Sasso Corbaro Another Mill Park Success

The China Horse Club colours were carried to victory at Randwick on Saturday by promising filly Sasso Corbaro, a $290,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Mill Park draft.

The Kris Lees trained daughter of All Too Hard was second at her first two starts in June and July before breaking her maiden at Newcastle on July 27.

Spelled after that, she has returned a stronger more mature filly and gave promise of better to come when resuming with a facile win at Hawkesbury before Christmas.

Stepped up in class and distance for this Benchmark 76 event over 1100 metres, Sasso Corbaro dominated her rivals to win by three and a quarter lengths as a short priced favourite.

Connections will be hoping her prizemoney of $135,930 is now sufficient to secure her a start in the $2million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on January 13.

Bred by Mill Park and partners, Sasso Corbaro is a half-sister to Group 3 placed Smart Manouevre from stakes-placed Furline, a daughter of Group II winner Umaline.

Mill Park sold the current two year-old from Furline, a filly by I Am Invincible, for $500,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions.

Named She's Furline, the filly is in the ownership of Aquis Farm, Leidel Racing, L L C, Stonestreet Stables Llc in the care of Snowden Racing where she has trailled on two occassions, most recently finishing third to leading Magic Millions 2YO contender Secret Lady.

Furline has a yearling colt to follow by Foxwedge, and missed to I Am Invincible the following season, since being being covered by All Too Hard on Septmeber 1.

Sasso Corbaro looms as yet another a future stakes horse sold by Mill Park, who will present another top class draft at the 2018 Magic Millions. Click here to see them.

Magic From South Australia

South Australia is a long way from the Gold Coast, which is why Mill Park bring only their best to Magic Millions each year and this year's draft features a selection of colts by champion sires and star fillies including the half-sister to $3million plus earner Fawkner.

The Watson family run Mill Park is a name synonymous with quality and the list of superior runners raised on their vast paddocks is a virtual who's who of Australian racing.

Fawkner, Southern Speed, Happy Trails, Rebel Raider, Serious Speed, Captain Sonador, Go Indy Go, the list goes on… with even a Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner in Augusta Proud gracing their honour roll.

A Flemington stakes-winner during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, All Too Huiying (pictured below) is the latest Mill Park sold stakes-winner, the three year-old son of All Too Hard purchased for $150,000 and already the winner of nearly $230,000.

A close second at the Gold Coast just before Christmas, the Gary Moore trained colt is set to be a major player at the rich $10million Magic Millions raceday on January 13.

The Mill Park draft for 2018 features 11 sensational yearlings with highlights below :

Lot 651: Chestnut Filly, Shooting To Win x Dane Belltar, by Danewin

First season sire Shooting To Win was a brilliant sprinter miler that scored a career defining win in the Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas.

He is the sire of the latest yearling from acclaimed blue hen Dane Belltar, whose five foals to race are all winners headed by triple Group I winner Fawkner, $1.1 million earner Tanby and Group II placed Viking Star.

Offered as Lot 651, she is an exceptional filly and pedigree profilers will see merit in her intriguing double cross of celebrated producer Eight Carat via her influential daughter Cotehele House (GB), the dam of Danewin and Commands.

Shooting To Win traces in tail female line to Eight Carat via Cotehele House, while Dane Belltar is a daughter of Danewin.

South Australian racing is seldom without a 'Discreet' winner doing the rounds of stakes races and this fabulous family nurtured by David Peacock is represented twice in the Mill Park draft.

Lot 420: Bay Colt, Dawn Approach x Very Discreet, by Exceed And Excel

Lot 420 is a handsome bay colt by Dawn Approach (IRE) from stakes-winning Exceed and Excel mare Very Discreet, already the dam of three winners headed by Group I placed Naafer, a colt who promises to win a stakes race in South Africa in 2018.

Dawn Approach has started his stud career in Australia in glowing fashion with two metropolitan winners in Gongs and Condemned and this youngster carries the prominent blaze of his sire.

Lot 816: Bat or Brown Colt, Brazen Beau x I'm Discreet, by Elusive Quality

From the same family comes Lot 816, a colt (below) from the first crop of I Am Invincible's champion son Brazen Beau from stakes-winning Elusive Quality (USA) mare I'm Discreet, the dam of Group II VRC Edward Manifold Stakes winner Serenely Discreet.

