Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

The curtain is coming down on one of the most important chapters in Australasian bloodstock history. The recent retirements of veterans Exceed And Excel and Fastnet Rock from stud duty means that the pool of Danehill (USA) sons available to an Australian audience has been greatly reduced in a single swoop. A handful remain in service but for all their respective merits, it’s at a far lower level.

Of course, there are numerous second, third and even fourth generation male-line descendants available thanks to the brilliance of various sons, chiefly Redoute’s Choice, Exceed And Excel and Fastnet Rock.

Much of Danehill’s magic lay in his ability to work in both hemispheres and those above followed suit to varying degrees on their shuttle trips to Europe, where the Danehill legacy was quick to gain a foothold through other sons such Danehill Dancer (Ire), himself another effective shuttler, Dansili (GB) and Kodiac (GB). The latter still remains in service today at the age of 23 at Tally-Ho Stud in Ireland while another son, 20-year-old Holy Roman Emperor (Ire), remains on Coolmore’s Irish roster at its Castlehyde Stud division.

84 winners at the highest level

Danehill’s stud career stretched from 1990 until his death aged 17 in May 2003. As a prolific shuttler, he left behind a volume of foals - 2,502 to be exact. Yet this wasn’t a case where opportunity diluted the product. There were 347 stakes winners, which equated to a 14 per cent black-type winners to foals of racing age strike-rate, of which 84 were at Group or Grade 1 level, alongside nine Australian sires’ championships and another three in Britain and Ireland.

Little was out of reach; from G1 Golden Slipper colts to outstanding middle-distance talents in the southern hemisphere to accomplished speedsters, an Epsom Derby winner and champion stayer in Europe, Danehill touched the industry in a global way not seen before. And while various sons went on to secure his legacy via their own branches, his daughters were also quick to become an important part of the bloodstock landscape, perhaps none more so than Kind (Ire), the dam of Frankel (GB).

Even today, 35 years on from Danehill’s 3-year-old career, we as an industry are arguably no further closer to identifying the real breed-shapers of the future.

Opinions can be formed by some of the industry’s finest minds and in-depth research undertaken but the fact remains the majority of stallions fail and some of those that exceed expectations are also capable of creeping up on you; Written Tycoon being an example in Australia and Havana Grey (GB) currently in Europe.

As far as Danehill was concerned, however, he went to stud with the powerful package of race record, one underpinned by speed, and pedigree behind him.

The building of Juddmonte’s powerful broodmare band

His dam Razyana (USA) (His Majesty) was brought into the Juddmonte fold during the early 1980s at a time when Prince Khalid Abdullah was laying the foundations to what is today one of the most powerful broodmare bands in the world.

Numerous important mares were acquired at that time through the eye of James Delahooke and Humphrey Cottrill, whether as yearlings or later in life. Razyana, as a His Majesty granddaughter of Northern Dancer’s dam Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer) and great-granddaughter of another E. P. Taylor blue hen Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud), would have sat nicely in any broodmare band worldwide, but as it turned out, Delahooke was able to secure her for $350,000 when she came up for sale from John Galbreath and Daniel van Clief on August 12, 1982 at Saratoga.

“This was quite a result because I had agreed with Prince Khalid that if necessary we would go to $1.6 million to secure this amazing pedigree,” recalled Delahooke once in a letter to the Racing Post. “Happily none of the big battalions competed for her and, after a modest racing career, she joined the Juddmonte broodmare band. The rest is bloodstock history.”

By sending Razyana to Danzig (USA), Juddmonte doubled up on Natalma, 3x3 to be exact. There’s no doubt that this element to his pedigree was an important part of Danehill’s make-up, as it was to another inbred horse, Machiavellian (USA), who wielded his share of importance after him.

Machiavellian was inbred to Almahmoud and interestingly various descendants of his line have gone on to forge strong affinities with those carrying Danehill.

As was the case with the Abdullah stock at the time, Razyana was sent to Britain to be trained by Jeremy Tree at Beckhampton in Wiltshire. Abdullah had made a quiet foray into British racing in the mid-1970s with a handful of horses, including with Ron Smyth at Epsom. However, he was ambitious.

