Over 20 Million Reasons to buy off Millbrook
Established in 2005, Millbrook on the Darling Downs has put together an impressive record of top quality horses produced. They hold the fascinating record for having sold the first stakes winner for a collection of first season sires, such as Better Than Ready’s The Odyssey, Not A Single Doubt’s Doubtful Jack, Bernardini’s Boban, Poet’s Voice’s My Country, and Dream Ahead’s Dreams Aplenty.
The farm’s ability to produce winners is outstanding with their graduates earning over $20million in the past decade from small boutique drafts presented
each year at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The rich soil of the Darling Downs is only part of the key to their ongoing success, the other being the vast experience of owner David Thomas. Prior to embarking on his own with Millbrook, David spent a lifetime gaining knowledge and experience in the Hunter Valley, working for Woodlands Stud during the Ingham era
of Lonhro, Octagonal, Canny Lad, and Commands.
“We have sold a Champion 2YO, a Co-Champion 2YO and an Australian Champion Miler since first venturing out on our own as Millbrook, and it is a thrill to watch our young horses thrive in many different racing environments. Millbrook has sold over eighty winners throughout Australia and globally – Sydney, Singapore, South Africa, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and importantly for Magic Millions buyers, on the Gold Coast.”
In 2021, Millbrook will present a draft of four yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, led by a half-brother to their Gr.3 winning graduate My Country.
By first season sire Invader, Lot 1173, might just continue Millbrook’s record of producing the first stakes winner by a new sire. A Gr.1 winner at two, Invader has all the credentials to make it as a stallion; he’s a son of Champion Sire Snitzel and is out of a stakes winning Encosta de Lago mare. As the co-Champion 2YO Colt of 2016/17, Invader should tick plenty of boxes for buyers looking for precocity. This colt’s dam, Bells Will Ring, has left seven winners to date. From an imported mare, this colt’s family have had stakes winners around the world, such as German One Thousand Guineas winner Hawksmoor, and American graded winner Millennium Dragon.
Strong early going type with kind eye.
Deep Field colts are flying on the racetrack, just as he did himself. A record breaker, Deep Field had an impressive start to his stud career with five stakes winners from his first crop, and his second crop who have just turned three included group winner Portland Sky. Of his six stakes winners to date, five are colts or geldings, and Millbrook’s Deep Field colt, Lot 1233, is out of Easy Rock, a daughter of Listed Sheraco Stakes winner At Ease (Canny Lad). This is the family
of Gr.1 JJ Atkins Stakes winner Capital Gain.
Same markings, same cross as Hong Kong’s Winning Dreamer – will fly.
Sizzling was well named; winner of the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes and Millbrook will present a filly, Lot 1187, out of Sizzling’s half-sister, Calamity. This is a strong speedy Australian family which includes the likes of Written Dash, D’Argento, and recent stakes winner Star of Bombay. Buyers will have fun naming this filly, as her sire is Gr.1 William Reid Stakes winner Hellbent. Hellbent (I Am Invincible) won at two and kept improving every year, running second in the Gr.1 William Reid at four and going one better to win it at five. All up, he was a tough sprinter who won seven races; just the type of horse trainers love to have in their stable.
Absolutely unbelievable type – a Queen!!
If this filly looks anything like her pedigree, she’ll go bang. By Merchant Navy, a dual Gr.1 winner in Australia and England, who was unbeaten at two including a Listed win, Lot 1127 is the second foal of the mare, Tumbling Dice, who won six races up to 1,000m. Her dam, Listed winner Talaga was a precocious type winning twice at two and was second in the Gr.1 AJC Champagne Stakes, and Talaga has done a stellar job at stud with Tumbling Dice being one of nine winners, led by stakes placed Talista who won seven races, while another half-brother to Tumbling Dice won on nine occasions. Fast like her parents and tough like her family? Let’s hope so.
Quality filly – looks like Dad, moves like Dad – Will run early.
A wise buyer looks for success in places with a proven record, and Millbrook certainly ticks that box.
