Shane Mcgrath Bloodstock / Clinton Mcdonald Racing have purchased Group I winning juvenile fillies Hayasugi and Streisand in recent years and are hoping they have one to follow in their footsteps after paying $1.8million for an Extreme Choice filly at Inglis Easter on Sunday.
Consigned by Newgate Farm, for the Newgate/ Gooree Stud Joint Venture, the filly is a half-sister to stakes-winner Compelling Truth from Group I ATC Flight Stakes winner Speak Fondly.
The family bristles with stakes-winners including dual Group I winning mare Kenedna going back to Australian Horse of the Year and Golden Slipper winner Bounding Away.
Clinton McDonald will be the trainer guiding this filly down a path that may one day lead to a Golden Slipper.
Shane McGrath did plenty of homework coming into the sale to hopefully uncover the very best filly by Extreme Choice and is satisfied with his purchase.
“We looked at all of the fillies and she was our pick of sale and she's sold accordingly,” McGrath said.
“You just look at the farm she's come off (Newgate) and they have produced three of the last six Golden Slipper winners and that's the sort of farm you want to be buying off.
“It's a lot of money… Extreme Choice, he's obviously a freak statistically. We spent an afternoon with Mitchell Bates of Inglis during the week and we actually looked at every stakes winning and Group winning Extreme choice that came through the sales ring just to try and find a common denominator.
“We had a good chat with Jim Carey (Newgate) down there and he said, you know, all the real good Extreme Choice’s all have got a beautiful action and that's what she had.
“She's an October foal, so I think there's plenty of growth and maturity and you know, an Extreme Choice, who knows what you have, but it's a ticket in the lottery!”
Speak Fondly had no foal last year and was covered late by Extreme Choice after missing to Stay Inside.
