Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Group 1-winning stallion Hellbent is enjoying a late season purple patch, much to the delight of Harry Mitchell of Yarraman Park, where the stallion stands.
Last Thursday, he sired two 2-year-old winners, with the John O’Shea-trained Hell I Am breaking his maiden at Canterbury, before Tattenham followed suit at Cranbourne for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.
Hellbent | Standing at Yarraman Park Stud
Then, on Tuesday, Kris Lees’ filly Hellavadancer broke through for the first time, thrashing her rivals in a Gunnedah maiden.
Hellbent made it four winners in a week, on Wednesday, when the Chris Waller-trained Ammahell registered an impressive debut victory at Warwick Farm.
Ammahell’s success improved Hellbent’s tally to eight individual winners totalling nine wins and took his progeny’s earnings past $600,000, which sees him sit comfortably in the top 10 first-season sires’ table.
Mitchell told TDN AusNZ he’s not surprised by Hellbent’s recent run of impressive results.
“He’s had a good week, we always knew the longer the season went, the better he would get,” Mitchell, a co-director of Yarraman Park Stud, said.
“He’s doing what we thought he would do. We were a bit annoyed there for a bit, as he had a lot keep getting beaten, running second, but now they’re winning left, right and centre.”
“He’s (Hellbent) doing what we thought he would do. We were a bit annoyed there for a bit, as he had a lot keep getting beaten, running second, but now they’re winning left, right and centre.” - Harry Mitchell
“We’re very, very keen on Hellbent and have been ever since we’ve seen his stock.
“It’s nice to see these horses come out and win so well as he comes into his 3-year-old season. They seem to be finding the line really well.
“I think it’s what we all expected with him, that he’ll get 2-year-olds, but they’ll train on.”
Mitchell explained that Hellbent’s late-season flurry is most timely.
Harry Mitchell
Hellbent stands at Yarraman Park for $22,000 (inc GST), which Mitchell says is incredibly good value.
“It obviously helps (his form), the horse throws lovely types of horses and the market’s received him very well, both first and second year. It’s a big help, there’s no doubt it’s a very competitive market,” he said.
“He’s got a little bit of room, but not a hell of a lot. He’s got a good syndicate behind him and they’re all being very supportive, but, yeah, there’s a little bit of room, maybe 20 nominations or something like that.
“At that fee, I think he’s probably the best value of any horse going around. For a horse standing at $20,000, he’s doing an exceptionally good job.
“I expect his progeny, horses like Warby, Luna Rocks, Hellhound and Hell I am, I think they’re all going to continue to get better. He had a very good book of yearlings, this season, too, they averaged $232,000 at Magic Millions (in January); that tells you that people like them.”
“He (Hellbent) had a very good book of yearlings, this season, too, they averaged $232,000 at Magic Millions (in January); that tells you that people like them.” - Harry Mitchell
Hellbent, a 9-year-old son of Yarraman Park Stud’s star sire I Am Invincible, will be restricted to 150 coverings.
“What we try and do with our horses is try and keep the quality of mares up as best we can,” he said.
“We always keep him to 150 and that won't change. That’s what he handles, so we’ll leave him at that, it’s enough mares in my opinion.”
Ammahell was bred by Dalanna Bloodstock, Richard Pegum and Michelle Wright and offered by Edinglassie Thoroughbreds at last year’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale, where he was knocked down for $160,000. The colt, the second winner from the Group 3-winning mare Ammirata (Nadeem), was picked out by Damien Fitton, Waller’s assistant racing manager, with his boss’ blessing.
Ammahell as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“This has probably been one the best days for me on a racetrack,” Fitton told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“Chris gave me an order to go and buy a yearling at the Magic Millions in 2021 and I purchased this fella for $160,000. We got a good group of Chris’ owners into the horse and they have been very patient.
“The Hellbents have been getting through the Heavy tracks and it was pleasing to see him do that as we have a big opinion of him.”
Not only was it a maiden win for Ammahell, it was also the first victory for his strapper, Jasmine Haynes, who has been with Waller for eight months. Jasmine is the daughter of Sky presenter Richard Haynes and renowned bloodstock journalist Tara Madgwick.
Damien Fitton with Ammahell after purchasing him at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale | Image courtesy of Damien Fitton
Ammahell was handled by Tommy Berry, who has a high opinion of the colt.
“I was very confident from the corner on, I just worried when he got there, he kind of got a little bit lost, but he was nice and strong late,” Berry told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“He feels like he’ll get over further and they’re going to have a lot of fun with him.”
“He (Ammahell) feels like he’ll get over further and they’re going to have a lot of fun with him.” - Tommy Berry
Again from the draft of Edinglassie Thoroughbreds, Ammahell’s brother made $140,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale. He was bought by Dalziel Bloodstock/Phillip Stokes Racing.
Sooboog filly leads rivals a merry Dance at Sandown
Boogie Dancer made it back-to-back wins and two from three overall, scoring by 3.75l at Sandown (Hillside) under reigning Victorian Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership winner, Jamie Kah.
Trained by Peter Moody, the filly is raced by her breeder Rushton Park, who race her along with partners, including Wylie Dalziel Roy Higgins Racing.
Boogie Dancer was purchased by Dalziel Bloodstock / Peter Moody Racing for $50,000 at the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
She is by Sooboog, who stands at Kitchwin Hills for $8800 (inc GST), from the winless Quest For Fame (GB) mare Search For Fame, making her a half-sister to Miss Exfactor (Your Song) – the winner of the 2020 G3 Birthday Card S. Boogie Dancer’s second dam, Catecombe (Papal Power {USA}), has thrown Impaler four-time stakes winner Impaler (Dracula).
“She’s a nice filly, I think they’ve got some high hopes for,” David Johnson of Rushton Park told TDN AusNZ.
“We don’t stay in a lot of yearlings, but she was one that we absolutely loved as a yearling.”
Sooboog | Standing at Kitchwin Hills
“We were very disappointed with the price we got for her. Peter Moody and Wylie (Dalziel) were pretty much the only one that liked her. They loved her. I couldn’t get to Peter quick enough when they bought to say we’d keep some.”
Johnson said the striking chestnut filly had something special about her from the day she was born.
“She’s always been one of those special horses you have in the sale. Even up at the farm, from the time she was a foal, we just knew she was going to be good,” he said.
“She’s (Boogie Dancer) always been one of those special horses you have in the sale. Even up at the farm, from the time she was a foal, we just knew she was going to be good.” - David Johnson
“Everything you did with her was easy, and she was tough. As a yearling, you could work her and she’d just cop whatever you asked her to do. She'd come back in and be straight into her feed. Nothing was a hassle with her. She just had that constitution… it didn’t matter what you did with her, she’d just lap it up.
“I hope I’m right; I think she’ll be pretty special.”
