any stronger. I think and feel that it will continue on into the year."
