Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
This week’s Buy of the Weekend is Capitalist’s Alpha Sofie who was sold by Davali Thoroughbreds for $150,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and took her earnings over $200,000 with victory in Saturday’s Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes for trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman. Alpha Sofie, who was fourth on debut at two in Queensland for trainer Jason Edwards, won twice at Eagle Farm before being transferred to Moody and Coleman, taking her record to three wins from four starts.
“Alpha Sofie was born here (at Davali). Dan Alford and Mary Ann Holland purchased her dam at the Gold Coast because they have a share in Capitalist, so she was bought specifically for him. We were recommended to them, and Sofie’s Gold Class came here. We took her to Capitalist, foaled her down and took the filly through to the Classic sale,” said Alison Hush of Davali Thoroughbreds.
Alpha Sofie as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Sofie’s Gold Class (Hard Spun {USA}) was sold by Bahrinna at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale to Dan Alford and Mary Anne Holland for $150,000 in 2021. Winner of seven races and placed in the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup, Sofie’s Gold Class earned $219,000 on track. She is out of unraced mare Laynlow (Redoute’s Choice), a daughter of Champion 2YO Filly Victory Vein (Mr Henrysee {USA}).
Another granddaughter of Victory Vein is Group 3 winner Sookie (Casino Prince), dam of dual Group 1 winner Shadow Hero (Pierro).
“(Alpha Sofie) was always very strong, not overly tall but she always looked quite strong and a very good mover.”
After foaling Alpha Sofie, Sofie’s Gold Class was sent to New Zealand in foal to Tiger Of Malay where she foaled a colt, Hidden Tiger (NZ), who is a 2-year-old. “She went over to New Zealand in foal to Tiger Of Malay and then got in foal to Satono Aladdin, and came back to us. The Satono (Aladdin) was foaled here and she’s a lovely yearling that we will take to sale next year. After yesterday, we hope she'll get into Easter.”
Sofie’s Gold Class missed last spring and will be covered by Capitalist this season. Her owners purchased her to match with Capitalist, who has sired 26 stakes winners led by Group 1 winners Captivant and Reserve Bank.
“They were looking for a horse with a lot of scope and a lot of leg, and they definitely got that with Sofie. She’s about 17 hands and has a lot of a scope. She’s a big strong mare and the Capitalist mating really tidied her up and gave us a nice attractive foal.”
Headwall adds to a massive day for Davali
With around 60 broodmares on the farm, to get one stakes winner on Saturday was a massive result for Davali Thoroughbreds, but it didn’t stop there with Davali’s clients R Young, J & A Adam, B & N der Sarkissian, and J Marsden breeding G3 Concorde Stakes winner Headwall (Dream Ahead {USA}).
“Headwall was bred and raised at Davali and Well Timed who won the last at Randwick was born and raised here as well. It was a big day yesterday,” Hush said. Well Timed (Nicconi) was entered for the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale but withdrawn and is now raced by Bylong Park. Trained by Kerry Parker at Kembla Grange, he has won five of his 17 starts and over $360,000.
Headwall, who is on a path to The Everest, is out of Positive Quest (Not A Single Doubt). “Positive Quest has been with us nearly since we started here. Headwall was born here, then he went off to be broken in, coming back here to spell before he went into Matt Smith’s system.” Trained by Matthew Smith for his breeders, Headwall took his record to seven wins from 18 starts with earnings over $2.1 million. Previously placed in the G1 Newmarket Handicap, G1 TJ Smith Stakes and also in The Quokka, Headwall is the second foal of Positive Quest who won twice at two.
“We’ve got an Artorius filly from her, and there’s a 2-year-old by North Pacific who has just been to the pre-trainers and will go to Matt next time around.” Headwall’s 2-year-old half-brother has been named North Counsel (North Pacific) and Positive Quest also has an unraced 3-year-old filly Flying Sarki (Flying Artie). Positive Quest is currently in foal to North Pacific.
Homebreds and sales horses go through the same system
When asked if the homebred horses are treated differently to the sales horses, Hush told TTR that they keep it simple. “They all go through the same system. The ones who will go direct to a trainer come in and do a month long sale preparation in the barn, then they have a month off and go to the breaker from there.
“They don’t miss out on any education. We will be heading to Classic and Easter next year, and we always have a few at the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale too.
Alison Hush | Image courtesy of Davali Thoroughbreds
The choice to stay in New South Wales is purely about logistics. “We usually take between 10 and 20 to the Classic Sale and it’s hard being a little farm to be at the Gold Coast too timing wise, so we focus on the Classic Sale and it’s been good to us.”
Davali Thoroughbreds took ten yearlings to the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, headlined so far by Listed winner Alpha Sofie, as well as Josephine (Headwater) who won on debut at two.
