It’s Easter time…

As the leading sire of winners for the past three season, Commands currently has three individual G1 winners this season in Appearance, Commanding Jewel and Epaulette, more than any other sire, and while his consistency is evident on the track, his recent sales results indicate that his best is yet to come.

With a small, but select draft of eight yearlings at Easter, equally split across the sexes, Commands will be represented by some very exciting prospects, such as lot 219, a brown colt from the draft of Tyreel Stud which is set to sell early on the second day. Out of the More Than Ready mare More Valour, herself a half-sister to G2-winning, G1 placed Media and Timbourina, as well as Elusive Quality’s G3-winning, G1 performed sprinter Cardinal Virtue, this colt is a sure to be a must see from the leading boutique vendor.

Another yearling by Commands that is very interesting is Yarraman Park’s lot 411, a bay filly out of the unraced Woodman mare Wooden Melody. The mare is a three-quarter sister to the G1-winning Danehill mare Emerald Dream, who in turn is out of a half-sister to successful sires Danewin and Commands – making this filly inbred 2 x 3 to Cotehele House, the dam of Commands – quite an interesting pedigree.

The paternal half-brother to Commands in Exceed And Excel, the world’s leading sire of two-year-old winners and two-year-old Stakes winners since 2008 will be represented by nine quality yearlings. His first colt through the ring early on day one from the draft of Southern Cross Breeders is lot 27, a bay out of the Bite The Bullet mare Bella Reina, herself a half-sister to the G1 winners Bedouin and Slavonic and the G3 winner Rockford Bay.

Duncan Grimley’s Glastonbury Farms will consign lot 229, a bay filly out of the Champion South African Classic filly Mythical Play, a half-sister to the Listed-winning, dual G1 placed Falls The Shadows, who are both out of Kate’s Myth, the Champion New Zealand three-year-old filly of her year.

Another Exceed And Excel yearling to create hype will be lot 417 from the draft of Willow Park Stud. Out of the Zabeel mare Zebizan, who is a sister to the G1 winner Cronus, the G3 winner Pravda (dam of Listed winner Pravana) and the dam of Champion three-year-old filly Samantha Miss, this colt has stallion appeal potential if he can reach the lofty heights of his close relations.

With 24 yearlings catalogued by the Champion sire Lonhro, it is hard to select a few to highlight this draft, but we start with lot 90, a bay colt out of the G1 winner Emerald Dream, a half-sister successful G1-producing sires Danewin and Commands. Consigned in the draft of Amarina Farm, this colt is one of four from the Lonhro draft out of G1 winner.

Speaking of G1 winners, you can’t go past lot 190, a colt out of the Champion, seven-time G1-winning, Horse of the Year in Makybe Diva. One of nine yearlings offered by Tyreel Stud, this colt is sure to one of the top sellers of the sale.

Lot 282 from the draft of Kitchwin Hills is the fifth foal from the G2-winning O’Reilly mare Rare Insight, a half-sister to G1 winners Vision Of Power and Glamour Puss. A half-sister to the recent G2 Breeders Classis winner Steps In Time, the full-brother to the colt being offered was sold last year to John O’Shea making $580,000.

With his second yearling crop for sale since his return, Street Cry will be represented 15 yearlings. With his first-crop since his return selling up to $1.2million at last year’s Easter yearling sale, only a handful of them have raced, with Stakes winner Metastatio and Za Moulin Rouge highlighting the outstanding quality.

Arguably one of the best bred Street Cry yearlings in the sale is the first filly through the ring in lot 30 from the draft of Evergreen Stud Farm. The filly is the first foal from the G1-winning Black Minnaloushe mare Black Mamba, a half-sister to the dam of G1 Australian Derby winner Roman Emperor and the G2 Wellington Guineas winner Rios, from the family of G1 winner Tully Thunder.

Lot 87 from the draft of Broadwater Thoroughbreds is a chestnut colt out of the HK-G1 Hong Kong Derby-winning Danewin mare Elegant Fashion, herself a grand-daughter of the great Highclere.

Coolmore Stud will offer lot 327, the fifth foal from the G2-winning, multiple G1 placed Danehill mare Shania Dane, a full-sister to the three-time HK-G1 winner Scintillation.

All in all, with 56 yearlings catalogued between Commands, Exceed And Excel, Lonhro and Street Cry, the pedigrees are of the highest calibre, which comes to be expected at the Inglis Easter yearling sale and there is sure to be a yearling to suit all budgets and requirements.

For further information on any of these stallions, please do not hesitate to contact any of the Darley Nominations Team by clicking here.