Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Saturday’s pulsating finish to the G1 Surround S. at Royal Randwick delivered a huge result for Blaxland, whose Blue Sky Premium Consignment sold the ultra-progressive Sunshine In Paris as an unraced 2-year-old at last year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

The charismatic bloodstock agent has had more to do with her career than just consigning her at auction, however, with the Aquis Farm-bred filly a regular visitor during her formative years to Blaxland’s Newington Farm.

“We actually knew her well, she was back and forth to Newington (Farm) during her education as a yearling,” Blaxland revealed, referring to the farm he runs in partnership with his trainer wife Kacy Fogden.

“We’re not far from Aquis and they needed some space for some of their homebreds, so we had a bunch of them for about eight months back and forth whilst they were getting educated.

“I also knew the mare, Zenaida, who I bought privately from Rhys Smith of Kulani Stud for Aquis some five years ago. She produced Macroura and Zenaida has been a really good mare.

“We were impressed by Sunshine In Paris as a yearling; she was certainly a standout physical.”

After being race educated at Hinterland Thoroughbreds, Aquis sent Sunshine In Paris into training with multiple Group 1-winning handler Annabel Neasham, but it wasn’t long before she was back under Blaxland’s watchful eye.

Following two barrier trials in May of her 2-year-old season, the decision was made by Aquis to send her to auction unraced, with Blue Sky’s Premium Consignment eventually selling her on Aquis’ behalf to Champagne Bloodstock for $90,000, a figure which can only be described as a bargain in the wake of Saturday’s result.

“Aquis has a bit of a policy - if their race fillies haven’t achieved stakes success by two, then they’re sold, so Sunshine In Paris was entered alongside a number of others through our Blue Sky Premium Consignment last year,” Blaxland said.

“This mare was a half to a stakes winner by a new sire and she hadn’t won yet, but she was a lovely physical. She was sold for $90,000 and the rest is history, the new owners now own a Group 1 winner.

“It’s a fabulous result and Annabel Neasham has done a great job with her.”

Although Blaxland had always had a nice opinion of Sunshine In Paris, even he could not have envisaged the daughter of Aquis stallion Invader achieving success at the highest level only nine months after she went under the hammer, especially given that she had only completed two barrier trials at the time of her sale.

“We always hoped she could make the grade, but we didn’t expect her to win a Group 1 based on what she had done up to that point,” he added.

“But as we know, horses develop. They go on and they grow - they don’t all have to do it at two to become a top line Group 1 winner.

“She had some residual value obviously being a half to a stakes winner, but she’s worth a lot of money now and who knows where she’ll end up once she’s done.

“It’s a testament to the buyers for doing their homework and taking faith. She’s one of the best 3-year-old fillies in Australia now.”

All budgets and sizes

Sunshine In Paris’ $90,000 price-tag may not have made headlines, but Blaxland’s Blue Sky Premium Consignment has enjoyed its fair share of big-money sales results since its inception in 2018.

The operation sold G1 Australian Oaks heroine Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) for $2.75 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2020, before selling multiple Group 1-winning champion Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) for $2.6 million at the same auction 12 months later.

Gallery: Seven-figure Group 1-winning mares sold by Blue Sky Premium Consignment

Achieving sales ring success at both ends of the spectrum is what makes Saturday’s result even sweeter according to Blaxland, with Sunshine In Paris’ humble price-tag a perfect example of the value that can be found at auction.

“It’s an absolute dream to have a Group 1 winner emerge from our consignment and I think it’s especially exciting because she wasn’t so expensive,” he said.

“We’ve got a broad range of race fillies and mares. I think our top-selling mare last year was a Galileo mare who made over a million dollars, and the beauty of an auction is that there is opportunity at all budgets.

“That’s sort of why we started the race fillies and mares' consignment. You don’t necessarily have to go to the sale with $500,000 or a million dollars to buy a good racing and breeding prospect. That’s what keeps it interesting.”

