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Eureka Stud at Cambooya, owned and operated by the McAlpine family, is ideally situated on the black fertile soils of Queensland’s fabled Darling Downs which have produced some of the great champions of the Australian turf. The home of Spirit of Boom and Encryption has produced 21 individual Stakes Winners over the past five years including the 2022 Gr1 Kingsford-Smith Cup winner Apache Chase is one of their many Magic Millions yearlings who have gone on to racetrack success. Among their current three year-old Magic Millions graduates is Gr2 winner Tijuana, and group placed winner Hard To Say, while the four year-olds include Gr3 winner Finance Tycoon, and stakes placed Cochrane and Teranga. Other Gr1 winners from the farm recently include Pippie, Tinto, Temple of Boom, Spirit of Boom, Picaday, Scenic Peak, and Just Now. Bluebloods had an enjoyable chat with Eureka Stud’s Harry McAlpine.
In 2023, Eureka Stud will present a large draft of 25 yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale with ten by their successful sire Spirit of Boom, and another six by Encryption.
Beautifully bred, Encryption was a group winner at two and three, and is out of boom two year-old Guelph. His first crop have just turned two and sold into the leading stables around Australia at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
From the family of Spirit of Boom and Temple of Boom comes an Encryption colt, Lot 260, who is the first live foal for six-race winner Prue’s Angel (Sequalo). Two very closely related Encryption fillies are Lot 849 who is a half-sister to Listed winner Simply Fly, out of Gr2 Queensland Guineas winner Express Air, while Lot 462 is a filly out of a young half-sister to Express Air. This is the family of Prince of Boom and Incentivise.
Lot 1041 is an Encryption half-brother to group placed winner Aeecee Tong De from a half-sister to stakes winners Golden Pistols and Keep the Faith; while Lot 1202 is a daughter of Listed winner Pardon, who has already left stakes placed winner Excused, and is herself a daughter of Gr1 winner Furlough.
The Spirit of Boom yearlings will be highly sought after thanks to his progeny like Jonker, Boomsara, and Outback Barbie among his 18 stakes winners. Eureka Stud will offer ten yearlings by their resident sire including Lot 604, a half-sister to Gr3 winner and multiple Gr1 placed She’s Ideel as well as Gr1 placed winner Elusive Treasure, out of two year-old winner Ana’s Mail.
A full sister to Outback Barbie (Spirit of Boom) is Lot 261. Four of Outback Barbie’s wins have been in Listed races, and her dam was also a Listed winner of five races, as well as being a half-sister to stakes winner Global Warming.
A full sister to Listed winner Miami Fleiss (also sold at this sale), is Lot 86, and is out of two year-old winning mare Madame Fly, who is a half-sister to Gr3 winner Chapter and Verse and is closely related to $1.7million earner and group winner Boomsara (Spirit of Boom).
Gr1 Queensland Oaks winner Tinto has started her stud career well with stakes placed winner Teranga (Sebring) and her third live foal is Lot 492, a Spirit of Boom filly. The first foal of Listed winner Notonyourlife (Sebring), Lot 191, is a colt whose third dam is Gr1 Newmarket Handicap winner Ruffles; while Lot 239 is a filly out of half-sister to Gr1 winner Apache Chase and group winner Churchill Downs.
Lot 677 is a full brother to two stakes placed winners in Boomtown Lass and Tick Tock Boom, and this colt’s dam is a winner from the family of dual Gr1 winner Zavite; while Lot 823 is a filly who is the second foal of winning daughter of Listed winner Golden Pedigree.
The half-brother to Listed winner Peacock, Lot 974, is from a winning half-sister to Gr1 winners Absolute Champion and Wylie Hall, while Listed Gimcrack Stakes winner Defiant Dame’s colt, Lot 1073, is a half-brother to the very tough winner of 20 races Grand Cross. His dam is a half-sister to group winner Hidden Warrior from the family of Gr1 winner Red Tracer and Shellscrape.
A full brother to Gr3 winner of over $1million Wisdom of Water (Headwater) is Lot 1225 and his dam is a half-sister to Listed winner of nine races, Tierqualo. A filly by Microphone, Lot 572, is the first live foal of a winning half-sister to Firenza, dam of Tuscan Sling with recent two year-old winner I’mlovin’ya from this family.
A half-sister to group winner Petits Filous, Lot 1090, is a Puissance de Lune filly with plenty of residual value, with her dam being a half-sister to Gr1 winner La Bella Dama (dam of group winner La Rocket); while Lot 1126 is a full brother to Listed winner In His Stride (Rothesay) from the family of Star Shiraz, Savatiano, Vilana, and Athiri.
Other sires represented include Headwater (Lot 874), Nicconi (Lot 1105), Territories (Lot 1244), Toronado (Lot 25), and Zousain (Lot 176).
What is the best horse you have sold through Magic Millions?
SPIRIT OF BOOM would be the best having won two Gr1 sprints and placing 19 times at Group level in his career before going on to become a successful stallion. Other recent Eureka graduates include: APACHE CHASE, TIJUANA, FINANCE TYCOON, PRINCE OF BOOM, WISDOM OF WATER, OUTBACK BARBIE, BOOMSARA etc
When assessing breeding which influences/key horses do you mainly look for?
Tough racehorses who have the physical constitution to back it up.
What makes Magic Millions at the Gold Coast such a success?
It is a compilation of very forward types of horses which are largely ready to race early. This coupled with its raceday and the inordinate amount of prizemoney on offer successfully builds the excitement each year.
What would you do if you sold a yearling for $10 million?
Whatever the buyer told me to do!
What’s the most expensive thing you’ve broken?
My arm.
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