A half-sister to three siblings who have all won Group One, Two and Three races, and amassed a quarter of a million dollars each, is sure to attract a lot of attention at the APG 2025 Online Autumn Mix Sale running from May 23-25.
Lot 22, Sahara Dreaming, is an un-raced 4-year-old Captain Crunch mare, who is the seventh of nine foals (so far) out of the 13-win Village Jasper mare, Sahara Miss (1:54.4). Sahara Dreaming has never been to stud, but looks primed for a very bright broodmare career.
Her older siblings – foal three, Sahara Tiger 1:51.0 (2015 Art Major gelding) is a Group Three winner who triumphed in 30 races and amassed $269,231 in stakes; foal four, Sahara Sirocco 1:51.7 (2015 Courage Under Fire gelding) is a Group Two winner who achieved 17 wins and $249,212); and the foal before her – foal six, the Group One champion, Sahara Breeze (1:53.6), who is still racing.
On September 16, 2023, Sahara Breeze, a 5-year-old Captaintreacherous bay mare, won the Group One $150,000 Vicbred Super Series 3yo Final at Melton's Tabcorp Park. That was one of her 12 victories from 30 starts so far. She's also placed seven times since making her winning debut at Geelong on August 24, 2022. Her last victory came in the $22,500 Hygain Free-For-All at Melton on April 19 just gone.
“She’s the best of Sahara Miss's progeny so far but the other two Group winners were both speedy as well recording 1:51 miles. Sahara Breeze is trained by Gary and Debbie Quinlan at Drouin West here in Victoria and driven by Chris Alford.
“I’ve been breeding seriously with Peter Watkinson for just on 25 years now and have realised that when you cross a good mare with a top stallion; have good trainers, and a good driver, you have a high chance of producing good quality racehorses,” said Greensborough-based Bruce Paul, who bred Sahara Breeze, Sahara Tiger, Sahara Sirocco, and Saraha Dreaming with his good mate, Watkinson.
The 79-year-old Victorian said he paid $12,000 for Sahara Miss at the Yearling Sales at Tullamarine (Victoria) in 2007.
“She won 13 races and recorded her fastest mile of 1:54.4 at Melton when the late Greg Sugars did the driving at Melton (September 2, 2011). That was a pretty slick time back then. This girl (Lot 22 – Sahara Dreaming) never made it to the races because her knees were a bit weak. We did finally work her out, but didn’t want to risk the stress it would put on her knees as a racehorse.
“We always earmarked her for a breeding career and with her bloodlines she now has it all before her. We were going to keep her but found ourselves with too many numbers and at almost 80- you can only keep, and do so much,” Paul said.
“Her mother is in foal to Art major again after leaving two Art Major colts since Sahara Dreaming. We have never bred to Captain Crunch before so I think Sahara Dreaming could produce many nice foals, just like her mother did,” he added.
Lot 24 – a recently retired 5-year-old mare named Alanna Miki, should also be a sound investment. Like Sahara Dreaming, this two-win mare has never been served by a stallion – simply because she only retired from racing less than two months ago - at Melton on March 29.
The Kevin Stanley bred Alanna Miki won at Horsham and Melton in December and September 2023 respectively. She only had 20 starts and is out of the un-raced 2007 Bettor’s Delight mare, Anna Finn, who has so far left seven live foals - all of which have won races.
Foals one, three, and four have been her standouts, winning 24 ($108,748), 17 ($91,258), and 26 races ($182,498) races respectively.
The latter – the 2017 A Rocknroll Dance mare, Dancing Finn (1:56.0) placed in two Group Two events and won the Group Three Golden Nursery Stakes at Globe Derby Park in 2020. All-up she was a place-getter on 29 occasions.
Anna Finn's first the foal, the 2011 Stonebridge Regal gelding named Regal Lager is the quickest of her progeny pacing a 1:55.8 mile at Shepparton on November 20,2016. He also placed 48 times.
Foal three, the 2015 Sportswriter gelding, Regal Scribe, won the 2021 Victoria Harbour Pacing Cup, and recorded his quickest mile-rate of 1:57.3 when winning at Gloucester Park in February 2022. He also placed 13 times.
Lot 25, the 6-win (20 placings) 2019 daughter of Captain Treacherous named Gina Del Ray, also looks to have a promising breeding career ahead of her.
The 5-year-old mare, who is out of the 2012 ten-win Bettors Delight mare, Magical Delight (1:56.2), only retired from racing at Albion Park in January this year. She looks a great breeding proposition when she is likely to go to stud for the first time next Spring.
Gina Del Ray is represented by the Rolling with Rocky Pacing Syndicate, and was bred in Victoria by D J and J J Quinlan, K E Rollinson, E M Rayner, P W White, N Tyrell, I C Braszell.
She won a heat of the Garrards Horse and Hound Series in Brisbane on October 1, 2024 with a personal best 1:54.5 mile-rate.
Her mother, Magical Delight, was a Group One starter on several occasions with her best performance coming at Melton on May 2, 2015, when she ran fourth in the Group One $322,000 APG 2yo Fillies Final.
Magical Delight has so far only left four foals with foal two, Gina Del Ray, being her most successful racehorse so far. She has also left a 2-year-old Captain Crunch colt.
Don’t miss your opportunity to pick up these nice prospects to help round out your stables for the upcoming season! Register as a Buyer or check out the full Online Catalogue today.