As well as serving yet another reminder that a horse’s price-tag does not always dictate racetrack performance, Sunshine In Paris’ breakthrough Group 1 win also provided further evidence that elite racehorses can come in all shapes and sizes, with her trainer quipping ‘she’s so small you can’t see her’ in the wake of her Surround S. success.

Like many of the industry’s best judges, Blaxland does not place too much emphasis on size, particularly when it comes to sourcing future broodmare prospects.

“I’m from the Harry Mitchell/John Kelly school - small mares, small problems,” he said.

“If you go to Yarraman or Newhaven Park, you’ll see a lot of small to medium sized mares and there must be something in it because they’re two of the best breeders in Australia.

“I think people get carried away with big mares at broodmare sales. Peter O’Brien would agree as well, some of the best broodmares in Australia aren’t big.

“It wouldn’t worry me with this filly in her racing career or later as a broodmare.”

‘A big future’

Another to benefit from Sunshine In Paris’ Group 1 breakthrough was Segenhoe Stud, who are set to sell her half-brother late in the opening session of this year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, which gets underway at Oaklands Junction on Sunday.

The colt, who was pinhooked by leading bloodstock agent James Bester for $145,000 at last year’s Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale, is by Dubious, who stands alongside Sunshine In Paris’ sire Invader at Aquis’ Canungra property in Queensland.

Invader’s oldest crop are now 3-year-olds, and with a stakes winner and a Group 1 winner already to his name, Blaxland believes that the Group 1-winning son of Snitzel has made a better start to life at stud than what the bare statistics suggest.

“We spell horses up here for Lee Freedman, Matthew Dale, my wife Kacy (Fogden) and other trainers, and we’ve got a few Invaders on the farm,” he said.

“We’ve probably had seven or eight through the farm and I think they’re nice horses.

“It’s hard for a stallion kicking off in Queensland as opposed to the opportunities they get down in The Hunter, but I think for the mares he’s got he’s done a great job so far.

“This might be the start of a big future for him.”

Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that runners coming over to Australia from the William Haggas stable need to be treated with the utmost respect.

The Newmarket-based trainer has won three Group 1s on Australian soil in recent times, including back-to-back wins in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. courtesy of the tough-as-teak Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who along with his jockey Tom Marquand, captured the hearts of many Australians during his two stints Down Under.

Addeybb aside, Haggas has also sent out back-to-back winners of the G3 Manion Cup in the shape of Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) and Favourite Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), and the news that he is preparing his biggest team yet for this year’s Sydney autumn carnival will undoubtedly serve as an ominous warning to local trainers ahead of the coming weeks and months.

Haggas’ four-strong team for 2023 is made up of Irish Listed winner Earl Of Tyrone (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and five-time winner Protagonist (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), both of whom have been purchased by multiple Melbourne-Cup winning syndicators Australian Bloodstock, as well French Group 2 winners Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) and Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), both of whom also boast placings at Group 1 level.

The quartet were scheduled to touch down in Sydney on February 25, and despite a drier start to the month than expected, Haggas is happy with how his horses handled the first half of their quarantine in Newmarket.

“So far, for the first time since we have been doing this, it has actually been relatively mild,” he said.

“In the past when we brought Addeybb over, it was snowing when we were in quarantine, but at the moment it’s 10 or 11 degrees. That might not sound much to you lot, but it’s pretty good for February here!

“We’re a little bit short of rain so they weren't able to get on the grass, which is unfortunate, but I’m pleased with the condition of the horses at this stage and everything is pretty good.”

Everything may have gone smoothly as far as the horses are concerned, but Haggas’ autumn carnival raid suffered an early setback last week, when his regular jockey Tom Marquand was injured in a nasty fall from Dorothy Gail (Capitalist) in the $2 million R. Listed Inglis Millennium.

Haggas remains optimistic that Marquand, or ‘Aussie Tom’ as he is affectionately known by racing aficionados in Australia, can recover from shoulder surgery in time for the first day of The Championships at Randwick on April 1, but admitted that it is still too early to call at this stage.

