Maurice making his mark down-under
Currently 7th among a powerful group of Australian First Season Sires, Maurice will be warmly welcomed back to Arrowfield this coming Spring. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)
Maurice added his sixth Australian winner at Sale on Wednesday when Sharp Response scored handily on debut at long odds for owner-trainer Julius Sandhu.
A $70,000 buy from the Flinders Park Stud draft at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, Sharp Response is the second foal out of Melbourne winner Marli Magic (by Hussonet’s son Host).
Sharp Response gets up at a big price for Julius Sandhu. 😮 pic.twitter.com/2tUTmoM62c
— Racing.com (@Racing) June 9, 2021
The first-crop Australian 2YOs of Japan’s great Champion are headed by five stakes performers, most recently Port Louis, 3rd in the BRC Sires’ Produce S. G2 on 29 May. He and the filly Invinsible Tears, both Arrowfield graduates, line up in the last Group 1 juvenile race of 2020/21, Saturday’s $1 million J.J. Atkins over 1600 metres at Eagle Farm.
It has been a good season all round for Japan’s great Champion who concluded his excellent second sales season in Australia with a top 10 colt at last week’s Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
The second foal out of Arleigh, a Smart Missile grand-daughter of champion Alinghi, he was purchased for $235,000 from Arrowfield’s draft by Bon Ho’s Legend Racing.
Maurice’s 45 second-crop sale yearlings have averaged $124,000 – slightly better than his first crop – with a top price of $540,000 paid by Suman Hedge, Clarken Racing & Ausbred Racing for Arrowfield’s Only Roses colt at Inglis Easter.
Arrowfield’s staunch backing of its young stallions beyond their first season is evident in Maurice’s 2021 sale results, with the Stud responsible for 14 of his 22 six-figure yearlings.
In Japan where he stands for ~A$100,000, Maurice has consolidated his lead on the 2nd Season Sires’ list, with 41 winners including 3 Group-winning 3YOs and the yen equivalent of $6.6 million in prizemoney.
