The Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes on Saturday was a vindication for the worth of expensive yearlings with the first two home being Snitzel colts The Next Episode and St Gotthard bought for $2.8million and $2.7million, but what about the $1500 horse that ran a close third!
The story of the Lloyd Kennewell trained Rubick colt Mbube is an interesting one from a sales perspective given his journey started at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale where he made a paltry $1500.
He was identified and purchased as a horse with potential by Glenn Hunter of Signature Pedigrees with his story highlighted in some editorial this year when Mbube had won his first race. Click here to read more.
Mbube was then-reoffered at Magic Millions Adelaide where he made $22,500 and then when broken in he progressed further to sell for $300,000 at the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale last year.
Mbube has now had four starts for a win plus three stakes-placings and now looms as an exciting sprinter for the future given he was beaten just half a length on Saturday and hit the line hard.
Despite the modest $1500 weanling price, Mbube comes with a fascinating pedigree given he is from Scandimania, a fast metro winning mare by Magnus (from the Black Caviar family) from Belleluia, who is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to the great Black Caviar.
As a result, Scandimania has a 3 x 3 double cross of blue hen Song of Norway, so for her to throw a colt like Mbube is hardly a surprise and certainly no surprise to Glenn Hunter, who saw promise in that $1500 weanling.
