Sullivan Bloodstock

Victoria’s Sullivan Bloodstock will present their second draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Experienced operator Sherah Sullivan’s first draft of five yearlings in 2022 was well received by the market with all five finding new homes and three of the five now two year-olds are already named.

With eleven yearlings by eleven different stallions in the 2023 Sullivan Bloodstock draft, the attention to detail and quality of care will shine through again.

A half-brother to Champ Elect who won on debut at two, then won the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes at her second start, and four other winners is Lot 715 out of two year-old winner Champalou (Encosta de Lago) is a colt by young sire Harry Angel. Champalou is a daughter of Gr1 Queensland Oaks winner Vouvray, herself a daughter of group winner Real Success, making Vouvray a full sister to stakes winner Bolton. Gr1 winner A Touch of Ruby is also in this immediate family.

Capitalist is the sire of Lot 922, a colt who is the second foal of two year-old winning mare Haraka (Fastnet Rock) who is a half-sister to group winner Cat Junior, and two other stakes horses. Haraka is a daughter of Gr1 winner Luna Wells, a half-sister to successful sire Linamix.

Shamus Award has a filly, Lot 3, who is the second foal of winning mare Jade Fortune, a half-sister to Listed winner and Gr1 placed El Roca, from the family of dual The Everest winner Redzel.

Freshman sire Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit) is represented by Lot 141, a colt out of Mistress McDowell (Canny Lad) whose first two foals are winners. This is the Hurricane Sky/Umatilla branch of the Redoute’s Choice family, and this colt’s dam is a half-sister to the dam of group winner Skye Diamonds.

There is plenty of early form around this Shalaa filly, Lot 172, who is the first foal of Mystical Moment (Snitzel), a half-sister to speedy two year-old Twilight Royale who won the Gr2 VRC Sires’ Produce and two Listed races at two. Twilight Royale is the dam of stakes placed winner of eight races Royal Hale (Snitzel), while their half-siblings Superhard and Chater d’Cat are also stakes placed winners.

Global Glamour (Star Witness) won both the Gr1 Flight Stakes and Gr1 MRC Thousand Guineas, and her full sister, She’s Glamourous (Star Witness) is represented in this draft with her first foal, a Lonhro filly, as Lot 368.

Toronado’s filly, Lot 368, is a half-sister to two recent winners in a pedigree that is on the move. This yearling filly is only the fourth foal of her dam, Single Princess (Not a Single Doubt) who is from the family of stakes winners Triarius, Sharp Noble, Ritzy A. P. and Bint Alnasr. Buyers who think they are good at naming horses will love the opportunities with Lot 546, a colt by Starspangledbanner from White House Lady (Commands). Starspangledbanner is an international champion racehorse and successful sire while White House Lady won three races and this colt is her second foal. White House Lady is a daughter of Listed winner Jacqueline Rouge, making her a half-sister to stakes placed winner Special Diva, while this is also the family of Northeast Shelia and this season’s good three-year-old North Star Lass.

Royal Ascot winner Merchant Navy’s first crop includes group placed Drisana, and his filly, Lot 741, is the second foal of Conclusive (Not a Single Doubt), a half-sister to two stakes placed winners, from the family of group winner Millennium, and Listed winners Mohave and Royal Med. Eventide (Dane Shadow) was a tough race mare winning seven times, and her first foal, Tidal Impact has already won three races. Lot 842 is her fourth foal, a colt by Flying Artie. Eventide is a half-sister to group placed winner Extreme Impact (Snitzel) and stakes placed winner Wine Night (Playing God) from the family of Blur and Shrewd Rhythm.

First season sire Cosmic Force has a colt, Lot 848, in the Sullivan Bloodstock draft, and he is the third foal of four-race winner Exellas (Helmet), from the family of Gr1 winner Territories.

What is the best horse you have sold through Magic Millions?

Early days yet for Sullivan Bloodstock but the best horse sold through Magic’s so far is Frankly Savvy who we sold this year for $360,000 in foal to Maurice (2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale). Hopefully we can trump that in January!

When assessing breeding which influences/key horses do you mainly look for?

It’s a combination of a lot of things for me. Genetic makeups that I know work well, also what we are trying to achieve as the end result. I’m very big on type and making sure I mate the mares to appropriate stallions first and foremost on type. At the end of the day you need to be producing an athlete. Being a kiwi I love to see a bit of a Zabeel influence there somewhere and am also very partial to Not A Single Doubt.

Do you still get butterflies as your yearling enters the ring?

It is always nerves coupled with a bit of excitement and anticipation whenever a horse steps into the ring. You never know until the hammer drops but it’s a good feeling when you know the horse has been well inspected and you can see your potential buyers start bidding away.

What makes Magic Millions at the Gold Coast such a success?

I love getting up to the Gold Coast in January. It’s such a great time of year. I love that it’s the first major sale and everyone is happy to be there. There’s a great vibe and it always fills you with confidence.

What’s the coldest you’ve ever been?

Without doubt sitting in a tack room at the Newmarket breeding stock sales under a pile of horse rugs. The result was being rather crook and a long haul flight later, I was not well!

What would you do if you sold a yearling for $10 million?

Too be honest I’d probably keep doing what I’m doing. Maybe buy a really nice farm and a few more cows. It’s a passion. I love working with the yearlings and seeing how they come through the prep process.