MM Yearling Sales Catalogue 2021

MM Yearling Sales Catalogue 2021

The MM Yearling Sales Catalogue lists 1273 yearlings. It It will soon be underway with a plethora of young unproven sires, some sires on their way up and some on their way down. I won’t attempt to review them all, even if I had the space. I have carried out a pedigree analysis of a number of interesting horses and set down four that I believe will be superior race horses.

Lot 245 (b f Fastnet Rock-Dreams and Wishes)

Fastnet Rock 19th in World Sires 

Fastnet Rock is rated 19 in the world sires’ premiership, and Galileo is 12 in broodmare sires (by earnings). The combination has produced international winners in America, Europe and Australasia. The score is 20 SW with 8xG1 (5f ,3c) and their offspring have won the Epsom, AJC and Victorian Oaks.  There is no reason to suppose that this filly could not add to the list. The PRI analysis shows an excellent meshing of sires and certainly points to a SW. Her female line goes right back to Rainbird the winner of the 1945 Melbourne Cup

Lot 461 (b c Lord Kanaloa – Laguna Azzurra)

Lord Kanaloa breaks track record at Nakayama

Whenever you see a horse sired by the world’s number 2 sire its useful to take notice. This horse is a three-quarter brother to Tagaloa who won the G1 2020 Blue Diamond Stakes. Unfortunately, he broke down in the spring before he could really show what he was capable of. Lord Kanaloa was a 6xG1 winner himself and was a sprinter-miler. However, his progeny has excelled over more distance. Almond Eye, his best horse, has 8xG1 and the tag of world champion 3yo filly to her credit in addition to two Japan Cups (2400m).

Lot 518 (b f No Nay Never-Ma Mara)

No Nay Never wins G1 in France

Twelve months ago, I expected No Nay Never to do big things. Well, he has been a little slow getting off the mark in Australia although he has increased his SW from 18 to 25 internationally. He has SW winners in USA, UK, Ireland, France, Italy and NZ. These horses have won in the range 1000 -1600m. So, if you are looking for a sprinter this could be your go. No Nay Never’s best horse is Ten Sovereigns who added the July Cup (probably Europe’s most prestigious sprint race) to his SW collection last year. His dam, Seeking Solace, is by Exceed and Excel which makes Lot 518 a three-quarter sister to Ten Sovereigns. With a PRI rating of 95.8%, he is well into Black type territory

Lot 911 (ch c Written Tycoon – Tuscan Sling)

      Written Tycoon-11 G1 winners

Written Tycoon has gone from almost obscurity to a super sire in a few years. His progeny like winning the big races and there have been 11 individual G1 SW. Essentially a sire of sprinters, none of his G1 winners has won beyond 1600m. Tusan Sling is a daughter of Danehill Dancer, ranked number 20 in the list of the world’s leading broodmare sires. His female progeny are very versatile and love throwing classic winners. Epsom Oaks, English Derby, Irish Derby, and Hong Kong Derby -the list goes on. Dosage suggests Lot 911 to be a fast sprinter.

However, I believe that although he may be able to win such races as a young horse, his career could extend into the classic distances, that is until he runs out of puff. The cross of Written Tycoon with Danehill Dancer mares has produced three SWMusic Magnate won the G1 Doomben 10,000, Written Beauty won the G3 Red Roses Stakes and It is Written won three listed races all over 1200m. PRI of 92.1% suggest the mating is genetically sound

There are plenty of excellent yearlings In the MM Sales Catalogue 2021. The task is finding the right ones at the right price.

MM Yearling Sales Catalogue (Part 2)

No Nay Never 

No Nay Never starts with a number of the new stallions whose progeny are making their debut at the MM yearling sales of 2020, During my trip to Ireland in 2016, most of the people in the industry considered him to be the most promising horse entering the breeding barn that year. His record to date says they were on the right track. His stud fee has risen from an initial E25k, to E100k and is reportedly going to be E200k next season. This is more than promising, it mirrors results.

What has he achieved to date? Firstly he was a pretty good racehorse with wins in England, America and France in only 6 starts.  In 2018 he was the leading first season sire in Great Britain /Ireland and had a G1 winner (Ten Sovereigns) included in his first crop of 18SW.

Is Australia the right place for him?

How successful might he be in Australia? Ten Sovereigns is out of an Exceed and Excel mare which should send a few green lights flashing. In fact of the 18SW, Danzig line stallions as the broodmare sire account for seven. Australia is not short of Danzig line broodmares through Danehill and all his sons.

Along the No Nay Never sire line all stallions back to Northern Dancer himself cross well with Danzig line mares. No Nay Never could do great things in Australia. The abundance of mare talent available from Danehill/Danzig lines is a positive. Our fixation of getting a quick return breeding sprinters another. Of the 17 Yearlings on offer, ten are from Danehill line mares and there should be good demand for them. Whether they will pay back their sale price is another question, but most should at least win a race or two.

Passed in at $25,000

Passed in at $25,000

A final word on the Sale

If you see a horse like the one in the photograph, stop and take a second look. The colt was passed in at $US25,000. The few people that viewed  him commented that he was too small. He went on to have a racetrack record of 18 starts, 14 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds. His four G1 successes included the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Northern Dancer went on to become the greatest sire of the 20th Century. There will be bargains at the Sale-the problem is they are not always obvious.