Learning To Fly ‘Justifys’ The Hype

by TDNAus/NZ

The Annabel Neasham-trained Learning To Fly (Aus) (Justify) turned heads when she broke her maiden in the G3 Widden S. last month and she more than justified that hype when overcoming a wide barrier to win the Inglis Millennium (Listed Restricted) at Sydney's Randwick Race Course on Saturday.

After breaking cleanly from gate 15, the filly was settled on the outside by Chad Schofield, who was happy to sit on the wide outside. As the field rounded the turn, Learning To Fly showed she was aptly named, storming down the outside to swoop the A$2-million honours and come away with a 0.27l win over Blanc De Blanc (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}). Kundalini (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) ran another solid race to finish third (video).

Kia Ora paid A$900,000 for the filly at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale last year when she was offered by Coolmore, who retained a share in the youngster.

“To the staff's credit back at the farm, they earmarked this filly from day one as the best of all of them and from what we've seen so far, she looks extremely special and possibly the filly of her time,” Coolmore's Tom Magnier said.

“What Annabel has done with her is nothing short of extraordinary. She's weaved her magic and turned this filly into the star she is today. “She's in the [G1 Longines Golden] Slipper [A$4.92 million, Rosehill, Mar. 18] now, with some of this Inglis prize money counting toward qualification so we'll set out a path now toward there and hopefully become the first Millennium winner to win the Slipper.”

Kia Ora's Shane Wright said he always thought the filly had star quality.

“We knew she was an exceptional filly so while you never expect to see that, it's always a delight to sit back and watch a win like that with a very, very special filly,” Wright said. “When we drew barrier 19 I think everybody was a bit flat, but once we looked at things and decided to run, we knew we'd need a great ride by Chad [Schofield] and while he was obviously wide, he always had cover and just let the filly come into the race.

“At the top of the straight, she was still a way off them but I always thought deep down she was good enough to round them up and it's amazing to see her do it.”

In winning the Millennium, Learning To Fly earned her connections a new Ferrari, as part of a Coolmore promotion at last year's yearling sales for the first progeny of Justify to one of 16 races they earmarked, and the A$2 million-event was one of them.

“The keys are in my pocket at the moment but we'll work out the next few days who gets the car,” Wright said.

Learning To Fly is out of Group 3 winner Ennis Hill (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who is herself a daughter of Hips Don't Lie (NZ) (Stravinsky), the dam of Listed scorer Lake Geneva (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Acrobat (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who won the 2020 Inglis Nursery and now stands at Coolmore Stud.

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Leading International Sire Choisir Dies At Age 22

It is with great sadness that Coolmore announces the passing of Choisir at the age of 22.

The Paul Perry-trained sprinter was a tough and consistent galloper, with his domestic race career highlighted by victory in the Group 1 VRC Lightning Stakes at Flemington.

He will be remembered most however, for his wins in the G2 King's Stand Stakes and G1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2003, where he became the first Australian horse to win at the Royal meeting.

In doing so, he would pave the way for a host of Australian-bred sprinters to taste success at Royal Ascot, including his son Starspangledbanner who emulated his success in the Golden Jubilee Stakes.

As a sire Choisir was ever consistent, producing an incredible 100 stakes-winners in 12 countries and 11 Group 1 winners throughout the world. His legacy will live on through his sons and daughters at stud, where he has already proven himself a successful sire-of-sires and broodmare sire.

Coolmore Australia Principal, Tom Magnier paid tribute by saying, “I was lucky enough to be at Ascot in 2003 to witness his incredible triumphs on the Tuesday and then the Saturday where he was ridden by Johnny Murtagh.

“It was a great achievement for his trainer Paul Perry and paved the way for future Australian sprinters to compete with distinction on the world stage.

“Since he retired to the farm in 2003 he has been a favorite with all those who have worked with him, especially our long time Stallion Manager Gerry Ryan who was particularly fond of him. Choisir was the ultimate professional in all he did and every Stud dreams of having a stallion like him.

“We are so grateful to him and he will be sorely missed by the entire Coolmore team.”