“He had an operation the other night and gave the impression that things had gone well,” Haggas revealed.

“He’s going to fly home as soon as he is allowed to and look after his wife, who has also had an injury and is having an operation on her elbow.

“I’m hoping very much that Tom will be fit enough to ride on either the first day of The Championships or at Doncaster in England for Lincoln Day on April 1 - He may want to ride there to see how he pulls up, and then if he feels comfortable, I think he’ll come down for The Championships on the 8th, provided that we have the horses in good shape.”

In the meantime, Haggas will need to identify Marquand’s replacement for those whom he intends to give a prep race in the lead up to The Championships, which may present a problem of its own.

“It’s hard to get someone and then say that for the main event, 'If Tom is available then Tom will ride’,” he added.

“Australian Bloodstock know what they’re doing, and they know the jockeys much better than me, but I’ll have to sort Dubai Honour and Purplepay and see what evolves.”

‘Not to be underestimated’

Dubai Honour will be following the tried and tested route of the G1 Ranvet S. into the G1 Queen Elizabeth S, a route trod so successfully by his former stablemate Addeybb.

Although Dubai Honour failed to win in four starts last season, prior to that the son of Coolmore stallion Pride Of Dubai had won a pair of Group 2 contests in France before finishing runner-up in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot.

Addeybb had filled the same position in the very same race prior to his maiden voyage to Australia, and the similarities between the pair don’t end there according to his trainer.

Like Addeybb, Dubai Honour needs plenty of give in the ground to be seen at his very best, and Haggas is concerned that the classy 5-year-old may not get conditions to suit come his date with destiny in the Queen Elizabeth.

“He’s a good horse Dubai Honour, he’s not to be underestimated,” Haggas said.

“In my opinion I never had him as I wanted him last year, he was never as good as he had been previously. He raced a lot on fast ground because we had no rain in England, so hopefully he’ll get the rain he needs.

“He’s better on a wet track, and that’s what frightens me the most. I look at the forecast every day in Sydney and it’s dry.

“I think he’s as good as we can get him at this stage and if he gets a wet track, he’ll be dangerous.”

Another whom Haggas warns should not be overlooked is Protagonist, who has won two of his five starts since moving to Somerville Lodge from Irish trainer Jessica Harrington.

Both of those two victories came over 2000 metres, and there is a definite sense that Protagonist could be one to jump out of the ground when he touches down on Australian soil.

“You shouldn’t underestimate him, he’s quite a smart horse,” Haggas said.

“He’ll go the Sky High Stakes and then we’ll decide whether to go to the Doncaster or the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The Sky High is very much a prep race.

“He was bought to stay in Australia, so he’ll likely stay after the carnival and head to Melbourne for the spring. We have to discuss it, but every option is open at the moment.”

An Earl and a Queen

Like Protagonist, leading syndicators Australian Bloodstock swooped to purchase another of Haggas’ Sydney-bound quartet in Earl Of Tyrone, parting with 300,000gns (AU$551,400) in conjunction with bloodstock agent Ronald Rauscher to secure him at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale in November.

Formerly trained in Ireland by Paddy Twomey, for whom he won a Listed race at Limerick and finished third in the lucrative Ebor H., Earl Of Tyrone’s new connections sent him straight to Haggas, a move that yielded an instant reward when the son of Australia (GB) landed a two-mile contest at Kempton on stable debut earlier this month.

Haggas is wary that the race set up perfectly for Earl Of Tyrone that day, but he was delighted with the turn of foot the 5-year-old showed in beating classy rival Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}) by 2.25l.

“That (turn of foot) wasn’t something that I’d seen before in his videos, but he had the run of the race - it all fell right and he had a nice draw,” he said.

“The cutaway at Kempton is an advantage for those on the inside, and he got a nice run round, shot up the inside and won well.

“I was quite pleased with him.”

Haggas confessed that the run was as much a learning exercise as anything else, and the result gave the trainer every confidence that Earl Of Tyrone could feasibly develop into a smart Cups horse.

