Ruby Racing & Breeding has catalogued 14 yearlings for the Perth Magic Millions on February 23 & 24 and one of the standouts is the half-brother to Wednesday’s promising Warwick Farm winner Wollombi.
Catalogued as Lot 104, the bay colt is a first-crop son of Newgate Farm sire Tassort from Hazlebrook (Hinchinbrook). He’s being sold (as agent) after being sourced by Premium Bloodstock’s Grant Burns at last year’s Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Wollombi (Extreme Choice) won a Canterbury 3yo maiden shortly after the Magic Millions and has kept progressing this time in with back-to-back wins at Warwick Farm. Highly regarded by Snowden Racing, she has been nominated to take another huge step into the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 25.
“It was good to see her run them down today,” co-trainer Paul Snowden said. “She’s come back a more mature filly and we’ve thrown her in for The Championships. She also handled the cut in the ground so if it rains, who knows, there might be a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Snowden Racing has also entered WA-bred Group 1 winner Sheeza Belter (Gold Standard) for the Surround Stakes.
“Our colt is the only Tassort yearling at the Perth Magic Millions,” Ruby’s Jaime O’Bree said. “He’s a very strong, clean-legged individual and has a similar build to Wollombi.”
Ruby Racing & Breeding is a family business operated by Rod and Bridie O’Bree with their children Jaime and Dan in the mid-west at Kojarena. They only began selling at the Swan Valley in 2020 and its first draft comprised three colts and a Sir Prancealot (Ire) filly named Gonnadancealot who won a VRC Byerley Hcp (1800m) at Flemington.
Last year’s consignment saw them rise to third among vendors with an average of $108,000. “The support from our clients and local buyers has been amazing,” Jaime said. “Hopefully, the market is better again this month without the lockdowns.”
Another Eastern States-sired highlight is the Astern colt from Maia Nebula (Lot 130).
“It’s a good time to be selling an Astern now that Aft Cabin is going so well and we’re excited with our colt. He’s big and strong for a first foal with plenty of bone and looks like developing into a classic horse.”
The I’m All The Talk - Southern Princess colt (Lot 19) has also benefited from the last-start Doomben win of his older half-sister Hokahey (War Chant). “He walks and works like a panther. He has a deep-girth and a deep pedigree with a half-dozen Perth Stakes-winners under his second-dam.
“We also have a rough diamond by Starspangledbanner (Lot 324). She’s at the back of Book 2 but is a very athletic, well-balanced filly and Starspangledbanner has sired four Group 1 winners this season.”
Ruby Racing & Breeding has several other irons in the fire with G2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Tiger Of Malay (Extreme Choice) and this season’s LR Fairetha Stakes winner Bustler (Playing God).
“We sold Tiger Of Malay for $250,000 as a yearling and kept a share with Newgate and China Horse Club. He covered five of our mares in his first book and they’re all positive including Maia Nebula and Rock My Frock (NZ) who we bought at last year’s Magic Millions National Sale.”
Rod O’Bree pin-hooked Bustler as foal for $32,500 at the 2020 Mungrup Stud Dispersal and stayed in when Neville Parnham bought him for $130,000 at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions. “Neville rated him the best horse in the stable earlier this season and now there’s talk of a slot in The Quokka.”
The inaugural $4million The Quokka (1200m), the richest race on the WA calendar, will be run at Ascot on Saturday, April 15.
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