Champion Western Australian breeder Steve Johnson has hailed the lineup of yearlings for this year’s Australian Pacing Gold Perth Sale at Magic Millions on March 1 as one of the best ever assembled in the State.
“It’s without a doubt the strongest catalogue we’ve ever seen in Perth. It’s probably one of the best catalogues in Australia this year,” the Serpentine-based breeder said.
“The depth is amazing and the quantity and quality of the lots that are being offered is quite spectacular.”
Johnson, who has bred, raised and sold a cavalcade of stars over the years including 35 $100,000 earners, is chuffed about his own draft for the sale.
Steve and his daughter Charlotte, the ‘driving force of the team’, are presenting 10 lots – four colts and six fillies – including siblings to the 2022 Australian 2YO Colt of the Year Never Ending, the 2014 WA Horse of the Year David Hercules, the WA 2YO of the Year award winners Isaiah Artois (2014) and Major Martini (2019) and the WA Derby and Golden Nugget winner Tricky Miki.
“We’ve got a full sister to Never Ending in the sale and she’s an exceptional type of filly,” Johnson said.
Listed as Lot 350, the Sweet Lou filly is a half-sister to the Pearl winner Isaiah Artois, the Group 3 victor Mandy Joan and the $110,000 earner Dibaba.
Lot 403, a filly by the North America Cup and Breeders Crown champion Pebble Beach, ranks as a half-sister to the WA Sales Classic, Westbred Classic and Western Gateway winner Major Martini.
Tricky Miki, a four-time Group 1 winner, has a half-sister by the gun young sire Captain Crunch listed as Lot 393.
“She’s a neat and correct filly. Her dam’s first three foals are winners and they have won more than $1 million between them. She’s the first filly out of the mare,” Steve said.
Johnson rates Lot 365, the American Ideal filly out of the dual Group placegetter Jasmin Amal, as one of the top picks of his contingent. Her dam has thrown three foals for three winners including the exported Aussie Scooter (1:49.8) and last season’s talented youngster Amalfi Knight.
“She’s a very nice filly who will definitely catch people’s eye,” he said.
The pick of the colts from the Johnson draft are Lot 323, a muscular Pebble Beach colt out of the Rock N Roll Heaven mare Maggie Pearl, and Lot 383, the Captain Crunch colt out of the grand producer Heather Mary.
“The Heather Mary colt is a big, raw-boned strapping individual. I really like the full sister that we’ve kept named Ulyssa. She’s only had three preps but she goes like a really good horse,” Steve stated.
The Johnson draft also includes:
- Lot 308 – a Sweet Lou half-brother to the Group/Listed winners Rocket City and Red Hot Roxy
- Lot 373 – a Sweet Lou half-sister to the NZ Sires’ Stakes 2YO Final placegetter Montana Glory
- Lot 356 – a Bettor’s Wish half-brother to the Pearl and WA Sales Classic heat winner Hold The Ammo
- Lot 420 – a Captain Crunch half-sister to the Listed winner Soho Santorini
For further details of these or any other lots in the Perth Yearling Sale then please check out the Online Catalogue or Register as a Buyer today!