Lot 137: Bay Colt, Written Tycoon x Noondie, by Flying Spur

Champion 2YO Sire Written Tycoon has Lot 137, a full brother to Group II MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude winner Booker from Noondie, a three-quarter sister by Flying Spur to stakes-winner Tranquility.

Mill Park sold Booker as a yearling for $230,000 and she has already won back her purchase price and gives every indication that a Group I win could be well within her scope in 2018 making this colt a stallion prospect of the future.

Lot 422: Chestnut Colt, Shooting To Win x Victory Cry, by General Nediym

Lot 422 is another youngster by Shooting to Win, the three-quarter brother to slick stakes-winner Guard Of Honour, who is by Shooting to Win's sire Northern Meteor.

Guard Of Honour was sold by Mill Park at this sale for $300,000 and this attractive chestnut colt is very similar to his sibling. He is the fifth foal of Victory Cry, a half-sister by General Nediym to stakes-winners Reldas and Victory Chant from the family of Group I winner Serious Speed.

Lot 636: Bay Filly, Not A Single Doubt x Court Pastoral (GB), by Mount Nelson

The first foal of well bred import Court Pastoral (GB) is Lot 636, a lovely bay filly very obviously stamped by her sire Not a Single Doubt.

The filly has a real mix of speed and stamina in her pedigree as her dam won four races over staying trips and is a daughter of Group I Ascot Fillies Mile winner Teggiano.

Lot 649: Bay Colt, Snitzel x Dances Of Waves, by Anabaa

Reigning Champion Sire Snitzel has Lot 649, a colt from Group II AJC Villiers Stakes winner Dances on Waves, the dam of two winners and a half-sister to the dam of four time Group I winner Preferment.

He comes with a double cross of both Danzig and Canny Lad.

Lot 814: Bay Filly, I Am Invincible x Hussy By Choice, by Redoute's Choice

Lot 814 is the first foal of stakes-winning Hussonet (USA) mare Hussy by Choice, a grand-daughter of stakes-winner St Therese from the family of Group I winner Planet Ruler.

A stunning filly by red hot sire I Am Invincible, she is very true to type and her second and third dams are by Redoute's Choice and Dehere (USA), so there is a real diversity of top stallions in her genetic make-up.

Click here to see the full draft and see them on show at Stable QC29-34 and QD 1-5 next week.

Another Mill Park Raised and Sold Stakes-Winner

Consistent Sebring mare Notonyourlife scored a valuable Black Type win in the Listed BRC Ubet Classic at Doomben on Saturday providing a great result for her owners Eureka Stud.

The Tony Gollan trained six year-old was tuned up with two recent trials but was unwanted by punters going to the post at $41.

She belied that lack of interest from punters, charging home from back in the field to win the 1200 metre sprint by half a length.

Notonyourlife runs for Eureka Stud and has the overall record of six wins and 11 placings from 37 starts with prizemoney topping $320,000.

Bred in South Australia and raised at Mill Park, she was originally sold at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale in January by Mill Park for $140,000.

Notonyourlife is the best of seven winners from Defiant, a winning Danehill (USA) daughter of Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap winner Ruffles.

Impressive Return For Naafer in South Africa

Australian bred Lonhro three year-old Naafer made a winning return to form at Turffontein in South Africa on Thursday.

Group 1 placed last season at two when second in the South African Nursery Stakes behind eventual Equus Champion 2YO Colt Mustaaqeem, the Mike de Kock trained colt was having his first run back from a break.

He won the Citizen Pinnacle Stakes over 1160 metres defeated last season Champion Sprinter Bull Valley by half a length, while dual Horse of the Year was in third.

With two wins and two seconds from six starts, Naafer looks set for a good campaign.

Naafer was a $560,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Shadwell from the Mill Park draft and is the second winner for stakes-winning Exceed And Excel mare Very Discreet.

Bred by well-known South Australian breeder David Peacock, he comes from the famed ‘Discreet’ family that has produced numerous Black Type winners including the Group I winner Maybe Discreet.

