2024 MMWA Magazine by Magic Millions

MAGIC MILLIONS PERTH 2024 YEARLING SALE AND CARNIVAL

Win with the trusted Abbey equine range

Presenting Presenting the the 2024 2024

YEARLING YEARLING SHOWCASE SHOWCASE 4pm, 4pm, Sunday Sunday the the 18th 18th of of February February Magic Magic Millions Millions Sales Sales Auditorium Auditorium

Thoroughbred Breeders WA invite you to join us to view at the main auditorium where a selection of the yearlings will Thoroughbred Breeders WA invite you to join us to view at the main auditorium where a selection of the yearlings will be paraded for your enjoyment. These magnificent babies will showcase the depth of talent and crafted breeding that be paraded for your enjoyment. These magnificent babies will showcase the depth of talent and crafted breeding that has gone into this years Magic Millions sale, and there may just be future champions amongst them. has gone into this years Magic Millions sale, and there may just be future champions amongst them. The parade will commence at 4pm to be followed by the Breeder’s Awards Presentations at 5.30pm. The parade will commence at 4pm to be followed by the Breeder’s Awards Presentations at 5.30pm. Light refreshments will be provided. Light refreshments will be provided.

Everyone is welcome! Everyone is welcome!

We look forward to seeing you at the Magic Millions Sale Auditorium, 56 Dale Road, Middle Swan, WA 6056. We look forward to seeing you at the Magic Millions Sale Auditorium, 56 Dale Road, Middle Swan, WA 6056.

For further enquiries contact: For further enquiries contact: Thoroughbred Breeders WA on 9277 9880 or info@tbwa.net.au Thoroughbred Breeders WA on 9277 9880 or info@tbwa.net.au

Contents

Welcome �� 6 Calendar of Events �� 8 A Sample of the Offering for 2024 ��12 Feature: Raise Your Bat! ��18 Sale Socials �� 22 Feature: The Hill Stakes ��32 2023 Barrier Draw �� 36 Feature: Welcome to Taylors �� 42 Feature: Vale Allan Morton �� 44 Feature: Chasing Amy �� 46 Stakes Success Stories ��52 Feature: Will Street �� 54 Feature: Nikola Estate �� 56 Feature: Not In Kansas Anymore �� 62 2023 Raceday Winners �� 68 Feature: Welcome to Fraser’s �� 74 Raceday Socials ��76 Feature: Own The Dream �� 82 Feature: Mayfair Lane �� 86 Feature: A Breakthrough in Breakdowns �� 88 Feature: Rambla On Swan �� 92 Key Contacts ��122 Magic Millions 2024 Major Sale Dates ��123

VENDOR FEATURES Geisel Park �� 94 Mogumber Park ��102 Ridgeport Holdings ��106 Ruby Racing & Breeding ��110 Scenic Lodge ��114 Yarradale Stud ��118

www.magicmillions.com.au

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\ WELCOME

Welcome TO THE

2024 PERTH YEARLING SALE On top of the hugely successful 2023 we are thrilled to have assembled a very strong catalogue for this year’s sale.

ncreased nominations have ensured a quality offering and early comment from trainers and potential buyers have endorsed this as being the strongest catalogue for many years.

attention of our interstate cousins as is evident by the investment in yearlings to race in WA and mares sent across the Nullabor to support local stallions. We are certainly moving forward.

Perth graduates are continuing to compete successfully locally, nationally and internationally attracting more attention on WA racing and breeding.

Again Magic Millions is very grateful for the wonderful support given by the Vendors to the 2024 Perth Sale and wish the best of luck in selling and much success to all purchasers.

The racetrack deeds of BUSTLER (G1 Railway Stks), PORTLAND SKY (G1 Oakleigh Plate), ALASKAN GOD (G2 WA Derby), SUPER SMINK (G2 Karrakatta), G3 Sires Produce underline the fact this sale is really producing and further demonstrates the quality of horses being produced in Western Australia. This in turn is certainly attracting the

I am looking forward to welcoming everyone to the glorious Swan Valley, to our Sales Complex and hopefully beyond the horses you get an opportunity to enjoy the many wineries and restaurants in the valley. Best Wishes to everyone

Cheers David

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2024

SUNDAY 11 FEB MAGIC MILLIONS WA BARRIER DRAW IN ASSOCIATION WITH RACING WA Join Western Australia’s racing identities for the 2024 WA Magic Millions Barrier Draw in association with Racing WA. Come along for an enjoyable afternoon and the opportunity to explore the world of racing. Where: Mandoon Estate, 10 Harris Road, Coversham Time: From 2pm Free event, open to the public

\ EVENTS CALENDAR

SATURDAY 17 FEB MAGIC MILLIONS WA RACEDAY Head trackside for Ladies Day featuring the: $250,000 Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (RL) Plus $75,000 Magic Millions WA Racing Women’s Bonus $250,000 Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy (RL) Plus $25,000 Magic Millions WA Racing Women’s Bonus Where: Pinjarra Park Racecourse, Pinjarra Time: Gates open 10.30am Tickets: Free entries for Ladies, Adults $25, Concession $15 and Children under 16 free www.pinjarrapark.com.au

SUNDAY 18-WEDNESDAY 21 FEB MAGIC MILLIONS YEARLING INSPECTIONS We welcome you to our sales complex to inspect the catalogued lots available in the 2024 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale. The complex is open to the public and this is a great opportunity to get a first hand look into the world of thoroughbred sales. Where: Magic Millions Sales Complex, Dale Road, Swan Valley Time: From 8am Daily Free event, open to the public

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2024 SUNDAY 18 FEB YEARLING SHOWCASE HELD BY THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS WA View some of the stud farms top lots in this annual event. Where: Magic Millions Sales Complex, Dale Road, Swan Valley Time: From 4.00pm Free event, open to the public

WEDNESDAY 21 FEB MAGIC MILLIONS COCKTAIL PARTY Magic Millions opening night cocktail party brings together the who’s who of breeding and racing as they gather to celebrate the commencement of the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale. Strictly invite only.

GET SOCIAL

Planning on attending any of our events? Check out the latest info on all the social channels and don’t forget to tag us in your photos and posts:

magicmillions.com.au

TheMagicMillions

magicmillions

@mmsnippets

\ EVENTS CALENDAR

facebook.com/groups/536887143089388 (Magic Millions WA Facebook Group)

THURSDAY 22-FRIDAY 23 FEB MAGIC MILLIONS YEARLING SALE Magic Millions has a reputation for its consistent supply of stakes winners including recent G1 winner Bustler, multiple Group winner Valour Road, and G2 winner Super Smink. The 2024 edition of the sale will again feature the cream of the crop of WA yearlings, all eligible to be nominated for the $20 million plus Magic Millions Race Series. Where: Magic Millions Sales Complex, Dale Road, Swan Valley Time: From 10am Daily Free event, open to the public Enquiries: perth@magicmillions.com.au 08 9477 4255

Check out the 2024 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale catalogue online at www.magicmillions.com.au or via the equineline sales catalog app for ipad.

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A Sample OF THE OFFERING IN 2024

\ A SAMPLE OF THE OFFERING

The 2024 Perth Yearling Sale has attracted an outstanding line up of prospect racetrack stars – here’s a sample of what is on offer: Lot 2 – Playing God-Abitcryptic black or brown filly

Lot 35 – Earthlight-Chantski chestnut filly

Half sister to Sheila Gwynne Classic and Pinjarra Classic winner Cryptic Love and Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy winner Cryptic Wonder.

Half sister to stakes placed, four time winner Stormchaser. From a Group Three Gimcrack Stakes winning daughter of War Chant.

Lot 5 – Rommel-All Cooped Up bay or brown colt

Lot 36 – Maschino-Classical Snow bay or brown filly

Second foal of a winning Bel Esprit sister to Group One winner Bel Mer (dam of All Too Royal) and SW Ken Arok.

Lot 6 – Playing God-Amalfi Lass bay colt First living foal of a city winning War Chant daughter of Group Three Carlyon Cup winner La Sirenuse. Dam is a half to SP Culverin.

Lot 12 – Headwater-Animal Spirits bay or brown filly Second foal of a winning Spirit of Boom half sister to Group Three Ken Russell Memorial Classic winner Wisdom of Water.

Lot 15 – I’m All the Talk-Azita bay colt Full brother to the Group Two performer and $563,000 earner Em Tee Aye and half brother to Costazita and Playz With Fire.

Lot 17 – Magnus-Belle du Nord bay or grey filly First living foal of a Group Two winner and Group One placed daughter of Reliable Man. Dam is a half to SP What Choux Want.

Lot 21 – Toronado-Bossy Woman bay colt Third foal of an unraced Fastnet Rock three quarter sister to stakes placed Éclair Fastpass. Dam is from a half sister to Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy.

Lot 22 – Wootton Bassett-Bound Copy bay colt Half brother to quality four time UK winner Chairmanoftheboard. From a daughter of Queen of the Turf Stakes winner In a Bound.

Full sister to Listed Starstruck Classic winner Snowchino (6 wins). Winning Bletchley Park dam is a half sister to Our Ol’ Fella.

Lot 38 – Toronado-Clobberetta bay or brown colt Half brother to four time winner Finest Cobber. From a city winning Exceed and Excel half sister to Stormy Nova (dam of Superstorm etc).

Lot 41 – Playing God-Cosmah Domination bay filly Full sister to Group One Railway Stakes winner and $1.67 million earner Bustler and half sister to WA Guineas runner-up A Lot of Good Men.

Lot 43 – Time to Reign-Crown of Flowers bay colt First foal of a lightly raced Dalghar half sister to Listed Cyril Flower Handicap winner Flower of War. Family of Artistry.

Lot 44 – Pierro-Dainty Tess brown colt First foal of the triple Group winner and Listed winner and $1 million earner Dainty Tess. Dam, by War Chant, won 14 races.

Lot 45 – Playing God-Death Knock bay colt Brother in blood to Listed Beaufine Stakes and Summer Scorcher Stakes winner Ghost Who Walks – an 11 time winner and $550,000 earner.

Lot 49 – Nicconi-Don’t Call Me bay colt Half brother to stakes placed, four time winner Recalled. From an unraced sister to Rebelson and half sister to Rebel King and Rebel Knight.

Lot 24 – Playing God-Boutique bay or brown colt

Lot 50 – Maschino-Double the Magic bay colt

Full brother to G2 Western Australian Guineas winner and G1 Northerly Stakes placegetter Zipaway. From a half sister to Quilista and Red Can Man.

First foal of a city winning Magic Albert three quarter sister to stakes winner Tai Tai Tess and half sister to stakes placed Meshmaker.

Lot 26 – Brazen Beau-Burgoyne bay colt

Lot 52 – Universal Ruler-Elegant Blast bay filly

Second living foal of a city winning War Chant half sister to Jerezana (dam of Zapateo and Obsorne Bulls) and the dam of Viridine.

Third foal of a four time winning and stakes placed Blackfriars mare. Dam is a three quarter sister to the dam of Red Ora and half sister to Red Blast.

Lot 28 – A Lot-Cadenza brown filly

Lot 53 – Frosted-Elite Ateates bay filly

Third living foal of the Magic Millions Perth 2YO Classic winner Cadenza – she a half sister to stakes placed Major Mambo. Family of Barely a Moment.

Half sister to Group One Winterbottom Stakes winner and $1.36 million earner Elite Street. From a city winning Exceed and Excel daughter of Ateates.

Lot 30 – Farnan-Café Scientific bay or brown filly

Lot 58 – Toronado-Fallgold chestnut colt

Half sister to three winners. From a winning More Than Ready half sister to Precious Lorraine (dam of Meuse), Lucky Raquie etc.

Third foal of a twice winning Exceed and Excel daughter for multiple Group winner Raspberries. Dam is a half to SP Malahat.

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A Sample OF THE OFFERING IN 2024

Lot 63 – Russian Revolution-Fuhrnatic brown colt Half brother to multiple Group winner and $755,000 earner Fuhryk. From a stakes performed, city winning mare who’s produced five winners.

Lot 64 – Flying Artie-Gibraltar Storm brown filly Three quarter sister to Group Three Chatham Stakes winner Reykjavik and half sister to stakes placed Tycoon Storm. Dam is a half to Storm Burst.

Lot 70 – Maschino-Hallowell Angel bay or brown colt Half brother to Invisible Sting. From a winning Testa Rossa half sister to Strawberry Storm and the dam of Group One sprinter Gytrash.

Lot 73 – Microphone-Hare bay or brown filly First foal of an unraced Frankel half sister to stakes winner Left the Building. Dam is from a More Than Ready daughter of Group winner Silver Reunion.

Lot 74 – Merchant Navy-Harpoon bay colt Half brother to WA Oaks winner and Australasian Oaks runner-up She’s Fit. From a twice winning High Chaparral half sister to Special Harmony.

Lot 79 – Yes Yes Yes-I’m Feeling Lucky chestnut colt

Lot 97 – Merchant Navy-Lady Azamour bay colt

Half brother to Perth winner Lucky Landing. From the Group Three La Trice Classic winner I’m Feeling Lucky (11 wins and $576,000).

First foal of a three time winning Azamour half sister to G1 winner Sherwood Forest and stakes winners Field of Gold and Royal Ocean.

Lot 81 – Long Leaf-Impressing Matters bay colt

Lot 108 – Maurice-Medusa’s Miss chestnut colt

Half brother to Listed Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic winner War Room. From a Listed Burgess Queen Stakes winning daughter of Viscount.

Half brother to three time winner Iron Sharp. From a four time winning and stakes performed Henny Hughes mare. Dam a half to Mummify.

Lot 82 – Starspangledbanner-Impressive Jeuney chestnut colt

Lot 116 – So You Think-Mizlecki brown colt

Half brother to outstanding Hong Kong galloper Beauty Joy (9 wins, $3.5 million earner). From a Group Three WA Oaks winning daughter of Jeune.

Lot 84 – Astern-Indian Flower bay colt Half brother to Listed Cyril Flower Stakes winner and 9 tine winner Flower of War. From a Husson half sister to triple Group winner Artistry.

Lot 85 – Ducimus-Inimitable chestnut filly Second foal of a Lonhro half sister to Miss Rockjoy and the dam of champion WA juvenile Super Smink (4 wins, 5 placings from 9 starts and $735,000).

Second foal of a four time stakes winning daughter of Lope de Vega. Dam won six and earned over $511,000. Family of G1 winner Entisaar.

Lot 119 – Awesome Rock-Most Joyous bay filly Half sister to Group placegetter Miss Rockjoy and the dam of WA champion two-year-old Super Smink. Family of Covertly, So Secret etc.

Lot 123 – I’m All the Talk-Nishikawa chestnut colt Half brother to Listed JC Roberts Stakes winner Rokanori and Listed Nudgee Stakes winner Takanori. Dam is a half to Alma’s Fury.

Lot 96 – Playing God-Lady Alaska bay or brown colt

Lot 125 – Awesome Rock-Out Spoken Lady black colt

Full brother to Group Two Western Australian Derby winner Alaskan God. From a Reset half sister to Great Glen. Family of Amber Sky.

Half brother to Group winner and $643,000 earner Lady Cosmology. Full brother to the stakes performer Outspoken Lad. Family of Entisaar.

\ A SAMPLE OF THE OFFERING

Lot 136 – Toronado-Prating bay filly Second foal of a winning Al Maher mare. Family of SWs Sunrise Silence, Roulettes, Albany Reunion, Sun City, Vezalay, Royal Discretion etc.

Lot 140 – Exceedance-Pure Purity bay filly Third foal of a stakes performed and five time winning daughter of Perfect Soul. Dam is a half to three international stakes winners.

Lot 155 – Toronado-Secret Mak chestnut colt Half brother to the stakes placed, six time winner Valency. From a Lonhro half sister to G1 winner Covertly and So Secret, Crack the Code etc.

Lot 157 – Blue Point-Serene Image bay filly First foal of an unraced Vancouver daughter of La Trice Classic winner Ideal Image. Family of Perfect Reflection, Facile Tigre, Stormcat Academy etc.

Lot 164 – Awesome Rock-Society Gal bay or brown colt Full brother to Group Three Chairman’s Stakes winner Red Sun Sensation and half brother to Listed Belmont Oaks winner Chili is Hot.

Lot 176 – Playing God-Talent Show bay or brown colt From a Group Two Perth Cup winning daughter of Jeune. Dam is a half sister to Oregon’s Day and Oregon Spirit. Second dam was a G3 winner.

Lot 191 – I’m All the Talk-World Class bay colt Half brother to Fairetha Stakes and Sir Ernest LeeSteere Classic winner Investmentstrategy. Family of Miss Danehill, Pentastic etc.

Lot 160 – Toronado-Single Spice chestnut filly Half sister to Karrakatta Plate winner and now Hong Kong galloper Ima Single Man. From a two-year-old stakes winning daughter of Not a Single Doubt.

Lot 162 – Playing God-Snitz ‘n’ Giggles bay or brown colt From a twice winning Snitzel half sister to Melbourne stakes winner Acromantula. Dam is a daughter of three time stakes winner For Your Eyes Only.

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NG TIMES Friday 23rd Feb

m – 10am

MAGIC MILLIONS CAFE

m – 4pmTakeaway Coffee, Sandwiches & Salads, Hot Food, Cold Drinks

m – 4pm

m – 5pm

CAFE OPENING TIMES SUNDAY 18 – FRIDAY 23 FEBRUARY SUNDAY: 7am-10am MONDAY, TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY: 7am-4pm THURSDAY & FRIDAY: 7am-5pm

QR code for order nd hand in at the CATERING AVAILABLE ough to Please scan the QR code below for order form. Print out and hand in at the café or email to fiona@lamonts.com.au com.au lamonts.com.au/magic-millions-cafe/

www.lamonts.com.au/magic-millions-cafe 19/12/23 4:00 pm

Raise YOUR BAT! by Glen Latham

When John Andrew next walks through the gates of the Magic Millions Sale complex at Middle Swan he could be forgiven for raising a non-existent bat given it will be fifty years since he sold his first yearling in Perth.

half century in any profession is an outstanding achievement, but fifty years riding the rollercoaster that is thoroughbred breeding is a feat very few have the patience and acumen to survive.