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Tom Magnier Signs For Cayenne Pepper At 2-Million Gns

His brother MV Magnier had for some time held sway at the top of the table at Tattersalls on Tuesday when buying Sunday Times for 1.8-million gns, and it was his Australian-based brother Tom Magnier's name on the ticket when the dust settled at 2-million gns for the multiple group-winning Cayenne Pepper (Ire) (Australia {GB}) (lot 1840) during a period of furious bidding at Park Paddocks. Magnier confirmed that Cayenne Pepper would remain in Ireland and be covered by Wootton Bassett next spring. Cayenne Pepper went through the ring for consignor Newsells Park Stud just moments after the same draft's Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) moved to the top of the board at 2.2-million gns

 

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World Record Price For Online Thoroughbred Auction Set In New Zealand

Nine-time Group 1 winner Avantage has fetched a whopping NZ$4.1 million (US$2,877,460) when sold to Tom Magnier of global breeding giant Coolmore via New Zealand Bloodstock's online platform Gavelhouse Plus.

The stunning figure establishes a new world record for any horse sold online, a growing trend in the bloodstock industry.

The daughter of Fastnet Rock is the third highest-priced mare ever sold via auction in the Southern Hemisphere behind Milanova, who fetched AUS$5 million (US$3,648,234) in 2008, and the AUS$4.2 million (US$3,064,516) outlaid for Sunlight last year, with all three purchased by Coolmore.

It was virtual theater at its best as Magnier, bidding under user name Danehill1986, fended off rival bidders with refreshed bids every thirty seconds for the best part of 15 minutes.

“Congratulations to David Ellis, Jamie Richards and the connections of this wonderful mare for what they have achieved with her on the track,” Coolmore Australia principal Tom Magnier said.

“We love Fastnet Rock mares, and she has won more Group 1 races than any of them. He is making his presence felt as a broodmares sire throughout the world, and she is one of his best daughters.”

“A mare like her needs to go to an elite stallion and thankfully there are a plethora of options for her here at Coolmore, so the likes of Wootton Bassett, Pierro and Justify will be considered. We look forward to welcoming Avantage back to the farm where she was raised and grazed.”

The star mare's racing career was brought to a sudden halt last Friday after suffering a tendon injury and the decision to disperse the syndicated 6-year-old via gavelhouse.com was promptly made by the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

By champion sire Fastnet Rock, with a deep pedigree and strong physique, Avantage commanded interest from major breeders around the world.

Initially purchased as a yearling at Karaka by David Ellis CNZM for $210,000, the high-class mare was prepared by Jamie Richards to win 16 of her 28 starts and $2.16 million in prize money

A group winner on both sides of the Tasman, Avantage boasts the largest haul of Group 1 wins of any of Fastnet Rock's 41 individual Group 1 winners and was known for her versatility, as a Karaka Million winner at two, who won at Group 1 level between 1200 meters and 2000 meters.

“I believe in supporting New Zealand companies and am a very proud New Zealander tonight,” Ellis said

“From the day Joe Walls and Andrew Seabrook came to me with the gavelhouse.com concept I've been supportive of it and it's great to see a New Zealand company has broken the record.”

“I've been very impressed with the way she was marketed to the world at such short notice and it was great to see how much work Andrew and the NZB agents put in, alongside Haylie Martin and her team to get such a result.”

“Te Akau and Coolmore have had a fantastic association for a long time and it's wonderful Avantage is heading back to where she was conceived and born, you can see why the Magnier family are the best in the world at what they do, they have fantastic stallions and buy the best mares out there.”

Out of the Listed winning Zabeel mare Asavant, who was also Group 1-placed, Avantage was bred by Bluff couple Willie and Karen Calder.

Asavant's dam Pins 'n' Needles was a Group 3 winner and is also the dam of Group 1 winning sprinter DB Pin, a star in Hong Kong. Additionally, Avantage is a half-sister to stakes-placed So You Think mare Asathought.

The result was a historic moment for gavelhouse.com and further outlined the importance of the digital platform in connecting New Zealand with the world.

“First and foremost, a massive thank you to David Ellis and the team at Te Akau for showing their full confidence in our site by entrusting us with the marketing and sale of one of the world's most sought after mares,” gavelhouse.com general manager Haylie Martin said.

“We also thank Tom Magnier and Coolmore for their support and all of the underbidders.”

“This just shows what we can achieve with a bit of Kiwi ingenuity and teamwork in little old New Zealand, this is certainly a proud moment for the domestic industry.”

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