“I was worried about running him so close to quarantine, but I wanted to find out one, whether he was a good stayer, and two, whether he needed a lot of work, because he’s a new horse to me,” Haggas said.

“I learnt that he takes very little work because I thought I’d underdone him, but I clearly hadn’t. He doesn’t need as much work as the others and I learnt that he stayed the trip.

“I feel that he only needs one race in Australia, and at the moment I’ll say it will be the Sydney Cup.

“I think the Melbourne Cup would suit him in the spring, if he’s that good, and he’ll be one who will benefit from no rain.”

The same can’t be said of Haggas’ fourth and final autumn carnival raider, Purplepay, whose four career successes in France have all come with soft in the going description.

After finishing third in the G1 Criterium International on her final start as a juvenile, Purplepay was purchased for an eye-watering €2,000,000 (AU$3.12 million) by Nicolas Bertran de Balanda on behalf of her current owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale in 2021, before being switched to the Haggas stable.

The daughter of Zarak (Fr) is also a Group 2 winner over a mile in her native country and will be aimed at the G1 Queen of the Turf S. at Randwick on April 8.

“She’s a very genuine filly who I thought would get further, but she didn’t stay when I ran her over a mile and a quarter at the Curragh,” Haggas said.

“I’m pleased we’re having a go with her - I think she’s a very hard, tough filly who races close to the speed, which I think is important, certainly at Randwick.

“The Queen of the Turf is the big target and she’ll have a prep run on the 11th of March in the Coolmore Classic.

“She’s a pretty useful filly and again a bit of cut in the ground will suit her well. I think she’ll do well if she gets her conditions.”

Competing on the world stage

After a year of no representation in 2022, Haggas is delighted to be sending his biggest ever team to Australia this year and is hoping to make the trip himself in time for Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick.

Having international runners at feature race meetings around the world is crucial for the sport according to Haggas, and the multiple Classic-winning trainer enjoys competing Down Under as much as anywhere else.

“What keeps us coming back to Australia is one we’ve had a bit of luck there, and two I think the world is becoming a smaller place,” he said.

“I think global competition is absolutely vital to the success of racing everywhere and I’m pleased to participate in it.

“We have big meetings in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, but there’s also big meetings in Australia and I’ve chosen to come to Australia this year.

“We’ve only come with two in the past, but you’ve got to find the horses that suit the races, and that’s what we’ve been trying to do. Hopefully we’ve got it right.”

If previous years are anything to go by, then there is every chance that Haggas and his team will have got it right once again.

Cover image courtesy of Newgate

One whose career has been limited by fertility issues, Newgate Farm's Extreme Choice is a remarkable young stallion. The winner of four of his eight starts including the G1 Blue Diamond S. and the G1 Moir S., he has been at stud for just six years with his largest foal crop to date (his current foals) numbering only 49.

Represented by 63 runners, Extreme Choice has had 41 winners; a respectable 65.1 per cent strike rate. But it is the quality of winners that really stands out with nine of his winners being stakes winners - a staggering 14.3 per cent stakes winners to runners and 21.9 per cent stakes winners to winners.

Two of his progeny are Group 1 winners and at opposite ends of the spectrum - the G1 Golden Slipper hero Stay Inside and the G1 VRC Oaks heroine She's Extreme. His stakes winners have been successful over a variety of distances from 900 metres to 2500 metres and another three are stakes placed whilst another eight are metropolitan winners.

The last two weekends have seen his progeny in the stakes winner's circle - Espiona taking out the G3 Mannerism S. and Wollombi the G3 Vanity.

And a great run too by Don Corleone, runner-up in the G1 Blue Diamond S. after an unlucky run. He will be well favoured to take out a Group 1 race this autumn.

Extreme Choice already has three stakes-winning sons at stud - Stay Inside, Tiger Of Malay and Extreme Warrior all proving popular in their first seasons.

