News

Flying Shrapnel Highlights Easter Sibling

14th Mar 2011

A yearling from Highgrove Stud’s star mare Fragmentation will once again be a highlight of this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, as the family attained more feature race success with Shrapnel’s fleet-footed win in the Group 2 Yallambee Classic at Morphettville today.

Mark Kavanagh has long held a lofty opinion of SHRAPNEL ($450,000 2009 Easter, 3c Charge Forward-Fragmentation) and punters shared that view today, backing him from a top fluctuation of $12 to start a $5 chance.

Michael Rodd had no hesitation in sending the colt straight to the front and his nice turn of acceleration on the turn put the race beyond doubt in a few strides. Shrapnel’s ownership team includes Arrowfield Stud and Highgrove’s Ron Gilbert, who bought back into the colt after he was secured by Blue Sky Thoroughbreds at Easter.

Shrapnel is now the winner of three races in seven starts. He was a Group 3 winner last season and was then G1 placed in the Coolmore Stud Stakes during the spring.

He will soon be given his chance to emulate his older half-brother Wanted (by Fastnet Rock) and win at the highest level.

Wanted was an $800,000 graduate of the Highgrove draft at the 2008 Easter Sale and he was rewarded for a string of consistent efforts in big races when taking last year’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap.

He retired to Eliza Park Stud last season, covering 75 mares off a $38,500 service fee.

Highgrove Stud will offer Wanted’s full-brother as LOT 252 at this year’s Easter Sale.

This is the fourth foal from Fragmentation (by Snippets), with Wanted and Shrapnel her only two progeny to race to date.

The 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale will be held in Sydney from April 5-7.