Western Australia’s wife.” All were educated and prepared by John so this was a strong start. The following year John would offer his first yearling at auction, a Hotroy filly, and the sequence remains unbroken to this day.

The market John stepped into in 1974 bears little resemblance to today. In that time three different entities have run the sales in Perth – Coles Brothers, then Goodwood Bloodstock and now Magic Millions. Over the years advances in transport have made the West Australian market more accessible and a host of WA breds, Northerly, Scenic Blast, Placid Ark and Miss Andretti to name but a few, have reminded buyers champions can be found out west. In that time we saw the rise of the shuttle stallions and through their impact the strengthening of our bloodlines. And most importantly, prizemoney hikes through innovations like the Westspeed Bonus Scheme, the Magic Millions Perth Classic and The Quokka, meaning racing in the west is both vibrant and carries tremendous commercial appeal.

John spent seven years at Karnup before hanging the shingle out on his own property. “I left Jeremy’s place in 1979, buying 83 acres and calling it Alwyn Park after our daughters Alison and Bronwyn. When we bought the property it had absolutely nothing on it, no trees, nothing. But my mother and father-inlaw were very helpful and while I was breaking in horses they and my wife were putting up sheds and fences.”

But looking back to 1974 and John is managing Karnup Thoroughbreds for Jeremy Hayes. The Karnup draft that heads to Belmont Racecourse is three strong and they give a solid account of themselves both in the ring and on the track. “The three yearlings were an impressive Swiftly Morgan colt that won eight races as Good Morgan, a Prince Of Orange filly that raced as Daffodil which, I think, won over twenty races, and a Vibrant colt that won a race in the ownership of the Governor of

\ RAISE YOUR BAT! \ GLEN LATHAM

“We started from scratch and I was fortunate I had two yearlings that first year, a Beau Sovereign and a Jungle Boy. I was worried when the auction house told me they would average about $8000, but then they made $19,000 and $20,000, respectively. Those two horses and the 6500 bales of oaten hay I cropped that year got us started. Also, I had a very good association with Barry Farmer at Heytesbury Stud and through that I broke in some of the best horses that raced in WA at the time, Carry A Smile, Chanteclair and Hold That Smile to name a few. The cash flow from that helped greatly in those early years.” John continued to breed horses in tandem with his breaking business. “During the 1980’s I didn’t have a lot of mares but I had some success. Businessman Dallas Dempster bought horses off me and every one of them

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“Previously we only had Belmont Racecourse as a make-shift sales complex with the stalls turned into boxes, the situation getting continually worse each year. The breeders here are so grateful to Gerry Harvey for putting his hand in his pocket and building the new complex.”

won races including a tough son of Serheed called Hard Act that dead-heated in a Bunbury Cup. He also bought a Haulpak filly called Wild Touch who broke the track record winning a Listed race. I bred a full sister to her that I took to Sydney in 1989, the year Tommy Smith and Bart Cummings went crazy, and despite being one of the last lots she made $120,000. After that things crashed and through the 1990’s we were getting very little money for horses.” John didn’t know it but one horse was about to take Alwyn Park in a different direction. “In 1990 I was sent a Beau Sovereign colt to raise and sell. To be honest I questioned the wisdom of the ownership group and managing owner Mike Scaffidi when the colt got to $50,000 with a $55,000 reserve and they passed him in. But the owners were determined so I took him back, broke him in and as Palace Reign he started off at Len Morton’s where, plagued by sore shins, he still ran third in the Karrakatta Plate which was a Gr.1 back then. After that he was sent to David Hayes at Lindsay Park where he won the Caulfield Guineas on a bog track.” It is history that, in what is widely regarded as the strongest W S Cox Plate field in memory, Palace Reign with a featherweight for a threeyear-old was bolting “down the school side” before falling, Super Impose going on to beat Let’s Elope, Better Loosen Up et al. What might have been! Palace Reign came back the following season to win both the J F Feehan and Memsie Stakes. But John’s association with Palace Reign was about to become a bond broken only when the horse passed away in 2020. “I had never considered standing a stallion as that compels you to support the horse with your own mares. But when Palace Reign retired Mike said I needed to stand the horse, so he became my first stallion and I think I’ve stood about 16 since. He was such a lovely horse to do anything with and when he died we buried him here on the farm. He didn’t get a champion but he had a number of good horses race in Singapore and probably his best was a horse called Finito who was born and raised here for Ian Duncan and won seven stakes races.”

\ RAISE YOUR BAT! \ GLEN LATHAM

Pressed to name his best stallion John put forward Verglas for his international success but was quick to add Trade Fair. “He was a very underrated stallion and I thought enough of him that he too was cremated and buried at Alwyn Park. And Maschino is on his way with his progeny earnings now well over $7 million and include Fabergino who was successful in Melbourne. Also, I bred a good one called Wilchino that won six in a row and nine races in total (and started favourite in the Gr.1 Winterbottom Stakes!). He’s such a versatile stallion getting pure speed horses or milers like Snowchino and middle distance types like Marocchino and Another Chino. He’s such a good natured horse you wouldn’t know he’s a stallion and importantly he throws that into his stock.” Working in partnership with Steve Hoare of Rivercrest Park Stud, Alwyn Park will present 14 yearlings for sale this year amongst which are a trio of Maschino’s. “I’ve got a very nice Maschino full sister to the Listed winner Snowchino, and to Nero King who has now won three times for Jim Taylor.” A walk to Barns B & C and prospective buyers can inspect quality yearlings by the likes of Playing God, Per Incanto, I’m All The Talk, God Has Spoken and young sire Ducimus. And given the consistent success of Alwyn Park graduates, most at prices that would be considered modest, that gentle stroll could prove lucrative. “Your horses have got to do the talking for you and over the years some pretty handy ones have come off the farm. We sold a Verglas colt for $24,000 that won ten races in Malaysia, four in Singapore and one in Dubai winning $1.3 million racing as Captain Obvious. I sold a Citidancer colt to the same trainer in Malaysia and he ended up winning 4.5 million ringgits and was Malaysian Horse Of The Year, and then I bred Buster Bash who won last year’s Perth Cup.” But it doesn’t always have to be the champion that provides good memories for a breeder. “The one that gave me the greatest satisfaction was years ago I bred a filly by Galileo out of an American mare called Ooh Gorgeous Me and sold her for $68,000. Named Hunter Forward, she wound up in Victoria where the story

Palace Reign

goes she was shown to Luca Cumani during one of his Melbourne Cup visits and he agreed to take her back to England. She won twice over there (at Haydock and Sandown, no mean feat) and then was shipped to America where she won again and was Stakes placed. To breed a horse good enough to win on three continents; that was pleasing.”

won a Saturday race worth $50,000 but with the bonus on top they collected $87,000. That has helped the industry generally, even to the point where I know eastern state farms are sending mares over to be covered by West Australian stallions, and as long as the mares have West Australian ownership in them, they will be eligible for Westspeed Platinum.”

We asked John, a Life Member of the West Australian Breeders’ Association, to point to any developments that have positively impacted on the local industry and he came back with two examples. “I think, especially in the last few years, the industry has changed dramatically. Firstly, when I was on the board of the Breeders’ Association the Westspeed Bonus Scheme was formed, and at that time the only money that was available was what the breeder and owner contributed to. Of course as more horses won these races the pot ran dry, but since RWWA took over not only do we have the Bonus Scheme but now we have Westspeed Platinum which only the progeny of West Australian owned mares that are sired by West Australian based stallions are eligible. That has encouraged local people to buy West Australian bred horses. If a breeder wants to send a mare east to be covered and upgrade their stock, those horses are eligible for Westspeed but not for Westspeed Platinum. And that Platinum bonus makes a massive difference. Someone told me they

John also thinks having a purpose built sale complex for breeders to showcase their products has stimulated the market. “Previously we only had Belmont Racecourse as a make-shift sales complex with the stalls turned into boxes, the situation getting continually worse each year. The breeders here are so grateful to Gerry Harvey for putting his hand in his pocket and building the new complex; to do so is mind-boggling. It’s cost him a lot of money that he probably won’t see again but the breeders have a decent complex at which to sell their horses. That massive commitment by him has been a boost for the industry and I think that investment has triggered more growth as there is a lot more interest from over east and a lot more breeders are sending their mares east to upgrade their stock.” So plenty has changed in the industry over the past half century but with a quality draft ready for sale and a young sire delivering the goods on the farm, the future for John and Alwyn Park looks just as bright as it did in 1974. n

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Socials SALE 2023

\ SALE SOCIALS 2023

Top Buyers 2023

WILLIAMS RACING & SUMAN HEDGE BLOODSTOCK Bought 7 – Average $147,500 Gross - $1,032,500

PARNHAM RACING STABLES Bought 8 – Average $126,875 Gross - $1,015,000

RYAN HILL RACING Bought 6 – Average $148,333 Gross - $890,000

ADAM DURRANT Bought 5 – Average $122,000 Gross - $610,000

JOHN CHALMERS BLOODSTOCK Bought 7 – Average $81,429 Gross - $570,000

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SALE 2023

\ SALE SOCIALS 2023

Top Buyers 2023

TREVOR ANDREWS Bought 6 – Average $81,250 Gross - $487,500

COMMERCIAL BLOODSTOCK SERVICES P/L Bought 3 – Average $161,667 Gross - $485,000

PETER & LUKE FERNIE Bought 6 – Average $76,667 Gross - $460,000

SIMON MILLER RACING Bought 5 – Average $87,500 Gross $437,500

JIM TAYLOR Bought 3 – Average $140,000 Gross $420,000

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SALE 2023

\ SALE SOCIALS 2023

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SALE 2023

\ SALE SOCIALS 2023

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OWN THE DREAM 2024

WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE Rich Walker, Andrew Durnin and a big syndicate of owners are quite literally owning the dream as part-owners of outstanding filly Super Smink. For most of them, including several experiencing the thrill of racehorse ownership for the first time, they have Racing WA’s award-winning Own The Dream competition to thank for kickstarting the journey that led them to Super Smink. A Facebook ad for Own The Dream piqued the interest of both Walker, a 33-year-old FIFO worker, and Durnin, a former business owner who is now retired. “I always watched the races and wanted to go,” Walker said. “Own The Dream popped up on Facebook and I got the whole family together to make a team.” Own The Dream gives entrants a chance to win a share in a racehorse while also giving them rare insights into what makes the industry tick. Four free events – stable and stud tours, a morning at trackwork and the grand finale at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale – help give newcomers to racing a greater understanding of the sport. The ultimate prize in 2024 is a $20,000 voucher for the winning team to use towards a horse or multiple horses at the Perth Yearling Sale. “I always went to the Perth Cup in a marquee going back to the Tentland days,” Durnin said. “I had just bought a share in my first horse before seeing the ad for Own The Dream the following year. “I thought ‘how good’s that?’. Every team gets a $1500

voucher regardless of the result. “I put a team together with my brother and some mates and it was really fun. We learnt a lot. “We didn’t win, but we used our voucher to buy a share in a horse now called Bohemian Diamond who is with Dan Morton.” Durnin was with Morton when he first laid eyes on Super Smink and the multiple Group 1-winning trainer snapped her up for just $40,000 at the 2022 Perth Yearling Sale. “I saw Super Smink come out and had to buy a 10 per cent share,” Durnin said. “I offered five per cent to the syndicate. They were reluctant to have shares in two horses, but when I told them how little it was for one, they said ‘that’s nothing’ and jumped in again.” Walker’s team Walkertothestable collected a $7500 voucher for finishing second in Own The Dream, which they put towards buying a share in a War Chant colt. That horse, Hostile Talk, made a spectacular start to his career with a dominant Belmont win on debut in December for leading trainers Grant and Alana Williams. However, Super Smink caught Walker’s eye at Morton’s stable open day shortly after the sale. “Mum and I went into Super Smink separately to our team,” Walker said. “Own The Dream really opens your eyes to everything and coming second was just a bonus.

“Without going through it, we wouldn’t be in Super Smink.”

“My two youngest, who are six and four, love coming to the races and seeing the horses at the stables.”

Super Smink has taken her owners on a magical ride, creating a slice of history by becoming the first twoyear-old to win the $250,000 Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, $500,000 Karrakatta Plate and $200,000 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes last season.

Durnin said his involvement in the 2022 and 2023 Own The Dream competitions led to nine friends becoming owners for the first time.

She returned as a three-year-old with a barnstorming win in the Belgravia Stakes before finishing second in the Burgess Queen Stakes and third in the WA Guineas. With four wins and four placings from eight starts, she has racked up a whopping $708,740 in total prizemoney with the promise of plenty more to come. “Five of the eight people in our syndicate, F H R U S Racing, are first-time owners,” Durnin said. “I keep saying to them it doesn’t get any better than this. “It’s been great celebrating the wins with all the other owners. “There are three syndicates involved and a lot of different personalities and they’re all great people. “She’s a dream horse.” Walker said Super Smink has taken him on a “once-ina-lifetime ride”. “For that to be my first horse to race is amazing,” Walker said. “It gives me goosebumps anytime I think about it. “Every time she races, all the owners are all together and it’s such a good ride with them.” Own The Dream and Super Smink have inspired Walker and Durnin to up the ante in their involvement in racehorse ownership. “I’ve got a few other horses now,” Walker said. “My kids are a part of the ride as much as me.

“We now have three horses in the syndicate and the girls have a share in an all-female owned horse, as well,” he said. “Without Own The Dream, the other guys would not have bought shares in horses. “It’s superbly run and I can not recommend it enough. “Three years ago, I didn’t have a share in a horse and now I’m all-in and I even have a broodmare. “It’s so affordable. The feeling is just the same whether you have five per cent or a bigger share.”

The Hill STAKES by Jessica Owers

Keysbrook trainer Ryan Hill is just two years into his training gig after hanging up his riding boots in Western Australia, but already he is one of the emerging forces of the Perth sale ring. He tells Jessica Owers it’s been the best of starts.

ccording to Bob Marley, the day you stop racing is the day you win the race, and for Englishman Ryan Hill, fiercely bearded and slightly built, that day came when he gave up the ghost of professional riding. For a decade, Hill had climbed the rigging of Perth’s jockey ranks, riding 479 winners, until late 2021 when he’d had enough. The wasting was too much and his mind had caught up with his body; he would train racehorses instead. Less than a fortnight later he was back at the races with his first runner, a Blackfriars gelding that would later invite a suspension for being uncompetitive. But that’s racing, Ryan Hill will tell you, a man who also thought he’d have eight to 10 horses in full-time work at his peak. Today, just two years into the game, he has up to 40. “I wasn’t expecting that,” he says. “I thought floating around with maybe eight to 10 horses would be cool for a few years, keeping my toe in the water. But then we went to the sales and bought a couple, and then to the winter sale where we bought a heap of weanlings. When the numbers got into the twenties it was getting a bit serious, and then I was a bit shocked when we hit 30 to 40 in work.” For 34-year-old Hill, shock doesn’t arrive in the form of hysteria. He’s a calm, patient type who doesn’t easily fly off the handle. “I don’t get stressed at all,” he says. “I’ve been in racing long enough to know there are ups

\ THE HILL STAKES \ JESSICA OWERS

and there are downs, and, to be honest, it has helped that things have got off to a pretty good start for me. I’m lucky that the support has been incredible.” Hill arrived on the west coast in 2008 from the Isle of Sheppey, southeast of London in the well-to-do county of Kent. His parents were racing enthusiasts and, growing up, Hill was light enough to begin race riding after a childhood in show jumping and eventing. He enrolled in the British Racing School where he learned the formative tools of the trade and, after a brief tenure with English trainers John Best and Peter Grayson, he snatched a temporary opportunity to ride work at Lark Hill in Western Australia. That was in 2008, but it took the then 19-year-old two years before he could ride licensed in Perth. In between, he was watched by casual racegoers in the eventing scene, earning kudos for his abilities to sit the difficult ones. Hill had a good seat and wilful patience, which helped coast him to the champion apprentice title by 2011/2012. But none of this had been his intention when arriving in Australia in 2008. He’d come for the sun, and it was largely because of the sun that he never left. “When you grow up in England, you come to appreciate the good weather,” he says. “I was over there, freezing cold, and I came here and just fell in love with the place. There is so much opportunity in Perth if you’re willing to work hard. In England, you could ride four

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horses of a morning and that was it, but I went to the Lark Hill track on my first morning and I think I rode 12. It was brilliant money for a young fella trying to make his way.” At Keysbrook, a little way south of Perth, Hill is set up on two neighbouring properties. One is owned by his loyal supporter, former oil and gas engineering businessman Mick Wilson, who bought the set-up that once belonged to Impressive Racing. Hill has a staff of seven alongside his partner, jockey Victoria Corver, and the pair oversees much of the operation together, including trackwork, racedays and pre-training for the likes of Neville Parnham. “I’m best friends with the Parnhams, so Brad obviously rides the majority of our horses and he’s very good,” Hill says, albeit the Parnhams are just one of the Perth families that has come to the Hill table. Stephen (SJ) Miller is another. “I went around my early sales with SJ Miller, and then with Neville Parnham,” Hill says. “They’re two very good trainers that buy different types of horses and I wanted to see what they looked for at the sales.” Hill admits to being a freshman.. He’s ready to learn, but for an ex-pat just two years into holding a trainer’s ticket, he’s made some good friends. His relationship with Mick Wilson is a good example, that alliance blooming from his riding days with Vernon Brockman. “Mick kept a few horses with Vernon and when he sold his business, he wanted to get heavily involved,” Hill says. “We went to the sales to buy a couple last year and we ended up with a few more than that, but it proved a good thing. That’s when we bought the Playing God-Poverty Point filly and the other one from Coast To The Post.” Both horses were yearling fillies at the 2023 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, both inside the top 10 results by price and two of the eight that Ryan Hill Racing bought overall for a total spend of just shy of $1 million. Hill ended up third-top buyer of the sale when, at his first throw at the stumps in 2022, he had bought just one. “I’d been around horses all my life, but the sales were a different kettle of fish,” he says. “I was definitely under-prepared for my first one (in 2022), even though I ended up getting a very useful horse from that, Guarding Heaven. At last year’s sale I was a lot more prepared.”