Only the good die young

For Dubai Millennium it was not fertility that saw him lightly represented, but rather his death aged just five years old from equine grass sickness. Greatly mourned at Dalham Hall where he was a favourite, he had just 56 sons and daughters.

Of those 35 made it to the track and 25 (71.4 per cent) were winners. Five were stakes winners (14.3 per cent stakes winners to runners, 20 per cent stakes winners to winners) with the shining light being his triple Group 1 winner Dubawi.

Amongst that horse's 250 stakes winners are 53 Group 1 winners and 14 of his sons have sired stakes winners with Makfi (GB), Night Of Thunder (Ire), New Bay (GB), Poet's Voice (GB), Al Kazeem (GB) and Willow Magic all siring Group 1 winners, as has Makfi's son Make Believe (GB).

Another three sons of Dubai Millennium have sired winners with the best of those being the five times Group winner Echo Of Light (GB) whose son Polarisation (GB) won the 2017 G1 Sydney Cup.

Dubai Millennium's strike rate as a broodmare sire is also good with 104 of the 155 runners produced by his daughters being winners. His stakes level impact is not as strong with just four stakes winners, the best of those being the dual Group 1 winner She's A Julie (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}).

A local legend with one crop

When it comes to Australian racing, the stallion mentioned most often in regards to doing a great job with just one crop is Adraan (GB).

Three times successful at Group 3 level in France, Adraan had just 23 live foals (dying young from skin cancer) - all of whom were named, all but one making it to the track. And only two of those did not win, seven were stakes winners - 31.8 per cent stakes winners to runners and 35 per cent stakes winners to winners.

The G1 Thousand Guineas and G1 Doncaster H. winner Magic Flute was his most accomplished runner and he had an impact over further generations with his son Wham siring the Group 1 winner Captain Cook (NZ) and the Group 3 and five-time Listed winner Corregidor (NZ) from limited opportunities (68 runners).

Adraan's sons Bataan and Stardraan also sired stakes winners whilst his daughters, who had only 78 runners, produced 57 winners including the Group 1 sprinters You Remember (Gold Carat {USA}) and Khaptingly (NZ) (Bletchingly).

Adraan's famous relation Shergar (Ire) stood just one season before so famously being kidnapped. He had just 25 runners, 16 being winners including five stakes winners with his biggest winner being the G1 Irish St Leger winner Authaal (USA) who campaigned well in Australia, winning the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and the G1 Underwood S.

Adraan's G1 French 2000 Guineas-winning sire Zeddaan (GB) had another 'what if' story - his brilliant son Kalamoun (GB) suffering from fertility issues before dying young. Standing at the Aga Khan Studs' Ballymany Stud, he had just 85 runners and of the 65 winners, an amazing 21 were stakes winners. Five won Group 1 races and 69 of his male-line descendants have sired stakes winners.

He made his mark in Australia as the grandsire of the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Jeune (GB) and sire of Arrowfield's outstanding stallion Kenmare (Fr), sire of 62 stakes winners including 11 Group 1 winners.

Brilliant locals lost too soon

Arrowfield Stud's G3 Blue Diamond Prelude-winning Redoute's Choice stallion Beneteau died from a neurological condition in early 2013 having stood two seasons. Of his 78 winners from 107 runners, 10 were stakes winners with two of those - Prompt Response and Lasqueti Spirit - winning Group 1 races.

Another, who served much larger books of mares across four seasons at stud, but was tragically lost too soon, was G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Northern Meteor - who died from colic at Widden Stud in 2013.

The son of Encosta De Lago sired 287 winners from 368 runners - an outstanding 78.0 per cent strike rate, 24 of his progeny were stakes winners, six of those being Group 1 winners.

Five of his sons have sired stakes winners with Zoustar, Shooting To Win, Deep Field and Eurozone represented at the elite level.

Zoustar has three sons at stud, Deep Field two and both of those horses still have much to offer with their crops to come. Meanwhile, Northern Meteor's daughters have produced eight stakes winners amongst the first 129 winners including this season's Group 3-winning juvenile Charm Stone (I Am Invincible).

