Looking for two-year-old speed at next week's Magic Millions yearling sales?
Then check out the progeny of Victorian based stallions who bat way above average when it comes to featuring in the results of some of the country's biggest juvenile events.
This season has seen 11 stakes races for juveniles contested in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Those highly sought after races have been won by the progeny of ten different stallions and half of those have called Victoria home.
Darley's Northwood Park four-time Group 1 winning resident Blue Point is the sire of Icarian Dream, a $300,000 Magic Millions graduate bred by Three Bridges Thoroughbreds - and favourite for the rich Magic Millions 2YO Classic on January 11.
Creating a big impression winning two of her four starts, including the Gr.3 B.J McLachlan Stakes for the Ciaron Maher stable, she certainly gave Jason Collett a good feel, the jockey telling Sky Thoroughbred Central that "her turn of foot was electric."
Also a nice chance in the big race is another Blue Point filly in Vein Girl who recorded a tough on-pace win in The Debut at The Gold Coast in late December. Charging home for second in that race was a $260,000 yearling purchase Torque To Be Sure, another Magic Millions chance by Rosemont Stud's Shamus Award.
Yulong Stud's exciting first season stallion, the Group 1 sprinter Lucky Vega, has made a most encouraging start to his stud career with two black-type performers amongst his first four to hit the track.
Leading the way for him is the Yulong bred Within The Law who has really looked the goods winning both of her starts for the Bjorn Baker stable; the Inglis Banner at Flemington and the Inglis Nursery at Randwick.
"She is a nice filly who is going places," Ben Melham said after her debut whilst the stable's Luke Hilton said she was "an honest filly and just so professional," after her second success. She is also one of the early favourites for the Golden Slipper.
Yulong's Champion sire Written Tycoon is enjoying yet another good season with his juveniles with Tycoon Star, a $400,000 Magic Millions purchase for Lindsay Park, looking particularly smart overcoming trouble in running to secure a debut victory in the Gr.3 Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.
"He was brilliant, he has shown nice ability all the way through," JD Hayes said.
Another spring carnival success was Miss Celine who stormed home from the rear to win the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield. It was an extra smart first start performance for the Robert Crabtree home-bred, a daughter of the much missed Magnus.
"She has kept doing everything right," Ben Hayes said with Blake Shinn adding that it was "a phenomenal effort."
Also a Listed winner (the Merson Cooper Stakes) during the Caulfield spring carnival was the Rosemont Stud home-bred Palm Angel who looked good saluting by 3/4 length leading throughout.
Her sire Starspangledbanner has spent quite a bit of time in Victoria, including in 2021 when Palm Angel was bred.
"She could be pretty special," noted her trainer Jason Warren.
Four of the top ten current leading sires (by prize money) of two-year-olds are Victorian based - Lucky Vega, Hanseatic, Doubtland and Tagaloa whilst Lucky Vega leads the way in regards to numbers of wins.
The success of Victorian based stallions in the country's best juvenile races so far this season follows on from a big 2024 which saw the Gr.1 Golden Slipper Stakes and the Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes taken out by daughters of Written Tycoon (Lady Of Camelot) and Lovatsville's Royal Meeting (Hayasugi).
Victorian horses featured high up in last season's juvenile sire charts; four in the top ten (Written Tycoon the leader, along with Pierata, Royal Meeting and Alabama Express) whist four of the top six first season sires were Victorians - Pierata, Royal Meeting, Alabama Express and Blue Point.
Victorian breeders are justifiably proud of their record in the major Classics and the middle distance and staying events (12 Group 1 winners in 2024) but the state is also a great source of precocious speed.
The state is home to proven winners of the Golden Slipper (Vancouver) and Blue Diamond (Star Witness) whilst Flying Artie sired the Blue Diamond winner Artorius.
Blue Point, Brazen Beau, I Am Immortal, Lucky Vega, Royal Meeting, Strasbourg, Rubick, Shalaa, Toronado and Written Tycoon all won feature contests at two as did the younger Victorian based stallions; another Blue Diamond hero in Tagaloa plus Cylinder, Doubtland, Ghaiyyath, Hanseatic, General Beau, Bellevue Hill, Johannes Vermeer, Lofty Strike, Paulele, Earthlight, Royal Symphony and Sejardan.
On top of the recent juvenile stakes success for Victorian stallions, others to have sired two-year-old stakes winners include Brazen Beau, Rubick, Shalaa, Vancouver, Street Boss, Nicconi, Pierata, Shamus Award, Star Witness, Strasbourg, Wandjina, Jukebox and Alabama Express.
There are ample opportunities to tap into the superior genetics of these stallions at the upcoming yearling sales with Alabama Express, Blue Point, Brazen Beau, Doubtland, Earthlight, Flying Artie, Ghaiyyath, Hanseatic, Nicconi, Pierata, Lucky Vega, Royal Meeting, Rubick, Shalaa, Shamus Award, Star Witness, Tagaloa, Toronado and Written Tycoon all well represented, as are fellow Victorian stallions Extreme Warrior, Dirty Work, Fierce Impact, Grunt and Russian Camelot.
TBV wishes all Victorian vendors and buyers the very best of luck at the yearling sales in 2025.
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