\ THE HILL STAKES \ JESSICA OWERS

Of the $890,000 that Hill spent at the 2023 Perth Yearling Sale, Mick Wilson went in for about $800,000 of that. He is the operation’s heaviest supporter, and he says it’s Hill’s work ethic that impresses him most. In Western Australia, hard work is a good measure of character. “Ryan is up at 2.30 in the morning and he still rides most of the horses,” Wilson says. “That he still rides and he’s training them is something that I value, particularly because the majority of them are two-year-olds. We’ve both got skin in the game.” Wilson has been in racing since 2014 and is involved in one way or another with about 25 racehorses. He’s been a buyer for the last five years, and his support of Ryan Hill Racing has propped up the new trainer in very formative stages. “But it goes both ways,” Wilson says. “I can see Ryan’s potential and I always wanted to have my own farm, and now I’ve done that and, to be honest, I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead.” Hill is pushing 16 years in Western Australia. He feels like a ‘west coaster’, with even his Kent accent disappearing behind an emerging local brogue. For racing, he cuts a young, upcoming figure in a state that seems to embrace and back-in its future talent. “You only have to consider that Lyn Sayers (of Yarradale Stud) jumped straight in to the first horse I bought at the sales (Guarding Heaven),” Ryan says. “For someone like that to get behind you right off the bat, it’s a huge plus and it really does help.” Ahead of the 2024 Perth Yearling Sale, Hill is prepared and freshly educated. He has bored Victoria Corver senseless with his repetitive digestion of yearling videos, and he’s been on the farms and on the phone, eyeing off what’s ahead in the Swan Valley sale ring. He’s learned that being ringside as a rider is one thing, and quite another being around it as a trainer. “You’re responsible for that horse and that money,” he says, while admitting that he’s also a lot more tuned into type over page these days. “Vernon Brockman told me one thing. He said everyone can read, but not everyone is going to have the same eye. I thought it was a very important bit of advice to give me.” n

Ryan Hill with Mick Wilson

“I’d been around horses all my life, but the sales were a different kettle of fish,” he says. “I was definitely under-prepared for my first one (in 2022).”

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Barrier Draw 2023

\ BARRIER DRAW 2023

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Barrier Draw 2023

\ BARRIER DRAW 2023

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Boxed High Tea

Delight in a curated selection of High Tea favourites all conveniently packaged for your enjoyment. Perfect for special occasions or a luxurious self-indulgence. Unbox joy and savor the sophistication! Please scan the QR code to order now perth.regency.hyatt.com

FROM THE

Stables to Socials

ADD THE DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIST TO YOUR TEAM

Thoroughbred digital marketing content without lifting a saddle! SOCIAL MEDIA Rides/winning content, Instagram/TikTok videos and more

EMAIL MARKETING Stable e-newsletters and owner updates

WEBSITE CONTENT Blog articles, design, and management

Find us on Instagram! @lbdracing

Taylors WELCOME TO

An eclectic and timelessly charming hideaway in the heart of the Swan Valley where you’ll find it irresistibly hard to not get cozy too quickly.

he Taylors have been humbled to call this unique little homestead their working ground for over nine years to

date.

Having poured their hearts into this special place, they are ecstatic to showcase their visions, which were once only dreams, as the first of the younger generation in the Swan Valley. Taylors encapsulates local WA with community, and perfectly balances a timeless charm with modern and natural elements. A classic hospitality experience offers guests a seasonal and local focused menu, which openly caters for and accommodates dietary requirements, so no member of the group is left out. Delightful eats, the locals favourite coffee and a cabinet full of treats, what more could you ask for.

\ TAYLORS

Taylors is also the official home of Western Australian artist Jude Taylor. The gallery is plentiful with pieces from many of Jude’s collections. Currently stocking clothing, accessories, cards and soap. Smaller lino prints can be found within the gallery and large prints are showcased on the walls throughout the cafe.

TAYLORS CAFE 0 Great Northern Highway, Middle Swan 1 WA 6056 contact@taylorscafe.com.au (08) 9274 2586

OPEN Tuesday-Sunday 7:30am - 2pm Kitchen open until 1:30pm CLOSED MONDAYS

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\ VALE ALLAN MORTON

VALE Allan Morton 1947-2023

A true blue Gentleman MMWA

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\ CHASING AMY \ JESSICA OWERS

Amy

CHASING by Jessica Owers

One of Perth racing’s most prolific participants is also one of its most stylish, and Amy Evans tells Jessica Owers that she is using her platform to raise the stakes of disability awareness, both in racing and in fashion.

n homemade couture, with dramatic silhouettes and timeless grace, 26-year-old Amy Catherine Evans is in her wheelchair on the runway. Her skirt is dramatic, her millinery offset, and every small detail is accounted for... nails, earrings and punchred lipstick. Like every other participant in the Fashions On The Field competition, she is there to win. But with a difference. Evans, that she knows of, is the only physically disabled woman competing in Fashions On The Field, and while initially it was for kicks, now it’s a megaphone for disabled awareness. “I started entering for fun, and then it turned into a form of disability advocacy,” she says. “Last year was my second year competing in the Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions On The Field, and everyone was so supportive of me entering. My mission is to use it as a platform to help break down disability stereotypes in the fashion industry.” Evans has become synonymous with her raceday fashion. Many of her outfits, and all of her Fashions On The Field wardrobe, are carefully mapped and hand-sewn by her mother, Catherine, and this is because high-street fashion won’t fit Evans, who lives with the extremely rare condition Nemaline Myopathy. By her guess, only 35 Australians are diagnosed with it, and one of those is her twin sister, Rebecca. “We were diagnosed at 18 months old,” Evans says. “Mum is an early childhood teacher and she noticed that we weren’t reaching typical physical milestones. A lot of it was put down

to being twins and not needing to move, but Mum felt something wasn’t right. At three, we were officially diagnosed from a muscle biopsy.” There is no cure for Nemaline Myopathy, and its coupled complications can be severe. Evans has scoliosis, and everyday life can be challenging. It’s always like that, but on occasions it all gets to her. “There’s no denying that I definitely have my down days behind closed doors, but I’m lucky to have a very supportive family and friends to help me through,” she says. “There isn’t a cure for my disability, but then it has made me the person I am today. When there’s nothing you can do about it, there’s no point on dwelling it. You might as well make the most of life.” As young as she is, Evans has lived a huge life. She was a high-achieving school leaver from La Salle College in Perth, and at Curtin University she achieved a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in marketing and advertising three years ago, graduating top-six of her year. She has since gone into business for herself, kickstarting the digital marketing company Little Black Dress Digital, or LBD Digital, before she even graduated from university. It led to her handling the social accounts for some highprofile track stars. “In 2022, when (jockey) Jett Stanley was moving from Perth to Melbourne, he asked if I would take over his social media graphics,” Evans says. “And then last year, Blake Shinn saw what I was doing for Jett and he asked if I could handle his graphics too.

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I was noticing that social media management for jockeys was really growing overseas, especially in the UK, but I was also identifying that gap in the marketing for not just the jockeys, but for the smaller stables that needed digital marketing support but couldn’t hire someone full time.” The off-shoot of Evans’s digital savvy was that she earned a contract role with Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) as a social media coordinator. She loved the work because it melded her career ambitions with her passion for horse racing. “It surprises a lot of people that I don’t actually come from a racing family,” she says. “My earliest exposure to the sport was watching the Melbourne Cup on television at primary school.” Racing has lured a lot of new fans this way, drawing them in with the pageantry of the annual Melbourne Cup. But in 2014, when Evans was 16, she had her first real exposure to racing at Ascot Racecourse on Derby Day. “I’d told my parents that I wanted to buy into a racehorse, so they thought it might be a good idea to actually take me to the races first,” she says. “My sister, who isn’t a racing fan, has a lucky number of six, so Dad decided we could have a small bet to celebrate the day. We put $10 each-way on Race 6, horse number six, and I still remember the horse’s name to this day (Prentice). He didn’t look the best in

the yard, which is how I pick them, but to our surprise he won at $61.” Prentice was a Simon Foster-trained gelding by Blackfriars, and the race he won that day was the WATC Sires’ Produce Stakes with Glenn Smith aboard. Evans was hooked, and six months later she was involved with her first racehorse. Today, nearly a decade later, she has small shares in 13 horses. The majority are with Darren McAuliffe and Impressive Racing, including The Velvet Queen who is just shy of $620,000 in earnings via wins in the Ascot Mile last year and multiple stakes placings. “I have a post-it note on my laptop to help me keep track of them all,” she says. “I also have two two-year-olds with Darren, who I’m really excited to see hit the track, as well as my first two Melbourne horses with Luke Oliver.” In December, Evans relocated from her lifelong home in Perth to live in Melbourne. She followed her sister east, anxious for life in the ‘big smoke’. The independence has been a gift to her, as reluctant as she was to leave everything she had built in Perth. “Of course I’ll miss my parents, though they’ll visit regularly, and I’ll miss the warm weather,” she says. “In terms of racing, I’ll definitely miss the people. The general racing community is small, but it’s lovely in Perth how everyone knows everyone. I made some amazing friends through ownership.”

“It surprises a lot of people that I don’t actually come from a racing family,” she says. “My earliest exposure to the sport was watching the Melbourne Cup on television at primary school.”

\ CHASING AMY \ JESSICA OWERS

Amy at the 2023 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale inspecting Lot 76, the Universal Ruler half-brother to the stakes winner Clairvoyant, a horse Evans co-owned

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Evans had become a regular fixture at Perth’s races; in the parade ring, around the enclosure and at the stalls. She was a local and, in the most recent years, known as much for her clothes as her ownership, finding herself on the runways of competition. “I think I first realised I was developing a profile when people started recognising me at the races,” she says. “But I think my profile really sunk in when I was the Cox Plate Charity Pin Ambassador with Moonee Valley and MakeA-Wish Foundation. Being on Racing.com was not just a dream for a racing fan, but the number of people who reached out to say they saw me on television was crazy.” That was last year, and Evans had plenty of media trawling her to the point where she is now well-heeled on television, on radio and in the papers. Like the fashion gig, she sees it all as an opportunity to promote disability awareness. After all, the racecourse isn’t traditionally a destination for wheelchair users or the disabled, even if that might be changing.

Amy with her father, ultramarathon cyclist Rod Evans

“As a whole, the attitude towards accessibility is amazing in racing,” she says. “You can’t fault the people, but infrastructure is a barrier sometimes. At Belmont, for example, despite being a Member I couldn’t access the Members’ floor because there wasn’t a lift. But I’m a big believer in that those who know better do better, and I’ve definitely seen improvements over the years. For the first time at the end of last year, the winner’s circle at Ascot was accessible. I just didn’t have a winner so I didn’t get to see it.” With a condition she is forced to take very seriously, Evans doesn’t take life too seriously. When her horses win, there are tears, and when they lose, “that’s racing”. It’s all part of the rollercoaster. When opportunity knocks, she answers, and it doesn’t seem like she gets dirty on the world with its inhibitions and forgetfulness of disability. “My parents always encouraged me to do whatever I set my mind to, whether it was starting my own business or getting involved in horse racing,” she says. “The racing community is a very accepting and inclusive one. Everyone comes from all walks of life and when I’m at the races, and my wheelchair obviously makes me stand out a bit and is probably the reason my profile grew like it did, to be honest I just feel like Amy.” n

Inspecting youngsters at Alwyn Park Stud on a team outing with the marketing squad at RWWA

\ CHASING AMY \ JESSICA OWERS

The

BOTANICAL Cafe & Kiosk

The Botanical Café and kiosk is situated in the heart of Kings Park, you can choose to enjoy your visit in the cozy indoor area amongst the greenery or out on the sun-soaked terrace enjoying the stunning views of the City and Swan River. Choose to indulge in one of our delightful breakfast or lunch menu options or keep it simple and pick something sweet or savoury from the cabinet and pair it with the perfect cup of coffee any time of day. Whether you’re a regular or a first-time visitor, our fully licensed cafe has something for everyone! Even a cheeky array of wines and locally crafted beers to enjoy with your meal. So, come on in, take a seat, and treat yourself to something yum!

WWW.BOTANICALCAFE.COM.AU

Stakes SUCCESS STORIES Horse Name

Breeding

Trainer

Prizemoney

Price

Feature Performances

Sight Success

Magnus - Tarp

John Size

$4,895,762

$45,000

HKJC Premier Bowl, Gr.2, Bauhinia Sprint Trophy, Gr.3, 2d HKJC Longines Hong Kong Sprint, Gr.1

Black Heart Bart

Blackfriars - Sister Theresa

Lindsey Smith

$4,817,950

$20,000

SAJC Goodwood H., Gr.1, MRC Memsie S., Gr.1, Underwood S., Gr.1-twice, CF Orr S., Gr.1, Futurity S., Gr.1

Scenic Shot

Scenic Sweepshot

Daniel Morton

$3,097,855

$36,000

VRC LKS Mackinnon S., Gr.1, BTC Doomben Cup, Gr.1-twice

Luckygray

Bradbury's Luck Damah Lady

Trevor Andrews

$2,696,025

$46,000

WATC Railway S., Gr.1-twice, Kingston Town Classic, Gr.1

Boom Time

Flying Spur - Bit of a Ride

Hayes & Dabernig

$2,554,125

P $65,000

MRC Caulfield Cup, Gr.1, Mornington Cup Prelude, L, WATC Melvista S., L

Ima Single Man

Gingerbread Man Single Spice

Tony Cruz

$2,481,872

P $40,000

WATC Karrakatta P., Gr.2, HKJC x 4 wins

Scenic Blast

Scenic-Daughter’s Charm

Daniel Morton

$2,122,046

$85,000

VRC Newmarket H., Gr.1, Lightning S., Gr.1, Royal Ascot King’s Stand S., Gr.1

Sheeza Belter

Gold Standard Saxabelle

Peter & Paul Snowden

$1,884,400

$50,000

BRC JJ Atkins P., Gr.1, ATC Hot Danish S., Gr.2, BRC Sires' Produce S., Gr.2, Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, RL

Bustler

Playing God - Cosmah Domination

Neville Parnham

$1,671,650

$130,000

WATC Railway S., Gr.1, Belmont Sprint, Gr.3, Fairetha S., L

Playing God

Blackfriars - Dolly Will Do

Neville Parnham

$1,669,200

$27,000

WATC Kingston Town Classic, Gr.1-twice, Western Australian Guineas, Gr.2, Northerly S., Gr.3

Moment of Change

Barely a Moment Europium

Peter G Moody

$1,657,638

$50,000

MRC Sir Rupert Clarke S., Gr.1, Futurity S., Gr.1, CF Orr S., Gr.1

Magnifisio

Magnus - Ifestio

Vaughn Sigley

$1,547,200

$80,000

WATC Winterbottom S., Gr.1, Lee Steere S., Gr.2, Roma Cup, Gr.3

Red Can Man

Gingerbread Man Brocky's Ace

Steve Wolfe

$1,505,290

$50,000

MRC Sir John Monash S., Gr.3, WATC RS Crawford S., L, Fairetha S., L, HG Bolton Sprint H., L

\ STAKES SUCCESS STORIES

Horse Name

Breeding

Great Shot

Magnus - Satin Covers

Trainer Rhys Radford

Valour Road

Frost Giant - Melba Avenue

God Has Spoken

Prizemoney

Price

Feature Performances

$1,479,375

$31,000

WATC Railway S., Gr.1, Belmont Guineas, L, Cyril Flower S., L, Old Comrade S., L

Simon Miller

$1,460,957

$60,000

WATC Karrakatta P., Gr.2, Lee Steere S., Gr.2, SAJC Euclase S., Gr.2.

