Lot 370 - Tall Dark Stranger (USA) 1.47.2 x Iona Diamond 1.56.8
The APG Perth Yearling Sales are fast approaching and this Sunday, February 23, prospective buyers will head to numerous studs to check out the best of what WA has on offer.
Speaking with KTC Bloodstock representative Kody Charles, he’s very excited about the 24 lots they’re preparing for this year’s sales, amongst them, a couple of cracking colts according to the Hopeland Stud owner.
“The two colts that I really like are the Iona Diamond x Tall Dark Stranger USA (lot 370), and the Sweet Lou x Glenferrie Clan (lot 393), they’re my two favourites of the colts.”
“The Glenferrie Clan colt (lot 393), I am just a big fan of Sweet Lou, he just holds himself well and he’s just got that presence about him.”
“I like type, I pick out a horse by type before I really look at the page and I just think he has it all.”
“Same as the Iona Diamond colt, they just grab your eye, I just think they’re good colts. They’ve obviously got good pages, but I pick them out by type.”
KTC Bloodstock open their farm gates this Sunday from 4pm to showcase their 24 yearlings ahead of the sale on Sunday, March 2.
“I like the La Machane (Art Major lot 375) filly as well, she’s big, good pedigree. The mare has five foals for five winners.”
La Machane is the dam of La Captain, an earner of $196,000 and La Puddie who has earned connections $152,000 in stakes.
The stud presents 16 fillies this year and 8 colts.
Mike Howie of Copper Lodge presents some impressively bred yearlings at this year’s sale, including lot 338, an Always B Miki x Topless Beach Girl colt, a full brother to $300,000 earner The Miki Taker who is sure to generate plenty of interest.
“I’ve got some nice colts, and I’ve got another Always B Miki colt that’s a half brother to Handsandwheels, Rock Me Over and Magnus Victor, he’s a nice little horse.”
“And I’ve got a Bettors Wish colt that’s a half to Copper Head Lady who won the Sales Classic last year and Some Copper Beach, who is the Dam of the Ma Petite Dame who ran second on Tuesday night in the Fillies Sales Classic Heat.”
“I’ve got four or five colts that will sell really good.”
Mike Howie heads to the Magic Millions Sales Complex on Sunday March 2 with 10 quality yearlings.
Steve Johnson prepares eight for the upcoming APG Yearling Sale here in Perth and lot 328 is his standout pick, a filly by Bettors Wish out of Alrosa NZ.
Alrosa NZ is by Somebeachsomewhere and out of Dancing Diamonds NZ, who produced Our Princess Tiffany NZ, an earner of in excess of $1 million and Rock Diamonds NZ who recently surpassed the $1 million mark now racing in the USA.
“She’s by Bettors Wish, he only had four in the sale last year, they quinella one of the fillies’ heats and two of his colts ran second and third in their heats, so from four in the sale there’s four in the final of the Sales race, that’s 100% making the sales final which is unbelievable.”
“The other thing with our filly, lot 328, the mother is a half to two millionaires, not just one, but there’s two millionaires in there now.”
“Not many in the catalogue around Australia where the dam is a half to two millionaires, but all that aside, she’s a lovely, lovely filly.”
Karnup Racing prepare a large group this year, with 15 yearlings in their catalogue comprising of nine filles and six colts.
Speaking with Colleen Lindsay, she boasted that their pick of their yearlings would definitely have to be the Coopers Beach colt, lot 352 by sought after sire American Ideal.
A full brother to Tuesday night winner Ideal Beach who will contest the $100,000 Sales Classic Final next Friday, February 28.
The fourth foal by the dam, lot 352 is a half brother to Mikis Beach, a winner of eight races from just 18 starts in the Justin Prentice stable.
Half brother Svenn has had just the one start for one win as a two-year-old in April 2024.
“It’s a big filly year this year, we have nine fillies and six colts”
“Our favourite is (lot 464) Altas Angel, she’s an Always B Miki, we think she’s our best filly, that is her first foal, everyone that ‘s looked at her thinks she looks like a two-year-old, she’s really nice.”
The studs will open their gates this Sunday, February 23, with Copper Lodge presenting their yearlings at 1.30pm, Karnup Racing at 2.30pm and KTC ready for a 4pm start.
Steve Johnson is open by appointment and can be contacted on 0418 942 757.
