The dam of this impressive Cylinder colt is Superego, a daughter of So You Think (NZ) purchased in foal to Extreme Choice for just $10,000 via the Inglis Digital Sale in 2020.
Superego has become a great mare for Pepper Tree Farm
That initial purchase quickly paid dividends. Superego produced a lovely Extreme Choice filly who delivered a cracking result at the 2022 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, selling for $350,000 to Trilogy Racing through the Blue Gum Farm draft.
She went on to become a four-time winner, racing as Extreme Virtue who is still in work as a 5-year-old mare, so there is hope for more to come.
Superego | Image courtesy of Inglis
The returns didn’t stop there. Yearling colts by Harry Angel (Ire) and King’s Legacy each made $100,000 at sale, meaning Pepper Tree Farm has already received $550,000 from just three yearlings.
“We call the mare the golden goose, and the stud manager Rob (Robert Sims) calls her the mare that makes stallions, as every time she goes to the stallion, the stallion ends up becoming successful," Kirwan said.
“We call the mare (Superego) the golden goose, and the stud manager Rob (Robert Sims) calls her the mare that makes stallions, as every time she goes to the stallion, the stallion ends up becoming successful.” - Damian Kirwan
“She throws very good foals. She is a bigger So You Think mare, so you just have to be careful on who you mate her to. You don’t want a stallion too big, and that was a bit of the thinking with us going to Cylinder, with him being a smaller, compact type of horse.”
When asked what appealed about the mare when Pepper Tree Farm purchased her for only $10,000, Kirwan said:
“I was very keen on the mare, I really liked the fact that she was out of a Galileo mare and I love getting him in a pedigree if I can. She had a little more substance than some So You Think mares, so I was quite attracted to her in that regard.”
Damian Kirwan | Image courtesy of Damian Kirwan
The Extreme Choice bonus that became a big result
When asked about the in-foal cover to Extreme Choice, Kirwan described it as a bonus, with more emphasis on the mare herself - but a hunch that the stallion might be worth a gamble.
“I knew that Extreme Choice had experienced some difficulties with fertility, so I thought that we could capitalise if he had some good early runners and we might just kick a goal with one, without imagining he would have the success he has had by any stretch of the imagination.
Extreme Choice | Standing at Newgate Farm
“It obviously worked out far better than we could imagine getting $350,000 for her, and she has turned into quite a nice race filly as well, so it’s been good following her.”
When asked about expectations for that filly at sales time, Kirwan commented:
“You always kind of hope to dream. I was down working that sale with Blue Gum, and as the week went on you could see she got more and more popular, so there was that hope there.
“In fact, I actually put a $150,000 reserve on her and would have been over the moon with that. Phillip Campbell from Blue Gum at the time said that $150,000 will be your first bid, so it really was a great start from a mare purchased for $10,000 in-foal.”
From the first crop of Cylinder
Cylinder was a five-time Group winner for Godolphin. The son of Exceed And Excel's career highlight came in the G1 Newmarket Handicap, where he defeated superstar mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible). He also claimed the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes, G2 Todman Stakes, G3 The Run To The Rose and G3 Vain Stakes.
In addition, Cylinder placed in both the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Golden Rose, underlining that the colt was of the highest ability.
Cylinder | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Kirwan is particularly impressed with the strong Cylinder colt that Superego has now produced.
“He is clearly the best foal that she’s had at this stage. A lot of her other foals have kept on improving and stepping up going through the yearling stage. This colt is very naturally correct, has good natural strength, and is big and strong.
“He has a lovely, strong shoulder and a nice short back, and he has good bone. I think the sire has really stamped him. I’m a big fan of when good mares throw to the stallions, I really like that, and this colt has plenty of Cylinder about him."
"If he throws his fair share of progeny like this, I think the stallion has got a real chance.”
Gallery: Cylinder x Superego colt, images courtesy of Darley
A Too Darn Hot yearling to come
The success may not be stopping anytime soon. Superego also has a Too Darn Hot (GB) filly heading to a major yearling sale next year.
When asked about the Too Darn Hot filly, Kirwan said:
“She has a lovely action and is a nice family. The mare seems to put good actions into her progeny and this filly is no exception.
“All the sales companies have been to have a look, so we have some options on where she could go and what plan we make, but she is lovely.”
Too Darn Hot (GB) | Standing at Darley
As for Superego’s next mating, the decision is still to be finalised.
“We had the mare half-pencilled into Broadsiding, but she’s had six foals now and if she doesn’t do something black-type wise in the next few foals we thought we may be slightly over-mating her, so we haven’t really ruled that out.
“Maybe St Mark’s Basilica or Pinatubo are options also. We still have another week or two before we have to lock it in.
“I do have a bit of an inkling with St Mark’s Basilica. I think he is going to work down here and he profiles very similar to Too Darn Hot. Physically, he is the style of horse that would suit her, as is Broadsiding."
"The only real question mark with St Mark’s is the double up of Galileo, so I’m not really sure. But the stallion has already left a stakes winner out of a mare by a son of Galileo in Gleneagles, so it may not be the worst thing.”