Blackfriars - Dolly Will Do

Neville Parnham

$1,189,250

$41,000

WATC CB Cox S., Gr.2, Sires' Produce S., Gr.3, RJ Peters S., Gr.3, Strickland S., Gr.3

Silent Sedition

War Chant Fiorentina

Andrew Noblet

$1,177,150

$45,000

MVRC William Reid S., Gr.1, MRC Summoned S., Gr.3, Mannerism S., Gr.3-twice, SAJC Auraria S., Gr.3

Special Reward

Demerit - Special Kiseki

Kris Lees

$1,148,330

$145,000

ATC Southern Cross S., Gr.3, Newcastle JC Newmarket H., Gr.3

Man Booker

Discorsi - Morine

Daniel Morton

$1,115,680

$25,000

Western Australian Guineas, Gr.2, WATC Northerly S., Gr.3

Dainty Tess

War Chant Classic Smile

Daniel Morton

$1,111,875

P $25,000

WATC Prince of Wales S., Gr.3-twice, SAJC RN Irwin S., Gr.3

Achernar Star

Gingerbread Man Morine

Lindsey Smith

$1,017,021

$75,000

WATC Grandstand Cup, L, Bunbury S., L, 3d Kingston Town Classic, Gr.1

Gemma's Son

Snippetson Princess Gemma

David Harrison

$1,002,033

$20,000

Pinjarra RC Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, RL, Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy, RL, WATC Perth S., L

Watch Me Dance

I'm All the Talk Coventry to Rio

Steve Wolfe

$906,170

$34,000

WA Guineas, Gr.2, WATC Champion Fillies S., Gr.3, WA Sires' Produce S., Gr.3

Variation

War Chant Fleeting Angel

Stephen Miller

$854,950

$32,000

Western Australian Guineas, Gr.2, WATC Belmont Guineas, L, Aquanita S., L, Raconteur S., L

Lucky Street

Oratorio Rumours

Trevor Andrews

$814,350

$75,000

WATC Karrakatta P., Gr.2, Magic Millions Perth 2YO Classic, RL, Perth S., L, Miss Andretti S., L

Snowdome

Rommel - Snow Pixie

Neville Parnham

$777,435

$180,000

WATC WA Sires' Produce S., Gr.3, Prince of Wales S., Gr.3

Quilista

Scandal Keeper Brocky's Ace

Peter & Paul Snowden

$750,650

$10,000

ATC Sapphire S., Gr.2, Birthday Card S., Gr.3.

Super Smink

Super One Sminky Shorts

Daniel Morton

$735,290

$45,000

WATC Karrakatta P., Gr.2, WA Sires' Produce S., Gr.3, Pinjarra RC Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, RL, Belgravia S., L

Portland Sky

Deep Field - Sky Rumba

Matt Laurie

$584,075

$85,000

MRC Oakleigh P., Gr.1, MVRC Red Anchor S., Gr.3, MRC Manfred S., Gr.3

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Will Street ASIAN FLAVOURS, WA SPIRIT

Will St. is all about real food, real ingredients, and real people. Led by Chef Will Meyrick, Will St. take what’s best from Western Australia’s farms and waters and give it an Asian twist. No fuss, just good food that tells its own story.

THE MENU

THE PLACE

Diners can expect to experience everything from a curated collection of traditional Asian share dishes to fun bar snacks that offer creative cross-cultural twists to food found on Will Meyrick’s journeys. Beverages will include classic western cocktails with spicy eastern notes, and quality wines from around the globe.

Will St. is a sophisticated den of dark timber and texture. Bottles of wine and spirits line the walls. Dried wildflowers from Yamatji country around Geraldton hang overhead. It’s a fun, high-energy, grown-up place to be, helped in no small part by floor and kitchen teams that seem to have hit the ground running.

WILL ST 228, Carr Pl, Leederville, WA, Australia willstreetperth.com

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\ NIKOLA ESTATE

Nikola ESTATE

Escape to Nikola Estate in the heart of the Swan Valley, just a half-hour drive from Perth CBD, for a perfect day of wine, dining, and relaxation.

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estled among grapevines and shaded by jacaranda trees, this picturesque cellar door and restaurant offers a gourmet experience like no other. Head Winemaker Damian Hutton, recently crowned Winemaker of the Year, ensures top-notch wines in the Nikola Estate Range. Guided wine flights, cheese platters, and the Epicurean Wine Experience elevate your tasting adventure. White wine enthusiasts will delight in the Swan Valley specialties, Verdelho, and Chenin Blanc. Woodcutters Restaurant boasts flamecooked and charcoal-roasted dishes with fresh WA ingredients, from Shark Bay scallops to dry-aged steaks. Indulge in a five-course degustation for a culinary journey. For outdoor bliss, grab a bottle of wine, order woodfired pizzas, or opt for the Grazing Box or Gourmet Picnic Hamper. Beyond leisure, Nikola Estate hosts weddings under jacaranda trees, in the Vineyard Chapel, or secret gardens. Corporate events and milestone celebrations find a charming space in Nikola Pavilion or the Old Cells & Bar. Head east to Nikola Estate for a memorable day of wine, dining, and celebration in the Swan Valley.

Visit nikolaestatewines.com.au or @nikolaestate on Instagram for more details.

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'Located between the expansive Tuart Forrest and pristine Forrest Beach, we provide unmatched scope and diversity in our training programmes for our breakers and pre-trainers. Utilised in conjunction with our on-site facilities as well as regular track work at the newly renovated Bunbury track, we aim to provide our clients with a content, desensitised, self assured and well educated athlete, ready for the next stage in their career.'

Comprehensive Education for your Thoroughbred

Early Education

Breaking In

Pre-training

Rehabilitation

Spelling

*Halter breaking *Tie ups *Truck/float and farrier education *Mouthing *Lunging *Long rein and roller work *Work alongside lead pony etc

*Groundwork *Lunging * Schooling *Bush * Track work at home and Bunbury *Barrier work at home and Bunbury track.

*Bush *Beach *Arena work *Swimming *Walker work *Regular incorporation of Bunbury track.

Work in conjunction with vets, trainers and body workers *Swimming *Beach *Arena work etc as required.

*Quality reticulated and well maintained pastures. *Fed 2 x/day. *Rugging * Regular weigh-ins.

All services supported by regular updates, including photos and videos. All programmes tailor made for each horse. Located at Forrest Beach, near Capel and just 2.5 hours from Perth. We welcome client visits.

www.forrestbeachbreaking.com Contact us by email: forrestbeachbreaking@gmail.com or call Hannah on 0400 792 958

\ NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE \ GLEN LATHAM

Kansas ANYMORE NOT IN By Glen Latham

Once reluctant to work at an auction, for the past two decades Steve Hance has been an integral fixture at Magic Millions sales. His sage advice when it comes to interpreting radiographs has put many a buyer on the path to Magic Millions riches, but there is much more to the man than just having developed the ability to make x-rays ‘talk’.

orn in Kansas in America’s Midwest, but having grown up in places as diverse as Chicago and Copenhagen, scrutiny of Steve’s immediate pedigree leaves no clues to his future career, his sire a Church Minister and dam a PhD Psychologist. “On my Dad’s side I would have been the fourth generation of clergy had I continued the tradition but my Mother’s father was a rancher/farmer so I decided to follow that line of work. He was a huge influence on my life, a legitimate realtime cowboy and horse trader. When we were living, in say, Chicago, the first day of Summer break my grandfather would be there across the street wearing his big cowboy hat and the next day we’d be off to Western Oklahoma. Out there he ran cattle, grew alfalfa, lucerne, and cotton. That was where I got my introduction to agri-business.” It was also Steve’s grandfather who introduced him to horses. “My grandfather had a feedlot and usually way too many horses. My memories are of us taking four horses to the sales and coming home with another eight, my grandmother stomping around saying ‘you took those horses to the sale to get rid of some’ and my grandfather saying, ‘yeah but these were such good deals.’ It was fun to spend time with him, particularly on horseback, he was larger than life.” With solid nurturing from his grandfather, it looked a sure bet Steve’s career path was set. “When I eventually went to vet school, I fully expected I would go into stock production, beef cattle, feedlot etc. and I had opportunities

to do that, and saw that as taking me back to the west. But the right people have a huge influence on our lives and I had a couple of great mentors. One was Rick DeBowes, a Professor at Kansas State University and an equine surgeon, and the other was a graduate at Kansas State that became a friend, Larry Bramlage, now one of the leading equine orthopedic surgeons in the world. Through them I became very intrigued with the idea of returning horses back to athletic performance. I loved surgery so that was the next logical step and by the time I completed my second year of vet school my mindset had totally changed and I was definitely going to pursue equine surgery. I then did an internship at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington before going to Ohio State University where I did a surgery residency. After that, I went back to Rood & Riddle and progressed from a staff surgeon to becoming a partner there.” After a few years in Lexington Steve sought a different challenge. “I went to California for a few years but I badly missed the professional horsemen that did this all day every day at a level of awareness and knowledge that had them in tune with the horse. For them this was much more than a hobby, this was their livelihood, this was their passion.” Steve knew that a return to Kentucky would be more fulfilling so he headed east again but he returned equipped with a change in attitude. “One of the reasons I left Rood & Riddle was I didn’t want to do the sales work, I wanted to go to the surgery room and solve things

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and yet when I rejoined the veterinary community that was the open door I walked back through, and I have to be honest, I’ve never been as passionate about my career as I am right now. For something I disliked as an arrogant, young surgeon, I’ve learnt to sit back and enjoy.” At that point Steve’s career could have meandered along, but he was about to get a phone call that would lead to Australia becoming a second home. “When I came back to the veterinary profession, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to remain a veterinarian. I was going to Lexington and I was still doing the sales when I got a phone call from Angus Atkins, asking for help. He said, ‘this radiographing thing is being forced down our neck a bit, and we think it is quite possible this will require a steep learning curve and we’d like to have someone assist.’ I was at that in-between stage of my career where you just sit there and think what is next, and I said Ok. Then Magic Millions asked if I would come out for their next sale. “I thought well, this is wonderful, I love the country, I love the adventures and I love meeting new people, but I thought it would be a one-off. That was 21 years ago this January! My wife says it is unfortunate that most of my close friends live in the Southern Hemisphere, but I don’t know that that is unfortunate. Yes, it makes it difficult to pop over and have a beer with them, but anyway.’ The early years of optional radiographs of yearlings was quite cumbersome for the industry until more manageable protocols could be put in place and Steve was there at the coalface at the time. “When I was at Rood & Riddle we were coming up with the idea of a repository as there was too much litigation and arbitration. We were radiographing horses straight after the sale and on any day we might do 60 horses and then read the radiographs until two, three o’clock in the morning because the horse couldn’t leave the grounds until you had read them. We had to physically take the film out of the cassette and I think at one stage we had four darkrooms which meant we had four people in there processing the films. Norm Rantanen was a radiologist who would come in and we would take those films and go over to the motel Norm was staying at and go through the radiographs with Norm pointing out anything interesting along the way. Gee I learnt a lot from Norm.” The Thoroughbred industry is renowned for being built on relationships and it is no different in the repository as Steve explains, “I’ve always tried to give honest answers, never rudely, but there are times when I’ve

had to say to the veterinarian, ‘you know your client, you know the situation, and remember some of these horses will outrun what they’ve got going on radiographically. As the buyer’s veterinarian you know what they might have more difficulty with, i.e., knees, respiratory issues or tendons.’ I think it’s wonderful that over the years I’ve been able to build relationships with veterinarians to the point where I can comfortably ask difficult questions and know they will be well received.” But over the past two decades the exchange of knowledge has been a two-way street. “I have learnt so much from the vets in Australia but what is nice is that I can become a neutral sounding board in most of these instances. It has been a fantastic thing for me on both a professional and personal basis to be associated with the Australian Thoroughbred industry, and I think the industry should be very proud of the veterinarians that it has.” To some buyers the smallest speck on a radiograph can undermine their willingness to purchase the fourlegged Ferrari that stands before them. Steve respects those buyers who understand not every issue will lead to a train wreck. “I’m always in awe of the really good horsemen and veterinarians that can clear away some of the fog and have more of an insight. When a horse beats all expectations I like to go back to the radiographs and ask what gave this horse more of an edge. I look and see if there was a reason I should have been more forgiving, and say ‘hey, he’s got this problem but he hasn’t got any secondary changes, is this something I haven’t paid enough attention to?’” Steve isn’t just the bearded guy who reads the x-rays, he’s an avid hiker and traveler and has experienced things most Australians wouldn’t even consider. “I started spending a lot of time in Scone and developed a great friendship with Paul Adams who was at Scone Equine. Paul was going to Canada and invited me to hike with him in the Canadian Rockies. Once we had done that Paul said I really had to do the Western Arthurs traverse in Tasmania, so my son came with me and we did it, having a wonderful time. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere where I have felt so remote, and the moment you step out of the van you just go wow! Such a positive experience.” “One of the best trips was when a vet friend contacted me to say his practice had bought a new fleet of vehicles, but the good news was they had kept the old ones as well. I was a little bemused why he was telling me this until he threw me a set of keys and said “I don’t care how far you drive this thing just go and

To some buyers the smallest speck on a radiograph can undermine their willingness to purchase the four-legged Ferrari that stands before them.

\ NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE \ GLEN LATHAM

“As an arrogant, young surgeon I thought I had so many of the answers. But after being humbled by horses that beat all expectations, I needed to go back and ask what made them exceptional?”

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Steve’s rambling boots aren’t restricted to tramping around Australia and he has a love affair with Nepal and its people. “I sent some photos in for a contest called Ultimate Outsider run by an outdoor gear store and when I won the prize it was a trip to Nepal. I just absolutely loved the people and that led to friendships there and more trips. It’s the little things in life that, if you take time for them, can open up to some real insightful opportunities.” Steve’s love of travel, or more accurately the peoples of countries like Australia and Nepal, gives an insight into what brings him pleasure. “Look I’m 61 and as I said before I’m more in love now with the industry than I was twenty, thirty years ago, but if you told me I couldn’t be a veterinarian I guess I’d like to be an anthropologist. Culture, people, it’s fascinating to me. How people live, adjust and flourish in their environments is amazing. There is little that is as rewarding as being ingratiated by a community so that you can experience and learn from their happiness.” have fun! I drove all over the eastern half of Australia with a one-man tent and a sleeping bag. I went to the Flinders Ranges, along the Great Ocean Road, I got lost and I went through the Snowy Mountains. That’s how you get to see the real Australia. You can go to a little camp site and if you need to boil some water you will meet the kindest, most wonderful people and one of the greatest gifts was to get to see the country, one little town after another.” On that trip Steve had to do some smooth talking to placate the good folk of Dubbo. “When there I went to the sheep sale because I wanted to see the dogs work, but I almost got chased out of town when I pulled out my camera as the locals thought I might have been an animal liberationist. I don’t know what happened in the ten minutes I was in the office explaining I wasn’t a threat to them, but by the time I walked back out they were the friendliest people. I told them I had grown up with a grandfather who had feedlots and I was very much attached to agri-business and more interested in their dogs than their sheep. After that, a lot of people wanted to show me their dogs and their sheep so I hung around all day before driving to Broken Hill that night.” Steve showed that even when going a little stir crazy mid-COVID he could bring a smile to those around him. “I was in hotel quarantine preparing for the 2021 Gold Coast Yearling Sale and I had taken along a red T-shirt and had brought a Santa hat, so on Christmas Eve I put them on to feel a bit festive. I already had a grey beard and glasses. During the day security called the room and told me I was to have a COVID check and instructed me to be ready for when the technician came to the door around 3pm. Now remember it has been several days since I’d interacted with real people and you can get a little goofy, so when I stuck my head around the door the lady said, “Holy s—t, it’s Father Christmas!” I said to her “C’mon let’s get on with this I have lots of places to be.” She said “Sir, you’re going nowhere” to which I replied, “you’re going to ruin Christmas.” Then when she stuck the swab up my nose I said, “Don’t you make Santa cry!” all done with great jest.

\ NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE \ GLEN LATHAM

Having not long passed three score in age Steve is at that comfortable point where he can muse over so many of life’s lessons with a quiet smile. “As an arrogant, young surgeon I thought I had so many of the answers. But after being humbled by horses that beat all expectations, I needed to go back and ask what made them exceptional? I think that fits with the old Indian saying. ‘The Great Spirit gives you one mouth but two ears, and two eyes and you should use them in that proportion.’ That is a reflective and simple way to approach life. There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom; it is the humbling experiences and the quest to learn that grows wisdom. Hopefully, it is a collection of life experiences, relationships and reevaluation that makes all of us more productive.” He also recognizes that failing to pass on knowledge so the next generation can develop their own level of wisdom is one of life’s most heinous crimes. “One of the greatest privileges of being in the repository, say getting towards the end of the January sale when you are into Book 2, the horses aren’t bringing as much and the pressure is off a little, is when one of the practices will bring in a Junior vet and say, ‘sit next to Steve and if you have any questions just lean over and ask.’ It is then that I’m so grateful that I got to sit alongside Norm Rantanen in that motel room in Lexington him showing me the interesting things that he saw that day, or that I was privileged enough to be with Larry Bramlage when he was discussing with someone ‘that this is nonsurgical and isn’t probably going to effect the horse’. To me that means I have earnt the trust of the Australian veterinarians if they want the next generation of vets to learn from my experience. If that’s what I’m meant to do then I am so grateful to have that opportunity.” Given the frequency with which Steve passes through Australian customs and the sterling work he does behind the scenes, one thinks him a prime candidate for honorary citizenship. There’d be no shortage of positive character references, and who knows, even the farmers of Dubbo and a certain Brisbane COVID technician might attest to his suitability. n

Raceday Winners 2023

SUPER SMINK

$250,000 MAGIC MILLIONS 2YO CLASSIC (RL 1200M)

Super One – Sminky Shorts

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Raceday Winners 2023

MAN CRUSH

$200,000 MAGIC MILLIONS WA 3YO TROPHY (RL 1200M)

Manhattan Rain – Crushed

2nd: Malkar Pindari, 3rd: Divine Inanna | Margins: 2.51 lengths x 0.67 lengths | Time: 1 minute 10.38 seconds Cost: $45,000 at 2021 Perth Yearling Sale | Vendor: Misty Valley T’breds at Greenfields Lodge Buyer: Peter Fernie | Trainer: Luke Fernie | Jockey: Paul Harvey

\ RACEDAY WINNERS 2023

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Raceday Winners 2023

SNOW PRINCE

$75,000 MAGIC MILLIONS WA RACING WOMEN’S BONUS

Safeguard-Snow Pixie

$60,000 Bonus + $49,375 prizemoney (position past the post: 2nd) Cost: $30,000 at 2022 Perth Yearling Sale | Vendor: Gold Front Thoroughbred Breeding & Racing | Buyer: Yenrise Pty Ltd Owner: Mrs M H Daly | Trainers: Sean & Jake Casey | Jockey: Clint Johnston-Porter

