Cover image courtesy of Figtree Thoroughbreds, Home Affairs x Gaudeamus (colt)
In this short series, TTR has asked various breeders their top three foals from the 2024 crop. If you would like your foals to be featured, reach out to Lucy at lucy@ttrausnz.com.au.
The farm which produced Group 1 winner and this season’s first-season sire Jonker, Figtree Thoroughbreds has been under new management since being sold by Murray and Sue Murdoch in 2021. Now managed by Ashleigh Webster for new owners Sophie and Scott Weitemeyer, they took their inaugural draft to the Gold Coast in 2024.
Ashleigh Webster
Webster selected three of their 2024 born foals for this feature, led by the Home Affairs colt from Gaudeamus (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}).
Just like Golden Sixty
The colt is a half-brother to Hong Kong super star Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), and Webster says he reminds her of his champion sibling.
“He’s just really well-put-together, correct with a good length of rein. I worked at Element Hill when Golden Sixty was born and he looks like Golden Sixty did as a foal,” said Webster.
“He’s (Home Affairs x Gaudeamus) just really well-put-together... I worked at Element Hill when Golden Sixty was born and he looks like Golden Sixty did as a foal.” - Ashleigh Webster
Golden Sixty won 26 of his 31 starts in Hong Kong and, at the time of retirement, a record HK$167 million (AU$34.5 million) in prizemoney. This has recently been beaten by Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) when he won December’s G1 Hong Kong Cup – his third win in the race - to take his earnings to HK$177.3 million (AU$36.6 million).
“Kelly and Michael King purchased Gaudeamus and sent her here to foal down.” Gaudeamus was sold in the Element Hill dispersal sale at the 2024 Magic Millions National Sale for $280,000 to Raphie Bloodstock, and the Home Affairs colt is her 12th foal. As well as Golden Sixty, she has produced G3 Hawkesbury Guineas-placed Rainbow Connection (Choisir) who won three races, and Igitur (Helmet) who won eight races and placed in the Listed Tasmania Derby. All up, Gaudeamus has six winners and her 3-year-old filly Golden Millions (Vancouver) and her 2-year-old filly Social Graces (Wootton Bassett {GB}) are both unraced.
Golden Sixty, a 10-time Group 1 winner and HK$167 million (AU$34.5 million) earner | Image courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club
Home Affair’s first crop are selling at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and he has 63 lots catalogued.
White Slipper filly has exciting big sister
A half-sister to unraced 2-year-old filly Lettie’s Lot (Harry Angel {Ire}) who is nominated to run on Saturday at the Magic Millions meeting, hopefully on the Gold Coast if the turf is repaired in time, is one of Webster’s picks. By Zousain, the 2024 filly is the fourth foal of White Slipper (Sebring) whose yearling colt by Pierata is Lot 1059 in Figtree Thoroughbred’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Zousain x White Slipper (filly) | Image courtesy of Figtree Thoroughbreds
“She’s a very athletic, correct filly who has a half-sister who will hopefully run in the Magic Millions maiden race on Saturday.” Trained by Stephen Kirkwood at Toowoomba, Lettie’s Lot was purchased by her trainer for $72,500 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and ran second at the trials on December 31.
White Slipper is a daughter of juvenile city winner Anabarbarian (Anabaa {USA}), who is a half-sister to Listed winner Woppitt (Danzero). Zousain’s oldest crop are 3-year-olds, and the sire of Amelita and Drifting has 21 yearlings in the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Cracking first foal
Figtree Thoroughbreds purchased Tones (Exceed And Excel) from Godolphin for $45,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions National Sale in foal to Victor Ludorum (GB), and she has delighted Webster with her first foal. “We bought the mare from the National Sale and her first foal is outstanding. A real cracking bay filly.”
Tones, who disappointed in three starts for Godolphin, is extremely well-related being a half-sister to G3 Newmarket Nell Gwyn S. winner Soliloquy (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was fourth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and is the dam of 4-year-old gelding Royal Power (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) who was a winner at two and placed in the Listed Goodwood Cocked Hat S. Soliloquy is a daughter of dual Listed winner Dysphonia (Lonhro) who placed in the G1 Myer Classic.
Victor Ludorum (GB) x Tones (filly) | Image courtesy of Figtree Thoroughbreds
Victor Ludorum’s first Southern Hemisphere crop are yearlings, and he has six catalogued in the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
