Quality flows deeply through Cambridge Stud’s sizeable draft to New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka. The buying bench can expect to be impressed by the 2023 offerings from Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s operation.
This article is from the November/December edition of Bluebloods, Subscribe to BLUEBLOODS
Diversity is a feature of the consignment and results from meticulous planning of matings for the esteemed members of the farm’s broodmare band. A fine array of Australasia’s leading stallions, as well as residents Almanzor and Embellish, will be represented and resulting in mounting excitement ahead of the auction.
“We made a conscious decision to send a lot of mares to Australia and it complements the draft very well, we’re really happy,” General Manager Marc Devcich said. “There is plenty of variety and the pedigrees match the physiques so we’re pleased and delighted with the quality we have to offer.
“It will add plenty of interest to the inspections with yearlings by champion stallions through to emerging stallions such as our own horse Almanzor, and Embellish who has kicked off well. We are pretty optimistic, everything looks positive and we’re looking forward to welcoming all our Australian friends back to Karaka.”
Wootton Bassett’s multiple Group 1-winning son Almanzor has made an excellent start to his career, highlighted by Manzoice’s success in the VRC Derby-GR1. A number of choice offerings by the stallion are sure to be the subjects of widespread interest.
First up will be Lot 100, a colt out of the Shamexpress mare Choctoc from the family of former champion filly Samantha Miss. “He’s a very strong and mature type and he certainly looks like a two year-old type. He is a well-muscled, attractive sort and we’re very happy with him,” Devcich said.
He is also a fan of Lot 180, an Almanzor colt out of Fearless Choice with the second dam a sister to the brilliant, but ill-fated juvenile Amelia’s Dream. “He’s a later foal but he’s well developed and has really improved week by week. It’s a fast family and he is out of a young Lonhro mare and the second dam is by Redoute’s Choice so he has good genetics and is a really neat colt,” Devcich said.
“The Zoustar colt (Lot 203) is a good sort, a lovely mover and correct. He’s obviously by a champion sire and is out of a stakes-winning I Am Invincible mare out of an O’Reilly mare so he’s got champion stallions underneath him as well and that pedigree is matched by his physique.”
Embellish is represented by Lot 152, who is from the unraced Fastnet Rock mare Elegant Achiever. “He is a real brute of a horse and very similar to his sister Luberon, who was the first winner for Embellish and she’s been stakes placed,” Devcich said. “He is a really mature type with good muscle and has got a good attitude and we’re happy to be presenting him.”
Lot 464 is a well-credentialled colt by So You Think from the Listed winner Respin, whose first foal Balance Of Power has been stakes placed. “He is by Almanzor and will hopefully be running in the Karaka Million so there may be more updates to come. They are from a good commercial family,” Devcich said.
Lonhro’s son is Lot 493 and he boasts an international background with his second dam Sagawara the winner of the Prix Saint-Alary-GR1. “He is out of a Sea The Stars mare and it’s the Aga Khan’s family so there is plenty of black type. He is a good-looking colt with a lot of presence about him, I think a lot of lookers will be very interested in him,” Devcich said.
Among the fillies in the draft, high hopes are held for a daughter of Almanzor when she goes through the ring as Lot 126. “She’s a lovely type and from a top family. The mare has already left a stakes winner (Saint Patrick’s Day) and this one has got plenty of quality as well,” Devcich said.
A cracking daughter of Dundeel out of the Dehere mare Arceche, Lot 40, is a half-sister to the Waikato Cup-GR3 winner Mongolian Marshall and the stud has retained another Zoustar half-sister named Arrowette, who is showing an abundance of promise. “The Dundeel is probably one of the picks of our fillies, she’s a very attractive type with a lot of quality. She is well balanced and she’s definitely going to command plenty of attention,” Devcich said.
“The Almanzor filly (Lot 461) out of Red Melody is a really mature type with good muscle and stands over a bit of ground. She’s a powerful type and one that people are going to be interested in, she’s well balanced and she’ll catch plenty of eyes for second looks.”
Lot 488 is a chestnut daughter of Written Tycoon from the family of multiple Group 1 winner and producer Starcraft. “She looks a precocious type and moves well and is very uncomplicated. She is out of a young, stakes placed Savabeel mare and we think she’ll be one people target for two year-old races,” Devcich said.
Cambridge Stud’s familiar black and gold silks have also been to the fore on the track, most notably sported by the now retired Leith Innes when he rode Tavistock’s son Pinarello to victory in this year’s Queensland Derby-GR1.
Other more recent stakes-winning graduates of the farm include Stockman, Gunstock (whose half-brother by Belardo will be offered as Lot 6 at Karaka), Diss Is Dramatic (half-brother by Almanzor in the draft is Lot 400), Our Hail Mary, Swords Drawn, Miss Ella and Tralee Rose. Young Werther’s spring was upset by rain-affected tracks, but did give a reminder of his quality when third in the Turnbull Stakes-GR1 on a good surface.
Marc Devcich and the Cambridge team look forward to parading this quality draft for buyers at Karaka in late January 2023.
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