Cottrill was appointed to oversee his racing interests and upon the recommendation of his new racing manager, became an owner at Beckhampton - which at that stage also housed the European horses belonging to Jock Whitney, whose Rockfest (USA) (Stage Door Johnny) family would later supply Frankel.

Among the first crop of Abdullah horses trained at Beckhampton was a $225,000 son of In Reality, who turned out to be the 1980 2,000 Guineas winner Known Fact (USA). Another, a lesser $50,000 yearling Abeer (USA) (Sharpen Up), won the Queen Mary Stakes within a year of her purchase.

“There were four yearlings the first year,” says Roger Charlton, who joined Beckhampton as Tree’s assistant in 1978 and took over the reins in 1990.

“Then it got more and more, and then one year Jeremy had the choice of all the yearlings. There was a time when out of 65 horses we had here, maybe 40 odd were Juddmonte horses. The Prince and Jeremy respected each other and I think the Prince gained a lot of confidence from the relationship.”

Gallery: Prince Khalid Abdullah was laying the foundations to what is today one of the most powerful broodmare bands in the world

Razyana was among the intake of 1983. Described by Timeform as ‘quite an attractive filly’ and a ‘good mover’, she ran an encouraging second in a 26-runner maiden at Newmarket as a two-year-old but didn’t cut much ice over 1m2f at three, with a third in minor company at Nottingham the highlight of two starts.

The birth of a legend

Danehill, foaled at Juddmonte’s Kentucky base on 26 March, 1986, was the first foal out of the mare and ultimately her best, for all that subsequent visits to Danzig yielded the Group/Graded stakes winners Eagle Eyed (USA), Harpia (USA) and Shibboleth (USA).

Scott Walker, yearling manager of Juddmonte Farms in Kentucky, has had numerous fledgling stars under his watch during his lengthy tenure with the operation. It is 37 years since Danehill stepped into his barn but memories have not been dimmed with the passage of time.

“He was highly thought of here as a young horse,” says Walker. “He was a strong yearling and very good-looking. Razyana threw them all like that, all good-bodied, good-looking individuals. She was a tough mare, very strong herself.

“A lot of the Danzigs could be tough-minded but he wasn’t that bad. I remember we had 21 colts that year. In those days, they were rated 1 through 21 and he was rated in third. The only negative on him was that the riders found him uncomfortable to ride. He was short coupled and stocky and a little straight through his hocks. And he had a sprinters action. But we knew there was ability.”

Tree would tend to fly over several times in the second half of the year to view the Kentucky yearlings and make his choice. Work with the youngsters would start on August 1 with the idea that the horses would be in Europe by the first part of December.

“We would break them here to ride and they learned how to gallop in the fields and in company,” says Walker. “And Danehill always did that really well.

“Jeremy Tree would come and see them, often while he was over for the sales in July and September. He had first pick. Then he would come back in November, see them all under tack and make his final selection then.”

“When Danehill came here, he was a plain yearling,” says Charlton. “He had big ears and quite a big head. He was clearly back at the knee on both forelegs. I don’t really know where that came from - Razyana certainly wasn’t back at the knee.

“He was ridden regularly by David Quinn, who was Jeremy Tree’s travelling head lad. He was a very relaxed 2-year-old, especially early on, but when it came to doing more, he lit up pretty quickly. He switched on and showed that he had plenty of speed.”

The next installment in this series on Danehill, to appear in TTR AusNZ over the coming days, will focus on him as a racehorse. Arrowfield Stud's John Messara will also weigh in with some insights.

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Debbie Kepitis, daughter of Bob Ingham and niece of Jack Ingham of the former Woodlands Stud, has a rich history of racetrack success with champions like Octagonal and Lonhro. Now, alongside her husband Paul and daughters Alinta, Lara, and Talia, Kepitis is making significant strides in the Australian breeding ranks with Woppitt Bloodstock.

• Woppitt Bloodstock has enjoyed its most successful season to date having claimed seven stakes wins this season.

• Woppitt Bloodstock’s Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}), joins Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), and Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) as the only horses to have claimed three or more Group 1 victories this season.

• Riff Rocket has earned over 22 per cent of American Pharoah's total Southern Hemisphere earnings.

• Woppitt Bloodstock’s stakes winners this season were conceived off an average stud fee of $62,500.

