Kia Ora Stud have moved into exciting territory this year with the launch of the first yearlings by the farm’s Golden Slipper winning foundation sire Farnan, who is poised to make his presence felt at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
There has been sustained support for Farnan in the sale ring this year with his stock selling for up to $1.2million with a colt from Group I winner I Am Excited setting the benchmark at Magic Millions where he averaged $309,483.
There are 15 yearlings by Farnan to be offered at Inglis Easter and three of them are in the nine strong draft presented by Kia Ora Stud, who have a proud record of success at this sale in recent years having offered Champion 3YO Filly Loving Gaby and Group I winning colt Wild Ruler in addition to Group winning fillies Pavitra and Serasana.
The farm has current statistics based on yearlings sold over six consecutive sales seasons not including current two year-olds that run at 15.4% stakes horses/runners and 9.1% Group I horses/runners.
The Farnan yearlings in the Kia Ora draft are something special and include Lot 166, the half-sister to stakes-winner Miss Debutante, who is now seen as arguably the most exciting broodmare in the country.
By Fastnet Rock from imported Group II winning More Than Ready mare More Than Real (USA), Miss Debutante made $430,000 for Kia Ora at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where she was bought by Paul Moroney Bloodstock for Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock.
She won four of eight starts including a Listed win at two, but at stud has smashed it right out of the park with her first three foals being Group winning fillies Queen of the Ball, Platinum Jubilee and finally Golden Slipper winner Lady of Camelot.
The Farnan filly is the ninth foal from More Than Real and will give her new owners access to a revered female family that is just going to get better and better.
“For any mare to produce a nice stakes winner is a massive achievement, but to produce three stakes-winning two-year-olds, including this year’s Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot, is huge for the whole family,” said Shane Wright of Kia Ora.
“To be able to get a filly from this family—not forgetting how athletic and racy she looks—is going to be very exciting for anyone moving forward.”
No less appealing is Lot 54, the half-sister by Farnan to Group I winning $2.6million earner Wild Ruler and Group III winning and twice Group I placed filly Pavitra from imported US Group II winner Gypsy Robin (USA).
“I know we’re not allowed to have favourites, but it’s very hard not to with this filly,” Wright revealed.
“She’s the most amazing sort of type, and the mare has already done so much at stud, considering she’s not an old mare.
“The family continues to go from strength to strength with class horses like Wild Ruler and Pavitra. She just looks fast and is strong in all the right places, with a great shoulder and a good hip.”
Kia Ora made a significant investment purchasing Group I New Zealand Oaks winner and Champion NZ 3YO Filly Jennifer Eccles for $800,000 on Gavelhouse in 2021 and she repaid their faith producing a cracking Farnan colt as her first foal and he comes to the sale as Lot 89.
The colt impressed greatly as a foal and as a result Jennifer Eccles went back to Farnan and produced a filly by him last spring before heading to I Am Invincible, which tells you how much confidence there is in this top class mare.
“This colt really brings the best attributes of both sides of his family together. He’s very forward for a first foal with great muscle definition and really looks like a ready-made racehorse,” Wright said.
“He’s definitely one of the best Farnan colts I’ve seen this year.”
Every single yearling in this draft is either from a Group winner or a sibling to a Group winner and you can click here to see them all with a couple of additional highlights below:
Lot 191 Colt I Am Invincible x Oceanex (NZ), by Ocean Park
First and only foal of Group II VRC Matriarch Stakes winner Oceanex, who comes from a prolific Black Type family and was bought for $1million in 2022 when in foal to I Am Invincible with this glorious colt the result.
“He’s a very versatile colt, well made, a great mover, and has the quality you would expect from a top mating like this.”
Lot 497 Filly I Am Invincible x Dream Play (USA), by Hennessy
Half-sister to Group II winner Zululand and Group III placed Chicago Bull from imported US Group II winner Dream Play, who has had five winners from six to race with this mating her first to the reigning champion sire.
“Her dam has been an amazing mare for the farm and it’s a very big family to gain access to. She’s a beautiful filly and is in the typical mould of Vinnie’s best fillies with great quality and demeanor about her and good action as well. She’s everything you could want in a nice filly.”
