Kia Ora Stud resident Farnan has made a strong early impression, with his first offering of weanlings proving very popular.
Given the Australasian market’s appetite for 2-year-old speed, it comes as no surprise to many that Farnan’s progeny have been well sought-after.
Bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, who retained a share in him when sold at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sales for $550,000, Farnan is out of the G3 Vanity S.-winning Street Cry (Ire) mare Tallow, thus making him a three-quarter brother to dual Listed-winning stallion Sandbar – himself a fast son of Snitzel, who won two Listed races (at 1100 metres and 1200 metres).
Given the Australasian market’s appetite for 2-year-old speed, it comes as no surprise to many that Farnan’s progeny have been well sought-after.
Bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, who retained a share in him when sold at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sales for $550,000, Farnan is out of the G3 Vanity S.-winning Street Cry (Ire) mare Tallow, thus making him a three-quarter brother to dual Listed-winning stallion Sandbar – himself a fast son of Snitzel, who won two Listed races (at 1100 metres and 1200 metres).
In his first season at Kia Ora Stud, in 2021, he covered 192 mares, then last year, Farnan served 189 mares.
His first weanlings went through the ring at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale earlier this month, and it was a most-promising start, with three selling at an average price of $153,333. His top-seller – Lot 329 – a colt out of the stakes performer Waterloo Sunset (Fastnet Rock) from the Kia Ora Stud draft – made $180,000.
Farnan had eight weanlings consigned on Day 1 of the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale and at the close of trade, six had sold at a gross of $825,000 and an average of $137,500 (which is the second-best behind Zoustar for sires that had three or more lots sold).
“We’re really pleased, the market has been really receptive to them, but the horses are a nice style across the board. They’re athletic, have good actions and are just quality animals, the market is seeing what we’re seeing and we couldn’t ask for a better start. When you see him on the board alongside those champion sires that are proven Group 1 stallions, it shows what people think of him and his progeny and makes us very optimistic for the future with him.”
– Shane Wright
Lyndhurst Farm’s Mark and Shelley Treweek travelled to the Gold Coast from New Zealand for the sale and one of their objectives was to get their hands on a Farnan weanling.
Lyndhurst Farm paid $150,000 for Lot 99 – a filly from the winning More Than Ready (USA) mare Chain Of Fools. She was offered by Milburn Creek and her second dam is the Listed scorer Burgeis (Catbird).
“We’ve been really impressed with what we’ve seen of his foals, both in Sydney and now here, we were really quite keen to get a nice one off the back of the talk and the types that he’s thrown. We thought she was a really nice type with a good attitude and a nice pedigree, she’s a good, strong-moving horse and looks as though she’ll get up and going early. A lot of fillies tend to come a little bit sooner than some of the colts. We think she is the perfect Karaka Millions filly for back in New Zealand.”
– Mark Treweek
Lot 222 – a colt from the US Grade 3 victress Insta Erma (USA) (Pioneerof The Nile {USA}) – was knocked down to Redwall Bloodstock for $175,000. The colt was consigned by Vinery Stud.
“He was a very good type out of a very good race mare, we’ve been impressed by the stock Farnan has had and we were very keen to get one within the syndicate if we could. We were delighted to secure him. He will go back to Widden Stud and be re-offered next year. He will grow out at Widden and then we’ll make a plan towards the end of the year.”
-Redwall Bloodstock’s Hannah Wall
Farnan’s top-seller on Thursday was Lot 60 – a colt from the Waylon J Stud draft – which was bought by Newgate Farm’s Jim Carey for $190,000. He is from the winning I Am Invincible mare Bella Success and his grandam is the Group 2 victress Bridie Belle (NZ) (Al Akbar).
Farnan has a further eight lots catalogued at this sale, including Lot 339 – a three-quarter brother to the Group 2 winner Quackerjack (Not A Single Doubt). He will be offered by Rosari Farm.
Farnan will stand at a fee of $55,000 (inc GST) in 2023.
Story from TDN
