When you pay $600,000 for a yearling you want to do it on more than sentiment but for Ciaron Maher and the McKenna family it looks to be working out just fine.
Maher outlaid $600,000 for Gilgai Farm’s Myboycharlie out of the General Nediym mare Mine Game at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Named Grandslam the 2yo colt broke his maiden at his second start over 1250 metres at Morphettville Parks on Saturday.
Settled back midfield Grandslam was given a ground saving ride by Todd Pannell, sneaking along the fence in the straight to defeat the I Am Invincible filly Star Of Uma by a length with the Pride Of Dubai filly Enaaya a half length further back in third.
The $600,000 was a considerable premium on the $130,000 it took to secure his sister Jameka at the 2014 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
But it was considerably less than the $2.6 million it took for Col McKenna to buy out his partners in Jameka at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, which came after the daughter of Myboycharlie (IRE) had banked over $4.8 million with wins in the VRC Oaks, MRC Caulfield Cup and ATC The BMW.
A half-sister to Group 1 Canterbury Guineas winner Jymcarew, Mine Game was purchased by Dermot Farrington on behalf of Gilgai Farm’s Rick Jamieson for $190,000 at 2007 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She was a Caulfield winner in ten starts and is doing a super job at stud.
Besides Jameka and Grandslam she is the dam of the multiple stakes-placed Snitzel gelding Nikitas who was runner-up to Capitalist in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
Mine Game’s 2018 colt by Divine Prophet died and she was not covered that year. She visited Dundeel last spring.
