With a number of Riversdale Farm’s 2019 Magic Millions graduates already showing ability, including the stakes placed city winner Star Of Uma and the impressive Scone debut winner Okudah, the stud’s Nick and Jas Hodges have plenty to look forward to including a strong 2021 Magic Millions line-up.
LOT 64: bay filly by Pariah from Astral Miss (by Denman): the second foal for a winning half-sister to the Expressway Stakes-Gr.2, 1200m winner Happy Galaxy.
Her third dam is the Coolmore Classic-Gr.1, 1600m winner Porta Roca, dam of the Dubai World Cup-Gr.1,10f winner Monterosso.
LOT 212: bay filly by So You Think from Datable (by All American): We can all remember her dam sire and sire finishing one/two in the Emirates Stakes-Gr.1, 1600m! Her dam is a winning member of the prolific Easy Date family that has produced such terrific gallopers as Snippets, Not A Single Doubt, Ertijaal, Rewaaya, Sense Of Occasion, Oohood, Forensics and King’s Legacy.
LOT 387: bay colt by Dundeel from Identic (by I Am Invincible): brings together the outstanding stallions High Chaparral and I Am Invincible, both descendants of the famed matriarch Chelandry; a cross which has produced three runners, all winners including the Group One filly Media Sensation. Dam is a three times winning descendant of the wonderful race mare and matriarch Triscay; the family of the big race winners La Baraka, Alizee and Astern.
LOT 490: chestnut filly by Capitalist from Loveitt (by Sebring): out of a Sandown winning half-sister to the Group winners Heavenly Thought, Shoko and Mimi Lebrock, dam of this year’s Black Opal Stakes-Gr.3, 1200m winner Barbaric. Three of the four runners bred on this Written Tycoon/Sebring cross are winners including the stakes winner Pancho.
LOT 544: bay filly by Russian Revolution from Miss Appleton (by Align): second foal for a New Zealand Group Two winner whose dam is the Listed winner Our Aspiration, half-sister to the stakes winning juvenile Rainman. Boasts a cross of the influential mare Ciboulette, Russian Revolution’s fifth dam.
LOT 629: chestnut colt by Extreme Choice from Peace Palace (by Archipenko): dam is an imported half-sister to the Group Three winners Osaila, Dawn Wall and Obama Rule. Third dam is the French Horse Of The Year Detroit and this is the family of Zabeel and this year’s Melbourne Cup-Gr.1, 3200m hero Twilight Payment.
LOT 747: bay filly by Deep Field from Savabella Rose (by Savabeel): half-sister to recent promising maiden winner Sarodec out of a winning 3/4 sister to the Queensland Derby-Gr.1, 2400m winner Brambles, the Group Three winner Lincoln Blue and the Listed winner Lopov and half-sister to the Listed winner Legsman.
LOT 939: brown filly by So You Think from Wahng Wah (by Casino Prince): second foal for a multiple city winning half-sister to the stakes placed Warranty from the Dancing Show (aka Redoute’s Choice) branch of the great Best In Show family.
It has been a great year or two for Riversdale having sold three Group One winners in recent times; the Winx Stakes-Gr.1, 1400m winner Samadoubt, the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes-Gr.1, 1400m and Memsie Stakes-Gr.1, 1400m hero Behemoth and the Doncaster Handicap-Gr.1, 1600m victor Nettoyer.
Apart from upsetting one Magic Millions sale during the winter, COVID has not hindered Riversdale’s business in any way, Nick Hodges noting that “we have been busier than ever.”
Hodges was happy to answer a few questions for us…
Who are your favourite stallions?
Exceed And Excel has always been a favourite, I love a horse who can do a good job on both sides of the pedigree and he is a great sire and broodmare sire. We have had a lot of success with him. More Than Ready is another, now retired but he has been a great shuttler.
What is your overall impression of your draft?
It is a nice, neat draft with a horse for everyone. There are a couple of speedy types as well as a couple by So You Think who may need a little more time though they too are quite forward. He had a great spring carnival which buyers will take into account.
Which horse in your draft looks the best chance to win a Magic Millions 2YO Classic or a Golden Slipper?
The Capitalist/Loveitt filly, she looks the one on pedigree and type. She is a lovely, racey, early type with a strong hindquarter and a great walk.
If animals could talk, which would be the rudest?
Definitely a teaser stallion!
In one sentence, how would you sum up the internet?
Something with endless potential, we have only just scratched the surface.
What would be the coolest animal to scale up to the size of a horse?
A Jack Russell, it would be absolute carnage!