Renowned for their co-ownership of Champion Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) and elite stallion prospects in the Coolmore Stud Syndicate such as Home Affairs and Shinzo, Woppitt Bloodstock is now forging a solid reputation for its iconic purple and white silks. Their successes include Group-winning yearling filly acquisitions like Lazzago (Capitalist) and Mumbai Muse (Zoustar), as well as impressive homebreds who have been enjoying a particularly good run of late.

This season, Woppitt Bloodstock has excelled with seven stakes wins from three individual horses, highlighted by three elite-level victories from Riff Rocket who made history by becoming just the fourth horse in history to win both the G1 VRC Derby and G1 Australian Derby.

Table: Woppitt Bloodstock’s homebred stakes wins 2023/24 season

It’s been a season to remember for the team with Riff Rocket the dominant 3-year-old this season, claiming five individual black-type races, nearly four per cent of the stakes races under those conditions. Outside of Tropical Squall’s (Prized Icon) two elite victories, Riff Rocket is the only 3-year-old to secure three Group 1 wins this season. He joins elite company in Imperatriz, Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni as the only horses to achieve three or more Group 1 victories this season.

Woppitt Bloodstock’s Group 1 Rosehill Guineas winner Lindermann (Lonhro) added the G3 Sky High Stakes to his resume this year after placing third at weight-for-age in the G1 Verry Elleegant Stakes, while 3-year-old homebred filly Konasana (Dundeel {NZ}) claimed the G3 James Carr Stakes in April and earned her fourth win in doing so.

Table: Dams of Woppitt Bloodstock’s current season stakes winners and their source.

All three of Woppitt Bloodstock’s homebred winners this year are from mares purchased at public auctions either as yearlings or mares off the track. Riff Rocket is the second foal from Missile Coda (Smart Missile), acquired by Woppitt Bloodstock for $400,000 from the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. A debut winning juvenile, Missile Coda won five races and was stakes placed for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden. Riff Rocket was conceived from American Pharoah's third Australian breeding season off a stud fee of $66,000 (including GST).

In just 11 career starts, Riff Rocket has earned connections over $3.5 million in prize-money and remains as American Pharoah's only Southern Hemisphere Group 1 winner. Missile Coda's 2-year-old, Codetta (Nicconi) is currently in training with Michael Freedman, while she is due to foal to Woppitt Bloodstock’s part-owned Home Affairs this season after missing to Yes Yes Yes.

Lindermann’s dam, Self Esteem (Stratum), was purchased for $170,000 from the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Snowden Racing. Woppitt Bloodstock owned and raced the talented filly to two wins, stakes placings and a fourth in the G1 Vinery Stud S. The rising 12-year-old mare’s 2-year-old Hammett (Written By) is in training with Chris Waller, while she has another Written By weanling on the ground and is due to foal a three-quarter-brother to Lindermann by Pierro this season.

Woppitt Bloodstock’s third stakes winner this season, Konasana is the third foal from the imported mare Posing (USA) (Medicean {GB}), who was acquired for $500,000 at the 2018 Inglis Chairman's Breeding Stock Sale. At the time of sale, the mare from the family of Enable (GB) sire, Nathaniel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was carrying a southern-hemisphere time cover to Frankel (GB) which subsequently turned out to be Phosphene who won on debut for connections. The stakes producing mare has since been moved on at this year’s Inglis Sydney Broodmare Sale where she fetched $210,000 to the bid of Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA).

Looking to the future, Woppitt Bloodstock have a small but strong broodmare band to support its strong band of stallions at stud including Home Affairs, Yes Yes Yes and G1 Golden Slipper winner Shinzo who is new to the Coolmore roster this year. Among the operation’s broodmare band is His Glory (USA) (Mineshaft (USA) who was purchased for $425,000 from the 2022 Inglis Chairman’s Sale. She produced a colt by Woppitt Bloodstock’s Home Affairs last year and is again in foal to the multiple Group 1 winner. Starla (Snitzel) purchased for $350,000 at 2018 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale was a five-time metropolitan winner of over $450,000. The former Chirs Waller trained mare has a weanling filly on the ground by Home Affairs and is currently in foal to Coolmore’s popular shuttle sire, Wootton Bassett (GB).

