In the short time Lime Country has been in operation in Australia, they have attracted a solid client base of Gr.1 producing farms. Lime Country believe that a young racehorse needs three things to maximise their success on the track; they need to be well-grown, sound, and properly educated. Bluebloods spoke to Lime Country owner Greg Griffin about their 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft.
Every vendor says this is our best draft yet. What makes this true for Lime Country?
“We have proven group breeders Turangga Farm, the Huddy family, Jamison Park, as well as ongoing support from the Crismale family, and Makybe Stud, all supporting us in our yearling drafts. It’s pleasing to be attracting clients with this calibre of stock and doing new and return business for them.”
What has been your most satisfying moment at the Easter Sale to date?
“Selling a colt for first time sellers, the Puglisi family. The colt was out of their much loved mare Gr.2 winner Arinosa (Dash for Cash), and the simple fact that buyers loved one of her foals had them in tears. The colt sold for more than anyone expected which was a great result, and seeing their joy and elation was very special.”
With fourteen yearlings on offer for the 2021 renewal of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Lime Country’s draft has eight colts and six fillies and most of the fillies are Danehill free, adding to their long term residual value.
I Am Invincible is hot property, and Lot 128 is the first foal of a Gr.1 winner mare. His dam, Thee Auld Floozie, won eleven races, including the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile and this colt’s dam, second dam, and third dam are all stakes winners.
“We are really excited about this colt and when he got off the truck he didn’t disappoint. He has size and scope along with plenty of bone and a great hip on him.
He also has a good strong head that is so important for a valuable colt.”
A full brother to Gr.1 winner Age of Fire (Fastnet Rock-Dragon’s Tail, by Galileo) is Lot 282. Uniquely, this colt’s dam has only been to Champion Sire Fastnet Rock with a 100% strike rate; producing a Gr.1 winner, a stakes placed winner who is currently racing, and two other winners. This colt has a strong European pedigree with at least two champions in his first three generations. “He is a lengthy refined individual, possibly due to the European influence. Very deep through the girth with a great shoulder and hip, also has the typical Fastnet action.”
A colt with juvenile form on both side of his pedigree is Lot 187, a Not a Single Doubt half-brother to Gr.2 Todman Stakes winner Aylmerton (Siyouni). “We are excited to be selling for these clients for the first time and what a horse to send us. He has the NASD temperament and is just a lovely animal who has the natural strength to go early but also the scope to go on with.”
There isn’t much better residual value than a Snitzel half-sister to multiple Gr.1 winner Starspangledbanner, and that’s precisely who Lot 321 is. “Gotta love Gold Anthem. It is a privilege to be presenting a yearling out of this mare, a lot of Snitzel about her and natural strength. You could buy her blind and come out well.”
Lot 68 is a Lonhro colt who is the first foal of city winner Sea The Sparkle (Sea the Stars), who is a half-sister to Listed winner Camdus. This is the family of Champion 2YO Colt and quality stallion Street Sense (Street Cry). “Another one we have prepared for a local client. A big really good moving horse with a good hip and shoulder that will represent the breeder well.”
Buyers will have to get in early to grab Lot 3, a Zoustar colt from triple Listed winner Panipique (Testa Rossa). This colt is a half-brother to stakes placed winner Golden Thumb, and current winner of three from only eight starts Wichita Warrior. His dam is also a half-sister to Listed winner Glenall (Redoute’s Choice). “He just looks fast, as his pedigree would suggest and people won’t need to wait long for him. Natural muscle but with quality also.”
From the same family comes Lot 388, a Pierro colt out of Panipique’s half-sister Life on the Edge (Redoute’s Choice). “A strong neater type, which probably comes from the precocity of the family, a very willing straight forward colt.”
The Procrastinate family continues to leave top quality racehorses, and Lot 463 is a Fastnet Rock filly from a young granddaughter of Procrastinate. This filly is a very close blood relative of 2020 Gr.1 VRC Oaks winner Personal (Fastnet Rock-Personify, by Galileo) as they share a sire, and Lot 463’s dam Orbital is out of a winning Galileo mare. “She has that great Fastnet Rock action and temperament.”
Lime Country Thoroughbreds will present a pair of Danehill-free Savabeel fillies, including Lot 383, a half-sister to stakes placed two year-old winner Danyelli (Mineshaft), from Landslide (More than Ready), an imported American half-sister to two stakes winner. “She is a big scopey filly that moves well and looks like a readymade racehorse with good hip and forearm.” Savabeel filly, Lot 320, is out of Gogoreilly (O’Reilly), an unraced half-sister to group winners Antonio Lombardo (Pins) and Master of Arts (Mastercraftsman). Gogoreilly’s two winners have already won a combined twelve races. “Gogoreilly was an expensive yearling from a top New Zealand family. Unfortunately injury prevented her from racing. She was domiciled at her owners property in Queensland for her first two breeding seasons as her injury restricted travel. This filly has a lot of quality about her, huge girth and hip typical of the famed Savabeel/ O’Reilly cross.”
Lime Country’s Capitalist colt, Lot 294, is out of young mare Emirates Comfort (Dubawi), who is a daughter of Gr.1 winner Royal Highness (Monsun), making her a half-sister to group winner Free Port Lux (Oasis Dream). “Everyone wants a Capitalist, what a start he has made. A quality colt, with fast look about him with the scope to continue on.”
A half-sister to group winner Tuscan Queen (Fastnet Rock) by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is Lot 121, and this filly is a daughter of group winner Tavarnelle (Zabeel), with a pedigree that brings together a tough NZ family, local sires, and one of the most promising global stars on the stallion scene. American Pharoah’s oldest foals are two year-olds, and he’s already left international Gr.1 winners.
“I really like this family and the mare has done us proud again with a big, strong, athletic yearling with the Pharoah temperament that we love.”
Golden Slipper winner Vancouver is represented by Lot 373, a colt out of stakes placed winner Kukla, who is a daughter of multiple Gr.1 placed Nahayan (Zabeel), who has left three stakes horses at stud. “An early looking type that is short enough through the middle to look sharp with good bone and muscle.”
The only yearling in the Lime Country draft by a first season sire is Lot 66, and this Caravaggio filly is the first foal of group placed winning mare Savvan (Savabeel), who is a daughter of Gr.2 winner Ruud Van Slaats, who is a close relative to Gr.1 two year-old winner Ruud Awakening. “A nice filly with great movement and a fair
bit of Savabeel about her and is Danehill free.”
Lime Country have built their client list to reflect their aims and have been rewarded with a draft of stellar types and superb pedigrees. ❖
2021 Draft
