The full brother of 2018 VRC Derby winner Extra Brut will go under the hammer at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
The colt is one of 21 yearlings being offered by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds whose owner Ryan Arnel says the younger brother of Extra Brut is certainly a headline act for his farm.
“Everything about him is just like his full brother. He is a big scopey horse, fluent mover, very athletic and light on his feet” Arnel said.
“He is a nice type and what I would expect the market to look for in a Derby horse. As breeders I believe we have a responsibility to keep our staying blood alive in our genetics, I think this colt is the perfect example.
“He is a horse that could do a Derby and then go on and be a Cup’s contender.”
The Domesday colt is out of Dom Perion who is also the dam of prolific winner Fill The Flute (Statue of Liberty).
Arnel has been operating Stonehouse Thoroughbreds for the past five years and has been averaging 20 to 25 yearlings at Melbourne Premier over the past few years. “It’s just the right number for a farm our size,” 34 year-old Arnel said.
“Since I’ve had the farm I have built up from 10 stables to 24 stables. 20 is a nice number to prepare, if we aim to prepare 20 yearlings and we get slightly north or south of that, it works well for involved.
“I bought the farm six years ago and have been running it as a fulltime business for five years now, it’s a huge job but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. It probably came a little bit earlier than expected but I was actually working overseas in the UK at the time and ended up coming home by default then it all just sort of sprang into action.”
Six of the yearlings in Melbourne Premier are owned by Arnel, while the remainder are for his clients.
“With the whole farm, 30 percent of the business would be my own stock and 70 percent would be outside client’s stock,” he said.
“Stonehouse specialises in broodmare agistment, permanent and seasonal, foaling, yearling preparation as well as some spelling and rehabilitation work. We foaled down 35 this year and had a conception rate of 95% over the 65 mares that were covered. We walkout to any of the stallions in Victoria, we provide the complete service from foaling to yearling sales. We don’t stand a stallion here and leave that to the big boys.”
Another colt on offer by Stonehouse is a chestnut by Palentino out of Unfurl (NZ) which finished third in the Listed 2017 Warrnambool Cup and third at her next start in the Listed Port Adelaide Cup.
“He is a first foal but he has really impressed me and being by Palentino, who is by Teofilo, he could be another one which is a bit of a time horse, although in saying that he is quite short coupled himself and I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw him a little earlier than expected. ” Arnel said.
“I have really been impressed with how the Palentino’s look from what I have seen he has been stamping his stock, they have all been great movers.
“He is a nice correct yearling and has got that big stride from Teofilo in him. He might be a bit first foaly but I like his female line, we are really rapt in him as a physical.”
Arnel is also impressed with a Pride of Dubai filly which is from Hinchinbrook mare, Brulee who is from Custard’s family.
“It’s a big stakes family and she is a strong type of filly who has a real presence about her, she has a little bit of attitude which is what I like to see in a filly,’’ he said.
“She looks to be a tough racehorse going forward. Pride of Dubai’s have come out and are looking good as two year-olds and look as though they’ll go on and do some special things later as well.”
Arnel also singles out a colt by Capitalist out of Sweet Melody (NZ).
“Capitalist has been well respected at the 2020 yearling sales conducted so far, we have heard there’s a lot to like about them and there has been good reports from the buying bench thus far’’ Arnel said.
Arnel said he was quite selective with what they include in their draft. We want to offer a broad range of types to the buying bench. Our aim is to build a draft that is a one stop shop. You can come to Melbourne and find an early type, later type, sprinter or stayer.
“We have got a good spread of first season and younger sires as well as colonial stallions such as Choisir in which we have two yearlings by” he said.
“We also have some overseas influences in our draft with Tivaci (NZ), American Pharoah (USA). Mikki Isle (JPN) and Maurice (JPN) and they have all sold very well at past sales. These international genetics are important to our domestic gene pool for both breeding and racing too. I think it is something that the buying bench will be looking at with interest.”
Arnel said the surprise packet of the Stonehouse draft could be the Choisir x Donnica colt which was purchased from the Sydney weanling sale. He has developed rapidly and looks the real deal, a serious type of horse. Finally, a Sebring colt, out of the stakes placed mare Recooperate (General Nediym), is a full brother to the stakes placed Seberate.
“He is very well bred, has got the pedigree there and is a very nice horse,” he said.
Arnel is positive ahead of the Melbourne Premier sale, he terms to be Stonehouse’s ‘grand final’ and has no doubt that his draft will attract attention with the quality on offer.
“We are a Victorian based farm with a focus on the Melbourne Premier Sale, that’s our grand final and the buyers know they can see all we have to offer in one place.”
Stonehouse’s draft will be located in barn G, stables 30-53. You can view Stonehouse’s draft which will be at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling sale, here.
