Yarradale Stud

BY KRISTEN MANNING

The 2023 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale will be the first Yarradale Stud draft under the sole stewardship of Lyn Sayers - following on from the sad passing of her husband Ron last May.

A larger than life character whose passing left a huge hole in the hearts of those closest to him, Ron loved yearling sale time and whilst he didn’t spend much time ringside, he loved to hold court at the stables keeping everyone fed, watered and entertained!

A man who was so proud of his farm, and especially of his Yarradale Stud team, Ron just loved the industry - thriving on seeing his horses succeed; winning always providing him with a mighty thrill.

We all know the saying - ‘behind every good man is a better woman’ - and that perfectly sums up Ron’s widow Lyn Sayers. Lyn, who is already well known in racing and breeding circles, is now proudly aiming to continue the wonderful legacy that is Yarradale Stud.

This crop of yearlings are the result of the matings planned by Ron in 2020 and it is fitting that the staff on the farm feel that this group may well be Yarradale’s best yet.

Lyn & Ron Sayers

Which is really saying something considering the quality of past drafts; ones which have produced such classy gallopers as the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate winners Ima Single Man (a winner in Hong Kong on New Year’s Day) and Valour Road who won another four Group and two Listed races.

“Yarradale strives to breed the best and offer these horses to the market,” Grant Burns said - “producing great pedigrees, using industry best practice and employing highly experienced staff... Yarradale leaves nothing to chance.”

“Lyn and her team will be looking forward to seeing the next star of the WA turf arise from this draft... long may Ron’s legacy continue.”

Grant took us through these exciting youngsters kicking off with the very first lot, a son of Territories... “the buyer shouldn’t have to wait long with this colt - the mating is speed on speed and he looks to be one that will go early.”

Next up as lot 12 is a Blue Point 3/4 sister to Ima Red Man“a big, strong type who is bred to be a star!”

A Nicconi colt (lot 22) is next up - “a wonderful opportunity to secure a really nice horse. He is a cracking first foal for a mare who won in town at two. He hails from a great family whilst his sire has produced one of the best sprinters in the worldthis is the complete package.”

“A well-made daughter of Street Boss” is lot 63 - “by the same sire as Anamoe, she hails from a beautiful family and will be a great breeding prospect later on.”

The progeny of Toronado tend to sell well and lot 66 is one Yarradale is proud of - “we are looking forward to offering this nice style of filly who has developed really well.”

Lot 67 is the first of the Yarradale yearlings by Playing God - “the state’s best sire.” A half-brother to the triple Group winner Dainty Tess, “he continues to develop into a classy type with plenty of scope.”

Also by Playing God is lot 85 - “with her half-sister Express Time being stakes placed recently she has plenty of upside... she is a nice filly with residual value.” The same can be said for lot 120 whose dam Lady Ciego by Written Tycoon could not race due to losing an eye as a foal - but she is doing the job for Yarradale, Burns “thrilled with how this filly is progressing... we have high hopes for this family.”

The last of the Yarradale Playing Gods is lot 187 out of the stakes winner Soldier’s Lass - “a lovely natured colt out of a mare who has already produced two city class winners.”

War Chant is also well represented with lot 79 “simply a stand-out on type; a bit neater than his city winning brother

War Gem - all-in-all a lovely animal.” And lot 82 also catches the eye - “you would be hard pressed to find a better looking horse at the sale, he will stand out like a beacon on a foggy day!”

Meanwhile lot 251 “was always a lovely foal and he is an impressive yearling, an athletic sort out of a mare (the nine times winner Em Gee Brown) who just throws winner after winner.” Which can also be said about fellow multiple city winner Girl On A Storm (dam of lot 267) whose five winners are all metropolitan winners.

Burns is confident that daughters of War Chant will be in demand as broodmares (he is already dam sire of 33 stakes winners) and lot 91 is indicative of the great type of filly he throws - “there is plenty of fun to be had racing a filly like her and she will sought after as a broodmare later on.” Same goes for lot 173, daughter of the multiple city winner Rosewood Hill. And lot 321 - “a lovely first foal with a great nature, she really looks the part.”

Describing the four times stakes winner Mizlecki as one of “Yarradale’s most exciting young broodmares,” Burns is excited about her son - lot 143... “a nicely shaped colt with presence.” And lot 147 is another War Chant eye-catcher“an impressive looker who you’d be very happy to own.” Fellow Yarradale stallion Gingerbread Man is also well represented, Burns describing lot 99 as “a racy type who is well developed for quite a late foal... he is just what you want to see in a Gingerbread Man.”

As is lot 102, “a nice neat filly with plenty to like - her twoyear-old full brother was a stunner and sold accordingly ($140,000) whilst her three-year-old full brother Berbere was impressive winning at his recent debut... this is an emerging family!”

“A nice, honest, well-made horse” is lot 179 out of a half-sister to the Group 1 sprinter Clearly Innocent whilst lot 249 out of the city winning Blackfriars mare Ebony Buzz is “a nice, neat filly with that great attitude that Gingerbread Man puts into his stock.”

Lot 320 is one who will catch the eye - “a lovely deep brown filly who has a lot of the look of her dam sire Commands and the strike rate of sons of Shamardal out of Commands mares is running at over 81%.”

Yarradale’s top lot in 2022, So You Think-Nordic Gem filly, $200,000.

Always a favourite with Perth buyers is Magnus, sire of two Yarradale yearlings... lot 72 who Burns describes as “an early sort... an attractive, great mover out of mare whose first four foals are all winners” - and lot 305, “a colt with good scope who is proving easy to work with thanks to his great attitudeand you have to love that Magnus/Bel Esprit cross!”

There is also always a lot of love for Lonhro whose daughterlot 156 - is out of a winning daughter of the classy broodmare Dancing Pago... “a lovely filly who will be highly sought after given her breeding and the way she looks.”

And then there is the Written Tycoon filly, lot 157 who Burns says is “arguably the best bred filly in the sale; by a great stallion out of the Group 1 winner Pasadena Girl - race her then breed with her, she is all upside!”

“A strong, solid type with great scope and substance is lot 241 by Long Leaf whilst lot 287 by Patronize is “a lovely, neat filly out of a fast mare.” And lot 308 is a “nice filly by Nostradamus - the same sire as the brilliant WA mare Clairvoyance.”