Some farms have a happy knack for consistently producing stakes-winners and while nobody denies luck is always needed in that equation there are other key factors involved and some farms have perfected the process to deliver longstanding success.
Chris Watson and his family own and run Mill Park Stud, which is situated in the limestone country of South Australia where vast rolling paddocks encourage natural athleticism and strength in young thoroughbreds from the day they hit the ground.
Many of the best breeders in the state entrust their young stock to Mill Park to grow out and develop and the proof is in the pudding.
The Hall of Fame for Mill Park bristles with G1 stars such as Fawkner, Mummify, Happy Trails, Rebel Raider, Southern Speed and Divine Madonna, plus Magic Millions 2YO Classic winners Away Game and Augusta Proud, but if you’re only as good as what’s happened in the last 12 months then Mill Park are producing the goods in spades.
Mill Park have been in hot form through 2024 with horses bred and raised at their South Australian nursery including Group I VRC Victoria Derby winner Goldrush Guru, Group I SAJC Goodwood Handicap winner Benedetta and last season’s Group I MRC Toorak Handicap winner Attrition, who ventured to Sydney to win the $2million Group II ATC Hill Stakes.
Also adding to the success have been multiple stakes-winner Air Assault and Group winning three year-old colt Angel Capital, who was consigned as a yearling by Mill Park on behalf of his breeder David Peacock and sold for $400,000.
One of the most successful breeders in South Australia, David Peacock is probably best known for his famed ‘Discreet’ family and enjoyed fresh success with a new member of that iconic family this spring in Too Darn Discreet.
Retained to race by Mr Peacock in partnership, Too Darn Discreet reeled off successive wins in the Group II VRC Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) and Group III MRC Ethereal Stakes (2000m) stamping herself amongst the best middle distance fillies of her generation and her yearling full brother will be one of the stars for Mill Park at the Gold Coast in 2025.
The Champion Australian First Season Sire and on track to be Champion Second Season Sire, Too Darn Hot is a shuttle stallion that has earned his stripes quickly in Australia and Lot 646 is a colt that will have many admirers given his sire did not shuttle here in 2024 and may not shuttle here again.
He is the fifth foal of Shamardal’s Group I SAJC Australasian Oaks winner Maybe Discreet, whose four previous foals are all winners headed by Too Darn Discreet and stakes-placed Really Discreet.
The Too Darn Hot x Shamardal cross is gaining momentum and has produced six winners, four of which are stakes-winners with Too Darn Discreet joining Carolina Reaper, Boiling Point and Native Approach.
A farm that produces sprinters, stayers and everything in between – Mill Park always present a draft with real diversity so yearling buyers are allowed to dream big!
Lot 275 Filly Home Affairs x Cocoa Doll, by More Than Ready (USA)
From the first crop of Champion 3YO Sprinter Home Affairs. Half-sister to Group III placed Written Swoosh and three winners from a metro winning half-sister to Champion 2YO Filly Away Game and stakes-winner Modern Wonder.
Lot 510 Filly Street Boss (USA) x Inishmore, by More Than Ready (USA)
Half-sister to stakes-winner Harleymoven and two more metro winners with first three foals of the dam all winners and this filly the fourth. Dam is a half-sister to Group II winner Catapulted from the family of Group I winner Ihtsahymn and Group winners Bruckner and Jukebox.
Lot 561 Colt The Autumn Sun x Khandallah, by Kitten’s Joy (USA)
Half-brother to Group II winner and $3.5million earner Dalasan and stakes-winner Party Princess plus two more metro winners from stakes-placed Khandallah.
Lot 831 Filly Bivouac x Raven’s Rabbit (IRE), by Raven’s Pass
From the second crop of Bivouac, whose first winner is New Zealand trained stakes-winner Intention. Second foal of a winning half-sister to Group II winner Ramazutti and to the dams of Group II winner Isaac Shelby and stakes-winner Vow to Recover.
Lot 963 Colt Palace Pier (GB) x So We Are, by So You Think
From the first crop of Champion 3YO Miler Palace Pier. Third foal of stakes-winner So We Are, a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group II winner Peltzer.
