They were two of the most exciting racehorses of their era and this week they get the opportunity to begin building new reputations.
The Darley stallions Exosphere and Kermadec will between them have 32 members of their first crops on offer at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale that gets underway on the Gold Coast on Thursday.
And, as expected, they have some outstanding lots on offer.
One of Exosphere’s more intriguing weanlings is the filly from the winning Bernardini mare Burndiniburn.
Closely related to Godolphin’s G1-winning sprinter Impending and his sister, the recent city winner Epidemic, the filly is also from the family of G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Full On Aces.
She will be offered as Lot 85 by Holbrook Thoroughbreds.
Breeders have also looked to the son of Lonhro to add some of his abundant speed to more stoutly bred families, one of the more notable outcomes being Lot 32, the filly from the More Than Ready mare Amaliehaven, offered by Baramul Stud.
The filly’s granddam Amelienborg is a sister to the G1 winner Danelagh, in turn the dam of G1 AJC Oaks winner Dizelle and of Vengeance Of Rain, a G1 winner in Hong Kong and Dubai where he won the G1 Sheema Classic.
The family also includes the 3200m, G1 Perth Cup winner Palatious and Dizelle’s daughter, the G1 VRC Oaks winner Pinot (Pierro).
Exosphere is also represented by Lot 317, a colt from Midnight Fantasy (Commands) whose second dam Ancient Song is a G1 winner who is closely related to the four-time G1 winner Preferment and the G2 winner Dances on Waves.
Kermadec, who went to stud as one of the best milers of his era, having won the G1 Doncaster at three and the G1 George Main Stakes over the same 1600m trip at four, has a broad selection on offer from mares with strong local and international pedigrees.
Among the offerings by the son of Teofilo is Lot 210, a filly from the Amarina Farm consignment out of the American Stakes performer Hamsa from the family of G1 French 2000 Guineas winner and sire Astronomer Royal.
A strong local family is represented in Lot 375, a colt from the stakes-winning Pins mare Pimms Time.
The colt consigned by Bhima thoroughbreds is related to the champion Australian mare Emancipation from a family that also includes the stakes winners Virage De Fortune, Stratum Star and Magneto.
The National Weanling Sale has been a great showcase for Darley stallions with Exceed And Excel topping the averages in 2017, with the newcomer Brazen Beau, who went on to be leading first-season sire at this year’s major yearling sales, fourth on the same list.
Vin Cox, Managing Director of Godolphin in Australia said he expected the sale to again focus strongly on the Darley roster.
“We’ve had good reports about weanlings from all of the Darley stallions and it will be very exciting to see the first of Exosphere and Kermadec’s initial crop go through the ring,” Cox said.
“They were both outstanding racehorses and are both sons of Darley stallions.
“Teofilo is doing an outstanding job and Lonhro is establishing himself as a great sire of sires.”
For the full Darley roster and fees, click here.
