Cover image courtesy of Cressfield
Boutique thoroughbred breeding establishment Cressfield, is set to showcase a five-yearling draft at the upcoming 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale commencing on Sunday, April 7.
The Thoroughbred Report recently spoke with Cressfield’s yearling manager, Kim Rieck, to delve into the details of the yearlings on offer and the team's expectations for this esteemed sale.
Rieck shared, “Our entire team arrived at Riverside Stables yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. This morning (Monday), the horses arrived safely and are starting to settle in.”
With the sun shining brightly, Rieck expressed optimism about utilising the initial days effectively. She added, “We're aiming to take advantage of the weather during the first few days, especially with forecasts predicting heavy rainfall towards the end of the week.”
Kim Rieck | Image courtesy of Cressfield
Highlighting Cressfield’s approach, Rieck emphasised their commitment to prioritising quality over quantity in their draft. Notably, Cressfield had a successful outing in January at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where they secured a top price of $600,000 achieved by a filly sired by Wootton Bassett (GB) and out of the Fastnet Rock mare, Misstook.
Intriguingly, Misstook, who passed away in 2022 was a full sister to Cressfield’s standout graduate, Passive Aggressive.
Cream rises to the top
Rieck explained the majority of the Cressfield product was offered/sold in January leaving five ‘beautiful yearlings’ to fly the flag in Sydney.
“We purposely try to have a smaller, more quality draft for the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. We sent 16 yearlings up to Magic Millions earlier this year, leaving us just the five better quality yearlings for Easter.
“The aim is for what we offer to keep us in the top end of the market, and that turned out to be just the five we felt could do that. They’ve all come along nicely in their preparation. As they are young horses a few of them have thrived more than others.
“They’ve (yearlings) all come along nicely in their preparation. As they are young horses a few of them have thrived more than others.” - Kim Rieck
“We know them all pretty intimately as we own all the mares. So, they are bred and raised at Cressfield. We send the mares out to the stallions, they return to the farm, mares’ foal down and then it’s just that weaning process and early education preparing them for life as a yearling and the sales.
“By the time they come to us at the yearling barn they have been through the system and handled basically every day. The whole team does a tremendous job and just carry that on getting them to Riverside Stables.
Pippie’s daughter set to star?
Rieck admits she finds it hard to split the yearlings, but it is difficult to go past Lot 214. The pretty chestnut filly is a daughter of Arrowfield Stud’s four-time Champion Sire Snitzel and is the first foal from brilliant Pippie, a daughter of Yulong’s Champion Sire Written Tycoon.
Pippie was a sensation of the racetrack. She won six races, including the G1 Moir S. at Moonee Valley and the G1 Oakleigh Plate. Additionally, she also claimed the G3 Cockram S. and was fourth in the G1 William Reid S. in a stellar career.
The daughter of Written Tycoon was offered by Sledmere Stud at the 2021 Inglis Chairman’s Sale where Tasman Bloodstock secured her for the $1.8 million. Since joining the Cressfield broodmare barn Pippie has foaled two fillies. Alongside her Snitzel filly (Lot 214) she foaled a filly by I Am Invincible in September and returned to that Champion Sire in the spring.
Lot 214 - Snitzel x Pippie (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Rieck is confident Lot 214 will be popular as she brings a close resemblance to the dual Group 1-winning dam to the parade grounds.
“She’s a really nice horse. A lovely type that looks exactly like mum. The filly has a wonderful attitude and she’s one that has come along in her preparation - taking everything in her stride.
“I would think and hope being by a Champion Sire (Snitzel) and with her mum’s deeds on the tracks as well as being a daughter of a Champion Sire (Written Tycoon) she’d draw attention.”
Written Tycoon, the sire of Pippie, has had an extraordinary season on the track. Recently he sired his second winner of the G1 Golden Slipper with Lady Of Camelot, while his son Southport Tycoon took the G1 Australian Guineas.
“Written Tycoon, the sire of Pippie, has had an extraordinary season on the track. Recently he sired his second winner of the G1 Golden Slipper with Lady Of Camelot.”
Brother to star graduate to impress
Pippie’s daughter (Lot 214) isn’t the only Cressfield-offered lot to bring Group 1 class to Riverside. Lot 487, a colt by Coolmore Stud’s So You Think (NZ) is a full brother to the Cressfield-bred Nimalee.
Nimalee retired with earnings of over $1.7 million. She won eight races from 1400 to 1800 metres, including the G1 Queen of the Turf and the G2 Golden Pendant and G2 Emancipation. The daughter of So You Think also had several notable placed performances, including third in the G2 Tramway S. and fourth in the G1 Empire Rose S.
She was sold by Millford Thoroughbreds to Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $270,000 at the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and several years later went through the 2023 Inglis Chairman’s Sale consigned by Glenesk Thoroughbreds where Colm Santry Bloodstock and Coolmore Australia paid $3.6 million to secure her.
