Arrowfield’s golden group to make a real impact

Arrowfield Stud doesn’t need to spend hours agonising over the credentials of candidates for inclusion in the annual pilgrimage to the Gold Coast.

Rather, the leading vendor allows their yearlings to speak for themselves and it’s a policy that has served them so well down the years.

From January 9 to 15, Arrowfield’s army at the Magic Millions Sale will showcase an array of colts and fillies by the stallion roster’s proven brigade and the newcomers, plus there is a unique element to the consignment.

“In many respects our horses going to the Magic Millions pick themselves, precocious-looking yearlings,” Bloodstock Manager Jon Freyer said. “It’s an early sale so generally earlier foals that might get up and go are popular.”

The first progeny of stud residents Real Impact (JPN) (Deep Impact {JPN}) and Scissor Kick (Redoute’s Choice) will be well-represented in the draft.

“Real Impact was a talented racehorse and by a great stallion,” Freyer said. “He was a top-class 2-year-old, champion 3-year-old and a brilliant older horse.”

Winner of the Yasuda Kinen over 1600 metres in Japan, Real Impact also raced twice in Australia and won the G1 George Ryder S. and finished runner-up in the G1 Doncaster H.

“He is the type of horse that people want,” Freyer said. “He’s producing attractive, big-walking horses and the trainers and agents that have inspected them are very complimentary.

“People look for fast types and it’s also a sire line that people recognise and appreciate and our colts and fillies are from families that are also recognisable.”

The Real Impact draft of 14 is an even split between colts and fillies.

Arrowfield are also bullish about the prospects of Scissor Kick, who is from the family of the blue hen mare Hasili (IRE) (Kahyasi {IRE}).

“He’s slightly flown under the radar and some may not realise how good his achievements on the track were. He was very close to the top level,” Freyer said.

Scissor Kick won four of his 13 starts, including the Eskimo Prince and the Up And Coming S. at Group 3 level and the Listed Rosebud H.

“He was a tragedy beaten in the Golden Rose and his ratings suggested his couple of Group 3 wins were Group 1 performances,” Freyer said.

“He’s a good-looking, fast son of Redoute’s Choice - just the recipe for a stallion.”

Arrowfield will be offering a quartet of colts by Scissor Kick and three fillies.

“They are quality yearlings and buyers will like what they see,” Freyer said. “We are confident people will really like them, they are strong and attractive movers.”

Gallery: Arrowfield's yearling by Scissor Kick

Lot 635 is also expected to attract widespread interest as he is a son of the stallion sensation Deep Impact (JPN) (Sunday Silence {JPN}) and the Redoute’s Choice mare Grito, a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Yell (Anabaa {USA}).

“He’s the first one to go through the sale and he’s a very good colt,” Freyer said. “There will be a lot of internationals looking at this unique opportunity.

“We also have a Lord Kanaloa (Lot 266) and I know the Magic Millions team are in love with him. We’ve got a very good Not A Single Doubt, she’s a queen.”

The latter, Lot 853, is a sister to the G1 Ubet Classic S. and the G2 Sapphire S. winner Secret Agenda.

Among the Snitzels that Arrowfield will offer is Lot 63, a sister to the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Estijaab, Lot 20 is a son of the G1 Myer Classic winner Politeness (Street Sense {USA}) while Lot 817 is a colt out of the North American and Argentinian Group 1 winner Miss Match (ARG) (Indygo Shiner {USA}).

Spoiled for choice

Champion stallion Redoute’s Choice (Danehill {USA}) will undoubtedly be as popular as ever.

“He’s having a great season with two Group 1 winners and The Autumn Sun might be his best son,” Freyer said.

“He’s got some glorious horses in the sale, particularly his fillies and he’s doing so well as a broodmare sire that a lot of people will be looking at them for dual purpose, racing and breeding.”

Arrowfield will naturally enough be taking a quality sample by the multiple Group 1 winner and exciting young sire Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral {IRE}).

“In 2017 he was the leading first season sire (by average and we’ve got a number of attractive types by him to offer,” Freyer said.

“They are lovely, strong horses and horses that will sell well. They are more the classic type, but a lot of good graduates in that style have come out of this sale.

“Dundeel has really stamped them and they are a really good bunch of horses.

“There will be an element of the buying bench that always look at these sorts of horses at Magic Millions.

“Our view of Dundeel, and Murray (Baker) will back this up, is that if they had just set him for a 1200 or 1400 metres Group 1 race he could easily have won.

“He had all the speed in the world, he was just a fast horse that could run over a bit of ground.”

Top European year

Olympic Glory (IRE) (Choisir) is also well-represented off the back of an outstanding Northern Hemisphere year.

“He’s a horse that really emerged in the second half of the season in Europe with 21 2-year-old winners,” Freyer said.

“It would be lovely if he could get his first win here before the sale. People that have got them are very happy and we’ve got some really nice ones going to this sale.

“I look at them and think that’s a real racehorse standing in front of you. He could be the value horse in the sale.”

Freyer believes there will be horses at all level for buyers in the Arrowfield draft.

“I think we have sold a lot more $1 million Group 1 winners that anyone else in the country, but we have had outstanding results under $100,000 as well.

“Maid Of Heaven is an example, she made $60,000 as a yearling.”