Mill Park sold the current two year-old from Very Discreet, a colt by Dawn Approach (IRE), for $360,000 at Inglis Easter this year to Darren Weir/ John Foote Bloodstock.

Bring On the ATC Derby! Stakes win for All Too Hard's All Too Huiying

All Too Huiying has finally learned what winning is all about and he looks like he is beginning to enjoy it.

Despite placing in the Listed Fernhill Handicap at Randwick and the Group 2 Champagne Classic at Doomben last season at two, the son of All Too Hard went to the post 10 times before his first win.

That came in a Wyong maiden over 1600 metres on October 12 and he backed that up with another win over 1800m at Hawkesbury a fortnight later.

Trainer Gary Moore took the son of All Too Hard down to Melbourne for the Listed Seppelt Wines Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on Oaks day.

He didn't find a lot of love from punters and was allowed to go off a $31 chance.

Taken to the front by Michael Walker, All Too Huiying came under attack from the Savabeel colt Black Sail but was up for the challenge.

In fact, he seemed to relish it and was sparked back into life.

He safely held the challenge by Black Sail by a short-neck with Sky Boy (Pendragon) three-quarter of a length back in third. (photos Grant Courtney)

"He gave me a hard ride. I was in front and off the bridle," Walker said.

"He had his ears pricked and was trying to stop.

"Gary's got a real good horse on his hands here. I think the further he goes the better he is going to get.

"He did nothing until that other horse got to me. Before that he was happy to glide along. When he puts his mind on the job he's going to be a serious horse."

Moore said he was confident the son of All Too Hard would relish the distance.

"He's a great horse. I'm really happy for the stallion All Too Hard, he's shown he can produce a really good horse.

"Don't forget he ran second in a Group II as a 2yo.

"He's really come to the fore now. We are riding him on the speed and on what he did today he is a serious derby horse next year.

"I went to this race really confident except we drew wide. He's got a lot of gate speed and he looked in very, very good condition today.

Moore said he will consider the Sandown Guineas for All Too Huiying otherwise he will be spelled.

A $150,000 purchase by his trainer from the Mill Park draft at the 2016 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling sale All Too Huiying advances his record to 3 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds from 12 starts with earnings of $219,180.

A half-brother top triple Group 1 winner Happy Trails and Group 3 winner Danish Twist, All Too Huiying is the eighth foal of the Perugino mare Madame Flurry, a three-quarter-sister to the stakes-placed Flurry's Gem, the dam of Listed winner Toluka and half-sister to stakes winner Lake Villa and stakes-placed Flurry's Autumn who is the dam of Group 3 winner Royal Sash, in turn the dam of Group 2 winner Sabatini.

Madame Flurry has a yearling colt by Sebring and a filly foal by Shotting To Win.

All Too Huiying to continue education

Trainer Gary Moore  has high hopes he has an Australian Derby candidate on his hands in All Too Huiying , a graduate of Mill Park Stud's Magic Millions Yearling Sale draft.

The colt continues his racing development at Flemington on Thursday where he will try to extend his winning sequence to three.

If All Too Huiying can run in the top three in the Listed Seppelt Wines Stakes (1800m) he will stay in Melbourne for the Group Two Sandown Guineas (1600m) on November 18.

But the Rosehill trainer is looking further ahead with one of the most promising members of his stable.

"He's Group Two-placed as a two-year-old over the winter in Brisbane (Champagne Classic). He's a pretty classy animal," Moore said.

"There's no issue with his staying and if he continues to improve like I think he will he could be my Derby horse in the autumn."

He said All Too Huiying had settled in to his new surroundings and worked efficiently the Melbourne way on Friday.

"He's very laid back, there's no issues in that area," Moore said.

He was unfazed by All Too Huiying stepping up in class from a last-start success at Hawkesbury on October 26.

"It was always the plan to run him over 1800 metres at Flemington. I think it'll be right up his alley," Moore said.

"Unfortunately he's drawn a little bit wide but he's got good gate speed."

News: Racing And Sports

First Win for Pirapala

The most expensive filly from the first crop of Sepoy, Pirapala cast off maiden status at her first run for a new trainer at Tatura on Monday.

Four year-old Pirapala started her career in Sydney with Gerald Ryan placing twice at Wyong and Warwick Farm last year.

