Magic Millions sales: Half-sister to Cup winner Vow And Declare to generate interest at Gold Coast
A Melbourne Cup victory by one of your siblings will suddenly throw you in the limelight as was the case for a Widden Stud filly when Vow And Declare won our most famous race.
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Other horses may well sell for more money this week on the Gold Coast, but few will boast a more famous brother than this little girl.
The filly by Widden Stud’s stallion Star Witness from the mare Geblitzt is a half-sister to this season’s Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare.
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She will be sold through the Widden draft during the second session of the sale on Thursday.
Vow And Declare’s feat last November have ensured the team at Widden have been busy showcasing her to prospective buyers over the past few days, as the opportunity to buy a sibling to a Melbourne Cup winner rarely happens in Australia these days.
Breeder Paul Lanskey is hoping the filly attracts more attention than Vow And Declare, who failed to attract a bid when he went to auction.
“It’s a little bit difficult coming to terms parting with her given what’s transpired, but at the end of the day I’ve been on the journey for a bit and haven’t had too much success in past sales, so at some point in time you would think you will get something back,” Lanskey said.
“To that end I have absolutely no idea what she might sell for.”
It’s now history that Lanskey took Vow And Declare home after he failed to sell and sold shares to other family members and he said if this filly failed to attract enough attention he would do the same, but early indications are that she will be popular.
“Widden send us updates every day and she seems reasonably popular in the right circles. Everybody tells me the filly is quite a nice type,” he said.
The first session of this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale kicks off at 10am on Wednesday.
PRIZED BLOODLINES UP FOR SALE
The first Magic Millions-Golden Slipper winner to stand at stud and the first ever American Triple Crown winner to have yearlings in Australia headline the fresh faces with progeny to be sold on the Gold Coast this week.
Capitalist became the third horse to complete the Magic Millions-Golden Slipper double in 2016, following the geldings Dance Hero (2004) and Phelan Ready (2009).
Since retiring to Newgate Farm, Capitalist has predictably been popular with breeders, covering in excess of 200 mares in each of his three seasons to date.
He has 45 yearlings catalogued at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, which starts at 10am on Wednesday.
His progeny include a colt from Kelly Schweida’s Group 1 Tatt’s Tiara winner Miss Cover Girl and a filly from No Looking Back, who was first past the post in the 2012 Magic Millions before being relegated to second.
American Pharoah became America’s first Triple Crown hero in 37 years when he won the Belmont Stakes in 2015 and he has shuttled to Australia and he has covered 430 mares in his three years shuttling to Australia.
“Capitalist is a horse that’s close to us at Magic Millions. He has a lot of outstanding individuals. They have good shoulders, girth, hindquarters,” MM managing director Barry Bowditch said.
“And then having the first Triple Crown winner to stand in Australia, we’re incredibly excited to sell his first yearlings. There are some lovely horses by (American Pharoah). They will be immensely popular and another first crop stallion, Shalaa, also has a lot of lovely horses.
“The vendors do target this sale with their best horses by the first season horses to get them going and set a tone for the rest of the market and this year seems to be as strong as ever for first season quality.
Other top racehorses with first crop progeny for sale this week include Astern, Awesome Rock, Divine Prophet, Extreme Choice, Flying Artie, Maurice, Star Turn, Stratum Star, Tarzino, Tivaci, Turn Me Loose, Xtravagant and Winning Rupert, who carved his reputation in Queensland for Bjorn Baker.
Inspections started last Thursday and Bowditch said he had been encouraged by the number of buyer inquiries.
“I don’t think we’re in any better shape than last year, but we have a lot of people coming,” he said.
“Will we have increases on last year? It’s hard to say, but I think we will be in line with last year at this point.
“It’s the same number (in the Book 1 catalogue) as last year, but quality wise it’s probably gone up another notch again.
“As much as we want to sell as many horses as possible, this sale we want to pick the right ones that not only can sell well, but can go on and win races.”
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