Cover image courtesy of Michael McInally
In winning on Saturday, Tyresa added a much sought-after juvenile black-type win to her record and she is certainly not only a bright prospect, but also a valuable filly.
A graduate of the 2021 Magic Millions Newgate Farm draft, the Nick Vass-bred chestnut was - after initially being passed in - secured by trainer Kelly Schweida for $90,000.
Not quite the return one would have expected for a filly with such a big pedigree, but Tyresa was, as recalls Newgate's Assistant Stud Manager Jackson Beirs, not the "classically beautiful type the sale ring loves."
Tyresa as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
There was nothing particularly wrong with Tyresa, her x-rays 'low risk' and she had attributes trainers seek.
"She was a well-made yearling, with a really good middle, a big girth and nice hindquarters - and she moved well,” explained Beirs. “She was a big, rangy filly with a plain head!
"She was strong but just lacked that bit of quality, which I think explains the price she sold for.”
Jackson Beirs | Image courtesy of Newgate Farm
Despite the above, Schweida admitted he didn’t think he would get her for what he did.
"I did not think I'd get her that cheaply," Schweida recalled. “She was a big girl, but a good sort.”
Managing part-owner Glenn Betts, who races Tyresa with mates "and mates of mates" was also pleasantly surprised by her price-tag.
"I must admit that she was not on my original list - I just thought that with that pedigree that she'd be out of our league. I was flipping through the catalogue and when I saw that she'd been passed in I rang Kelly,” Betts said.
"I must admit that she (Tyresa) was not on my original list - I just thought that with that pedigree that she'd be out of our league. I was flipping through the catalogue and when I saw that she'd been passed in I rang Kelly.” - Glenn Betts
"He had already looked at her and liked her but he also assumed she'd be too much - so he went back and negotiated and we got her."
Not a new relationship
Betts has known Schweida for years and has enjoyed cheering home a number of nice horses, including the stakes winner Miss Hipstar (Star Turn), with the stable.
"I was an apprentice jockey and we rode against each other - and for a time I was training as well but I got out of the game. It was not until my business partner Kenny (Swindail) mentioned that he loved racing that we decided to get into some horses."
Tyresa did not display immediate ability, Schweida noted that: "She was gangly, much more of a 3-year-old type."
Which made her 2-year-old form a nice surprise. Tyresa, at just her second start, caught the eye with a fast-finishing Ipswich second at big odds and on her next outing at Eagle Farm she recorded an easy win.
Despite being sent out at cricket score odds in the G1 JJ Atkins S., Tyresa ran well.
"Larry Cassidy said that she was baulked in the run home and if not for that could've finished a length closer," Schweida said.
"She was beaten less than three lengths, and that's pretty good form for a Listed race."
Heading to the paddock, Tyresa has not been set any aims for next season, with Schweida happy to see where her form takes her.
Kelly Schweida | Image courtesy of the Brisbane Racing Club
"On pedigree she should be a sprinter but I think she could get up to as much as 2000 metres."
Describing Tyresa as "a ripping filly" who has furnished into "a lovely type," Schweida said that she pulled up well after Saturday’s exploits and is a filly who has not put a foot wrong during her campaign - "she is as sound as a bell."
Whatever Tyresa achieves, her value as a broodmare is secured. A member of one of Australia's favourite families, she is a three-quarter sister to Newgate Farm’s G1 Golden Slipper S. hero Capitalist, who has already been represented by eight stakes winners including the G1 ATC Sires' Produce S. winner Captivant.
Capitalist | Standing at Newgate Farm
A well-timed buy
Tyresa is just the second foal for the unraced Stresa (Real Saga), a $200,000 yearling (the third most expensive by Real Saga) who has changed hands several times - at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale she was purchased by Newstar Bloodstock for $380,000, while at the same Sale two years later she was snapped up by Nick Vass for $400,000 and last year, Kingstar Farm outlaid $210,000 for her.
"We were blessed to buy her at the right time," said Kingstar's Manager Adam Cook, who was full of praise for Stresa's fourth foal, a Magic Millions-bound brother to Tyresa.
"We were blessed to buy her (Stresa) at the right time." - Adam Cook
"He is a fantastic colt who has been a standout since day one," he enthused.
Cook also has plenty of time for Stresa, describing her as a mare built very much in the mould of Capitalist.
“She looks exactly like him,” said Cook. “Not too big but very strong."
Stresa's first foal, the unraced Kingstar owned Ambrose (Written Tycoon) heads to stud this spring while her third, a yearling already named Queen Of The Mile (Written Tycoon) was purchased by Darby Racing for $180,000 at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sister to Tyresa, Queen Of The Mile, pictured at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Sadly, Stresa's dam Kitalpha (NZ) (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}) died young having produced only four foals with Capitalist her star. She has one other daughter - Ineffable (Smart Missile) who was retired off a couple of unplaced trials. A $300,000 Magic Millions yearling purchased by Newgate, she changed hands in 2019 - purchased by Ross Bone for $375,000 at the Gold Coast.
Her first visit was also to Written Tycoon, that colt bought for $350,000 by Greg Hickman at last year's Magic Millions. Named Among Us, he has a few starts - showing ability with a debut placing. Ineffable also has a Zoustar yearling colt and was served by Written Tycoon last spring.
Among Us as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
And so this is a family which will continue to thrive and what a history it has, Kitalpha being a daughter of the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) winner Compulsion (Danehill {USA}) who also produced the Listed Caloundra Cup winner Brayroan (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the dams of the stakes winners Sacred Magnate (Foxwedge) and Red Excitement (Excites).
Compulsion's dam is Bold Promise (Luskin Star) - the three-time Group winner remembered as one of the best 2-year-olds of her year and she did a great job at stud, producing the dual Group 1-winning fillies Merlene (Danehill {USA}) and Miss Pennymoney (Brocco {USA}).
Both of those mares have left stakes winners with the former doing a particularly good job producing the dual Group winner Merlene De Lago (Encosta De Lago), while one of her unraced daughters is the dam of the G1 VRC Oaks heroine Dear Demi (Dehere {USA}).