2nd: Champagne Street $10,000 Bonus + $23,750 prizemoney | 3rd: Ecstasy of Gold $5,000 Bonus + $7,500 prizemoney

\ RACEDAY WINNERS 2023

D FE O F G O G ON IN GS AY IN PL ARL

DARLING VIEW

PLAYING GOD’S PINNACLES Bustler G1 Railway Stakes

Zipaway G2 WA Guineas, G1 Northerly (2nd) Mojo Rythym G3 RJ Peters Investmentstrategy Listed Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Baby Paris Listed Jungle Dawn Nerodio G3 Colonel Reeves (3rd)

PLAYING GOD

Comfort Me G3 Gold Rush (3rd)

COVERED 144 MARES IN 2023

SPLINTEX

LIGHTSABER

COVERED 110 MARES IN 2023

COVERED 101 MARES IN 2023

Contact

Brent Atwell 0408648100 brent@darlingviewthoroughbreds.com.au

THOROUGHBREDS

Fraser’s WELCOME TO

A place that celebrates the best Western Australia has to offer in food, wine and service, set in one of the most spectacular locations in the state. Fraser’s is the perfect place to celebrate, dine and create lasting memories.

he restaurant is informal, yet offers an elegant space in which to dine, with expansive floor to ceiling windows and an alfresco terrace that take full advantage of the inspiring city and river views. Fraser’s Restaurant opened in 1993, with executive chef Chris Taylor at the helm. Since these early days the restaurant has won numerous awards, and Chris is considered one of the top chefs in the state. Fraser’s offers refined contemporary cuisine, with a focus on using the best West Australian produce that can be sourced. Chris consistently supports the use of local WA produce and follows a philosophy that allows the produce to speak for itself –

honest flavours, simply yet deftly prepared and respectfully handled. He is a passionate devotee of the local fare, and works closely with growers and providers to ensure Fraser’s has the freshest seasonal produce available. Chris travels extensively promoting WA produce and sourcing ideas for the restaurant, and you’ll find this inspiration and passion in every part of the business. “Fraser’s is versatile, and we bring our commitment to quality to everything we do,” says Chris. “So you will experience the same produce-driven food and excellent service whether you are having a cocktail party for 700, or an intimate dinner for two.”

frasersrestaurant.com.au

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Raceday

SOCIALS

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Raceday

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Dream OWN THE

Contestants in Racing WA’s award-winning Own The Dream competition ask the same question every year – what’s the catch? The answer is simple. There isn’t one.

wn The Dream gives everyday people with limited or no knowledge of the racing industry a behind-the-scenes look into how the sport operates. The unique competition is free to enter and there are a raft of prizes up for grabs, headlined by the major prize of a $20,000 bundle for a share in a Westspeed Platinum yearling at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale. “Own The Dream gives prospective owners the chance to find out about getting involved in racing,” Racing WA’s racing marketing manager Brennan Fyans said. “It’s one thing going on to a website to find out how to become an owner, but it’s that hands-on experience that the competition provides that makes the difference. “Teams have the opportunity to learn more about the industry with four free events. They find out pathways to get into ownership and have the chance to win a share in a horse. It’s the best of both worlds.” Teams of between four and 10 members must include no more than 50 per cent of current racehorse owners, with the aim to introduce more newcomers to the industry. In 2024, Own The Dream kicked off with a stable tour at leading co-trainers Dan and Ben Pearce’s property in Karnup. The sundowner event gave contestants an insight into how the Pearce brothers’ stable operates and how they prepare their gallopers for raceday.

Breakfast With The Trainers, the third event, was a trackwork morning at Ascot racecourse. “It’s a really good opportunity to meet five of our leading metropolitan trainers,” Fyans said. “They will all have horses galloping on the main grass and take teams through how they run trackwork and their training regimes.” The grand finale takes place at Magic Millions’ Middle Swan sales complex on day one of the Perth Yearling Sale. Teams will experience the excitement of the sale before the allimportant major prize draw. “There are three major prizes and five other teams will win consolation prizes, which are $2000 vouchers to use for a share in a Westspeed Platinum yearling,” Fyans said. “It’s also a good opportunity for teams to meet trainers and syndicators to see what yearlings they bought on day one and potentially buy shares in.” “We also have three challenges throughout the competition with more prizes up for grabs. There is a name a racehorse challenge, design racing silks and a pick seven tipping competition for the Magic Millions raceday at Pinjarra.” First introduced in 2018, Own The Dream has soared in popularity to the point where a cap of 40 teams had to be put in place.

The second event was a tour of leading WA studs Lynward Park and Yarradale. “Teams will meet the breeders and see yearlings that will be sold at the Magic Millions sale,” Fyans said.

“In it’s first year, there were an average of 32 people at each event,” Fyans said. “When I took over in 2019, it went up to 119 and in 2020 it got out of hand with more than 600 at each event. In 2021, we put a cap on to reduce the numbers we were taking to studs and stables. That’s been the system since and it’s worked.”

“A lot of them won’t have any idea what to look for in a racehorse, so the breeders will take them through that and how to get a foal to yearling stage.”

“We’ve had more than 250 team applications for 2024 and we’ve got to reduce that to 40, so the teams have to put forward a good application. It’s grown really fast.”

\ OWN THE DREAM

Rich Walker & Britt Taylor

Brennan Fyans

Andrew Durin with team FHRUS after winning the ‘Team Silks Challenge’

Own The Dream Yarradale Stud Tour

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Super Smink, Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic

Without Own The Dream, there is no way the other guys in our syndicate would have bought shares in horses. It’s superbly run and I can not recommend it enough

Own The Dream’s success was recognised in 2020 when it was awarded the Australian Marketing Institute WA Event or Brand Experience State Award for Marketing Excellence. “There’s nothing else like it in the country,” Fyans said. “It takes a lot of work and we need an engine room of staff in the Racing WA office to run it. We’re really proud of it.” There have been many success stories from the competition, with contestants experiencing the thrill of being winning owners in horses they used Own The Dream vouchers on. Rich Walker, a 33-year-old FIFO worker, spotted an Own The Dream ad on Facebook and jumped at the chance to enter in 2022. “I always watched the races and wanted to go and get involved,” Walker said. “I got the whole family together to make a team. It really opens your eyes to everything and coming second was just a bonus.” Walker’s team Walkertothestable used the second prize voucher to buy a share in a War Chant colt. That horse, named Hostile Talk, made a spectacular start to his career with a dominant win at Belmont on debut for the Grant and Alana Williams stable.

\ OWN THE DREAM

Own The Dream also led Walker to buying a share in star filly Super Smink, who became the first ever two-year-old to win the $250,000 Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, $500,000 Karrakatta Plate and $200,000 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes. “I got invited to Dan Morton’s open stable day after the sale,” Walker said. “Mum and I went into Super Smink separately to our team. She was our first horse to race. Without going through Own The Dream, we wouldn’t be in Super Smink.” Andrew Durnin, a former business owner who is now retired, also credits Own The Dream to him buying a share in Super Smink. “I put a team together with my brother and some mates and it was really fun,” Durnin said. “We learnt a lot.I saw Super Smink come out (at the Perth Yearling Sale) and had to buy a share. Five of the eight people in our syndicate, FHRUS racing, are first-time owners.” “We now have three horses in the syndicate and the wives and partners have a share in an all-female owned horse, as well. Without Own The Dream, there is no way the other guys in our syndicate would have bought shares in horses. It’s superbly run and I can not recommend it enough.” n

2024 MAGIC MILLIONS YEARLINGS DISCOVER EXCELLENCE AT DAWSON STUD, WHERE TRADITION MEETS TRIUMPH! Proudly presenting our meticulously bred crop, our legacy is rooted in champions like I'm all the Talk, Playing God, Toronado, Sessions, and Ole Kirk—whose filly fetched a remarkable $1,000,000 at the recent 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sales. This year, we offer 11 exceptional yearlings, a diverse group of local, interstate, and international stallions. Our distinguished mares, including Elite Ateates, mother of the Group 1 winning sensation Elite Street, ensure a pedigree of proven success. With achievements like Kissonallfourcheeks, This'll Testa, and Missile Launch, our champions embody Dawson Stud's commitment to excellence. We invite you to join us at our farm to view our 2024 yearlings or at the Magic Millions Complex, Barns E & F, to witness the culmination of our dedication and experience in producing quality thoroughbred champions.

Embrace the Dawson legacy of excellence — your next champion awaits!

Contact Michael Dear Phone: 0437 904 284 Email: dawsonstud@emaexp.com.au Address: 6339 Forrest Highway, Myalup WA 6220

Mayfair

LANE

\ MAYFAIR LANE

Mayfair Pub & Dining Room is a British-style gastro-pub owned by husband-and-wife team Foni and Chris Pollitt. Located in beautiful tree-lined West Perth, Mayfair is both relaxed and up-market, without a hint of stuffiness.

avouring timeless food favourites over faddish trends, Mayfair serves generous pub fare prepared simply and deliciously. Think bangers ‘n’ mash and West Australian seafood platters, and mouth-watering aged steaks supplied by local farmers. Expect a hearty menu matched with an award-winning wine list curated by owner and sommelier Foni Pollitt. The beer and spirits program and warm service is led by

co-owner and husband Chris Pollitt. Mayfair Lane embodies generosity, quality and ceremony. Your comfortable local, special place, and home away from home.

MAYFAIR LANE Open for lunch, dinner and functions. Monday – Friday 11.30am – late Saturday 11.30am – late www.mayfairlane.com.au

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Breakthrough A

IN BREAKDOWNS By Glen Latham

A proudly Western Australain company has been working tirelessly over the past few years on research into early detection of lameness. With the racing industry here and interstate recently throwing their support behind this passionate team the research looks set for major boost.

erth based company TelemedVET is making great strides in identifying horses susceptible to breakdown using a blood test and a scan, having the veterinary world take notice, and are on the cusp of embarking on major research projects backed by soon to be announced industry grants. Formed in 2018, Chris Cowcher and Pete Tually’s company TelemedVET is a driving force in research into the early detection of skeletal changes leading to breakdowns, the scourge of our industry. A nuclear medicine practitioner by trade, the quiet excitement in Pete’s voice is palpable when the topic turned to the advances the company has made into the early detection of stress fractures. “A few years ago we fitted out and repurposed some very high-quality medical imaging equipment that was previously used on humans, allowing us to move around the horse and create the world’s first 3-D image of the pelvic region and spine, in particular.” This advancement in determining the cause of lameness in a horse that presented in discomfort was an excellent start, but Pete and Chris believed their new technology could take things much further. Pete explained that despite significant advances over the past two decades equine science had very much piggy backed research in humans, however the principles in application hadn’t kept pace. “In humans 95% of the patients undergoing nuclear scintigraphy were sent because they had a symptom - pains, a lump, shortness of breath or something similar. Now 60-70% of those patients are turning up because of a blood test where a spike in, say, their PSA level, has identified an issue. So in humans the focus has changed greatly where in horses the emphasis on the musculoskeletal system is lagging behind.” Recognising there was an opportunity to greatly

\ TELEMEDVET \ GLEN LATHAM

improve the welfare of the horse and rider, and to reduce the owner’s veterinary bills, Pete and Chris started thinking creatively. “Stress fractures of the pelvis are very hard to diagnose without a particular scintigraphy scan, so I was wondering what research had been done in trying to predict which horse might have a fracture and found that researchers from 1015 years ago were looking at a blood test. With that I thought could I look at a blood test in conjunction with the scanner system and artificial intelligence to see if we could identify if there is something ‘spiking’ in the blood, as with cancer patients. That would show either the bone is not adapting to the work, or in a worse scenario the bone is now on the way to a stress fracture and lameness.” Pete explained the path the current research has taken and where things stand at present. “We started the research around three years ago, and with the advances in technology from when the original research was undertaken I was able to find a way of using artificial intelligence to better work out which one of these chemicals is the one we need to focus on. In a trial of 60 horses with stress fractures, in 85% of them the chemical Osteocalcin (OC) was sky-high in their blood. Going forward, identifying high levels of OC potentially meant we could tell trainers two things: firstly, when to take their foot off the pedal because the horse is at the point where the injury means the horse is never going to be the same again, or conversely, they need to give the horse more work because the level is too low. The trainer has to find the sweet spot. Precision medicine and artificial intelligence is all about finding out what is the horse’s normal range, like the lactic acid range of any athlete at say the Institute of Sport, and if you track it over time you will be able to avoid lameness or a fracture.”

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These grants are testament to the industry’s willingness to invest in research to red flag those horses running on a hairline fracture that one day is going to crack, or preferably stopping that hairline fracture from getting there in the first place.

Trainers will recognise this breakthrough as a massive help in preventative care of their horses. “The catchcry is ‘the blood test will give the horse a voice’. While great advancements have been made in cardiovascular research, respiratory rate, heart rate, stride analysis etc, not so the skeletal system - it is still very difficult to know just what is going on under the hood. A sports person can say to their coach ‘my hamstrings a bit tight’ or ‘my shins are a bit sore’ but not having a verbal patient the only indication they can give you is a limp, and by the time you get to that stage you’ve crossed the threshold into a problem. Or, conversely, it may say the opposite and point out ‘if you want me to sprint like crazy on the weekend, well, my bone hasn’t responded and it’s only 80%, so you need to give me some more strength around the fetlock’. That can only be achieved by increasing the training load. There is a lot of evidence, particularly in two-year-olds, that you can underwork a horse and that the horse has to have time for the skeleton, the horse’s chassis, to develop to its new work. Unless this is done properly you will get further injuries down the track.” Pete and Chris are both proud and delighted with the progress made through the first two phases of the research, work acknowledged by the wider veterinary community. “The process is fairly simple. We take a blood sample from the horse, then do a scan to see if the link between the chemical level and the scan identified in the original test pattern continues. Our original research paper was published in a high ranking journal in 2022 with the second phase of the research presented to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons last year, and that is in the process of being published and peer reviewed. Also, the university sector has assessed the merits of the science and are now our partners in this work, on various levels.” Now the third phase is about to start, and that’s a massive project. Chris and Pete’s early efforts were funded by generous donations from local industry figureheads like Peter Walsh of Amelia Park, and what little profit was made from clinical scans has been reinvested back into the business because they saw the value of further research. However, in exciting news, going forward TeleMedVET will be announcing major industry backed research grants have been secured with further funding possibilities in the pipeline. Those extra resources have been agreed in-principle, and at time of writing the matter is at the contractual stage, but if it goes ahead it is believed to be the single largest grant, world-

\ TELEMEDVET

wide, ever, for one particular study in Thoroughbred research. “These grants are testament to the industry’s willingness to invest in research to red flag those horses running on a hairline fracture that one day is going to crack, or preferably stopping that hairline fracture from getting there in the first place.” This new funding will be used throughout phase three. “Phase three is all about horses that are sound and determining their OC level. The overriding purpose of the research is firstly to identify a way of ensuring there aren’t vulnerable horses racing. A lot of these horses that break down with fetlock fractures mid race have no warning signs, that’s the insidious nature of stress fractures - it’s not the trainers fault, it’s not the vet’s fault; it’s a fascinating peculiarity about horses that they have this amazing ability to mask their symptoms and push through pain barriers. Secondly, in doing that research, we are looking at high-performance skeleton optimization through checking the blood results, eventually possibly in the palm of the trainer’s hand in a manner similar to diabetics who now can see their blood sugar levels via their phone. We think that by doing this blood test a trainer can get a better picture of how the horse is adapting to its new work. To get to this point will require population wide research into whether or not each horse has a normal OC level.” Despite being a relatively new business, all at TelemedVET are justifiably proud of the success they have had already, their testing having saved many an owner from incurring expensive vet and spelling bills. “We’ve been able to identify issues in horses before they’ve been sent to the paddock so the owner doesn’t have to pay the costs involved in getting the horse back up to racing fitness only for the issue to crop up again. When the horse is brought back in we do a ‘return to work’ scan to make sure that lesion has completely healed. Similarly we’ve been able to stop some horses from racing that day because the scans have shown up an issue. We are adding to the armamentarium of tests available to owners and trainers.” When asked how far this research can take the industry Pete explained “Science is science, and I may be right or I may be way wrong, but even then that contributes to science. But if I’m right, then I’m hoping we can get to the point where testing is trackside and instantaneous. Then you would have to have the relevant parameters for a handheld device to operate off, so age, breed, the track surface, the distance etc.” Pete is also firm in his belief the country trained horse deserves the same access to developments as their expensive city

cousins. “We believe a standing CT scanner isn’t just the privilege of the major players and training centres, they should be trackside at every meeting. These machines have to be ubiquitous; vets in the country should have the ability to access this technology, not just those in the city.” “The data generated by the research program will undergo AI analysis with a new sophisticated form of cloud based telemedicine software called Radin and

is being undertaken in conjunction with prestigious university faculties at University of Western Australia and Charles Sturt University” Given the level of funding and Chris and Pete’s determination to make a positive dent in what is a blight on the industry, it can’t be that far in the future that it’s a reality, at which point we can all breathe a little easier when the barriers open. n

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\ RAMBLA ON SWAN

Rambla ON SWAN

Offering the best views of the Perth city skyline, Rambla On Swan is the perfect place to enjoy a meal.

weeping views of the Swan River highlighted by the city’s lights provides the perfect atmosphere for any occasion. Rambla Restaurant is located on the South Perth Esplanade in South Perth. The menu featuring locally sourced produce highlights the best of modern Australian cuisine. The quality service, sensational décor,

personality and ambience leaves you with a truly memorable experience.

