Gary Moore goes to $500,000 for the juvenile at the Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale
Arrowfield Stud shuttler Mikki Isle (Deep Impact) has made an instant impact with his first two-year-olds and a colt by the stallion repaid the faith of Melanie O’Gorman as trainer Gary Moore went to a sale-topping $500,000 for the youngster during Tuesday’s Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale.
The colt signalled a great pinhooking result for O’Gorman who purchased him for $82,500 from Arrowfield Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier in the year and since then the pedigree has been subject to a significant update with the colt’s half-brother Azaly (Dundeel) breaking his maiden over 2000 metres at Donald and subsequently finishing second in the Geelong Classic (Listed, 2200m).
As well as the Azaly there has been significant momentum surrounding Mikki Isle with the stallion represented by eight winners - seven in Japan and one in Australia - headlined by his unbeaten daughter Meikei Yell, whose three wins are spearheaded by victories in the Nisai Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and KBS Kyoto Sho Fantasy Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) and O’Gorman told Racing & Sports Bloodstock she had been impressed with the start the stallion had made with his first runners.
“He is an exciting stallion on the scene and having worked and ridden in Japan myself many years ago I always felt they would develop strong, tough bloodlines and it is great to see it continue on,” said O’Gorman.
The colt clocked the quickest time of the whole sale in his breeze-up, stopping the watch at a slick 10.26 seconds and O’Gorman said that gave her confidence he would appeal to the Asian market, but also believes he will possess the stamina that could see him develop into a Derby-type horse.
“I feel given his breeze-up and on type I thought he would be very attractive to the Hong Kong market,” said O’Gorman. “He is obviously very fast, but his pedigree suggests he could possibly develop into a Derby style horse given that the half-brother (Azaly) was heading towards the VRC Derby and he has been stakes-placed over the Derby distance.
“I feel like he is a serious racehorse and from day one I thought he was a standout colt in my draft.”
O’Gorman said the sale had taken a hit due to coronavirus restrictions in place, but that the good horses were still making good money.
“People have been very realistic with their reserves and given the circumstances, people are selling and you have to meet the market, but it is just one of those exceptional years,” said O’Gorman. “I think that if you have the right article and the right horse the money is there for it.”
O'Gorman Racing Stables finished the day as the leading vendor by average (with three or more lots sold) and aggregate, selling eight two-year-olds for an aggregate of $975,000 at an average of $121,875.
Catalogued as Lot 181, the colt is out of the unraced Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) mare In The Clear and she herself a daughter of Clean Sweep (End Sweep), who landed the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in 2004 and she has produced three winners.
The colt’s fourth dam is Quillumo (Gummo) and she produced Kentucky Oaks (Gr 1, 9f) scorer Gal In A Ruckus (Bold Ruckus).
Further back this is the same family as South African Grade 1 winner and successful sire Soft Falling Rain (National Assembly) and Grade 2 winner Let It Rain (Dynasty). Fellow elite level scorer Habiti (Tabasco Cat) who in turn is the dam of Eldaafer (A.P. Indy) and Muhaawara (Unbridled's Song) also feature on the page.
Moore, who now trains alongside his brother John, said the two-year-old was purchased for a Hong Kong-based client, but would be staying in Australia for the time-being.
“It’s very exciting,” said Moore. “I did the homework. I had a very good client and at the present moment he is staying in Australia for one of my owners in Hong Kong.
“He wanted something out of this sale and I just went through all the horses and I could see that the stallion was doing very well in Japan and when you watched him go away from you in the breeze, his action was perfect.
“I watched him numerous times and I particularly watch them when they go past the winning post and he really lengthened. I’ve bought some really nice horses out of this sale.
“He was just a great type and had a lot of presence. I didn’t think we’d have to go that far but my client wanted to buy him.
“From what I gather, he has a half-brother (Azaly) who is one of the favourites for the (Australian) Derby next year.
“These horses are hard to find, so it is pretty exciting to get him and, don’t forget, he’s come off one of the best nurseries in the land in Arrowfield, so he has been on good pasture and he’s been consigned by Mel O’Gorman who is one of the best in the business, so you couldn’t ask for any more.”
