With an extraordinary record for producing Group I winners over many years, South Australian vendors Mill Park Stud have been in hot form this season with a slew of new stakes-winners including budding sprint queen Benedetta, who runs in the Group I MRC Oakleigh Plate this Saturday with her half-brother one of the Mill Park stars for Inglis Premier.
Chris Watson and his family are committed to producing quality thoroughbreds and their carefully nurtured pedigrees and bloodlines translate into tough athletes bred to withstand the rigors of racing.
Offered at the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Benedetta proved an astute purchase for Eales Racing Syndications when they snapped up the daughter of Hellbent for $75,000. Trained by Jason Warren, Benedetta has the impressive record of six wins and three placings from 10 starts with prizemoney nudging towards $1million and gets her chance at Group I level this weekend with a good barrier, light weight and Daniel Stackhouse to ride.
“Mares have got a good first-up record in the race," Jason Warren told Racenet.
"She's not wound as tight as she can go. Although she's ready to run well, but you'd expect to see natural improvement as the preparation goes on.
"She's in good order, she's had two trials and the icing on the cake was the gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday.
"She's ready to go."
Victory would see the spotlight fall well and truly on her yearling half-brother by promising first season sire King’s Legacy that will be offered as Lot 62.
From good producing Group II placed Domesday mare Whatalovelyday, the colt is a half-brother to not only Benedetta, but also Group II placed Whatafox and smart three time winner Sunset Dreaming, winner of the $175,000 VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade at Ballarat.
“This colt is quite typical of the family on type with a great style and quality about him,” said Chris Watson.
“He is a very athletic style of horse, good strength to his hindquarter and a lovely fluid action.”
He also has depth of pedigree to match his physical credentials with his grand-dam a half-sister to Group I winners Leica Guv and Light Fantastic.
Benedetta will look to build on the impressive run of recent success from Mill Park through star graduates such as Group I winner Attrition (Churchill (IRE), Group winning mares Rose Quartz (Written Tycoon), Brazen Style (Brazen Beau), Foxy Frida (Foxwedge), stakes-winning filly Arctic Glamour (Frosted(USA) and Group II placed Attractable (I Am Invincible) winner of the $3million ATC The Big Dance on Melbourne Cup Day.
Mill Park produce sprinters, stayers, classic horses and juvenile stars with their draft this year featuring many youngsters from familiar Mill Park families, click to see all 11 yearlings with highlights below:
Lot 166 Colt Farnan x Champagne Jane, by Starcraft
From the first crop of Golden Slipper winner Farnan and is a half-brother to Group III placed Pimm’s Party and two more metro winners from a winning half-sister to Group I winner Run Fox Run, stakes-winner Guard of Honour, stakes-placed Battle Strike and this season’s talented 2YO Counteroffensive, a last start third in the Group III MRC Chairman’s Stakes.
Lot 236 Filly Astern x Fire and Glory, by I Am Invincible
Three-quarter sister-in-blood to multiple Group winner Seradess (Astern) and is the second foal of an unraced half-sister to Seradess and also Group winner Rose Quartz with those two mares winning over $1million between them. Other stakes-winners in the family include Danedina, Aptego and Amarina.
Lot 299 Filly Capitalist x In Style (NZ), by Fast ‘n’ Famous
Half-sister to Group III MRC Thoroughbred Club Stakes winner Brazen Style and Group III placed Total Babe plus two more winners and is from Group I winning sprinter In Style, who traces back to the family of Group I VATC Thousand Guineas winner Savoir.
Lot 395 Colt So You Think x Miss Otto, by Elusive Quality (USA)
Full brother to multiple Group winning million dollar earner Peltzer, who is now at stud with his first yearlings selling this year. He is also a three-quarter brother-in-blood to stakes-winner So You Are with Group III winner Crown Towers also on the page.
Lot 453 Colt King’s Legacy x Persistence, by I Am Invincible
Second foal of an unraced half-sister to Champion 2YO Filly Away Game and stakes-winner Modern Wonder and her first foal Hypercube is now a winner. There is also new Black Type in the family with Innervisions (2c I Am Invincible x Modern Wonder) placing in the Listed MRC Blue Diamond Preview.