Lot 487 - So You Think (NZ) x Dezign (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Nimalee was served by Snitzel in her maiden season. The colt (Lot 487) is the eighth foal from the Zabeel (NZ) mare Dezign. She was unraced but is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Star Fashion (Street Cry {Ire}).
In addition to Nimalee, Dezign’s is also the dam of the multiple Group 3-placed The Chairman (High Chaparral {Ire}). Dezign foaled a filly by So You Think in September and returned to the dual G1 Cox Plate victor.
“Lot 487 is a full brother to Nimalee. She was bred by us and prepared, but we sold her through the Millford Thoroughbreds draft down in Melbourne (Inglis Premier Yearling Sale). She then went on to win over a million on the track and then made $3.6 million at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
“We’ve also got the full sister, a weanling at home and the mare returned to So You Think because that seems to be working for her.”
Rare gems
Rounding out Cressfield’s 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale are two fillies that are sired by stallions who are no longer in ‘production.’
Starting with Lot 2 is a filly by the now pensioned Deep Field, who stood at Newgate Farm. To date he is the sire of 28 stakes winners. The filly is the second foal from the Cressfield-bred and-raced Egyptian Symbol (Stratum).
Egyptian Symbol won eight races and over $1.5 million on the racetrack after failing to meet her $100,000 reserve at the 2014 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale. Her notable performances included wins in the G3 Toy Show H., the G3 Nivison S., the Listed Starlight S.
Egyptian Symbol also claimed the Magic Millions Snippets Plate and the Wyong Magic Millions. Cressfield sold the first foal from Egyptian Symbol, a colt, Idhana (I Am Invincible) for $1.5 million to Kia Ora Stud, TFI and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Lot 2 - Deep Field x Egyptian Symbol (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly is a granddaughter of Our Egyptian Raine (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}), she was crowned the Champion Older Female Sprinter in New Zealand, winning 10 races, including the G1 Railway H.
She retired to the grassy paddocks at Cressfield and was officially retired from broodmare duties in 2020.
“Her (Lot 2) granddam, Our Egyptian Raine was probably one of our first good mares we retired and bred from at Cressfield. The filly’s dam, Egyptian Symbol, we were actually unable to sell her several years ago.
“She didn’t quite make her reserve and so we elected to race her, and she went on to be very successful on the track. Egyptian Symbol has been producing some really nice horses, we sold her first foal, a colt for $1.5 million.
... She (Egyptian Symbol) went on to be very successful on the track. Egyptian Symbol has been producing some really nice horses, we sold her first foal, a colt for $1.5 million.” - Kim Rieck
“Egyptian Symbol missed a year after him but now she’s got this big strong, powerhouse of a filly by Deep Field.”
The second ‘rare gem’ is Lot 153 a daughter of Darley’s outstanding Exceed And Excel, who was recently retired from stud duties and in the same week his son Cylinder won the G1 Newmarket H.
‘Exceed’ has been an exceptional stallion and a fantastic source of precocity. Currently the son of Danehill (USA) sits on 216 stakes winners worldwide. Meanwhile as a broodmare sire his daughters are responsible for 104 stakes winners.
Lot 153 dam’s side also packs plenty of punch. She is the second foal from Miss Leonidas, a speedy daughter of I Am Invincible. She won five races, including the G2 Caulfield Sprint and Listed Bel Esprit. Miss Leonidas also recorded placings in the G1 The Galaxy and the G1 Moir S.
Lot 153 - Exceed and Excel x Miss Leonidas (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Her first colt, Battle Warrior (Zoustar) is unraced and was sold for $420,000 to Amanda Turner Racing at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
“She’s (Lot 153) a very athletic and energetic little filly. I quite like her. She’s always been a sparky, alert filly and is always kind of ready to go.
“She’s a strong horse with a short barrel, strong hind quarter and she looks like something that could run early.”
The last of Cressfield’s five is Lot 251 a colt by Dundeel (NZ) from the imported mare Rosental (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). She won the Listed Prix Dahlia twice and was purchased by Badgers Bloodstock for €77,000 (AU$127,400).
Lot 251 - Dundeel (NZ) x Rosental (GB) (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Rosental’s first foal, a colt by Frankel (GB) named Rosefleur was passed in for $600,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. While her Lonhro colt, named African Pioneer, made $160,000 at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Hoping for the best
As has been well documented this sales season to date the top-end market has held strong while the middle and lower tiers have struggled. Will the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale be immune to this?
Rieck is hopeful. However, her and Cressfield team have confidence they have selected the ‘right’ horses to appeal to the market and can do nothing more than have those yearlings in prime condition the moment they step into the sales ring.
“... The top-end market has held strong while the middle and lower tiers have struggled. Will the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale be immune to this?”
“I think we’re definitely putting on a bright face and trying to be positive. The market has been sticky in some areas but you’re focusing on the horses and trying your best.
“We know it’s a lovely draft on page and it’s a lovely draft to look at. I think people will walk away pleased. So we will just go into Sunday and hope for the best. There's not much else you can do.”