THE BAR Enjoy a drink on the deck, balcony or lounge in Rambla’s casual bar, complete with their locally sourced casual dining menu, eight draught beer taps and extensive spirits and wine list. No bookings required, please see staff on arrival.

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RAMBLA ON SWAN Open Tuesday to Sunday, Lunch & Dinner 39/85 South Perth Esplanade, South Perth WA 6151 Phone: +61 (08) 9367 2845 Email: info@ramblaonswan.com.au

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\ GEISEL PARK \ KRISTEN MANNING

Geisel PARK By Kristen Manning

Everyone involved in the demanding world of thoroughbred racing and breeding knows that having a good sense of humour helps one get by - and Geisel Park’s Eddie Rigg certainly has the gift of looking on the bright side!

he first indication of this character trait is the name he chose for the historic property he purchased in 2007 - Geisel Park Stud.

make money but also enjoy myself.”

Did Eddie name his farm after a famous horse of the past? No? After a local legend? No? After something meaningful to the area? No… he named his horse stud after Dr Seuss!!

Raised on a wheat and sheep farm with horses, Eddie noted from a young age that much enjoyment could be derived from the racing sports - his parents racing the smart pacer Windy Jean who won around 18 races, the locals turning up at the pub each time she raced to cheer her on.

Theodor Seuss Geisel that is, the famed American children’s author and cartoonist best known for his ability to best utilise the nonsensical aspects of the English language; his mastery of fun and rhymes being legendary!

He saw how much joy that brought to people and there were always horses around - his father a rider, Eddie following in his footsteps - “whenever it wasn’t too hot we were out there riding or using the horses to round up the sheep,” he recalled.

So why Dr Seuss? Well Eddie simply wanted a theme to name his horses - and there were just so many possibilities amongst the author’s many characters and poems.

Forging a successful career as a stockbroker, Eddie caught an early break courtesy of the respected local businessman Donald Maloney who offered to finance his stake in DJ Carmichael on a couple of conditions - one that he keep it secret, and secondly that he buy into a couple of horses with him.

Such as group winner Fuddle Dee Duddle and Bippo No Bungus, the stakes winners raced in partnership with the late Ron Sayers - Eddie chuckling at the memory of Ron’s thoughts of his naming process - “even years later he was talking about what silly names I had chosen!’ Years on Eddie has moved on to another theme - as a fan of The Castle he has had fun going through the many great lines and characters in the iconic Australian movie, telling us that “I have a list of 300 potential names!” Enjoying racing is the reason Eddie does what he does - combining his work life with his passion for horses, noting that “I want to

And so began a long association with thoroughbreds - “I am still a victim!” he laughed. One who is very proud of his stud - one which has a long local history being the oldest continuously run farm operating between Perth and Bunbury on the Old Coast Road (now the Forest Highway) - established in 1846 as Myalup Farm. Calling it “a little bit of New Zealand on the coastal plain of Western Australia,” he notes that outstanding soil and good annual rainfall supplemented by

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Enjoying racing is the reason Eddie does what he does combining his work life with his passion for horses, noting that “I want to make money but also enjoy myself.”

summer irrigation provides for abundant grass - “a farm that can run a lot of horses.” Proudly standing three stallions at Geisel Park, Eddie is rather fond of his proven boys All American and Manhattan Rain and excited about his new-comer Aysar, the stakes winning Deep Field horse who stood his first season last year. “He is an absolutely delightful gentleman,” he enthused - “almost like a kid’s pony! He came to us with a bit of a reputation but our stud manager Conor Dunlop has built a great relationship with him and we are very excited about his first foals this year. Aysar was bred to be a stallion.” From Ireland, Conor - who has been with Geisel Park since 2012 – has emerged as a respected horseman. He also gets on extremely well with All American with Eddie noting that the 18-year-old G1 Emirates Stakes winner “runs up to him and puts his head on his shoulder.” A filly by All American is amongst a strong sales draft for Geisel Park, one which consists of eleven horses by nine different stallions including five who stand on the east coast - Eddie keen to utilise the best bloodlines across the country. With the ambition of continuing to upgrade his broodmare band, and to breed with around 25 each year - with around five or six in the east at any given time - Eddie has bought some very nice prospects in recent times. Such as the stakes placed multiple city winner Reliable Star by Reliable Man, the stakes placed Indi Pacific by Blackfriars, Tuscan Star (an American Pharoah half-sister to the triple Group winner Tuscan Queen) and Arcadia Jewel by Ocean Park, a two times winning daughter of the Group 2 WA Derby winner Arcadia Dream.

\ GEISEL PARK \ KRISTEN MANNING

Recently Geisel Park also added to their broodmare band the quality Impressive Racing mares Impressive Jeuney and her daughter Cosmic Jeuney. The Group 3 and triple Listed winner Impressive Jeuney is already proving her worth at stud as dam of Beauty Joy (ex Talladega) - a Group 3 winer in Perth and Hong Kong. The quality of Geisel Park’s broodmare band is evident in the sales draft, one which Eddie was happy to take us through…

Lot 9 bay filly Maschino - American Choice (All American) “American Choice is one of our first All American mares and it seems he is going to be an outstanding broodmare sire - looking at Yankee Rose’s high class daughter Liberty Island in Japan. American Choice was only a little mare and this filly was just about bigger than her come weaning time! I did have a think about breeding with such a small mare, but she was a ripper on the track winning nearly $200,000 as a two-year-old. This filly is such a great, strong, two-year-old running type that I am glad that I decided to keep her.”

Lot 23 grey filly Puissance de Lune Bourbon Dynasty (Trade Fair) “This filly is a ¾ sister to the dual Listed winner Chantrea from a great family which has enjoyed success locally and in the east. She is quite a sizeable filly with plenty of scope. She is more of a three-year-old type who will benefit from a bit of patience. Actually if this filly doesn’t make her reserve I’d happily take her home!

FUDDLE DEE DUDDLE & BIPPO NO BUNGS quinella the G3 Champion Fillies Stakes

Lot 49 bay colt Nicconi - Don’t Call Me (Snippetson)

colt is another cracker, a really good looking horse with a great attitude to his work.”

“He is a really nice colt from a very winning family and his dam has done a really good job so far with two smart winners from her first three foals.”

Lot 170 bay/brown filly Toronado - Spurt (Flying Spur)

Lot 81 bay colt Long Leaf - Impressing Matters (Viscount) “Cracking colt from one of the better WA families. There have been plenty of studies looking at mares who produce a stakes winner early in their careers - showing that they are very likely to throw another one, and this colt’s Listed winning dam has already produced the stakes winner War Room.”

Lot 147 bay colt Yes Yes Yes Yes - Rosebank (Helmet) “His dam is a delightful mare whose first foal by So You Think called So Many Stories in the Daniel & Ben Pearce stable has been attracting good reports. And this colt is as good a type as we have in the sale - and it is nice to have one with a recent Group 1 winner (Bustler) on the page.”

Lot 151 bay filly Starspangledbanner Royal Fortune (Bernardini) “Starspangledbanner is a really good sire of fillies and this lovely filly’s grandam is Antique, one of Bob Peters’ blue hen mares. I’m not sure we have a better walker.”

Lot 158 chestnut colt Long Leaf - She’s Readytoreign (More Than Ready)

“Toronado is very popular in Western Australia, people love him. And this filly is a cracking type. I am here to sell but she is one I would not be too disappointed to take home!”

Lot 298 bay filly Nicconi - Once In A Lifetime (Not A Single Doubt) “She is a really nice, neat, tidy filly bred on a proven cross being a ¾ sister to the stakes winner Nistaan.”

Lot 302 bay filly All American - Pearl Trade (Trade Fair) “People are really going to like this horse, she is a dead-ringer for our talented All American mare Duchess Of Gossip and Trade Fair mares are going really well (seven stakes winners amongst the first 71 winners) - and she is the first foal from a good race mare.”

Lot 311 brown colt Playing God Promiscuous Lass (Oratorio) “You’d love to have a draft full of Playing Gods, he just keeps going from strength to strength and his best cross is with Oratorio mares. This colt - whose dam is a full sister to the dual Group winner Moving Pictures - is a big, strong, impressive horse and you would not get a horse who enjoys his work more. He eats up every day, he is so robust.” n

“His dam is throwing really nice foals and this

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Geisel Park STUD 2024 Yearlings GEISEL PARK STUD IS DELIGHTED TO SHOWCASE OUR BEST DRAFT EVER!

LOT 9 MASCHINO / AMERICAN CHOICE - FILLY 1st foal out of stakes performer and city winning 2 yr old American Choice. Winner of nearly $200k as a 2 yr old

LOT 23 PUISSANCE DE LUNE (IRE) / BOURBON DYNASTY - FILLY ¾ sister to CHANTREA, multiple stakes winner and winner of 6 races in succession as a 3 yr old. City winning mare with one to race being a winner and stakes placed

LOT 49 NICCONI / DON’T CALL ME - COLT (As Agent) What a family! BLACK HEART BART, REBEL KING & REBELSON to name a few. Dam is doing the job, including Recalled. By the sire of NATURE STRIP

LOT 81 LONG LEAF / IMPRESSING MATTERS - COLT (As Agent) Wow! IMPRESSING MATTERS is a stakes winner and already a dam of a stakes winner WAR ROOM and Inflation (winner of over $230k). With only 3 foals to race the stats don’t lie

LOT 147 YES YES YES / ROSEBANK - COLT Class, Class, Class! Simply a cracking colt by YES YES YES, the conqueror of THE EVEREST from the family of BUSTLER

LOT 151 STARSPANGLEDBANNER / ROYAL FORTUNE - FILLY LOT 151 STARSPANGLEDBANNER / ROYAL FORTUNE - FILLY

A proven international sire of fillies & mares with 24 individual stake winners (7.3% stakes winners to F&M A proven international sireBob of fillies & mares with 24 individual stake winners (7.3% stakes winners to F&M runners). Top mover from Peter’s best family (Antique)

Geisel Park STUD 2024 Yearlings

runners). Top mover from Bob Peter’s best family (Antique)

LOT 158 LONG LEAF / SHE’S READYTOREIGN - COLT

GEISEL STUDLEAF IS DELIGHTED TO SHOWCASE- OUR LOTPARK 158 LONG / SHE’S READYTOREIGN COLTBEST DRAFT EVER! Athletic 2nd foal out of MORE THAN READY winning mare Athletic 2nd foal out of MORE THAN READY winning mare

LOT LOT 170 170 TORONADO TORONADO (IRE) (IRE) // SPURT SPURT -- FILLY FILLY Lift Lift your your sights sights buyers. buyers. A A quality quality filly filly by by Top Top 20 20 Australian Australian sire sire TORONADO TORONADO (IRE) (IRE)

LOT LOT 298 298 NICCONI NICCONI // ONCE ONCE IN IN A A LIFETIME LIFETIME -- FILLY FILLY 2nd Foal out of a winning NOT A SINGLE DOUBT mare and a 3/4 sister to NISTAAN. Black type everywhere – residual, residual!

LOT ALL // PEARL TRADE LOT MASCHINO / AMERICAN FILLY LOT9302 302 ALL AMERICAN AMERICAN PEARLCHOICE TRADE ---FILLY FILLY living of TRADE mare Pearl winner of Dead of Duchess 1st1st foal outfoal of stakes performer and city 2 yr old American Choice. Winner nearly of 1st living foal of quality quality TRADE FAIR FAIR marewinning Pearl Trade, Trade, winner of $213k. $213k. Dead ringer ringer ofof Duchess of Gossip Gossip

$200k as a 2 yr old

LOT LOT 311 311 PLAYING PLAYING GOD GOD // PROMISCUOUS PROMISCUOUS MISS MISS -- COLT COLT

LOT 23 PUISSANCE DE LUNE / BOURBON DYNASTY - FILLY The cross that just works. PLAYING GOD (IRE) over ORATORIO mares. The dam a full sister to MOTION

The cross that just works. PLAYING GOD over ORATORIO mares. The dam a full sister to MOTION ¾ PICTURES, sister to CHANTREA, of 6 races in succession a 3 yr Stakes Gr 3 WA’s best 2 multiple yr old of stakes her timewinner winningand thewinner Karrakatta Plate Gr. 2 and Sires as Produce PICTURES, WA’s best 2 yr old of her time winning the Karrakatta Plate Gr. 2 and Sires Produce Stakes Gr 3 old. City winning mare with one to race being a winner and stakes placed

Find us at Barn D at the Magic Millions Complex

LOT 49 NICCONI / DON’T CALL ME - COLT (As Agent)

For all enquiries and viewings please contact:

What a family! BLACK HEART BART, REBEL KING & REBELSON to name a few. Dam is doing For all enquiries and viewings please contact:

Conor Dunlop 434 735 Eddie Rigg 0418 942 304 the job, including Recalled. By the0447 sire of NATURE STRIP

Conor Dunlop 0447 434 735 Eddie Rigg 0418 942 304

LOT 147 YES YES YES / ROSEBANK - COLT

www.geiselpark.com.au

Class, Class, Class! Simply a cracking colt by YES YES YES, the conqueror of THE EVEREST from the family of BUSTLER

www.geiselpark.com.au

Introducing the Gold Front Thoroughbred Breeders' highly anticipated 2024 crop of yearlings, headlined by the illustrious Awesome Rock. A beacon of excellence, this magnificent stallion, with over $2 million in career earnings, triumphed notably in the Group 1 Emirates-McKinnon Stakes. Sired by Fastnet Rock and Awesome Planet, his lineage promises unparalleled pedigree. The legacy continues as Awesome Rock's progeny achieves remarkable success locally, interstate, and internationally. Joining this extraordinary lineup are carefully crafted yearlings from esteemed sires like Maschino and Nicconi, and our very own - Leonardo da Hinchi, complemented by superb mares Bonny Be Good, Most Joyous, and Presentatie. Witness the future of racing at the Magic Millions Complex from the 17th of February. DON'T MISS THE CHANCE TO OWN A PIECE OF GREATNESS!

Awesome Rock

Leonardo da Hinchi

Sue and Alan Olive

VISIT US AT BARN I & J For information or viewings please contact Sue Olive on 0417 937 606 goldfront@bigpond.com

www.goldfrontbreeding.com.au

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\ MOGUMBER PARK \ KRISTEN MANNING

Mogumber PARK By Kristen Manning

It’s the perfect partnership really - a keen racing fan with a knowledge of pedigrees and an experienced and respected equine stud veterinarian.

olin Brown and Fiona Lacey who in 2006 purchased “50 acres of weeds” at Bullsbrook, setting about building up a successful thoroughbred business. Mogumber Park is the result of their hard work and how great it is for their clients and their horses that the picturesque property is also home to Olive Grove Equine Clinic… expertise always on timely hand! Whilst Colin takes care of the matings and pedigree research, Fiona looks after the day to day business of tending to horses, supervising the feeding and treatment of their charges as well as the education regimes. Having left school at 16 to work in the racing industry, she has seen the benefits of keeping horses happy - “we like them to enter training with a good attitude to their work, their people and the feed bin”, adding that each of the Mogumber yearlings are hand exercised whilst also having bridles and rollers used during their education. “From the day our horses are conceived to the moment the hammer falls, our horses have had the best of everything - nutritionally balanced feed for growth and bone strength, monthly farrier work to ensure correct conformation and strong feet, and a thorough education making things easier for the breakers and trainers down the track.”

Not having any ambitions to be huge, the Mogumber team pride themselves on the daily attention paid to each horse - “they are all special individuals,” Fiona said, “and are treated that way - we want to give them all the opportunity to be the best they can be.” Which means that Mogumber, whilst of

course having an eye on sales success, also look at the big picture… “we want to produce happy, healthy horses who work with their trainers during their racing careers and who can then go onto productive post racing lives.” The proof is in the pudding with Mogumber already boasting an impressive list of graduates including the Perth Magic Millions 2YO winner Wolfe Dreams, a tough and talented Sequalo gelding who also won at Listed level on two occasions. “He is probably my favourite horse,” Colin said - “he was a wonderful two-year-old who raced on until he was seven, amassing over $500,000 in stakes. And he only just missed out on the title of 2YO of the year.” A member of the debut crop of Safeguard, the classy Specialism is another Mogumber success story - “she was a powerhouse of a two-year-old who won her first two, putting her sire on the map. She came from near the rear in the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate to run fifth and then went down by a whisker in the Group 3 WA Sires Produce Stakes. She was named Ascot Horse of The Year which was a good (and unusual) effort for a two-year-old.” That form led Specialism to be sold for $280,000 as a broodmare, now owned by Musk Creek Farm in Victoria - her first two foals being fillies by Farnan and Too Darn Hot. Another member of Safeguard’s debut crop was Miss West Coast, who was sold for $145,000 as a yearling, with Colin remembering what a great type she was - “a trainer inspected her and said she would not be out of place in any sales ring in the country.”

