In the week Robert Crabtree farewelled his homebred Magnus, the proprietor of Dorrington Farm will be hoping it's the dawn of a new era when Magnus' close relation Scampi goes off a short-priced favourite in Saturday's Group III Arrowfield Breeders' Plate at Randwick.
The babies will also step out for the first time Group III Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Scampi could not have been more impressive when leading at every call in the official 2-year-old barrier trials over 843m on the Kensington track at Randwick on September 18.
A $750,000 purchase for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft (on behalf of Dorrington Farm) at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Scampi comes from the first crop of Darley Stud's electrifying sprinter Blue Point (IRE).
Arguably, Darley stands the most commercial stallion roster since taking over the Woodlands operation in 2008.
Blue Point (IRE) is integral to that roster, particularly for Victoria.
His qualifications are unquestioned. Good enough to win the Group III York Gimcrack Stakes and place in the Group 1 Newmarket Middle Park Stakes and Group 1 Newmarket Dewhurst Stakes at two, the son of Shamardal (USA) was at his best at five.
He went through the year undefeated in five starts, defending his Group 1 Royal Ascot King's Stand Stands title, again at the expense of Battaash, and added the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes and Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint.
Of his 159 live foals from his first crop from his base Kildangan Stud, Ireland, Blue Point has 90 runners already reached the track with 39 winners, four stakes-winners, and four stakes-placegetters.
The leading light has been Big Evs, winner of the Group II Doncaster Flying Childers Stakes Group III Goodwood Molecomb Stakes and Listed Royal Ascot Windsor Castle Stakes.
Scampi is the second most expensive yearling from the first Australian crop, beaten only by the half-brother to Amelia's Jewel named Bosustow, which was a $900,000 purchase for Rosemont Alliance/Suman Hedge B/stock FBAA/Annabel Neasham Racing.
A keg on legs, Scampi is a powerful-looking individual blessed with natural speed and a lovely flowing action.
It is all speed on the dam's side as Scampi is a half-brother to the Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes and MVRC Inglis Banner winner Semillion (Shalaa) and the precocious Seatonic (Sebring) out of the talented Bel Esprit mare Sistonic, a three-quarter sister to the undefeated champion Black Caviar.
Robert Crabtree shares the nurturing of the family with fellow Victorian Rick Jamieson of Gilgai Farm.
A sister to Listed winner Iconic, Sistonic's dam Danavia is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Magnus and Group II ATC Magic Night Stakes winner Scandiva, and a half to Helsinge, the dam of Black Caviar and All Too Hard and granddam of Group 1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes winner Ole Kirk.
Sistonic has a yearling Capitalist filly and was covered by Blue Point (IRE) last October after missing to an earlier covered by Written Tycoon.
If the market is right, the likely danger to Scampi will be the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Volatile. A $550,000 Magic Millions purchase for China Horse Club/Newgate/Go/Trilogy from the Newgate Stud draft, the stunning dark bay bids to give Snitzel his second consecutive in the race after Empire Of Japan won for the same connections last year.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott look to have a stranglehold on the Group III Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes with four runners.
The Written Tycoon filly Lady Of Camelot gets her chance for a piece of history after her half-sister Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar) won twelve months ago.
It would also be the third victory in four years for Yulong Stud's Written Tycoon after Enthaar in 2020 and Coolangatta in 2021.
A homebred for Sir Owen Glenn, Lady Of Camelot bids to be the third consecutive stakes winner for the stakes-winning Fastnet Rock mare Miss Debutante, whose first foal is the triple Group III winner Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible).
