The Micallef family from Young (NSW) boasts a turnaround record with the Australian Pacing Gold yearling sales that may take some matching.
“In the 21 years we’ve been selling with APG we’ve only ever brought three horses home,” David Micallef said. “We try and meet the market on the day. When we take them to the sales they are all there for genuine sale.”
Among the best performers the family has bred and sold over the years have been the multiple Group 1 and Inter Dominion heat winner Ultimate Art ($620,000), the Listed winner I Break The Line ($200,000) and Smooth Buzz ($175,000).
David, his wife Rachael and their sons Blake and Luke operate a busy racing stable on their 50 acre home farm ‘Christy Park’ and maintain a 14-strong broodmare band on a nearby 50 acre property.
“We currently own 14 broodmares and we normally breed 10 foals a year,” David stated.
The family has entered a seven-strong draft for the APG Sydney Yearling Sale at Warwick Farm on Sunday.
The consignment includes a colt and a filly by the 1:47 Somebeachsomewhere horse Huntsville, the sire of last week’s super impressive NSW Sapling Stakes winner Don Hunter and the Group 1 winner Wisper A Secret.
“They’re both strong, good looking sorts. They really look the part,” David said.
The colt (Lot 223) is the second foal of the eight-win Bettor’s Delight mare Nina Simone NZ, a full sister to the dual Victorian Group winner Mister Mundaka and the Maitland Cup victor Ragnarr.
The Huntsville filly (Lot 227) is a roan from the 100 percent producer Our Apache Miss, the dam of the multiple Group placegetter Smooth Buzz and herself a half-sister to eight winners.
“She’s one of the few Huntsville roans anywhere in the world,” Micaleff said.
One of the most sought after babies from the Micaleff team is Lot 219, a bay colt by the Top Ten sire Always B Miki from the dual Oaks winner and 3YO Filly of the Year Millwood Meg.
Consigned by Brisbane harness broker Stu Valentine, the striking colt is a half-brother to four winners including the exported Millwood Bonnie ($506,000) and the Bathurst Gold Tiara heat winner Millwood Daisy.
Lot 249, a lovely King Of Swing filly from the celebrated Tactics family in New Zealand, should attract plenty of attention from buyers.
She’s the second live foal out of the dual Albion Park winner Tact Bess NZ, a half-sister to the WA Listed winner Tact Major ($166,000) and a close relative of the Queensland Sunshine Sprint and Victorian 4YO Bonanza winner Tact Tate ($512,000), the Miracle Mile placegetter Tact McLeod and Tact Hayley’s Delight.
The Micallef’s are also offering a pair of colts from the first crop of the Breeders Crown champion and USA and Canadian 3YO Colt of the Year Pebble Beach.
Lot 264 ranks as a half-brother to last season’s talented two-year-old Seaside Sid 1:54.5, being out of Barbie Mattgregor NZ, a half-sister to three $100,000 earners including the WA Golden Slipper runner-up Mister Ardee ($370,000).
“He looks like he will make a two-year-old,” David commented.
The other Pebble Beach colt is from the Bettor’s Delight mare Opal NZ, a half-sister to 11 winners, six of whom took records inside 2:00. He is listed as Lot 225.
Lot 214, a colt by the leading colonial bred stallion For A Reason, is out of a prolific Queensland family, his dam, Majoress Dujon ($117,000), being a sister to the QBred Triad placegetter Sergeant Jujon ($165,000).
For further details of these or any other lots in the Sydney Yearling Sale then please check out the Online Catalogue or Register as a Buyer today!