Woppitt Bloodstock's success isn't limited to the breeding barn and racetrack, while typically they retain most of their homebred stock, the operation has enjoyed great success in the sales ring. At last year's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Woppitt Bloodstock's homebred Yes Yes Yes colt from Limerock (Charge Forward) topped Day 2 of the sale when knocked down to Yes Bloodstock / Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) for $450,000. Purchased at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale for $160,000, Limerock proved an astute purchase for the team.

From breeding Group 1 winners to producing sale-topping yearlings, Woppitt Bloodstock’s achievements are marked not only by their racetrack victories but also by their strategic breeding and acquisitions, solidifying their place as a rising force in Australian thoroughbred breeding.

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

On Tuesday, Rosehill held 15 trials on a Heavy 8 surface. In Heat 2, Godolphin’s Tamerlane (Golden Horn {GB}) impressed by winning the 1030-metre heat by 1.24 lengths over Jumeirah Beach (Pride Of Dubai) and Junqueira (Capitalist).

Tamerlane, a son of Golden Horn (GB), the G1 The Derby and the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor, has won nine races, including the Listed Paris Lane S. and the $300,000 The Buffering.

Meanwhile, in Heat 3, Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes’ unraced Madam Instrife (Russian Revolution) won the 1030-metre event. The daughter of Russian Revolution has now triumphed in her last three trial outings, and her race debut is eagerly awaited given her outstanding pedigree.

Madam Instrife is the seventh foal from the unraced Galileo (Ire) mare Abscond. Abscond is the dam of 12-time winner Invincibella (I Am Invincible), whose biggest success came in the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara. She is also the dam of Group 3 winner Secret Blaze (Sizzling) and Listed winner Extreme Flight (Extreme Choice).

Customized catches the eye

Peter and Paul Snowden’s Customized (Capitalist) returned a trial winner on Tuesday morning with an eye-catching effort in Heat 4 over 1030 metres. The son of Capitalist, with Tommy Berry in the saddle, came from mid-pack to hold off a late charge from Take Me To Church (Churchill) and Foursomes (Russian Revolution). Chris Waller’s Sting In The Tail (NZ) (Savabeel) cruised to the line under a hold, while Flying Chevrolet (Flying Artie) was doing her best work late and after the line.

Customized, a veteran of two starts, was placed in the G3 BJ McLachlan S. He is the second foal from the Not A Single Doubt mare Single Sapphire, who is from the family of Group 2 victress Twilight Royale (Testa Rossa), Serasana (Snitzel), winner of the G2 Sandown Guineas, and the eight-time victor Superhard (All Too Hard).

The son of Newgate Farm’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist was a $400,000 purchase by the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership from the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Kandinsky returns

A bit has happened since the already royally bred Kandinsky Abstract (Zoustar) went for an eight-week let-up after winning at Warwick Farm and then finishing unplaced in the Listed South Pacific Classic.

The Chris Waller-trained gelding now has a new stakes-winning sibling, Clean Energy (Zoustar), a $2.6 million yearling who claimed the Listed Bill Carter S. On Tuesday, Kandinsky Abstract returned to action in Heat 5 over 900 metres.

Partnered by James McDonald, he went to the line under his own steam in third, just behind High Blue Sea (Merchant Navy), as Silentstar (Russian Revolution) stormed down the outside to win the heat.

In addition to Clean Energy, Kandinsky Abstract is a full brother to the triple Group 1 winner Sunlight and the Group 3 victress Sisstar. The son of Zoustar was a $3 million purchase by Tom Magnier from the draft of Widden Stud at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Progressive daughter of Supido looks the goods

There is no doubt that Widden Stud’s Supido can sire a talented horse; Buenos Noches and What You Need immediately come to mind. Now, the son of Sebring appears to have another promising runner on his hands with the David Pfieffer-trained Explosive Torpido.

The 4-year-old mare has raced twice, with her best effort to date being a third at Goulburn before finishing fifth at Gosford in June last year. However, Explosive Torpido’s performance on Tuesday in Heat 6 showed some promise.

Partnered by Dylan Gibbons, she showed abundant speed and went to the line a winner under minimal effort, holding off Annabel Neasham’s Chartwell (Churchill) and Conscript (Time For War) from the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable.

