When a farm has a Hall of Fame section on their website and it’s continually updated with
G1 winners, it’s obvious there is something about the grass down at Mill Park Stud. Their recent Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduates include Champion 2YO Filly Away Game, and stakes winners Peltzer, Banquo, Mickey Blue Eyes, Warning, Seradess, Whatafox and Ecumenical. From their current draft of three year-olds who went through the sales comes very promising listed winners Cerberus and Total Babe (twice Group placed from four starts).
Mill Park’s Chris Watson spoke to Bluebloods about their draft of nine yearlings, all by different stallions and mostly out of young mares, for the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
What puts the magic into Magic Millions for you?
It’s the first sale of the season for Australia, so it comes with a lot of anticipation.
It’s the end of the breeding season and a great reason to catch up with people. The race series is a magnificent event with plenty of prizemoney on offer, highlighted by seeing the two year-olds up and running as well as the quality older horses. Throw in warm weather and holiday festive feel, and it’s a great time.
Which horse in your draft looks the best chance to win a Magic Millions 2YO Classic
or 3YO Guineas?
The So You Think colt (lot 739) is a half-brother to a recent stakes winner from a miler/middle distance family, so he’d suit the 3YO Guineas.
He’s a lovely style of a horse, beautiful and balanced, typical of So You Think, and will progress with age. For the 2YO Classic, the Trapeze Artist (lot 865) is an obvious choice being closely related to Away Game. He looks like a forward, early style of horse that I could see appearing in this race.
As mentioned by Watson, the Trapeze Artist colt, lot 865, is out of Cocoa Doll (More Than Ready), a young half-sister to Champion 2YO Filly Away Game and Listed winner Modern Wonder. Cocoa Doll’s first foal was a two year-old winner last season, so she already has form on the board.
Watson’s pick for the Guineas is the half-brother, by So You Think, to recent G3 winner
Ecumenical (Zebedee), lot 739, and this colt’s dam, Amalgamate (Zenno Rob Roy), is a city winner of four races from a family littered with multiple winners.
A half-sister to G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic placed Whatafox (Foxwedge), is lot 682, and this yearling filly is by Impending from city winner and group placed mare Whatalovelyday (Domesday). This is a branch of the Leica family that includes G1 winners Leica Guv and Light Fantastic.
A Capitalist colt, lot 285, is out of G2 placed winner Moreau (Snitzel) who is from the same family as Arazi and Noverre. It’s a Myth (Sepoy) was a typically tough fast multiple stakes placed winning mare from Mill Park’s Divine Madonna family, and her first foal, a colt by Deep Field is lot 151. A Street Boss colt, lot 81, is the first foal of winning mare Go Straightandhard (Medaglia d’Oro), herself a half-sister to Adelaide Guineas winner So We Are.
The first foal of a full sister to group winner Seradess is lot 47, a colt by Epaulette. “I wouldn’t normally take an Epaulette to a Magic Millions Gold Coast sale, but this is a magnificent colt whose dam is a full sister to a current stakeswinner in Seradess. He’s the nicest conformed horse in our draft.”
“I’m looking forward to presenting the stock of first season sires, particular this colt by The Autumn Sun. He’s a beautifully conformed colt with a lot of presence, and is a balanced good style of a horse. The team from Magic Millions really liked him, and he should be extremely well received.” Lot 127 is the second live foal for Magic Millions Fillies and Mares Handicap winner I Am Zelady (I Am Invincible), whose first foal by Snitzel is a winner this season. I Am Zelady is a half-sister to stakes winners Excites Zelady and Zelady’s Night Out.
By Russian Revolution, lot 358 is a filly out of winning mare Pasadoble who is a three-quarter-sister to Diamond Earth. “She’s a lovely filly. I’ve got a lot of time for the Russian Revolutions. I think he could be one of the sires that’ll have early two year-olds. She is a lovely big strong scopey style of filly with great muscle tone and a lovely bit of quality to her.”
What secret conspiracy would you like to start?
South Australia is the leading nursery for producing sound tough top level racehorses!
What is something that everyone looks stupid doing?
When you reach middle age and still think you can mix it with the youngsters!
What’s the most useless talent you have?
An absolute expert omelette maker.
Do you wear budgie smugglers or board shorts to the beach?
Definitely board shorts.
