Bell River Thoroughbreds

Extreme Choice – dual Gr1 winner and boom young sire – was sold by Bell River Thoroughbreds at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in 2015, while other excellent racehorses produced from their old farm include Ace High, I Am Excited, Prophet’s Thumb, Faraway Town, Flippant, East Indiaman and Bidii Babe. Bell River took a hiatus for a few seasons, then a move to a new property in Glen William recently has reinvigorated Bell River Thoroughbreds. The Ferguson family’s first Classic draft from the new property are three year-olds this season and already includes Listed The Phoenix Stakes winner Volcanic Rock (Hinchinbrook) and Baranof, who ran second in the Listed Inglis 2YO Millennium last season.

“Since we’ve been back in the last three years, we’ve had a Gr1 winner, Gr2 winner and two Listed winners carrying the Bell River brand. We firmly believe the best is yet to come and this year’s draft is a prime example of that as the sky is the limit for us,” said James Ferguson.

For the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Bell River Thoroughbreds will present fifteen yearlings, including three by their own Classic graduate and exciting young sire Extreme Choice. The colt, Lot 100, has a precocious pedigree being from two year-old winner and dual group placed Murtle Turtle whose broodmare career has started in spectacular style with her first three to race all winners including recent impressive Warwick Farm first start 2YO winner California Deeply and Hurtle, a two year-old winner last season. Two fillies by Extreme Choice include

Lot 488, a half-sister to Bell River’s Listed winner East Indiaman, whose winning dam has been incredibly consistent at stud with seven winners from as many to race. The other filly, Lot 589, is out of a young Medaglia d’Oro mare and this filly is a three-quarter sister to recent winner Swerving (Extreme Choice).

With Artorius as a pin up for young sire Flying Artie, Bell River will present a colt and a filly by the Gr1 winning sprinter and both are well related. The filly, Lot 155, is a half-sister to stakes placed winner One Lotto (Super One) from a young winning mare whose first two winners are both currently racing – expect the updates to continue for this one. The colt, Lot 157, is a half-brother to stakes placed winner Grim Reaper, from the strong Criterion family. This colt’s dam is a Commands half-sister to Listed winner Malice.

Proven sire So You Think is known for producing stunning looking horses who are versatile racehorses, and Bell River Thoroughbreds have two So You Think colts on offer at Inglis Classic for 2022. The second foal of a winning Hussonet mare, Lot 210, this colt is well related with his dam being a half-sister to Listed winner and 1100m course record holder Dehero from a strong American family. Lot 573 is the third foal of a young city winning Mossman mare who is a close relative of group winners Pure Energy (Mossman) and Segments (Mossman), as well as boasting Gr1 One Thousand Guineas winner Our Cure in his pedigree.

Gr1 winner Single Gaze was adored by punters for her tough spirit, and her close relative, Lot 226, a colt by Spirit of Boom is out of Sassy Dragon, a young winning mare whose dam won nine races.

Bell River will showcase two second crop colts by Gr1 Sires’ Produce winner Invader (Snitzel) in this draft.

Lot 539 is a son of Listed winner Euryale (Lonhro) from the family of Profiteer, Unite and Conquer, and Danglissa; while Lot 451 is out of a two year-old winning Fastnet Rock mare who is from an imported USA family that has already produced group winner Tony Nicconi in Australia.

Other stallions represented are Astern (280), Churchill (501), Harry Angel (294,621), So You Think (210, 573), and US Navy Flag (181).

James Ferguson had the final word, “There are some lovely horses in this draft, our next Gr1 winner, your next Gr1 winner, might be right here. I can’t wait to parade them for prospective buyers at Riverside stables.”