Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix
There are moments in breeding when the stars align. For Mogumber Park, that moment has arrived in successive years. When the Sean and Jake Casey-trained 2-year-old filly Maria Lucia (Rommel) won on Saturday by just over three-quarters of a length in the R. Listed Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, it was an impressive victory - but it carried far deeper significance.
Twelve months earlier, the stable had claimed the same race with Do I Feel Lucky (Dirty Work), a half-brother to Maria Lucia (Rommel). TTR caught up with Mogumber Park part-owner Colin Brown to hear the background of the unique feat that his mare Mindarie (Safeguard) has achieved, and to touch base ahead of the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
She may be a special filly
Brown who owns Mogumber Park with his wife Fiona Lacey, believes that Maria Lucia may be a touch special as he reflected on her sensational win.
“She may be a bit special this filly, and the special thing about Mindarie is leaving first of all Do I Feel Lucky to win the Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, and now Maria Lucia to win it in consecutive years.
“The special thing is that these two are only Mindarie’s first two foals, it’s quite incredible.”
“The special thing is that these two (Do I Feel Lucky and Maria Lucia) are only Mindarie’s first two foals, it’s quite incredible.” - Colin Brown
Bred by Mogumber Park, Mindarie was a winner at two and is a full sister to Listed winner Castle Road, stakes placed Specialism and stakes placed More Special, and a half-sister to stakes placed Royal Strata (Stratum).
Her third foal, a colt by A Lot (USA), was entered for the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale starting this Thursday but has now been withdrawn.
Maria Lucia | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“She actually has a really nice colt by A Lot that was entered in for the sales but unfortunately we have had to withdraw him. He just picked up a bit of an injury and isn’t 100%, which is a pity, but we have other options, maybe the sales in June.
“But we can’t send a horse to the sales not 100 per cent, especially a high-profile one like him. It wouldn’t be good for the horse, or us, or our brand, but he is a lovely horse and we do have other options.
“I’m pretty sure interest won’t decrease with time in a colt like him.”
The background behind Mindarie
For Mogumber Park, the emergence of Mindarie as a producer is the continuation of a long-held belief hands-on involvement in the family.
When asked about the origins of how Brown and his wife Fiona Lacey came to get ahold of Mindarie, who was a metropolitan 2-year-old winner in Western Australia, Brown explained the depth of their involvement.
“We have had a long affiliation with trainer Paul Jordan, and we had a small percentage in a mare called Clarecastle who, when she finished racing, came to us on the farm. We have got to know many of her offspring, had full involvement with her, and helped with planned matings and bred from her etc.
“She left some really nice horses in Castle Road, a stakes winner by our stallion Safeguard, and Specialism who was stakes placed, and most of the family have been really good 2-year-olds.”
Colin Brown and Fiona Lacey | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Safeguard’s influence has been central to their confidence in the line.
“She matched really well with Safeguard, as he is such a strong, good boned horse, good hindquarters, and as a whole they love to eat and train, so we thought he was a good option.
“So we were quite confident that he could make quite a good broodmare sire, so we were happy to breed from Mindarie who was a 2-year-old winner herself. The family is really picking up also, she has a full sister that is in foal to Capitalist, and a half-sister in foal to Safeguard, so it’s a family on the up.
“We were quite confident that he (Safeguard) could make quite a good broodmare sire.” - Colin Brown
“We love the family, it’s a bit like Bob Peters and the Antique family, this is our version, Clarecastle is a bit like our foundation mare and we will keep breeding from it.”
Safeguard | Standing at Mogumber Park
The story behind Mindarie's early matings
If pedigree laid the platform, carefully considered matings turned promise into performance.
When asked specifically how the mating to Dirty Work came about to produce Do I Feel Lucky (Dirty Work), Brown outlined their approach.
“We actually have breeding rights in Dirty Work and Doubtland over in the Eastern States, and we have a bit of a theory that we only like sending our dry mares over there, probably as part of a control thing.
“We went to Dirty Work who we really liked, and we are and always have been huge fans of the Written Tycoon line, which in turn helped us bring in Marine One, being by that sireline also.
“So that mating worked with a stakes winner, and then with Maria Lucia, we actually stood Rommel earlier on, so he was a bit of a natural fit. We knew what kind of mares suited him and the type etc, so we were happy to use him, and he has produced Maria Lucia, who is quite like her sire with plenty of strength and leg.
“The Dirty Work was much like his mother, an early type and really strong.”
Dirty Work | Standing at Widden Stud
Despite being out of the same mare, Brown sees different profiles in the pair.
“They are also two quite different horses, I reckon there could be some real longevity in Maria Lucia, she has plenty of scope and leg.
“It’s really special and hopefully she can really go on with it, I hope she gets to fulfil her full potential.”
