With the Magic Millions fast approaching, Lime Country Thoroughbreds are again finding themselves in a familiar position. Their graduates are performing on the track at exactly the right time, led by Knightsbridge’s eye-catching win at Randwick over the weekend, providing further momentum heading into one of the most important sales of the year.

 

Knightsbridge makes his mark

Knightsbridge’s (Farnan) emergence has been particularly satisfying, not only for his connections, but also for Lime Country as last season’s Magic Millions graduate looks a live chance in the big $3 million R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic Saturday week.

“It is very exciting, one of the things that I am super impressed with is the fact that James Harron and TFI have three horses qualified in the top 16 at the moment for the 2-year-old Magic Millions. It’s not bad, is it, when about 1000 horses sell at the sale,” explained Lime Country Thoroughbred’s co-owner Jo Griffin.

The Farnan colt was a major investment at last year’s sale, and Griffin believes the price reflected genuine quality.

 

Knightsbridge | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

 

“They paid a lot of money for Knightsbridge ($750,000) and he was the highest-priced Farnan of the sale. I think Kia Ora were on him also, so the good judges were. For a second-season sire to have a colt sell for that kind of money showed the real quality he had.”

Delving into the pedigree, Griffin highlighted the strength and speed that runs through the dam line.

When asked about a bit of the background of the dam line, Griffin explained that it was a very quick one, with a lot of runners being held in high regard from their respective connections.

“Gai trained the mother (Festivity) and she told me that she thought the mare was a lot faster than her record actually showed.”

The family was well known to several key players involved in the colt’s purchase.

“Bruce Slade actually managed the owners of Semana and Festivity, so he knew the family well, and I knew Gai was having a bid on him also.”

Temperament is often as important as physical ability when it comes to elite colts, and Griffin recalled Knightsbridge leaving a strong impression long before sale day.

When asked about the colt’s temperament or mannerisms as a young colt heading to the sales, Griffin replied, “He was rock solid, a real good colt. I can remember at one stage Greg was doing a few parades of him around lunchtime, when some of our leaders must have been having a break, and a few people asked was he tough as Greg was on the lead.

“But that was certainly not the case, he had a great temperament, and that is so important for these colts. They need to remain colts for as long as possible, so they need to be solid in the mind and body.”

Unfortunately, a bit of bad luck has hit Festivity as can be seen by the lack of a yearling entered for the sales this year. “Unfortunately we lost the full brother and he isn’t in the sales. He had a fractured eye socket and not through lack of trying, we couldn’t save the eye.

“But the mare has had an I Am Invincible colt last spring, and we actually have sent Knightsbridge’s half-sister More The Merrier to Farnan and she is in foal. We liked Knightsbridge that much, so that will be a three-quarter sibling.”

 

Story excerpted from TTR, written by Dane McLeod