Explosive Torpido is the first foal from the three-time winner Tswalu, a daughter of Northern Meteor. The daughter of Supido was bred by Widden Stud, David Pfieffer, G Newcombe, K Newcombe, and A Quested. She was withdrawn from the 2021 Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale, and her breeders have remained in her ownership.

Kingdom gets up narrowly

The $800,000 colt, Kingdom Undersiege (I Am Invincible), from the Peter and Paul Snowden stable, showed intent in Heat 7, ridden by Tommy Berry. The 2-year-old colt was made to chase down and pass the Richard and Will Freedman-trained I Am A Winner (Written Tycoon) in the 900-metre contest.

I Am A Winner held stoutly, with Kingdom Undersiege managing a narrow difference of 0.01 lengths, in a trial that saw little action from those behind. Best of the rest in third was Written Gold (Written By) from the Ryan and Alexiou stable.

Kingdom Undersiege is the fifth foal from the Choisir mare Rose Of Choice, who won seven races, including the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic. Her best produce to date has been the Hinchinbrook gelding Vendidit, who won five races.

The son of I Am Invincible was an $800,000 purchase by China Horse Club, Newgate, Go, and Trilogy from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

He has raced twice, with his best effort being a seventh in the Paul Perry Classic at Newcastle on March 8.

Essaouira's family affair

Godolphin’s once-raced colt Gram (Exceed And Excel) stepped out in Heat 8, ridden by James McDonald. The 2-year-old colt came from last to comfortably overtake Theblade (Toronado {Ire}), while Delrico (Kingman {GB}) finished third.

Strong Trade (Written Tycoon), in the Yulong silks, also finished strongly under his own steam. Meanwhile, First Seal’s (Fastnet Rock) son Chief Of Staff (Zoustar) took a run closer to the fence and worked home nicely.

Gram debuted in the Max Lees Classic at Newcastle in November, finishing third to the subsequent Group 2 victress Erno’s Cube (Rubick). He returned in February for a trial and was put away until May, where he finished second in a trial at Hawkesbury before Tuesday’s impressive effort.

The son of Exceed And Excel is the second foal from the well-related Ayf Shamal (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}). Her first foal, Zulfiqar, a full brother to Gram, won the G3 Chairman’s S. and the Listed Maribyrnong Trial.

Ayf Shamal is a half-sister to Essaouira (Exceed And Excel), whose progeny Alizee (Sepoy) and Astern have accounted for 13 stakes victories between them, including four Group 1 races. Meanwhile, her lightly raced son Tassort has already sired a Group 1 winner from his first crop.

Fittingly, in Heat 10, Caravanserai (Blue Point {Ire}), the 11th foal from the blue hen mare Essaouira, claimed victory. Partnered by Kerrin McEvoy and carrying the royal blue silks, Caravanserai defeated Call Me Mojo (Toronado {Ire}) by 0.66l, with Brave One (Exceedance) finishing third.

Essaouira's next foal, a colt by Frosted (USA), has been named Chergui. Last spring, she foaled a filly by Pinatubo (Ire) and was served by Too Darn Hot (GB).

Duo of first-season sires leave impression

A duo of first-season sires left a strong impression at the Rosehill juvenile trials on Tuesday morning. Firstly, it was Newgate Farm’s Tassort, whose son Mawjood, carrying the Emirates Park silks, took out Heat 9. The Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes-trained 2-year-old gelding has raced once, finishing unplaced at Canterbury in February.

Partnered by Jay Ford, Mawjood defeated Bitten By Barry (D’Argento) and Le Troisir (NZ) (Proisir). The son of Tassort is a homebred for Emirates Park and is out of the Eavesdropper (USA) mare Maysoon, who finished fourth in the G2 Sheraco S. and is the dam of the Group 3-placed Mayaaseh (Exceed And Excel).

Rounding out the first-season sires was Chris Waller’s Swelter, a daughter of Too Darn Hot (GB) carrying the familiar silks of Magic Bloodstock (the same carried by Winx (Street Cry {Ire}). Swelter took out Heat 13 with James McDonald in the saddle. The unraced filly, wearing blinkers, responded to encouragement from McDonald to hit the line strongly over Otherside (Lonhro) and Art’s Alive (Snitzel).

