Stallion plan opens with Wakefield tilt

4 min read

Written by Paul Vettise

Killin (Snitzel) will take his first step toward realising a stallion dream for a New Zealand syndicate of breeders when he makes his debut at Trentham.

The well-bred 2-year-old will head south from his Cambridge base to tackle the G2 Anuka Smoker Wakefield Challenge S. on Saturday.

Bred by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Killin was a $340,000 Inglis Sydney Easter Sale purchase by agent Bruce Perry and is prepared by Stephen Marsh..

"He's a beautifully-bred, good-looking colt so he'll have a crack." - Stephen Marsh.

“It’s a Group 2 so it’s big for him. He’s a beautifully-bred, good-looking colt so we’ll have a crack,” Marsh said.

Killin as a yearling

Killin was a trial winner at Taupo in the spring on top of the ground and a rain-affected track is a concern for connections.

“It’s a worry, but we’ll see how he goes and the trip away will do him good,” Marsh said. “He’s got a good temperament and not much fazes him.”

Killin will run in the colours of JML Bloodstock’s Lib Petagna, who races him with a syndicate that includes Waikato Stud, Jomara Bloodstock and Jamieson Park.

“We bought four colts earlier this year and they’ve all got slightly different holdings, but they are in them all,” Perry said.

Watch: Killin as a yearling

Black Caviar’s family

Killin is out of McHappy (Rory’s Jester), who is a half-sister to the dam of the G1 Galaxy winner and sire Magnus (Flying Spur) and the family of the unbeaten multiple Group 1 winner Black Caviar (Bel Esprit).

The quartet of colts is completed by unraced sons of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) and I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit {IRE}), who are with Marsh, and a Deep Field (Northern Meteor) youngster in John O’Shea’s stable.

“The Written Tycoon had a break and is now back in work, the I Am Invincible colt has won a trial and then mucked about at his next one and he’ll trial again next week and the Deep Field has won a jump-out and we could look at the Inglis Classic with him,” Perry said.

Group 2 winning sibling

The Written Tycoon colt was a $600,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy out of Mill Park Stud’s draft and is a brother to the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude winner Booker.

The son of I Am Invincible was secured from Lyndhurst Farm’s Karaka draft for $NZ250,000 and is out of the O’Reilly (NZ) mare Etain (NZ), a half-sister to the stakes winner Ritzy Lady (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), while the Deep Field colt was an Inglis Classic Yearling Sale buy.

The Deep Field x Tahnee Topaz colt purchased out of the Milburn Creek Inglis Classic Sale draft for $220,000

He was purchased out of Milburn Creek’s consignment for $220,000 and is from the family of the multiple Group 1 winner Shogun Lodge (Grand Lodge {USA}).

“It’s the second time we’ve bought colts and we had a bit of luck the first time around.” - Bruce Perry said.

“It’s the second time we’ve bought colts and we had a bit of luck the first time around,” Perry said.

“They included Ardrossan, who is back in New Zealand now. “He’s in work with Stephen Marsh and hopefully he can go back to Australia under Stephen at some stage.”

Ardossan (Redoute’s Choice) was an unbeaten stakes winner for Marsh as a 2-year-old before an unsuccessful stint with Caulfield trainer Mick Price. He was a $150,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier buy and is a half-brother to the Listed winner Cheyenne Warrior (Not A Single Doubt).

“We’ve also got Turnberry, who was gelded and he’s won nearly $300,000 with Inglis bonuses.” - Bruce Perry.

“We’ve also got Turnberry, who was gelded and he’s won nearly $300,000 with Inglis bonuses,” Perry said. “Another one, Live And Free, was sold after one start.”

Trained by Kris Lees, Turnberry (Snitzel) was bought at the Inglis Sydney Easter Sale for $250,000 and will shoot for his fifth career win when he steps out in a $125,000 benchmark handicap at Rosehill on Saturday.

Live And Free (Savabeel) was a NZ$200,000 Karaka purchase and following his sale has won three times from O’Shea’s Sydney stable.

Turnberry as a yearling