Swettenham Stud is humbled to present Michael Niall's Greendale Estate Draft of horses at the upcoming Inglis August Sale on Friday the 25th August.
A loyal and long-term supporter of the farm, Western District farmer Michael, along with his late brother Donard, had an incredible life breeding and racing thoroughbreds in Australia and abroad.
Swettenham's General Manager, Brian Gorman, believes the international pedigrees on offer will certainly gain the attention of the astute buying bench.
"When Swettenham was consigned the Greendale Estate horses, we decided to complement their draft with a group of lovely young mares we had bred in partnership. Together, we present an attractive selection of quality mares that have been well mated with highly sort-after pedigrees," Gorman said.
"Although the August sale is not traditionally known to present bloodstock of this calibre, we are confident, as seen at sales across the board this year, that good horses make good money, no matter what sale they are offered in."
In a rare opportunity for breeders, all bloodstock in the Greendale Trust Estate draft will be offered for sale unreserved.
From the Greendale Estate Draft:
Lot 54 –Rahy mare Brideshead, in foal to Trust In A Gust. "She is a well put together mare who throws a great type with an impressive international family. Her dam Lizzie's Bluff produced the $1.2 million colt sold to Coolmore at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training," Gorman said.
Lot 56 - La Ballerine. "A young Tapit mare, with sort after international bloodlines, full of quality, just a lovely type of filly. This is her first season at stud and she is in foal to Trust In A Gust."
Lot 55 - Confederate Rose. "It's hard to find a Shamardal mare to buy, let alone one from the Rahy family, they just don't exist in this part of the world. Beautifully bred, she throws a fantastic type, with her correct, well-balanced Bel Esprit yearling selling at Premier to MBH/Heywood Bloodstock. Her Master of Design filly is also offered for sale as Lot 65. A cracking type, she would have have been the best Master Of Design born at Swettenham last season."
From the Swettenham Stud draft:
Lot 48 – "Here De Princess by Dehere is in foal to Reward for Effort. The Wow Signal yearling is an absolute stand out that will be heading to the Premier sale. Her dam is a half to O'Lohnro, from family of I Am Invincible, Mamzelle Pedrille and Group 1 winner Diamond Drille."
Lot 49 – "Isle of Wonder is a impressive young mare by Manhattan Rain in foal to Toronado on an early service date. Her dam Gina Lollawitcha, has a black type producing pedigree from the family of Lucky Diva, Spirit Of Westbury and Catechuchu."
Lot 50 – "The Redoute's Choice mare, Lanesborough is from a fantastic family, including Blackfriars and Larrocha. She has a Written Tycoon two-year-old that is going ahead. Her lovely Toronado yearling will be heading to Inglis Premier, and she is in foal to Toronado again."
Lot 52 - Scenic mare The Gem is in foal to Toronado. "A consistent breeder, she produces a very good type, as seen by her sale results. Her Americain yearling made $90,000 at Premier, and the Toronado weanling was purchased for $40,000 at the recent Great Southern Sale."
Both drafts will be available for inspection at the sales complex on Thursday 24th August, before going under the hammer on Friday 25th August.
All horses from both drafts residing at Swettenham Stud can also be inspected at the farm by appointment or viewed at the Swettenham Stud open days, held on Sunday, August 20th and 27th and on Sunday 3rd September. Additionally, Swettenham Stud will be showcasing their two new stallions at the First Season Sires Parade. Champion European Miler Mshawish, being the preeminent son of Medaglia d'Oro and Rebel Dane as the ultimate Group 1 winning colonial bred sprinter.
The physical presence of Mshawish will give breeders the confidence that he will pass his looks and ability onto his progeny, while Rebel Dane has let down nicely and is ready to start his new career in the breeding barn.
We look forward to seeing you at the August sale and at the upcoming open days at the farm, and we have no doubt that with the group of quality mares and young stock on offer, the successful legacy of the Niall brothers will continue on.
Please contact Swettenham Stud for more information or to RSVP to their Open Day on 5794 2044 or email office@swettenham.com.au
The Niall brothers, Michael and Donard, were renowned beef and sheep producers on their Coleraine property, Parkwood, breeding and racing horses all their life.
The Niall's bred their first winner, Miasma, in 1950 after sending a mare up the road to Meadow Mist, which stood at former Victoria Racing Club Chairman, Sir Chester Manifold's property at Camperdown.
The brothers purchased several broodmares during a trip to Kentucky in the mid 1990's, and sent two broodmares to the then unheralded Tapit. Dontwaltzme, was a daughter of Afleet Alex that they had bred in the USA while the other was a Jade Hunter mare named Jade Dreamer
They secured the service at a cost of US$20,000. Today Tapit's current fee at Gainesway Farm has risen to US$300,000 off the back of twenty-one group one winners, six champions and five Breeders' Cups.
Once safely in foal, they were sent to Australia where Dontwaltzme produced a grey colt and Jade Dreamer, a grey filly named La Ballerine who was covered by Trust In A Gust this season.
The Niall's also remember vividly breeding the top lot at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Kentucky bred, the Malibu Moon colt out of the unraced Pine Bluff mare Lizzy's Bluff, had been sold as a yearling for US$200,000. In a very successful pinhook, he became the highest-priced juvenile of the sale at US$1.2 million, secured by Coolmore's Demi O'Byrne.
The bay colt is a half to Lot 54, Brideshead, along with Group 3 placed stakes winner Please Explain and the multiple stakes-placed Nicklaus Way.
Please Explain, was sold in February this year, to WinStar Farm for US$400,000 as a broodmare with Niall commenting, "that they knew what they were looking for".
The passion and stories behind the Niall's beautifully bred bloodstock will continue on and Donard and Michael will be up there, following each foal, weanling and yearling with as much enthusiasm as they did when they were breeding and racing them themselves.
RIP – Michael Niall
