The Cornish family owned Torryburn Stud has a proud record of success for producing serious Group I horses with 2024 Group I Hong Kong International Mile winner Voyage Bubble the current flagbearer for the farm, but for two of their past superstar graduates their future now lies in the breeding barn.
At the 2020 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Torryburn Stud sold a filly from the first crop of Extreme Choice out of young mare Dahooil to Star Thoroughbreds/Randwick Bloodstock Agency for $190,000.
Racing as Espiona, the Chris Waller trained mare became an elite performer winning the Group I ATC Coolmore Classic and racking up multiple Group I placings before retiring with earnings topping $3.3million, but the best was still to come for her lucky owners!
Espiona then sold for a whopping $4.15million through a Magic Millions bespoke online sale in July to Yulong delivering the sort of last hurrah for her ownership group that is the stuff of dreams.
Also bred and sold by Torryburn Stud in 2020 was an I Am Invincible colt from Miss Interiors that went on to be Champion 3YO Colt Home Affairs and Torryburn are thrilled to be offering two of his yearlings at the Gold Coast in January.
Torryburn Stud’s Mel Copelin was a guest on our podcast Tara Talks Racing before Christmas and was full of praise for Home Affairs and the quality of his stock.
“His foals are the best foals from those mares and if you want to improve a mare, you send it to him,” she said.
“He's very fertile and strong behind and his foals have a huge amount of strength. He stamps them really well and I think that’s generally what breeders are seeing and as a result are sending their mares back.
“I think he ticks all the boxes. He's from a stallions pedigree - He's won the right races – He won at two – He was amazing at three and he beat the older horses.
“I think there's not many stallions that tick all those boxes, so hopefully that stands him in good stead to do the rest of it.”
Lot 77 Filly Home Affairs x Vitesse, by Snitzel
First foal of multiple Sydney metro winner mare Vitesse, who won over $460,000 in prizemoney and comes from an elite European female family featuring Group I winners Sarafina and Simca Mille.
Lot 160 Colt Home Affairs x Apamurra (USA), by Lonhro
Half-brother to three winners from an imported Lonhro daughter of Group II winner Alizes and half-sister to blue hen Essouira, the dam of Group I winners Alizee and Astern, as well as exciting young sire Tassort. The family packed with Black Type including Group winners Amur, Zulfiquar and stakes-winners Willinga Beast and Mamounia.
Click here to see the full draft with additional highlights below:
Lot 123 Filly Spirit of Boom x A River Somewhere, by Exceed and Excel
By Queensland’s favourite son Spirit of Boom, already the sire of six juvenile winners this season. First foal of metro winning full sister to Group II winner and sire Headwater from Group I winner River Dove. Bred on the exact same cross as 2YO stakes-winners Get in the Spirit and Ef Troop.
Lot 311 Filly Russian Revolution x Denmagic, by Denman
Fourth foal of Group I placed Denmagic from the family of Group winenrs Go the Knuckle and Magic Albert as well was current Group placed Zoustar filly Egyptian Queen. The Russian Revolution x Denman nick has produced four winners from five runners headed by stakes-winner The Instructor.
Lot 312 Filly Capitalist x Deployment, by Fastnet Rock
First foal of a full sister to track record breaking multiple Group II winning sprinter Deploy from Group III winner Crimson Reign. The Capitalist x Fastnet Rock nick has produced no fewer than 20 winners and also include this season’s stakes-placed juvenile Memo, one of the favourites for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Lot 751 Filly The Autumn Sun x Our Intrigue (NZ), by Showcasing (GB)
Bred to be an Oaks style of filly. First foal of multiple Group placed Our Intrigue, whose dam is an imported mare by champion staying sire Monsun from the family of Group I winners Cursory Glance and Digital Age as well as imported Australian Group winner Hosier (IRE).