Zephyr Bay enjoyed a nice long career at stud but during his 17 seasons in New Zealand and Australia, he battled fertility issues and ended up with only 181 runners. 141 (73 per cent) of those won and 22 (22 per cent) were stakes winners - seven in Group 1 company.

With 18 of his male-line descendants having sired stakes winners whilst his daughters' 28 stakes winners included five Group 1 winners.

Hailing from the same prolific Eulogy (GB) (Cicero {GB}) family as Zephyr Bay is the globe-trotting four-time Group 1 winner Starspangledbanner who, due to fertility issues, has never had big crops.

But what a superb job he is doing and in both hemispheres too. Of his 308 winners, 27 are stakes winners and of his six Group 1 winners, four have won big races in the last 12 months: California Spangle (Ire), State Of Rest (Ire), Aristia (Ire) and Rhea Moon (Ire).

Starspangledbanner's first son to stud - the G1 Prix Morny winner The Wow Signal (Ire) died in 2018 due to laminitis, leaving just 20 runners. 15 are winners - three at stakes level; the G1 French 1000 Guineas winner Coeursamba (Fr) and the local (from just twelve foals) Group 3-winning mare How Womantic.

The 1999 G1 Golden Slipper winner Star Watch didn't get much of a chance either, dying young having sired 119 live foals from just two seasons at stud, 106 of those to race, 81 being winners; 10 stakes winners including the Group 1 winners Star Dancer (NZ), Tenor and Hurricane Sky (sire of 20 stakes winners including four Group 1 winners).

Star Watch's 148 winners as a broodmare sire include 15 stakes winners, the best two being the Group 1-winning half-brothers Hotel Grand and Outback Prince.

A short brave career

The 1994 Magic Millions winner Brave Warrior died in 1998 having served just two books of mares at Eureka Stud - 64 live foals in his first crop, 43 in his second.

He was represented by 87 runners, 66 (75.9 per cent) being winners with seven of those successful in stakes company - eight per cent stakes winners to runners, 10.6 per cent stakes winners to winners.

The best of those was the handsome chestnut Show A Heart, the four times Group 1 winner who enjoyed a much longer career at stud, retired in 2020 after 18 seasons at Glenlogan. He sired 25 stakes winners including the big-race winners Heart Of Dreams, Toorak Toff (the sire of three stakes winners still active in Tasmania) and Woorim. He is also faring well as a broodmare sire with 20 stakes winners including the G1 Tattersall's Tiara winner Miss Cover Girl (Monashee Mountain {USA}).

Another Queensland sire who sadly did not last long was Zeditave's G3 Rubiton S. winning half-brother Alannon whose sole crop yielded 72 live foals. Of his 58 runners, 40 were winners; just the two stakes winners but one of those proved a reliable winner-getter - the dual Group 1 winning sprinter Falvelon who is in semi-retirement at Glenlogan. Last season standing his 20th season at stud, he has sired 412 winners including 12 stakes winners.

Speaking of Zeditave, his very fast sire The Judge also did well with small numbers - 89 of his 138 runners being winners with four other stakes winners. Zeditave made his contribution with 36 stakes winners including seven Group 1 winners.

Global impact

American racing fans were understandably upset when Arrogate (USA) died aged just seven in 2020. He had stood just two seasons and of his 125 runners, 66 have been winners. Six are stakes winners and four of those are Group 1 horses.

Winning two legs of the 2002 Triple Crown (the G1 Kentucky Derby and Preakness S.), War Emblem (USA) was renowned for his difficult temperament and his dislike of other horses.

This continued at stud where he showed little interest in mares. Shadai Farm persevered and he ended up with 119 foals - 82 winners, nine stakes winners including the Group 1 filly Robe Tissage (Jpn).

Of his 125 winners as a broodmare sire, five are stakes winners including Widden Stud's G3 San Domenico S. winner Anders a son of Not A Single Doubt.