Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Rounsefell has been working alongside David Kobritz’s Musk Creek Farm helping them gather quality broodmares to join their small but select group of broodmares at their property in Flinders.
Aalaalune was a talented performer on the track, placing six times at stakes level, including running second in the G1 Diamond S., while she also finished fourth in the G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce S.
The daughter of Reliable Man (GB) was offered in foal to Waikato Stud-based sire Savabeel - the only mare in foal to the multiple New Zealand Champion Sire in this week's catalogue - and Rounsefell told TDN AusNZ that he believed the son of Zabeel (NZ) was a good cover to get the mare’s broodmare career underway.
“Savabeel is a proven stallion, he’s fantastic. I love mares that have proven stallions inside them, especially for their first few matings. There’s no better way to get her underway than him,” he said.
“Savabeel is a proven stallion, he’s fantastic. I love mares that have proven stallions inside them, especially for their first few matings. There’s no better way to get her (Aalaalune) underway than him.” - Craig Rounsefell
“She was a very good 2-year-old this mare, and there’s quite a bit of 2-year-old form back in the family so we’d probably look to bring some more speed and precocity into the family again.”
With their ultimate aim of building up their broodmare band with quality broodmares, Rounsefell and Musk Creek Farm have teamed up to buy broodmares in both hemispheres.
At the end of 2021, they purchased three-time winning Oasis Dream (GB) mare Tomorrow’s Dream (Fr) for 150,000gns (AU$265,000) at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in Newmarket.
Aalaalune sold to Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) and Musk Creek Farm for $750,000 | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
While, this year they were active at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale when they took home Group 2-winning mare Only Words (NZ) (Sweynesse) for $200,000, while they also went to $280,000 to secure Specialism (Safeguard) and she was offered in foal to Kia Ora’s G1 Golden Slipper S.-winning stallion Farnan.
Aalaalune herself is out of unraced Fastnet Rock mare Veva Girl making her a sister to Group 3 scorer De La Terre (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), while she counts Listed-placed Black Thorn (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) among her half-siblings.
Further back this is the same family as Listed winner Jerezana (Lonhro) - the dam of Group 2 scorer and Group 1-placed Osborne Bulls (Street Cry {Ire}).
Craig Rounsefell | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Rounsefell said Musk Creek Farm were in the process of building up their boutique broodmare band, with the emphasis placed on quality over quantity to help develop families and breed horses for the track.
“I bought her (Aalaalune) for Musk Creek and another client of mine who have partnered up to buy her. Musk Creek is building a phenomenal broodmare band which is very boutique - they have 20 mares on the farm which is a picturesque property down in Flinders.
“We’ve been building over the last few years towards getting a really top-quality broodmare band, purchasing not just here in Australia but around the world including in America and Europe. I think over the next five to 10 years they’re going to be a big player at the yearling sales.
“We’ve been building over the last few years towards getting a really top-quality broodmare band... I think over the next five to 10 years they’re (Musk Creek) going to be a big player at the yearling sales." - Craig Rounsefell
“It’s going to be very much a boutique operation with small numbers selling here at the Magic Millions in January also at the hometown in Melbourne and also look to Easter - just small, quality drafts hopefully producing horses that trainers want to buy.”
With the current average for the Sale $219,696, Rounsefell said the market this week has been very strong, but was delighted to be leaving the Sales complex with the mare in tow, having been worried the strength of the market would mean they missed out on their target purchase.
“It’s been a tough market for the first couple of days. Yulong has been extremely strong in purchasing a large volume of horses. The yearling market is strong so you’d say broodmares are probably the safest play in the industry,” he said.
“That was our only bid. We had that figure as our upper budget. We were getting more and more nervous as horses were going through, when horses were making what I thought was double their value so I thought we were in a bit of trouble. Fortunately, the one bid stole the show.
David Kobritz of Musk Creek Farm
“I’m finding that these broodmares are getting smaller and smaller and I like a mare with a bit of scope about her. This is a beautiful big mare, she has a lot of quality with plenty of depth and a great mover. Physically she has all the attributes I like in a broodmare."
It was also no surprise to see the agent invest in the family, given he purchased the mare’s brother for NZ$340,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale last year.
“We purchased her brother for the Hong Kong Jockey Club last year which will go up there. It’s a strong, winning family which can produce a top horse. She seems easy to mate here in Australia and the early service by Savabeel is a huge plus," Rounsefell explained.
"It’s a strong, winning family which can produce a top horse. She (Aalaalune) seems easy to mate here in Australia and the early service by Savabeel is a huge plus." - Craig Rounsefell
“She’ll definitely go to a proven stallion, one which can get a 2-year-old and probably moving back more towards the speed side. There’s a couple of options on the table which we’ll discuss over the coming week.”
