Four success stories, one Easter draft
Ever wanted a Listed Race winner? Hoped for a Group 3 winner?
Longed for a Group 2 winner? Fantasised about owning a Group 1 winner?
At the 2013 Inglis Easter Sale, buyers needed to visit only one draft to find all four kinds of success stories.
You guessed right, it was the Arrowfield draft.
The latest star to emerge from the 32 yearlings the Stud offered at Easter that year is Saturday’s heroic VRC C.S. Hayes S. G3 winner Wandjina (Snitzel-La Bamba by Last Tycoon). He was one of the most popular Arrowfield yearlings in 2013 and sold for $1 million to James Harron, acting for leading owners Edmund & Belinda Bateman.
Champion South African 2YO filly Majmu (Redoute’s Choice-Spontaneous by Hussonet) was a $300,000 purchase by Angus Gold for Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Stud. She has raced only in black type company, winning all three of her juvenile starts, and achieving elite status with a dominant victory in December’s Kenilworth Cape Fillies Guineas G1. Champion trainer Mike de Kock already rates her one of the best fillies he’s trained.
Well-known bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington was the successful bidder at $100,000 for the Manhattan Rain colt from Lunaspur (by Flying Spur). Sent to Mick Price by his owners Peter Anastasiou & Ken Biddick, he was named Moonovermanhattan and made a dream debut, winning the SAJC National S. G3 and most of his purchase price in May 2014.
He progressed steadily to win the MVRC Moonee Valley Vase G2 as a Spring 3YO and has recently returned with Group 1 glory in his sights this Autumn.
Qatar Bloodstock’s agent David Redvers bought Crafty (Moonovermanhattan-Spirited Dancer by Sadler’s Wells) for $150,000. Sent to Robert Smerdon, she made her debut 10 months later, placing twice before a 3-length debut win at Sandown.
Two starts later she was a 2YO Listed Race winner and then, as a Spring 3YO, earned Oaks favouritism with placings in the VRC Edward Manifold S. G2 and MRC Caulfield Classic G3. Sadly, injury prematurely ended her racing career, but Crafty had already done enough to warrant the first-class stud opportunities she will now receive in the northern hemisphere.
Of these four Arrowfield graduates, only Wandjina has a sibling in this year’s Easter consignment from the Stud. That’s Lot 8, the Manhattan Rain colt from La Bamba.
However, buyers need not fear any disappointment when they arrive in a few weeks’ time at the historic Big Barn where Arrowfield’s yearlings are housed at the Inglis Easter Sale. Thirty-five yearlings await them, including colts from Miss Finland, Alinghi, Brazilian Pulse, Hollow Bullet & US grade 1 winner Miss Match, Alverta’s first daughter, Weekend Hussler’s half-sister by Redoute’s Choice, Sweet Idea’s full sister, Smart Missile’s full brother & the half-brother to Dundeel.