She had one unplaced run at Randwick in February and was subsequently transferred to the Hayes Dabernig training partnership.

Sent out a short priced favourite, Pirapala powered to the line from back in the field to win the 1100 metre maiden by two and a half lengths.

An $850,000 Magic Millions purchase for China Horse Club from the Mill Park draft, Pirapala is the first winner for stakes-winning Starcraft mare Celebrity Girl, a half-sister to the dam of Group III winner Generalife and daughter of stakes-winner Dashing Granada.

Mill Park sold an I Am Invincible colt from Celebrity Girl at Magic Millions this year for $300,000 to Sun Bloodstock and she was covered last spring by Not a Single Doubt.
 

Snitzel Flyer Salutes

With the favourite Miss Vista finishing out of the money in the Ladbrokes 55 second Challenge heat on Friday night it was left to speedy Snitzel mare Modern Wonder to claim victory.

A stakes-winner on debut at two and then Group III placed last season at three, the Leon and Troy Corstens trained mare was fit and ready to fire at her third run back from a spell.

She stalked the leaders from gate one for Ben Melham and surged clear to win the 955 metre dash by three quarters of a length.

A $175,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Mill Park draft for Malua Bloodstock/ Bahen Bloodstock, Modern Wonder has two wins and four placings from 11 starts with prizemoney topping $160,000.

Bred by Mill Park and partners, Modern Wonder is from the stakes-placed winner Elusive Wonder, a half-sister by Elusive Quality (USA) to stakes-winner Tantra and to the dam of stakes-winner Oak Park.

Elusive Wonder has a yearling filly by I Am Invincible and has foaled this spring producing another filly (pictured below) by Modern Wonder’s sire Snitzel.

Filly Bookends Memorable Weekend

Swings and roundabouts … peaks and troughs … highs and lows.

The thoroughbred industry is littered with good/back luck stories and if you stick with it long enough you’re assured of experiencing both.

Take Barrie and Midge Griffiths for instance. They’ve had a lot of success over the years and are grateful for it : Melbourne Cup winner, Tawrrific, Caulfield Cup winner, Mannerism, 3-time Group One winner, Northwood Plume. A Thousand Guineas winner in Azzurro as well.

Lots of winners, but when the coin flips to racing’s setbacks, they’ve seen that movie too.

On Friday night at Moonee Valley, the Griffiths’ owned, Heatherly – one of the leading sprinting mares in Australia – lined up in the Group One Moir Stakes, only to finish last of 13.

Turns out she had bled from both nostrils (for the second time) and according to our rules of racing, was immediately retired from the track: a sizeable blow when you consider the well bred Lonhro mare was a multiple stakes winner and finished second behind Extreme Choice in last year’s Moir.

Yet, less than 48 hours later, the highly promising Written Tycoon filly, Booker – carrying the Griffiths’ light blue, yellow checks and red cap – raced right into Group One Thousand Guineas contention with a thrilling victory in the Group Two Thousand Guineas Prelude over 1400m at Caulfield.

It was some win too with Booker lowering the colours of the previously unbeaten, Shoals, along with last start Group Two Danehill Stakes (and Group One Blue Diamond) winner, Catchy.

“It was definitely a ‘weekend’ to remember,” Barrie Griffiths admits. “It’s tough when a horse like Heatherly bows out that way, but she should have a promising future in the breeding barn. We’ve certainly had a lot of interest from prospective buyers who clearly think so.

“As for Booker, her performance was outstanding, particularly against that field. Mat (Ellerton) and Simon (Zahra) will decide over the next few days as to whether she presses on for the Thousand Guineas, or stick to the shorter courses where the (Group One) Coolmore Stakes over 1200m on 4 November could be an option.”

Leading into Sunday’s race, Booker had been placed in the National (as a 2YO), the McNeil and Danehill – all at Group level – and has now raced on five occasions for two wins, three placings and $286,000 in stakes.

Griffiths is a familiar presence at yearling sales and says that Booker was a real “stand out” when he first clapped eyes on her at the 2016 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. One of the features of the Mill Park Stud draft, the filly was eventually knocked down to Griffiths for $230,000.