The daughter of Darley’s Too Darn Hot (GB) is the third foal from the Exceed And Excel mare Boorooj. She ran fourth in the G3 Widden S. and is a half-sister to Invest (Dehere {USA}), a winner of the G1 Schweppes Oaks and the G3 Doomben Roses.

Boorooj is also from the family of the Group 3 winner and G1 VRC Derby-placed Sunsets (Dundeel {NZ}). Swelter was a $410,000 purchase by Magic Bloodstock, Noel and Maria Greenhalgh, Julia Ritchie, and Neil Werrett from the draft of Segenhoe Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Conquer stikes a blow

In Heat 11, She Conquers struck a blow for Kingstar Farm’s speedball Unite And Conquer. The unraced filly from the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable was ridden by Tim Clark. Despite showing some inexperience, she was able to get the upper hand over Kilkenny (I Am Invincible), the second foal from the Group 1-winning mare Shillelagh (NZ) (Savabeel). Making up ground in third was Verona’s Cleopatra (Castelvecchio), who narrowly edged out Call Me Sassy (Zoustar).

She Conquers is the third foal from the Sebring mare She Brings It, a winner of four races. The filly was a $44,000 purchase by Group One Thoroughbreds, Gerald Ryan Racing, and her co-breeder and vendor Kingstar Farm, who remained in the filly after offering her at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Scandal caps good morning for Snowdens

The unraced Written Scandal (Written Tycoon) capped a good morning for Team Snowden by winning Heat 12. The juvenile, ridden by Tom Sherry, had enough in hand to overtake Chris Waller’s Extremely Hardys (Extreme Choice), while Socrazyinlove (I Am Invincible) finished third in the 900-metre contest for fillies.

Written Scandal is the first Australian-bred foal from the War Front (USA) mare Scandaleuse (USA). A winner in North America, Scandaleuse’s first foal, Scandaleuse Atlas (USA) (Karakontie {Jpn}), has won three races. The filly’s second dam, Aruna (USA), a daughter of Mr. Greeley (USA), won the G1 Spinster S. at Keeneland and was placed in the G1 Diana S. at Saratoga.

Written Scandal was a $320,000 purchase by Australian Bloodstock, Snowden Racing, and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Since the catalogue for the 2024 Inglis Great Southern Sale has gone to print, a host of lots will go through the ring at the Riverside complex and have had their pedigrees enhanced, which is important information for vendors and buyers alike.

Lot 481 - Spiced (Exceed And Excel x Mead (Galileo {Ire}), mare - on account of Ponderosa Park

Ponderosa Park presents Spiced, a dual-winning daughter of Exceed And Excel. Spiced has had several key updates since the catalogue for the 2024 Inglis Great Southern Sale went to print.

Her son, Lucy In The Sky (No Nay Never {USA}), won at Sha Tin on June 2. Meanwhile, Spiced’s half-sister, Aemelius (Hellbent), won at Randwick and then placed in last Saturday’s Listed The Phoenix S.

Additionally, Spiced’s second dam, Vega Honey (Todvega), is the dam of Bullion Mansion (Encosta De Lago), who in turn is the dam of Coastwatch (Fastnet Rock). Coastwatch was placed in the Listed Luskin Star S. on May 18 and followed that performance with a third-place effort in the Listed Spear Chief H. at Eagle Farm last Saturday.

Lot 88 - Hanseatic x Darcibelle (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), colt - on account of Twin Hills Stud

Lot 88 is from the second-crop of Rosemont Stud’s speed machine, Hanseatic, and the seventh living foal from the Darci Brahma (NZ) mare Darcibelle (NZ). Her fourth foal, McKeon (Hellbent) won her third race from 12 starts at Newcastle on May 25.

Lot 8 - Fierce Impact (Jpn) x Absolution (Redoute’s Choice), colt - on account of Crossley Thoroughbreds

Lot 8 is from the second crop of Lovatsville Stud-based Fierce Impact (Jpn) and the fifth foal from the winning Redoute’s Choice mare Absolution. The colt’s half-brother, Absolute Deel (Dundeel {NZ}) was a Sale maiden winner on May 5, and then placed at Pakenham on May 16.

Additionally, Lot 8 is from the family Giant Payday (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) won a winner in North America at Presque Isle Downs on May 28.