Debut draft shines with Stay Hungry sensation

Ballandella owner Rob Viney has really delivered the goods with his first ever draft at the APG Melbourne Yearling sale, spearheaded by a spectacular Stay Hungry colt with rockstar looks. 

Highly respected APG field consultant John Coffey says the colt is one of the best yearlings he has viewed this year and Viney has a mixture of excitement and trepidation about the sales ring possibilities. 

“It is exciting. He is a really, really nice-looking colt,” Viney said. “John (Coffey) liked him when he came out to view the yearlings. But we have no experience with yearling sales, so we don’t know what to expect. Albert Davis is preparing him, so we will be guided by his knowledge.” 

The colt (Lot 120) is out of Bettors Delight mare Bettor Command, a half-sister to eight winners including Gettysburg Address (1.59.7, $99K) and Ballandella Baby (1.57.7, $84K). 

In the US, this cross produced star three-year-old colt Seven Colors (1.48.2, $705K).  Seven Colors won the Group 1 Carl Milstein Memorial at Northfield Park in a world record time last season and finished runner-up in the Little Brown Jug and Cane Pace. 

Stay Hungry’s first two American crops have earnt more than $6 million in stakes. He has sired 11 winners from 16 foals out of Bettors Delight mares. 

Viney has bred and raced several pacers with his family over the past decade and a half. 

“I bought a broodmare called Teen Talk in 2007 and her yearling filly, which turned out to be Ballandella Baby,” Viney said. “I only went to buy the mare but came home with two yearlings as well. Teen Talk was in foal to Ultimate Falcon and that foal raced as Whosthatchick (1.58.5, $44K).” 

Teen Talk has produced five winners for the Vineys and is granddam of both their lots in this sale. 

The Vineys second offering (Lot 117) is a filly by A Rocknroll Dance from Ballandella Baby, who has already produced speedy filly Allshookup (1.56.5, $92K). 

A Rocknroll Dance is the sire of champion filly No Win No Feed (1.49, $716K) and Lady Rocknrolla (1.51.8, $320K). In the US, he is the damsire of megastar three-year-old colt Confederate (1.46.2, $2mil). 

For full details and catalogued yearlings in the 2024 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sales please visit our Online Sales Catalogue or Register as a Buyer now. 

From APG Ltd