"It’s
all in the preparation," enthuses Maluka
Thoroughbred’s co-principal Luke Anderson as he and wife Mags put the final
touches on just their 4th Melbourne Premier draft.
Anderson is resolute that an individual sales
preparation for every yearling that includes conditioning specifically for body
type through nutrition and "natural” paddock exercise will deliver the best
possible chance to maximise each horse’s potential both in the sale ring and
beyond as they further develop their racing careers.
"We’re pretty firm on this process,” he told BREEDNET
this week.
"We’re very focussed on each horse’s temperament to ensure they are all happy
and confident in their routine and environment leading into a sale like this.
As the yearling is going through a crucial growth period, we believe a longer,
slower prep is necessary, with minimal pressure applied.”
The Andersons have complete trust theiryearling prep for generating future top class
racehorses, as evident by having prepared a Maribyrnong Plate Group 3 winner intheir first year, a Caulfield Guineas
Prelude winner Group 3 in their second year
and from last years draft, the unlucky Seabrook who finished 3rd in
the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude and is aimed at the Golden Slipper.
"We are fortunate to prepare and sell for a
number of exceptional farms that have a great track record in raising young
stock. This ensures the product Maluka has to sell at Inglis Premier Sale, has
had the best start to life,” Anderson said.
Mags Anderson is no stranger to sale toppers and Group 1 winners as she was yearling manager at Cambridge
Stud having prepared and sold notable Group 1 horses Don Eduardo ($3.6m sale
topper and AJC Derby winner), Shower Of Roses ($1.2m sale topper and STC
Arrowfield Stks winner), Maldivian (Cox Plate winner), Vengeance Of
Rain (HK Derby and HK Horse Of The Year), Fiumicino (AJC Derby winner), Viking
Ruler ($1.5m sale topper and Spring Champion Stakes winner) and Shootoff (Qld
Derby winner).
This year Maluka Thoroughbreds will offer what
Anderson describes as "clearly our best draft to date” with 35 to go under the
gavel from March 4th.
"We have yearlings by 26 individual stallions and have
genuine top class stayers and sprinters – a horse to suit everyone. I couldn’t
be happier with the yearlings we are bringing to the sales this year”
Anderson is also very upbeat about the state of the
Victorian thoroughbred industry as a burgeoning market with the injection of VOBIS
Gold and additional prizemoney and incentives into the staying races.
"The growth of this (Premier) sale and in particular
the Blue Riband session has bolstered Victoria up that extra notch and brought
a higher level of buying bench to the sale here” he said.
The Maluka Thoroughbreds Blue Riband lots are:
Lot 118 – a first-crop Toronado colt from a daughter of the multiple
Group-winning mare Nediym's Glow
Lot 130 – a colt by Tavistock from a winning Stravinsky mare and
a family of top class international stayers.
Lot 144 – the first of the Savabeels is a filly, the second foal from a
four-time winning Pins mare from the family of Keano, Hunza, Our Pompeii and
Courtza.
Lot 145 – a colt by Savabeel from an eight-time metropolitan-winning
half-sister to the Singapore Horse Of The Year in Currency.
Lot 146 – another Savabeel colt, this one being the first foal from a Pins mare
who descends from some of the turf greats in Xtravagant and Sixty Seconds.
Lot 149 – a Tavistock colt from the winning Stravinsky mare Lady Fashion whose
first five foals are all winners.
Lot 157 – a Savabeel colt inbred 3x4 to Sir Tristram – a half-brother to the
stakes-winning NZ mare Ray's Girl who was 4th in the NZ Oaks.
To view the full draft of the Melbourne Premier yearlings from Maluka
Thoroughbreds click here.