Boutique Hunter Valley nursery Cressfield is a familiar source of stakes-winners and while current flagbearers such as Jamaea and Hellfest are top class Group winning fillies, it is the Cressfield bred colts that will take centre stage at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Champion sprinting mare Our Egyptian Raine has been a long standing member of the Cressfield broodmare band and her best offspring among nine winners has been brilliant Group III winner Egyptian Symbol, whose first foal will be offered as Lot 144.
A perfectly proportioned bay colt, he is a stunning yearling for a first foal as is only befitting from a mare that won over $1.5million racking up multiple Group wins and placings for the Bjorn Baker stable. Egyptian Symbol was retained to race by Cressfield and was tough and talented racing successfully from age two until age six proving the consummate racehorse.
‘He will surely be one of the standout colts of the sale and certainly the feedback that we have had already supports this. He was a serious foal that has developed into one heck of an impressive yearling. He has a thickly muscled shoulder, exceptional hindquarter and such lovely balanced proportions. While his tremendous temperament just underpins his appeal.’
Three years ago, Cressfield offered a lovely Fastnet Rock filly from Personify at Inglis Easter that was snapped up by Tom Magnier for $640,000 and won the 2020 Group I VRC Oaks as Personal.
The family has been a good one for Cressfield producing numerous stakes performers and it features at Inglis Easter again this year with Lot 156, an Exceed and Excel colt from Epitomise.
‘There is a balance and symmetry to this elegant style of colt. He is a colt that we initially had entered for the Magic Millions sale however he sustained an injury to his forearm ten days prior to departure, he was naturally unable to make it to that sale. He has since fully healed and while he has the remaining blemish he moves perfectly and has benefited from the additional time to mature.’
He is the second foal of a winning half-sister by More Than Ready (IRE) to Personal from a prolific Black Type family that has also produced this season’s Group II winning juvenile Sejardan.
The colt is bred on the very successful Exceed and Excel x More Than Ready cross that has produced seven winners from 11 runners including three stakes-winners headed by triple Group I winner Bivouac.
Cressfield have enjoyed plenty of success sourcing well bred broodmares from the Northern Hemisphere and the remaining two colts are from internationally proven bloodlines.
Lot 386 is a Lonhro colt, the second foal of Rosental (GB), a two time French stakes-winner by champion sire Pivotal and a full sister to stakes-winner Rosa Imperial.
‘This colt has had a presence about him since he was a foal, one that you always noticed first when you entered the paddock and one that you remembered when you left. A colt with excellent bone, substance and balance.’
The family is a familiar one for local buyers as Rosental is a grand-daughter of Australian Group III winner Mannington, the dam of Group I Victoria Derby winner Benicio and Group winners Romneya and Roheryn.
Lot 423 is a Fastnet Rock colt, the third foal of stakes-placed Shrill (GB), a half-sister by Shamardal to Group winners Silkwood (dam of 2022 stakes-winner Lost Eden), Silent Honor and to the dam of dual Group I winner Old Persian.
‘A bit of a chip of the old block this colt! So much Fastnet about him, from his generous head to his strength, size and bone. He is a real powerhouse to look at’.
This colt comes from an exceptional female family with third dam stakes-winner Masaraat a full sister to champion mare and blue hen Miesque.
The Fastnet Rock x Shamardal cross has had 100% success with four winners from four runners highlighted by Irish Group III winner Diamond Fields and current 3YO stakes-winner Ranch Hand.
See the draft at Barn J Stables 22 – 27.