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SNOWDOME, WA Sires Produce G3, WA Prince of Wales Stks G3

And whilst, due to niggling injuries, her career was not a long one, she did display plenty of nature talent winning three of her nine starts and twice finishing in the placings in Group company. “At her first start as a two-year-old, starting at 20-1, she flew home to run a very close second and then won her next two starts before placing in the Magic Millions and the Gimcrack Stakes before a luckless third in the Karrakatta Plate. She returned at three winning first up by three lengths and it was unfortunate that we didn’t get to see her best. But she is now at stud with colts by Dundeel and Pierro (and in foal to Russian Revolution) and we are sure that she will continue to make her mark.” Another horse raised and sold by Mogumber is the talented Snowdome, winner of the Group 3 Prince Of Wales Stakes at Ascot last November. “He has certainly helped Rommel (who stood at Mogumber before transferring to his owner’s new farm - Ridgeport) along, firstly as the highest priced yearling ($180,000) ever sold on Day 2 of the Magic Millions Perth Sale and secondly with his racing ability. He won the G3 WA Sires Produce Stakes at two and has continued to stamp himself as one of the state’s best sprinters.” Mogumber is also home to Safeguard - their dual Group 3 winning foundation stallion, a son of Exceed And Excel who “continues to do amazing things off small books of mares. He was leading first season sire and that year also earned the title of leading two-year-old sire, which he did again in the 2022/23 season.” Joining Safeguard at Mogumber last spring was the very

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\ MOGUMBER PARK \ KRISTEN MANNING

handsome Marine One, the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes winning Capitalist horse who have the team excited “he is a gorgeous stallion with a great attitude. He was early and quick and we can’t wait to see his foals later this year.” In the meantime they have the upcoming sales to be excited about, the Mogumber draft of 16 well related yearlings pleasing everyone with their progress. Highlights include: Lot 25, the first of the Mogumber yearlings through the ring - the first foal from a winning half-sister to the Group 3, and four times Listed winner, News Alert. The son of Rommel described as “a forward, athletic type who will have plenty of admirers.” Lot 72, a Hellbent filly out of the dual stakes winner Happy Hippy who has already been represented by two stakes performers. “She is a quality filly with plenty of residual value. She is a lovely walker who is going to mature into a stunner.” Another eye-catcher is lot 110, “a cracking colt” by the first season Written Tycoon horse Dirty Work whose yearlings sold well at the Gold Coast. Out of a winning full sister to Specialism, he is a “strong type who looks a real early runner.” Also impressing during the preparation is lot 177, described as “a typical Safeguard colt - athletic and correct, a lovely type with a great attitude.” And from an in-form family too, one represented by the recent stakes winners Brave Mead and Raf Attack.n

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\ RIDGEPORT HOLDINGS \ KRISTEN MANNING

Ridgeport HOLDINGS By Kristen Manning

Ridgeport Holdings principal Santo Guagliardo has a justifiably soft spot for Rommel - the dual Group winning Commands stallion who calls Ridgeport Farm home.

reviously a resident at Mogumber Park, the 12-year-old made the move to his proud owner’s new farm at Waroona where he has, according to the stud’s Marge Ojapolo, settled in extremely well. “He had a really good spring serving 50 mares,” she said, noting that Rommel is a horse who any broodmare owner would be happy to send their mare to - describing him as “an absolute gentleman.” “He is a very nice boy who always gives his girlfriends a lot of love,” she laughed. “He likes to give them a kiss and spend time with them!” A horse whose fertility has always been excellent, Rommel is also the perfect stallion for maiden mares - not only due to his ability to put them at ease but also because of the type of foal he sires. “They nearly all have good length and strength,” Marge said, noting that he tends to negate the tendency of first time mothers producing foals on the small side. And he is proving to be a good winner getter too, Rommel represented by 41 winners amongst his first 60 runners with the Ridgeport home-bred Snowdome leading the way. The winner of seven of his 18 starts, the classy four-year-old enjoyed a particularly good year in 2023 - his four victories including the Group 3 Prince of Wales Stakes in which he showed plenty of heart emerging best from a two horse battle after facing the breeze. That was a nice addition to his resume, Snowdome also winning the 2022 Group 3 WA

Sires Produce Stakes - showing his superior pace to lead throughout. Bred on a 3 X 4 cross of Danehill being out of a Snitzel mare, Snowdome has inherited some of his sire’s talent - Rommel a horse we never really got to see the best of due to injury. But he certainly had his share of ability, winning four of his 12 starts. One of the best of Perth’s juveniles of his year, Rommel put on display both his speed and heart winning the Group 2 WA Guineas before venturing to Melbourne where he proved a class above his rivals in the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes. Always supporting Rommel, Ridgeport love sending their newly retired mares to him whilst those mares who have been going to him the last few years are now being tried with a few different horses such as Playing God and Sessions. As well as the Darling View based Lightsaber who Ridgeport have an interest in - that Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes and Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude winning son of Zoustar from the family of Fastnet Rock proving to be such a popular first season stallion serving a nice book of 98 mares. Breeding with around 30 mares each year, Ridgeport have long term plans to continually upgrade - not only their bloodstock - but their farm which they have been working on since its purchase 19 months ago. 2024 sees Ridgeport sell their first yearlings prepared at the farm with the members of their two previous drafts having kicked off their careers at Mogumber.

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ROMMEL WA Guineas G2

It was always Santo’s aim to build up his own farm - and having his own stallion, a horse he purchased as a yearling with Neville Parnham at the 2013 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale, is a much appreciated bonus. And Rommel is not the only nice horse Santo has sourced from a Magic Millions sale purchasing at the 2021 Perth sale the terrific galloper Bustler with whom he enjoyed Group 1 success in the Railway Stakes in November.

Described as “a very strong type who will definitely attract a lot of attention,” she has “an excellent temperament and is very good to work with. She has a really good brain and does everything right.”

The Ridgeport draft consists of 14 well related youngsters, six of those being by Rommel with one of his highlights being lot 226 who Marge calls “a quality filly.”

Hailing from a prolific speed family, one which produced the Magic Millions Classic winner Catnipped, this filly by one of Australia’s most popular stallions is bred on the successful (four stakes winners including the Group 1 mare Mizzy amongst the first 47 winners) Zoustar/Flying Spur cross.

“She is a lovely athletic type who walks so nicely and smoothly,” she said of the filly out of the Elusive Quality mare Colleges who has displayed a nice affinity with Rommel.

A cross which results in a duplication of the wonderful mare Rolls - dam of Flying Spur and grandam of Zoustar’s high achieving grandsire Encosta de Lago.

By him she has produced the best two of her five winners - the Hong Kong based Tourbillon Prince, a stakes placegetter locally and a Happy Valley winner in December.

There is good depth to the Ridgeport draft, others due to go through the ring including a Rommel colt out of a full sister to the Group 1 mare Bel Mer, a Rommel son of the fast dual city winning Written Tycoon mare Diamond Tycoon, a Hellbent filly out of a two times metropolitan winning Not A Single Doubt mare and a Safeguard grandson of the high class broodmare Midnight Special. n

And Catch These Hands, the Steve Wolfe trained four-year-old who has done such a good job winning five of his 13 starts to date. Meanwhile there is particular excitement surrounding lot 152, a Zoustar filly out of the

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Charge Forward mare Run All Night.

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present an exceptional draft of six yearlings

Recent Namerik Thoroughbreds draft graduate. ADMIRATION EXPRESS - GR 3 Champion Fillies winner.

ALSEPHINA -GR 3 winner of over $750K and close relation to lot 184, below.

Lot 58 Ch Colt

Toronado - Fallgold

Lot 184 Bay Colt

Gingerbread Man - Valtellina

Lot 199 Bay Colt

Snippetson - Aconite

Lot 268 Bay Colt

Grunt - Joadja

Dam a 2 time winner and sister to GR placed Malahat. Closely related to multiple GR winner RASPBERRIES.

Closely related to GR winner and multiple GR placed ALSEPHINA. Dam a 3/4 sister to SW and GR placed WAVE ROCK.

From 5 time winner and Stakes and GR placed Aconite. Group winning family of WA Guineas winner KING SAUL.

Colt a half brother to three time winner Jenniferwish. Family of SW’s BYGONE ERA, THE BIG CHILL, ICY CALM.

Lot 276 Universal Ruler - Latent Energy Colt a half brother to winner Rockport Miss. Bay Colt Family of SW’s TRANSLATE, MOST SECRET, COVERTLY, etc. Lot 339 Awesome Rock - The Other Harv 8 time winner and SP The Other Harv. Bay Filly Dam Filly a half sister to multiple winners Suspectus and More Shots. To arrange inspection or for further information contact Alan Bansemer : 0418 867 321 Namerik Thoroughbreds, Punrak Road, Serpentine.

Ruby

RACING & BREEDING By Kristen Manning

BUSTLER, G1 Railway Stakes

or a young operation - selling commercially only since 2020 - Ruby Racing & Breeding has been quick to make a favourable impression, already achieving the dream that many take years, even decades to achieve… Group 1 success! Purchased as a pin-hooking prospect from Mungrup Stud for $32,500, Bustler was sold by Ruby to Ridgeport Holdings for $130,000 at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions with the farm’s Jaime and Daniel O’Bree (whose parents Rod and Bridie fostered their thoroughbred passion) making the wise decision to remain in the ownership.

A decision which saw them in the winner’s circle after the running of the Group 1 Railway Stakes at Ascot In November… with a horse from just their second ever commercial sales draft. And what a day it was, Ruby also represented by

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another two winners at that feature meeting Onemoretwomany and Starry Heights both Ruby graduates. Sold at last year’s Perth Magic Millions for $70,000, Onemoretwomany - who had been purchased by a client for $12,000 at the previous year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale - has raced on two occasions. And both times he has proven too fast and too classy for his rivals, at debut taken on but finding plenty to win over 1100m at Ascot before rising in class and taking out the Magic Millions Gai Waterhouse Crystal Slipper by 1 ¾ lengths. Meanwhile Starry Heights was just as impressive recording his sixth consecutive victory from just eleven starts.

“We sat there hoping the first horse would win and then thinking there is no way we could get a second winner. And then the grand final, a Group 1… I had a sore throat for a couple of days!”

Bred by Ruby clients Ellie Giles and Premium Bloodstock, the speedy and talented four-year-old was sold to the Grant & Alana Williams stable for $35,000 at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions. That was some day for the stud with Daniel telling us that it all felt rather dream-like. “We sat there hoping the first horse would win and then thinking there is no way we could get a second winner. And then the grand final, a Group 1… I had a sore throat for a couple of days!” Daniel recalls being very happy to remain in the ownership of Bustler after the sales - “he was probably the nicest colt of our crop that year and we had a lot of faith in Playing God which ended up coming to fruition.” Bustler is not the only horse Ruby have remained in after the sales - cleverly keeping a share in an Extreme Choice colt bred by them and sold to the Newgate Colts Syndicate. Cheering Tiger Of Malay home to wins in the Gr.2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and the Group 3 Up & Coming Stakes, they are now happy to support him in his stud career. “We could not let a horse like him go and we were lucky that during the depths of Covid that Newgate bought him and let us stay in. Breeding and racing a horse like him - then being able to breed foals by him, it’s the stuff dreams are made of for a new farm.” And Daniel is delighted with the quality of Tiger Of Malay’s first foals - “they are just like him, and just like Extreme Choice; laid-back dudes who you can do anything with. They are never stressed, never out of their comfort zone.” Whilst their parents were hobby breeders - breeding only one every year or so - their son and daughter are ambitious in their desire to really make a go of the commercial world - a move to a bigger, better farm last year part of the long-term plan.

Ruby Racing & Breeding is a lovely mix of the commercial and the sentimental, the horses so professionally prepared for the sales and for their racing careers whilst the love of the animal and the family’s history with them is so appreciated. As indicated by Jaime and Daniel’s choice when naming their venture… Ruby the nickname of the first foal they have a memory of, a Surtee filly bred by their parents when they were young. Named Emerald Dancer, she was no superstar - winning a couple of races at Geraldton - but she was much loved… and still is, at the age of 22 happily gracing the family’s paddocks. Looking forward to the 2024 Perth Magic Millions, Ruby present an impressive draft of twelve yearlings by a variety of stallions including Bustler’s sire Playing Gold, the late and much missed I’m All The Talk (his final draft), Xtravagant, Snippetson, Rommel, Microphone and King’s Legacy…

Lot 51 brown filly Playing God - Drinkwhatyoulike (Denman) The first foal for a city winner has impressed Daniel with her progress - “she has developed into exactly what you want to see from a Playing God, a strong filly who moves well.”

Lot 59 bay colt Microphone - Feliciana (Shooting To Win) A grandson of the dual stakes winner Rio Osa, she is “a typical Microphone - a strong horse with a great attitude, he loves his work. He is a horse from a family we know really well - that which produced Tiger Of Malay - and we really like him.”

Settling in well on 2000 plus acres outside of Geraldton, they are happy to be further north than most studs, making the most of a temperate climate and the sort of land that builds strong horses. “It is perfect horse land,” Daniel noted - “massive paddocks, hard ground, rocks, streams… our horses always look great, especially in winter; their coats are always more forward than horses bred further south.” “Committed long-term” to the horse industry, Ruby is home not only to thoroughbreds but to polo cross horses and stock horses - providing around the clock care for foals, a service much appreciated by breeders across the state.

Bustler as a yearling

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Daniel & Jaime O’Bree and Team

Lot 69 bay colt Xtravagant - Greytfilly (Ferocity) “A horse who stands over a lot of ground,” he is by a stallion who “has had some nice types in Perth” out of a Group 3 placed city winner who showed enough ability to contest the Gold Coast Magic Millions - finishing off nicely after ending up too far back in running.

Lot 267 chestnut filly I’m All The Talk - Jesse Quick (Due Sasso) Out of a half-sister to the juvenile stakes winner She’s In Demand from her sire’s final crop, she is “one of the easiest horses you could ever deal with - she does nothing wrong and she is strong and athletic.”

Lot 106 bay/brown colt King’s Legacy - Mansera (Manduro)

Lot 325 bay filly Long Leaf - She Rules All (Universal Ruler)

“Manighar was one of my very favourite horses,” Daniel enthused, “I absolutely loved him and I am rapt to have one out of his half-sister in our draft. And we are excited to have one of the first King’s Legacys to go through the ring - especially as he has been such a good, straightforward horse to work with.”

A half-sister to the stakes placed triple city winner Aiyza, she was pin-hooked by Ruby in the hope that she would improve - and she has done just that, putting on 30kg in the three weeks prior to our chat with Daniel “she just keeps getting better and better,” he enthused, “and she is the sort of filly who is going to continue to improve for her new owners.”

Lot 143 black/brown gelding Rommel - Real Beauty (I Am Invincible) “He is just what you’d expect by Rommel out of a Vinnie mare - a beautiful, strong type,” and a well related one too with his grandam being the dual stakes winner Real Charm.

Lot 225 bay/brown filly Safeguard - Classic Princess (Choisir) “She comes from the same breeders as the promising Safeguard two-year-old Sinful Living who has been putting the wins together - and she is a classic Safeguard yearling, a good, strong type who gets her work done.”

Lot 230 bay colt Snippetson - Dance On Air (Perugino)

Lot 332 brown filly War Chant - Soy Tan Rapido (Patronize) Out of a city winning half-sister to the Group 3 galloper Chantski whose daughter Stormchaser is racing in such great form, she is a good type of filly who “has really pleased us with her preparation.”

Lot 341 bay filly I’m All The Talk - Thunderplump (Oratorio) With all 13 of the I’m All The Talk runners out of Oratorio mares being winners; three stakes performers including the triple Group winner Watch Me Dance, this filly is a nice way for Ruby to see out the sale - and “she is very typical of the good I’m All The Talks; a textbook sales type who will be in demand.” n

From the penultimate crop of his reliable sire, he is a half-brother to an extra smart one - the outstanding filly Clairvoyance who won seven of her 11 starts including the Listed Pinjarra Classic; her career brought to a premature end by injury. “It is really nice to be selling a nice, strong half-brother to such a good horse - and very nice that Clairvoyance has recovered enough from her injury to go to stud (served last spring by Maurice).

Lot 258 brown colt Playing God - Hazel Hellraiser (Due Sasso) A horse with “a couple of Railway Stakes winners on his page,” he is “a big, scopey type as most of the good ones from his family are. We have been really happy with his progression throughout his preparation.”

