Eureka Stud

Eureka Stud has been producing champions for over 85 years, and their current crop of Magic Millions graduates includes the $1m BRC Sires Gr2 winner Cifrado and stakes winning Sky On Fire and Malaboom, while last year’s draft have only just turned two producing Territory Ash who was beaten a nose on debut at Eagle Farm and the promising Barbie’s Sister.

How would you sum up your 2024 draft?

“It is our usual sharp running draft specially selected to focus on Magic Millions. We have a lot of nice Spirit of Booms, his progeny keep getting better as he gets these nicer mares, and Encryption kicked off his career with a dual Gr2 winner in first crop so we are excited to offer more by him here,” said Harry McAlpine.

What makes the Magic Millions sales and races special?

“The culmination of the Queensland summer racing carnival which is exciting as we always have a lot of graduates running on Magic Millions race day, and then we come to the sales to sell the next crop for the following year’s races. It’s always good to watch them and see where they end up.”

In 2024, Eureka Stud will present twenty-four yearlings including eleven by resident successful sire Spirit of Boom, and four by their emerging sire, Queensland’s Champion First Season Sire in 2022/23 Encryption. Encryption’s first crop, who have just turned three, include Gr2 winner Cifrado, sold by Eureka at this sale.

An Encryption half-brother to stakes placed two year-old winner Maqsad, Lot 1277, is out of Moojeh (More Than Ready), a half-sister to seven-time Gr1 winner Grand Armee, and to the dam of Listed winner Dissolved. This is the family of Gr1 winners Anamoe, Anamato, and Drum. Lot 1305 is a half-brother to stakes placed two year-old winner Excused, out of USA stakes winner Pardon who is a daughter of Gr1 winner Furlough. Lot 1367 is a colt out of five-time city winner and stakes placed Sarisara, who is a half-sister to Gr3 winner Boomsara. Sarisara is a proven broodmare with three winners from her first four foals, with two of those still racing, so this is a pedigree on the move. Gr1 winner Spirit of Boom’s 23 stakes winners, led by Gr1 winner and now young sire Jonker, continue to show his own will-to-win. With eleven yearlings by him in the Eureka Stud draft, a few highlights on paper are five well-related fillies, led by a full sister to Gr3 winner Boomsara who has earned over $1.7million, Lot 27, is also a half-sister to five other winners, and her dam, Passara, is a half-sister to the dam of Gr3 winner Chapter and Verse. A half-sister to Gr3 winner Charge (Zoustar) is Lot 72, and her dam Queen of the Falls is winning half-sister to Gr2 winner and Gr1 placed Elite Falls. A half-sister to Eureka Stud sold two yearold Listed winner Sky on Fire, Lot 625, is the third foal of city winner Elusive Meteor (Northern Meteor) who is a daughter of Listed winner Golden Pedigree. Lot 673 is a half-sister to two stakes placed winners, out of winning mare Fitna (Fastnet Rock) who is closely related to Gr1 winner The Mission and Carry on Cutie.

In 2024, Eureka Stud will present twenty-four yearlings including eleven by resident successful sire Spirit of Boom, and four by their emerging sire, Queensland’s Champion First Season Sire in 2022/23 Encryption.

The Spirit of Boom colts in this draft include a full brother to stakes winning two year-old Perudo, Lot 1176 out of winning mare Goodlookin Gambler, a half-sister to Gr1 winner Scenic Peak. A half-brother to stakes winner Peacock (Lonhro) is Lot 1201, whose winning dam Iridescente is a half-sister to Gr1 winners Absolute Champion (Hong Kong Sprint) and Wylie Hall (South African Derby and Turffontein Presidents Champions Challenge); while Lot 1410 is out of Gr3 winner Steflara (Zabeel) who has been a fantastic broodmare, leaving five winners, two stakes placed including the dam of Gr1 winner Flit.

Eureka Stud will also present yearlings by All Too Hard, Anders, Better Than Ready, Bivouac, Deep Field, Harry Angel, Too Darn Hot, Toronado, and Zousain.

Eureka Stud bred Gr3 winner Wisdom of Water’s halfsister, Lot 90, by first season sire Bivouac is out Regal Tier, a winning half-sister to Listed winner of nine races Tierqualo. Regal Tier has left four winners from four to race with Wisdom of Water winning five races and over $1.1million.

A rare Deep Field colt with a stallion’s pedigree is Lot 764; the first foal of four-time winning mare Hussterical (Beneteau) who is a full sister to two yearold Listed winner Lady Jivago, who is out of a half-sister to Not A Single Doubt.

Which past champion do you wish you could have seen at the races?

“Gunsynd. Who wouldn’t love a Queensland champion that won 29 races!” Gunsynd (Sunset Hue-Woodie Wonder, by Newtown Wonder) was the 1972/73 Horse of the Year and won 29 of his 54 starts, including nine Gr1 races. He retired to Kia Ora Stud where he left six stakes winners and is the damsire of champion Emancipation.

The McAlpine family’s Eureka Stud is synonymous with racing and breeding on the Darling Downs, having sent forth a steady stream of elite performers over the years. Eureka’s current broodmare band and its two exciting young sires are ensuring the tradition will continue, the 2024 Magic Millions draft is one of Eureka’s finest and well worth full inspection.