Over the past few years we have had a bit of a clean out of mares,” the stud’s Scott Williamson explained, “and have been replacing them with younger, high quality mares. We are seeing the results of that this year with the first and second foals of some really lovely broodmares.”
Never has Williamson been this excited about an upcoming yearling sale, noting that “this is the most forward and precocious bunch of horses I have ever had in a preparation. People are really going to notice the quality of the draft and I can’t wait to get up to the Gold Coast to start showing them.”
“I know each time I get asked to pull a horse out of the box people are going to like what they see, we are going up there extremely confident that we have the horses people will want.”
LOT 53 – bay/brown filly by Medaglia d’Oro from Apologynotaccepted (by Fusaichi Pegasus): one of only two Australian born yearlings by her outstanding sire – and the only filly, she is out of an imported mare who was bred to southern hemisphere time before heading down under. A three times Group placed four times winner, she is a half-sister to the triple Group winner Curlin’s Approval “She is a lovely first foal,” Williamson enthused. “She is a keen, forward type out of a young mare who I think is going to be really good for us.”
LOT 217 – bay filly by I Am Invincible from Deipara (by Lonhro): her dam is a lightly raced (two city placings from three starts) daughter of the four times Group One winner Divine Madonna (3/4 sister to the Group Three sprinter Blessum), dam of the Listed winning sprinter Maternal and the Group Three placed La Pieta.
“I have not taken a better yearling to a sale,” Williamson said. “She looks just like the best I Am Invincibles do; she is all quality and she really excites me.”
LOT 477 – bay or brown filly by Sebring from Leny’s Here (by Husson): a member of the final crop of her sire, she’s out of an unraced daughter of the Turnbull Stakes-Gr.1, 2000m winner Devil Moon whose half-sister Classy Choice is the dam of the Listed winner Turner Bayou. Devil Moon’s stakes placed dam Classy Babe is a half-sister to the wonderful stayer Skybeau.
“She has amazing movement, she walks like a panther and looks like one too! She just has such a lovely action and she is tough, strong and forward as well. I am sure she will be well received.”
LOT 635 – bay colt by Spirit Of Boom from Personalised (by Snitzel): first foal for a talented mare (a $525,000 purchase at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale) who won four of her eight starts. What a lovely catalogue update for this fellow whose family was proven even before his dam’s 3/4 sister Personal raced away to a dominant victory in this spring’s VRC Oaks-Gr.1, 2500m. His grandam is the Listed winner Personify whilst his third dam is the dual Group Three winning high class broodmare Procrastinate.
“He is an exceptional first foal who I cannot fault. He is a good size, well marked, striking colt who really looks the part.”
LOT 977 – bay colt by Fighting Sun from Leaps And Bounds (by Astronomer Royal): second foal for a city placed seven times winner from the family of the Group One gallopers Myboycharlie and Snowland.
“He is a book one horse in book two and I really think he will be a stand-out in that section of the sale. He is a lovely looking horse, a very well put together, correct colt with great movement.”
Williamson has had a busy time leading up to the sale with the recent arrival of his daughter Ivy Rose. Whilst many were marking time during the COVID crisis, he was as busy as ever on the farm, possibly even more so.
“It did not affect us a great deal as we live here on the farm and just kept on working. If anything we threw ourselves more into work. Where we are located is considered part of metropolitan Melbourne so we were in total lockdown but I can’t say that we missed out on anything.”
When asked which of the Musk Creek draft members would be the most likely to be a Magic Millions 2YO Classic or Golden Slipper chance, he felt it hard to split them. “None of them would surprise me by being early types,” he said.
We also asked Williamson who his favourite stallions are. Understandably he has a soft spot for Verrazanno by whom he bred his own speedy stakes winner Mockery out of a mare he paid only $2000 for, something he is justifiably proud of!
“But I would have to say my favourites would be Exceed And Excel, I would love to race a colt by him. And Lonhro, you just know he is always going to throw a type for you. I have to included I Am Invincible as well, just for the great job he keeps on doing.”