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Bustler’s connections

WESTERN BREEDERS ALLIANCE

Producing Quality Stakes Winning Horses Our draft for 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale:

LOT

ON ACCOUNT OF

SEX

SIRE

DAM

DAM SIRE

2 12 15 19 24 27 30 39 45 71 76 77 82 87 88 94 100 102 105 112 120 121 127 134 142 150 156 161 178 186 190 209 211 221 263 266 275 282 321 327 328 345 350

Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud Western Breeders Alliance (Darling View Stud

F F C F C F F F C F F C C C C C F F F C C C C F F C C C F F F F F C C F C F F F F C F

Playing God (AUS) Headwater (AUS) I’m All the Talk (AUS) Playing God (AUS) Playing God (AUS) Dundeel (NZ) Farnan (AUS) Cosmic Force (AUS) Playing God (AUS) Playing God (AUS) Hellbent (AUS) Long Leaf (AUS) Starspangledbanner (AUS) I’m All the Talk (AUS) Microphone (AUS) Russian Revolution (AUS) Playing God (AUS) Bivouac (AUS) Hellbent (AUS) I’m All the Talk (AUS) Gingerbread Man (AUS) Playing God (AUS) Maschino (AUS) Playing God (AUS) Street Boss (USA) Playing God (AUS) Omaha Beach (USA) Shamus Award (AUS) Playing God (AUS) Toronado (IRE) So You Think (NZ) Hanseatic (AUS) My Admiration (AUS) Winning Rupert (AUS) Long Leaf (AUS) My Admiration (AUS) Winning Rupert (AUS) Playing God (AUS) North Pacific (AUS) My Admiration (AUS) Harry Angel (IRE) Brave Smash (JPN) A Lot (USA)

Abitcryptic (AUS) Animal Spirits (AUS) Azita (AUS) Bitter Twist (AUS) Boutique (AUS) Cabochon Lil (AUS) Cafe Scientific (AUS) Coco Kerringle (AUS) Death Knock (AUS) Happy (AUS) Heritage Lane (AUS) Hussh Baby (AUS) Impressive Jeuney (AUS) Iza Lya (AUS) Jemerica (AUS) Korrawi (AUS) Le Choix (AUS) Little Bit Ditsy (AUS) Magic of Dreams (AUS) Miss Brandywine (AUS) Mystic Maid (AUS) Nickel Queen (AUS) Overthrone (AUS) Platinum Rocker (AUS) Quiet Kitten (USA) Royal Dream (AUS) Sense of Pride (CAN) Snippety Belle (AUS) Toni May (NZ) Vivaro (AUS) Wonderbabe (AUS) Ballistica (AUS) Belle of Liberty (AUS) Chitter (AUS) Hot Technique (AUS) Is a Bombshell (AUS) Lady Magenta (AUS) Maschino Miss (AUS) Sandida (AUS) Shihabi (AUS) Shimmer Lake (NZ) Turf Burner (AUS) Who Stole the Moon (AUS)

Bletchley Park (IRE) Spirit of Boom (AUS) Oratorio (AUS) California Dane (AUS) Discorsi (AUS) Sebring (AUS) More Than Ready (USA) Exceed and Excel (AUS) Lonhro (AUS) Lonhro (AUS) Charge Forward (AUS) Hussonet (USA) Jeune (GB) Blackfriars (AUS) Captain Rio (GB) Declaration of War (USA) Snippetson (AUS) Bel Esprit (AUS) Magic Albert (AUS) Bernardini (USA) Patronize (AUS) Uncle Mo (USA) Trade Fair (GB) Love a Dane (AUS) Kitten’s Joy (USA) Bernardini (USA) Lemon Drop Kid (USA) Snippetson (AUS) Tavistock (NZ) Exceed and Excel (AUS) Snitzel (AUS) Smart Missile (AUS) Patronize (AUS) I’m All the Talk (AUS) Sizzling (AUS) Smart Missile (AUS) Oratorio (AUS) Maschino (AUS) Hinchinbrook (AUS) Pins (AUS) Savabeel (AUS) Sizzling (AUS) War Chant (USA)

INSPECTIONS WELCOMED

DARLING VIEW THOROUGHBREDS: 1149 Kargotich Road MUNDIJONG, contact Brent Atwell 0408 648 100

EINONCLIFF PARK: 16346 South Western Hwy NTH BOYANUP, contact Jane Beynon 0414 879 361

WESTBURY PARK: 504 Thompson Road WEST PINJARRA, contact Phil Ibbotson 0429 341 211

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Scenic LODGE By Kristen Manning

The legacy created by the very first Group 1 winner sired by the great Sadler’s Wells is keenly felt and appreciated at Scenic Lodge so much so that the farm, one of Western Australia’s most successful, is named in his honour.

he stud’s General Manager Jeremy Smith is well aware of the debt owed to the 1988 Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes winner Scenic who arrived in Western Australia on the back of solid if not spectacular success during his time in the eastern states.

Though it was Blackfriars who really kept Scenic Lodge’s name in lights, the 1999 Group 1 VRC Derby hero who died in 2017 so well represented by 48 stakes winners including the Group 1 gallopers Black Heart Bart, Come Play With Me and Playing God.

“He was ticking over in Victoria but within just a couple of months of his arrival here he took off and had the most amazing run of success - his progeny were winning all over the place!” Jeremy recalled.

“He was an absolute freak and look at what Playing God is doing now!”

“Talk about timing - we were very, very lucky and I think if it had been just a few months later we would never have got him. We even had the opportunity to lease him back to Swettenham Stud at one stage..” The sire of 71 stakes winners, 13 of whom were successful at the elite level, Scenic - who died in 2005 - is still making his mark at Scenic Lodge whose sole stallion (they sadly lost two favourites in 2023) Universal Ruler is his only son at stud.

That horse, Darling View’s dual Kingston Town Classic winner is doing a good job keeping this branch of the Danehill sire line going - proving to be a nice upgrader with his 16 stakes winners. And whilst he does not stand at Scenic Lodge, Jeremy is proud of his achievements as a son of Blackfriars - as he is of Universal Ruler by Scenic. “It is gratifying that two of Western Australia’s best and most in-form stallions are sons of horses we have stood at Scenic Lodge. And both horses were bred, raised and sold by us.”

“Dash For Cash had unbelievable libido and was still covering the spring before he died as was Snippetson.”

Universal Ruler (who has had “a fantastic twelve months”) is, Jeremy said, a horse with a similar personality to his sire - “he is a bit quirky, like Scenic he has his little traits. I could never 100% trust either of them - I have to always be on my guard, they are horses without great attention spans but with a lot of character!”

“Dash For Cash was a very popular horse who people enjoyed coming to visit - and Snippetson was well known as a good, honest stallion who sired fast, nice types… both stallions did a good job.”

The sire of 11 stakes winners amongst his first 167 winners, Universal Ruler joins Snippetson as the sire of some very nice yearlings in Scenic Lodge’s 2024 Perth Magic Millions draft; the latter represented by his penultimate crop.

His former stud mates Dash For Cash and Snippetson both died last year but are both fondly remembered as good winner producers with strength of character.

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International G1 winner SCENIC BLAST, bred by Scenic Lodge

Jeremy is very happy with the overall quality of the Scenic Lodge draft, noting that “there is no tail-end - they are a very nice group of horses.” There are however highlights for both Snippetson and Universal Ruler…

Lot 52 bay filly Universal Ruler - Elegant Blast (Blackfriars) Very much a Scenic Lodge product out of a classy mare who “did a great job for us,” she is “not your early sort of runner but she is a good sized, very athletic type who is the best of our fillies. This is a family we have done really well with - and one which has alway done so well with the Scenic line… she is a ¾ sister to Universal Prince’s stakes winner Red Blast from the family of one of Scenic’s best in Scenic Blast.”

Lot 179 bay colt Universal Ruler Tranquility (Redoute’s Choice) “He is our stand-out colt - just an outstanding individual, a big, strong, impressive colt out of a wonderful race mare.” And a horse with a most interesting pedigree with his three strains of the high class broodmare Dancing Show - her sons Hurricane Sky (Universal Ruler’s dam sire) and Umatilla and her grandson Redoute’s Choice.

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Lot 193 chestnut colt Snippetson - Zany Lady (Zeditave) A full brother to - and “a similar type to” - the multiple city winner Spin The Knife and a half to another five smart winners (29 wins between them), he is “a typical Snippetson really strong boned, an early type who is big and flashy.”

Lot 344 bay colt Snippetson - True Storm (Hurricane Sky) “He is the son of a fast race mare and they are all pretty quick through this family including last season’s stakes winner Buzzoom. He is a big, imposing colt - very impressive.” “Our draft is not as big as it has been in the past,” Jeremy said, noting that with just the one stallion they are concentrating more on quality than numbers whilst still on the lookout for another suitable horse. Though they are hard to find these days “we would not stand just any horse,” he said, “and it is very difficult to get the right sort of stallion these days with the top end of the market being as strong as it is.” But a farm with the superlative record of Scenic Lodge - and one which continues to garner loyal client support - there are bound to still be big days and achievements ahead; watch this space! n

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MUNGRUP 2024 MM YEARLINGS Breeding racing excellence since 1974, Gray Williamson brings over 50 years of thoroughbred expertise to the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sales. Our collection of 2024 yearlings have been meticulously bred, to yield offspring poised for track brilliance. Stallions represented in our draft include PLAYING GOD, TRAPEZE ARTIST, MASCHINO,TASSORT, I'M ALL THE TALK, A LOT, SAXON WARRIOR, HEADWATER, STAR TURN. We’d love to show you our draft including Lot 41 - Playing God / Cosmah Domination , THE FULL SISTER TO BUSTLER (GR1 RAILWAY) AND HALF SISTER TO A LOT OF GOOD MEN (2ND GR2 WA GUINEAS)

Come and view all our yearlings at BARN SCENIC BLAST For all enquiries and inspections contact Gray on 0427 532 103 or Patsy 0433 755 517

Yarradale STUD

It is with much excitement and anticipation the team at Yarradale Stud head to the 2024 Perth Magic Millions Sale with arguably their finest draft of yearlings they have assembled.

hat sets this particular group of yearlings apart from previous ones is both the great variety of the stallions represented and the reduction of the farms broodmare band over the past two years has seen greater quality control over this particular group of yearlings to be presented at the sale.

Alspehina and prolific winner Starry Heights), Astern (sire of Gr.1 winner Golden Mile) and Flying Artie (sire of star sprinter Artorius) along with a Toronado filly who is not only a half sister to Karrakatta Plate winner Ima Single Man, but also to the 2023 Perth Sale topping filly by Blue Point that is receiving rave reviews from her trainers Grant and Alana Williams.

A decision by the late Ron Sayers in 2020 to purchase a sizeable stake in the stallion Playing God is one that is certainly paying dividends for the farm and not only has this given Yarradale access to the states leading stallion, but will ultimately continue to develop and improve the pedigrees of the current broodmare band. Fine tuning matings to a new stallion doesn’t happen overnight but with the benefit of experience, Yarradale will present the second crop of Playing God yearlings in their draft since Yarradale purchased that interest in the stallion.

All in all a terrific line up of stallions on offer in the draft and this coupled with the fact the female pedigrees of the Yarradale yearlings are amongst the best on offer at this year’s sale, this draft is certainly not to be missed by any perspective purchaser.

With a draft of 24 yearlings set to go under the hammer at Magic Millions in Perth this year, it’s not just the Playing God sired yearlings (of which their are 7) that have the Yarradale team up and about. No less that 14 different stallions are represented in the Yarradale draft this year and along with WA’s best stallions being represented in the draft - War Chant, Maschino, Gingerbread Man, Rommel and Bradbury’s Luck, the Yarradale draft has a variety of Eastern States sired yearlings to compliment it. A quality colt by champion Pierro out of one of WA’s favourite race mares Dainty Tess (14 wins and over $1 million in earnings) is sure to spark plenty of interest. An impeccably bred Brazen Beau colt that is a three quarter brother to Zapateo is another that will command plenty of interest along with a So You Think colt that is the second foal of the outstanding 4 time Listed winner and daughter of Lope de Vega, Mizlecki. A pair of well related yearlings (a colt and a filly) by fast first season Darley stallion Earthlight - Champion 2YO of France winning 5 races as a 2 years are also sure to be popular and buyers shouldn’t have to wait long to get a return on them. Rounding out the East Coast based sires are fillies by Star Turn (sire of Group 1 performer

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Of course thoroughbred farms are judged by racetrack success and this too is an area where Yarradale stand proud. Since the 2019 Perth Magic Millions Sale, the Yarradale consigned yearling Ima Single Man has gone on and become the highest earning graduate of the Magic Millions in that 5 year period. Interestingly, at least 9 of the 20 odd $1million dollar earners ever sold by Magic Millions in the West have been sired by Yarradale owned stallions, further endorsing the product bred by Yarradale. The warrior Valour Road defies his age and continues to show what an amazing Yarradale graduate he is. Now racing as an 8YO he was good enough to step out and win the Lee Steere Stakes at Group 2 level over the Ascot Summer carnival here in the West, and was an agonisingly unlucky sixth coming from last in traffic to be beaten 2.5 lengths in the $1.5m Gold Rush in December. Remember, this is a horse who won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on debut followed by winning the Karrakatta Plate at his second start and having won a host of features since then, he continues to give his much younger opposition plenty to chase. The likes of Stormchaser is also showing plenty of promise for Luke Fernie and the unbeaten Colin Webster trained filly Wubin Gold looks to have an extremely bright future, but rarely a week goes by without a Yarradale graduate winning so the honour roll keeps growing and the winners keep coming.

ABOVE: Outstanding racemare DAINTY TESS has her first foal by PIERRO selling in 2024 in Perth. BELOW: The warrior VALOUR ROAD wins the G2 Lee-Steere Stakes during the 2023 Ascot Summer Carnival

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The connections of VALOUR ROAD have had some journey with him winning his first G2 as a 2YO and still winning at that level as an 8yo.

2024 YARRADALE STUD DRAFT LISTING Lot 6

Bay Colt

PLAYING GOD / AMALFI LASS (War Chant)

Lot 26

Bay Colt

BRAZEN BEAU / BURGOYNE (War Chant)

Lot 35

Chestnut Filly

EARTHLIGHT / CHANTSKI (War Chant)

Lot 44

Brown Colt

PIERRO / DAINTY TESS (War Chant)

Lot 47

Bay Filly

WAR CHANT / DIAMONDS’N’DREAMS (Viscount)

Lot 56

Bay Colt

EARTHLIGHT / EURYALE (Lonhro)

Lot 115

Bay or Brown Filly

STAR TURN / MISS STREZELECKI (Al Maher)

Lot 116

Brown Colt

SO YOU THINK / MIZLECKI (Lope de Vega)

Lot 133

Bay Filly

ASTERN / PLATINUM POWER (Commands)

Lot 153

Bay Filly

FLYING ARTIE / SATURIA (War Chant)

Lot 154

Bay Colt

WAR CHANT / SCRUTINIZER (Street Boss)

Lot 160

Chestnut Filly

TORONADO / SINGLE SPICE (Not A Single Doubt)

Lot 171

Bay Colt

PLAYING GOD / STREAK AWAY (O’Reilly)

Lot 216

Bay Colt

GINGERBREAD MAN / CALICO BLUE (Serheed)

Lot 223

Bay or Brown Colt

PLAYING GOD / CITY CIRCLE (City Place)

Lot 224

Bay or Grey Filly

PLAYING GOD / CITY MAGIC (Bletchley Park)

Lot 242

Bay of Brown Filly

MASCHINO / EM GEE BROWN (Euclase)

Lot 247

Bay Colt

PLAYING GOD / FANFARA (Danehill Dancer)

Lot 255

Brown or Grey Colt

BRADBURY’S LUCK / HABENERA (War Chant)

Lot 274

Bay or Brown Filly

PLAYING GOD / LADO CIEGO (Written Tycoon)

Lot 284

Brown Colt

ROMMEL / METALLIC STORM (Metal Storm)

Lot 297

Bay or Brown Colt

WAR CHANT / OFCOURSE SHE DOES (Murtajill)

Lot 314

Bay Colt

WAR CHANT / QUEEN BOUDICA (Commands)

Lot 349

Bay of Brown Colt

PLAYING GOD / WAR TUNE (War Chant)

Inspection will not disappoint. Visit Yarradale Stud in Barn D & E at the Magic Millions Complex or for pre-sale inspections on farm, please call Davy Hanratty on 0429 326 904

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INTRODUCING OUR KINGSGROVE STUD 2024 YEARLINGS LOT 122 Lucky Vega (IRE) / Nightingales (AUS)Colt LUCKY VEGA, bred by renowned Irish breeder Pat O’Kelly. The son of Lope De Vega and Cape Cross mare boasts a powerful pedigree from two top Southern Hemisphere shuttle stallions. Lucky Vega, a Gr.1 Phoenix S. winner, exhibits superb speed and talent.

LOT 285 Brutal (NZ) / Miss Magda (AUS)Filly “LUCKY VEGA” Exhibits superb speed and talent

BRUTAL, the exceptional New Zealand-born (2015), offspring of O'Reilly and Alberton Princess. Trained by Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes, this 8-year-old racing sensation boasts an impressive AUD $2,632,150 career record, securing victories in 1200m, 1400m, and 1600m races .

VISIT US AT BARN I AT THE MAGIC MILLIONS COMPLEX OR FOR VIEWINGS PRIOR PLEASE CONTACT SHANNARA ON 0432 240 860

B uy 5 + i t ems and sa v e 5 B uy 10 + i t ems and sa v e 0 Items must be purchased in one transaction

*See instore for Ts and Cs. Excludes Akubras and wormers. Not in onjunction with any other offer

Key

CONTACTS WESTERN AUSTRALIA David Houston Manager 0408 609 994 davidh@magicmillions.com.au

Charlotte Geoghegan Office Administrator 08 9477 2455 | 0417 846 982 charlotte@magicmillions.com.au

Alan Campbell Complex Foreman 0418 953 472

NATIONAL SALES Dane Robinson 0488 005 572 dane@magicmillions.com.au

FLIGHTS, ACCOMMODATION & RACE SERIES Cassandra Simmons 0429 063 387 cassandra@magicmillions.com.au

FINANCE Mark Schofield 0420 932 815 mark@magicmillions.com.au

MEDIA Greg Irvine 0408 280 979 greg@magicmillions.com.au

MAGIC MILLIONS PERTH 2/56 Dale Road, Middle Swan, WA 6056 08 9477 2455 perth@magicmillions.com.au

www.magicmillions.com.au

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MAJOR

Sale Dates 2024

GOLD COAST YEARLING SALE 9-16 JANUARY 2024

PERTH YEARLING SALE 22-23 FEBRUARY 2024

TASMANIAN YEARLING SALE 26 FEBRUARY 2024

GOLD COAST MARCH YEARLING SALE 11-12 MARCH 2024

ADELAIDE YEARLING SALE 18-19 MARCH 2024

NATIONAL WEANLING SALE 23-24 MAY 2024

NATIONAL BROODMARE SALE 28-30 MAY 2024

NATIONAL YEARLING SALE 4-5 JUNE 2024

GOLD COAST 2YOs IN TRAINING SALE 22 OCTOBER 2024

MAGIC MILLIONS PO Box 5246, GCMC, Qld 9726 07 5504 1200 info@magicmillions.com.au

2024 MMWA Magazine

Articles inside

Yarradale Stud

Scenic Lodge

Ruby Racing & Breeding

Ridgport Holdings

Mogumber Park

Geisel Park

Rambla On Swan

A Breakthrough In Breakdowns

Mayfair Lane

Own The Dream

Welcome To Fraser's

Not In Kansas Anymore

Nikola Estate

Will Street - Asian Flavours, WA Spirit

Chasing Amy

Welcome To Taylors

The Hill Stakes

Raise Your Bat!

YOUR BAT! Raise