One in a million

Set to commence in a little over eight weeks time, vendors of yearlings for the 2012 Magic Millions yearling sale are busily trying to get the best out of their youngsters as would-be purchasers inspect the yearlings at the farms to gauge if they’re the yearling for them.

With the progeny of the Darley stallions having an extremely good racing season in the southern hemisphere, demand is sure to be high for one of the 150-plus yearlings catalogued for the Premier session of the sale.

Last season’s Champion sire Lonhro leads the way for the Darley stallions with 30 yearlings catalogued, and it is hard to gauge which may just be his best, with so many capable of providing the top result.

One lot that is sure to create some interest is the lot 358, a brown colt from the draft of Southern Cross Breeders. Out of the G3-winning Palace Music mare Techniques, this colt is a half-brother to Black Opal Stakes-winning Canny Lad gelding You’re Canny and comes from the family of another Canny Lad Stakes winner; Accomplice, the winner of the G1 Doomben 10,000 and G1 AJC Galaxy.

Edinglassie Stud as agent will consign lot 389, a brown colt of out of the Stakes-winning Danehill mare Tyrolean, herself a half-sister to dual G1 winner Yippyio and G2 Silver Slipper winner Iglesia. Bred on the successful cross that has already produced G1 winner Benfica, as well as Pinwheel, Black Minx and Deer Valley, this colt is sure to have significant appeal.

Siring more winners (155) than any other sire in a single racing season in Australia, Danehill stallion Commands will be represented by a 20-strong draft of yearlings.

Scone-based Cressfield Stud will consign lot 169, a bay Commands colt out of the Zabeel mare No Penalty. From the family of G1 winners Linky Dink, Sale Of Century, Domino and Hero, this colt is bred on the exact same cross which produced dual G1 winner Purple.

A handful of lots later, Baramul Stud will offer lot 184, a black or brown colt out of the Stakes-performed Covetous mare Patou. The dam of four Stakes horses already, including the G1 Golden Slipper winner Polar Success, Patou comes from the family of Circles Of Gold, the dam of G1 winners Elvstroem and Haradasun.

Later in the sale, the same vendor will offer lot 530, a brown colt out of the Mossman mare Cinemascope, herself a three-quarter-sister to eight-time Stakes winner Staging, the dam of G1 winners Duporth and Excites.

Willow Park will offer lot 296, a Commands colt from the Keltrice mare She’s God’s Gift. Proving that the blood of Danehill works well with this mare, she is already the dam of Stakes-performers Immortality and Megadeal, both being by sons of Danehill, while the mare herself comes from the family of Danehill’s Stakes-winning grey Lion Hunter.

Exceed And Excel is experiencing a great run globally at present with his racetrack performers, highlighted in the southern hemisphere by triple G1 winner Helmet and in the northern hemisphere by Excelebration and Margot Did. With 13 yearlings catalogued for the sale, John Singelton’s Strawberry Hills Stud have consigned a three-quarter-brother to the impressive debutant winner No Looking Back (lot 132) as well as a full-brother to G3 winner Sugar Babe (lot 174).

Sefton Park Stud will offer a full sister to Western Australian-based juvenile Stakes winner Rebel Call as lot 364, while Cressfield Stud will offer lot 628, a bay filly out of the Stakes-performed Zabeel mare Flouze, a half-sister to G2 winner Alizes, a daughter of G1 winner La Baraka.

The first southern hemisphere crops of Epsom Derby winners Authorized and New Approach (pictured) will be offered at the upcoming sale and are sure to create plenty of headlines. One of the first through the ring is the Strawberry Hills Stud consigned lot 116, a chestnut New Approach colt out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Mary Marvel, a half-sister to G1 winners Tuesday Joy and Sunday Joy (dam of multiple G1 winner More Joyous). From one of the best families in the Australian Stud Book, this colt is sure to be on many “must inspect” list.

Three lots earlier, Glastonbury Farms will offer another chestnut colt by New Approach. Out of a Rory’s Jester half-sister to G1 winners Universal Prince and Universal Queen, this colt could be a possible Derby horse with two Classic winners under the first three dams.

Torryburn Stud have consigned lot 327, a bay colt by triple G1 winner Authorized, out of the Stakes-placed Danehill mare Spire. Already the dam of Under The Eiffel, who received a significant update recently by recording victory in the G3 Sandown Stakes, this colt is one of only two yearlings by the son of Montjeu in the sale.

Unbeaten juvenile Teofilo is another Darley stallion with his first-crop on offer on the Gold Coast. The winner of the G1 Dewhurst Stakes during his two-year-old season, his first-crop of northern hemisphere runners have gotten off to an impressive start with the likes of Parish Hall, also the winner of the G1 Dewhurst Stakes.

With eight individuals catalogued for the sale, Clearwater Farm will offer lot 825, a bay filly out of the Flying Spur mare Autumn Wings. From the family of dual G1 Derby winner Rebel Raider (Reset), dual G1 Hong Kong Champions Mile winner Able One (Cape Cross) and Shamardal’s G3 winner Shamoline Warrior, this filly comes from an impressive black type family.

The final of the first-crop quartet of the Darley stallions is Street Cry’s dual G1-winning record-breaking sprinter Street Boss. The winner of the G1 Bing Crosby over 1200m and the G1 Triple Bend Invitational over 1400m, Street Boss is one of the fastest sons of one of the world’s most in-demand stallions.

John North’s Bowness Stud will offer the two lone representatives of Street Boss, both on the last day of the main session. The first through the ring is lot 686, a bay filly out of the Choisir mare Lady’s Pride, while one of the last lots through the ring on that day of selling is another filly (lot 855), out of the Flying Spur mare Coming Storm, from the family of G1 performers Marheta, My Royal Captain, Jetski and Champion mare Flitter.

With almost 20 percent of the catalogue by Darley stallions, there is bound to be a yearling that will appeal to everyone.