News

Three Easter Crackers from Three Bridges

30th Mar 2015

Breednet - by Tara Madgwick - Monday, 30 March 2015

Leading Victorian nursery Three Bridges Thoroughbreds are bringing a select draft of three to Sydney for the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and one of those youngsters has a very important pedigree update and is unique at this sale as the only grey yearling by exciting first season sire Foxwedge.

The most represented of all the first season sires at Inglis Easter, brilliant Group I winning Fastnet Rock son Foxwedge has already proven a winner with buyers at earlier sales this year and his progeny are expected to meet with a similar warm reception at Newmarket next week.

Three Bridges are delighted to present Lot 360, a glorious grey filly from Group II VRC Sires Produce Stakes winner De Lago Mist, who is by champion sire Encosta de Lago from another grey stakes-winner In The Mist.

She is a half-sister to smart stakes-winner Instinction (by Exceed and Excel), who was sold by Three Bridges for $300,000 at the 2010 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and also to this season’s talented three year-old Redoute’s Choice filly Into the Mist.

Retained by her breeder Peter Katelanis, Into the Mist has had just three starts for the Tony McEvoy stable for a good debut win and a strong finishing close second last Saturday in the Listed SAJC Laelia Stakes and looks well placed to gain further Black Type in coming months..

"This filly has been and will always be a special filly. She is built like a colt, has a Fastnet Rock attitude and I believe you won’t find a better advertisement for her sire Foxwedge anywhere,” said an enthusiastic Toby Liston.

"She is very correct, sound and is a ready-made racehorse. The owner Peter Katelanis has been waiting for another grey filly out of the family given that De Lago Mist, In The Mist and Ceres Mist were all grey.

"Thankfully, De Lago Mist produced another grey filly last year by Exceed and Excel which will be retained allowing us the privilege of selling this beautiful filly.”

Another filly from a very commercial Australian family, but by a sire with international appeal is Lot 129, a bay filly from the first Australian crop of Champion US Turf Horse Gio Ponti (USA) from stakes-placed Red Dress Marley, a half-sister to Group I winner and $1.9 million earner Snitzerland.

"She is from one of the hotter Easter families of recent times as her grand-dam Monte Rosa produced a Snitzel colt to make $1.5 million at last year’s sale when bought by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa," said Liston.

"Named Sooboog, he has not been seen since finishing second to subsequent Golden Slipper winner Vancouver in the Listed ATC Breeders Plate, but won a recent trial for Team Hawkes and is down to run this Saturday at Randwick.

"With the international buyers purchasing a third of last year’s Easter catalogue, there is no doubt the Gio Ponti flavour will give this filly extra appeal in the sales ring to that sector of the market.”

An amazingly versatile stallion with global appeal, ill-fated Street Cry (IRE) has been super successful in Australia leaving a Melbourne Cup hero in Shocking, a brilliant Blue Diamond winner in Pride of Dubai and everything in between!

He is the sire of Lot 276, a stunning chestnut from Group III placed Commands mare Amarazetti, from the family of Group I winners I Like Diamonds and Hill of Grace.

"This filly is strong, very muscular with lovely loose movement and being by Street Cry she could end up well placed in a number of countries, so she certainly looks like a yearling with a very positive future,” said Liston.

"Lauriston Thoroughbreds have done a terrific job in raising her and no doubt her Super VOBIS eligibility will spark some Victorian interest given the amazing prize money and bonuses on offer.”