“It’s really special and hopefully she (Maria Lucia) can really go on with it, I hope she gets to fulfil her full potential.” - Colin Brown
Do I Feel Lucky was purchased by Maureen Daly for $100,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale from the draft of Mogumber Park, while a year later at the 2025 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Maria Lucia was again purchased by Wally Daly's Yenrise Pty Ltd for $105,000 and has ended up in the same familiar colours.
Do I Feel Lucky | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“When Wally Daly likes a family, he likes a family, and he has picked up both of them and had that success.
“Sean Casey and the Casey family have done a great job for Wally and are very good 2-year-old trainers, and underrated trainers overall, very hard working and they deserve the success they are getting.”
The new boy Marine One set to make an impact
Mogumber Park are looking forward to the 2026 edition of the Perth Yearling Sale where in the whole catalogue there are 358 quality youngsters (before withdrawals) ready to make their mark.
Of particular interest, the progeny of seven first-season sires are on offer, including yearlings by Group 1 winners Artorius, Paulele, State Of Rest, and Stronger, as well as exciting new locals Aysar, Lightsaber, and Marine One.
One of those local first-season sires is Mogumber Park’s own son of Capitalist in Marine One, and Brown is very excited about what the G2 Rubiton Stakes winner and full brother to multiple stakes winner Cannonball (Capitalist) brings to the table.
He has over 44% of his first crop of yearlings represented in the catalogue, and is the only access in the West to his sireline alongside Winning Rupert.
Marine One | Standing at Mogumber Park
“Marine One is our new boy, and we are excited by him, it’s actually really exciting for the sale to have three Western Australian-based first-season sires, it’s always a positive and it adds a bit of interest.
“We are excited by him (Marine One), it’s actually really exciting for the sale to have three Western Australian-based first-season sires.” - Colin Brown
“14 of the 17 Marine One’s being offered come from our draft and we are really happy with them. He does stamp them, they look like him and they have a similar personality.
“Marine One is such an easy horse to work with, he is such a dude, the foals work with you, they want to eat, and they have enjoyed the preparation, so hopefully that can help them become racehorses. I think the trainers will love that.
“A new stallion has so many boxes to tick, he has to get mares in foal, then the foals have to be born and look the part, and then develop and finally sell, we have got to the point of selling and are very happy so we can only hope.”
A balanced line-up overall
Although Marine One and Safeguard dominate numbers within the draft, Brown is very happy with the line-up and a nice selection of other stallions that include yearlings by Spirit Of Boom, Time To Reign, Capitalist, So You Think (NZ), Doubtland, and Harry Angel (Ire).
“It’s a very balanced roster, lots of Marine One’s and Safeguard’s but also a nice sprinkling of other stallions. Everyone should be able to find a horse for them.
“It’s a very balanced roster, lots of Marine One’s and Safeguard’s but also a nice sprinkling of other stallions.” - Colin Brown
“I am excited about the So You Think filly, there aren’t many over here and she is just a lovely, natural walking horse who has real swagger.
“As a vendor with a sizeable number for the Perth sale, you don’t want to have a long tail and have horses there that may struggle, we haven’t got that, so I am very pleased.”
Expectations on the sale - what is the vibe?
As always, with the well-used question to any industry participants whether it be buyers, sellers or anything in between, it can be a nervous time close to sale-eve when speculation and estimations about the strength of the sale and what the market will be like begin to swirl.
For Brown, he believes that this sale may follow trends that have been associated with sales already this year.
“I’m hoping it will be similar to what has been happening and being at least steady if not moving upwards slightly. I think the top end will be very good but as per the norm recently across Australasia, the middle and the lower end may have its struggles.
“At least a point of difference here is that the average for these yearlings is a bit lower, so $50,000 or $60,000 say, can buy you a really nice horse and is accessible for a lot more of the buyer bench.
“At least a point of difference here (in Perth) is that the average for these yearlings is a bit lower, so $50,000 or $60,000 say, can buy you a really nice horse and is accessible for a lot more of the buyer bench.” - Colin Brown
“I’m hoping in terms of my draft, we can keep our clearance rate as high as possible. The vibe is strong, there has been good foot-traffic and a lot of the Eastern visitors arrive on Wednesday, so it should pick up.
“Everyone around the place is hopeful, but hope is not a strategy.
So far the weather has been kind, which has helped inspections.
“The weather is great, we aren’t parading horses in 40 degrees which is a bonus, it’s only low 20s, and we have done our job getting the horses here, and I have faith that Magic Millions have done their job getting the buyers here.
“I’m pretty sure the sale won’t be shooting the lights out, but hopefully we can maintain the trend.”
On a light-hearted note, Brown mentioned a chat with Brittany Taylor who was doing a bit of media around the sale.
“Brittany was saying how amazing it has been to breed the last two runners out of the same mare, and what would be the chances of doing it a third time with one of our breed.
“For anyone that comes to the sales they will know how good and famous my wife Fiona's rocky road is, we may have had a bet, if we win that race next year, Fiona has to make as much rocky road as the horses weight. That could be interesting, but what a great bet to lose it would be.”
