Chris Watson and his team from Mill Park have had a busy start to the year offering drafts at the Gold Coast for Magic Millions and in Melbourne for Inglis Premier, but next week the focus will be a lot closer to home with the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale (March 18 and 19) set to feature 16 youngsters from South Australia’s leading thoroughbred nursery.
Mill Park have been in hot form this season as a source of premium stakes horses with star graduates such as Group I winner Attrition (Churchill (IRE), Group winning mares Benedetta (Hellbent), Rose Quartz (Written Tycoon), Brazen Style (Brazen Beau), Foxy Frida (Foxwedge), stakes-winning filly Arctic Glamour (Frosted(USA) and Group II placed Attractable (I Am Invincible) winner of the $3million ATC The Big Dance on Melbourne Cup Day.
Another star on the rise from the Mill Park nursery is Justify (USA) three year-old Air Assault, who won the Listed SAJC Morphettville Guineas on Monday and will have bigger fish to fry in the weeks ahead.
The Andrew Gluyas trained gelding has won a stakes race in each of his three preparations to date and looks set for a career that could end in G1 glory like other members of this family such as Golden Slipper winner Ha Ha, Champagne Stakes winner Go Indy Go and Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed, who recently produced a new Group winner in Japan called Cosmo Kuranda.
Mill Park will offer two yearlings from this famous family in Adelaide.
Lot 50 is a dashing grey colt by Arctic Glamour’s sire Frosted (USA) from La La Luchie, a winning half-sister by Medaglia D’Oro (USA) to Go Indy Go, Air Assault and Group winner Essay Raider.
Lot 199 is a colt by Attrition’s sire Churchill (IRE) and is the first foal of five time metro winning Bernardini (USA) mare Serious Spender, a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Go Indy Go and Essay Raider.
Mill Park produce sprinters, stayers, classic horses and juvenile stars with their Adelaide draft this year featuring many youngsters from familiar Mill Park families, click to see all 16 yearlings with additional highlights below:
Lot 34 Colt Too Darn Hot (GB) x Just Discreet, by Exceed and Excel
From the second crop of exciting young sire Too Darn Hot and is a half-brother to five winners with Apache Discreet (3g Harry Angel (IRE) winning in January on debut at Murray Bridge and Border Control (6g Brazen Beau) now a metro winner saluting at Canterbury last month. From Group III winner Just Discreet, a half-sister to Group I winner Maybe Discreet.
Lot 233 Colt Earthlight (IRE) x Starmon, by Monolith
From the first crop of Champion French 2YO Colt Earthlight. Half-brother to Group III winner Gogo Grace and stakes-placed Star Status from stakes-winner Starmon with the pedigree tracing back to the family of Australian Horse of the Year Verry Elleegant.
Lot 253 Filly Hanseatic x Tchotchke, by Hinchinbrook
From the first crop of fast and precocious Blue Diamond runner-up Hanseatic. Second foal of a winning half-sister to Group I winner Zip Zip Array and stakes-winner Zipanese, also to the dams of Group I winner Communist and stakes-winner Extremely Lucky. From the family of multiple Group I winners Niconero and Nicconi.
Lot 419 Colt Farnan x Fast And Loose, by Fastnet Rock
From the first crop of Golden Slipper winner and Champion 2YO Farnan. Dam has done a great job with four foals to race all winners and she is a three-quarter sister to Group II winner Catapulted and to the dam of stakes-winner Flagship Warrior. From the family of Group I winner Ihtsahymn and Group winners Jukebox and Bruckner, whose yearling full sister topped the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale when selling for $925,000, so there is plenty going on in this highly desirable family.