(It was the equal fourth highest price paid for a Written Tycoon yearling in 2016 who, at the time of Booker’s conception, stood for just $13,750).

“I thought she (Booker) was the best filly in the sale,” Griffiths points out. “Some times they just really appeal to you … they have this great presence about them. Heatherly was the same.

“Anyway, Booker was bred by Tony Fairburn and Bill Rigg who have both been mates forever and they also decided to keep a share and race her with Midge and I. After Sunday, it’s fairly safe to say that they’re glad they did.”

The Griffiths’ originally owned Darley’s Northwood Park property at Seymour in Victoria, selling the property to Sheikh Mohammed in 2006, but keeping 2,000 acres next door where they run mainly cattle but a few horses as well.

“We’ve cut right back on our breeding but still race and sell a couple here and there,” Griffiths adds. “We usually race around three or four at a time and mainly fillies and mares, but we’ve also got a couple of colts which are both siblings to Booker – a 2YO Helmet half brother and a yearling colt by Written Tycoon.

“I love that family … Booker’s dam, Noondie, is a winning Flying Spur mare and a three quarter sister to Perth stakes winner Tranquility, while she’s also related to dual Toorak winner, Umrum, Danehill winner, Tan Tat De Lago and that good horse who won the Classic Mile and Classic Cup in Hong Kong, Sun Jewellery.”

Mill Park’s Chris Watson fully concurs with Griffiths assessment of the filly and believes she was the real stand out of his Melbourne draft.

“It’s easy to see why Barrie liked her so much,” Watson recalls. “Right from the word go she was a ripping specimen … very strong, just had a real presence about her. You naturally hope that everything coming off your farm does well, but let’s put it this way, she’s definitely one that hasn’t surprised me with her ability on the track.”

But is she in the same mould as other notable Mill Park ‘graduates’ such as Fawkner, Go Indy Go, Happy Trails, Mummify, Gold Guru and Divine Madonna?

“Well, it’s a bit early to tell, but based on her run on Sunday, against that opposition, she’s definitely heading in the right direction."

Story from Aushorse

Guineas Prelude Winner Sold by Mill Park

The Group II MRC Guineas Prelude for fillies at Caulfield on Sunday was won with a tenacious performance from talented filly Booker, a $230,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Mill Park draft for Barry Griffiths.

Sitting up on the pace set by Mahlani, Dwayne Dunn set the Written Tycoon filly alight coming around the home turn and had enough in hand to fend off the challenges of the favoured Fastnet Rock fillies Shoals and Catchy.

Under the set weights with penalties conditions of the 1400 metre race Booker had the advantage of carrying 55kgs while runner-up Shoals had 57kgs and Catchy 58.5 kgs.

In recording her first stakes success, the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained Booker defeated the previously unbeaten Shoals by a long-neck with Group I Blue Diamond Stakes heroine Catchy doing her best work late for third a short-head further back.

Placed behind Catchy in the Group II VRC Danehill Stakes at Flemington and behind Merchant Navy the Group III MRC McNeill Stakes at Caulfield, Booker advances her record to two wins, two seconds and a third from just five starts with earnings of $286,000.

"She got a bit of a speed pedigree, but she's got a lot of stamina there as well," Dunn said.

"Getting to the bend I was under a little bit of pressure, she came back under me good and she wanted to lay out a little bit like she did the other day, but it was a good effort against some really top-quality fillies.

"Today we wanted to take the race by the scruff of the neck and try and try and be there, we're going to the mile next time so make sure that she could run it.

"It is a really good box to tick and hopefully she can win the Thousand Guineas."

Matthew Ellerton saidBooker will likely press on to the Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas at Caulfield in a fortnight.

"She did a bit of work early, we were always going to be positive and she was good enough to hold on," Ellerton said.

"She is a filly that doesn't get under much pressure at home so she is probably still learning to let down. Both starts here she's wobbled around the bend, she is just getting used to that race day pressure I think.

"She probably didn't want much further today, but she did do a little bit of work early and she does have a bit of improvement to come."

Booker is the first foal of Noondie, a three-quarter sister by Flying Spur to stakes-winner Tranquility from stakes-winner Creatrix.

Noondie has a yearling full brother to Booker and has foaled this spring producing a colt by Starspangledbanner.