The stars align for Nutrien Yearling Sale

For a yearling to garner top price at a sale the “stars need to align” meaning that it needs to have a top-class pedigree, looks to match and at least two bidders that are prepared to walk over hot coals to take the yearling home.

This far out from the 2022 Nutrien Yearling sale in Melbourne, the second two factors in the equation are a little hard to predict but in terms of pedigree this colt will be up among the stars of the sale, even though he doesn’t yet have a lot number yet.

His dam Claudy’s Princess initially went to stud in 2016 but failed to get in foal, so had another racetrack campaign continuing to perform at the elite level. Going back to stud in 2017, she tested in foal but it subsequently slipped and she again failed to get in foal in 2018.

Persistence by her owners the Catchya Racing Group paid off in 2019, when Claudy’s Princess tested in foal and on October 9, 2021 she produced a brown colt by Majestic Son.

“Having raced the mare we have enjoyed some great rewards,” said Darren Aitken, a member of the Catchya Racing Group syndicate.

“It’s been a hard slog to see the opportunity for her bloodlines to continue but we’re excited to offer this colt through the Nutrien sale.”

The colt certainly has a top class pedigree on both sides.

His dam Claudy’s Princess was the dominant filly of her era as a two, three and four-year-old winning 19 of her 30 starts in that period and adding a further 10 minor placings, with her only unplaced effort coming when fourth behind three colts in the two-year-old Australasian Breeders Crown Final at Melton.

Five of those 19 wins came at Group One level and a further two at Group Two level including the Group One quintet of the two-year-old Vicbred Super Series, the Victoria and New South Wales Trotters Oaks, three-year-old Vicbred Super Series and the four-year-old Vicbred Super Series.

Her overall career record of 53 starts for 22 wins 14 seconds and 5 thirds for stakes of $401,803 is magnificent. Her wins included the five at Group One level, three at Group Two status and a pair of races at Group Three level.

Naturally enough a mare with that sort of race-track record deserves to be mated with a top-flight sire and Claudy’s Princess’s colt is by the former champion race-horse and now leading sire in Majestic Son tr,3,1:52.4 $1,993,157.

Majestic Son was Canadian Harness Horse of the Year as a three-year-old and has dominated Southern Hemisphere siring ranks since his first commercial-size crop was dropped in 2010.

In 2016 Majestic Son took over from Sundon as Australia’s Leading Sire of Trotters and he has headed the list every season since then. With four months of the current season to run Majestic Son has an impregnable lead as he chases a sixth straight title with his 80 winners having already amassed 156 wins and $1,675,667 in stakes.

His star winners include seven-time Group One winner Sundees Son tr,1:56.4 $749,204 which has won the Rowe Cup and Anzac Cup at his latest two starts before a spell and Majestic Man tr,1:53.5 $579,856 which won three Group One races in the space of five weeks earlier this year.

“The syndicate are excited for the prospects of this colt,” Darren Aitken said.

“If he has half the ability of his sire and dam, we will enjoy watching the new owners reap the rewards.”

Nominations for the 2022 Nutrien Standardbred Yearling Sales to be held in Sydney Feb 20, 2022 and Melbourne April 3, 2022 remain open until Friday September 24, 2021.

From Nutrien Standardbred