Quality over quantity in Waddell entry

It’s a case of quality over quantity for the draft of successful Serpentine breeder and syndication king Ross Waddell at the Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sale at Magic Millions on Sunday. 

Waddell is offering two superbly colts, one by last year’s leading first crop sire Rock N Roll World from Princess Major as Lot 515, and the other a Fly Like An Eagle out of Gaylee’s Delight NZ as Lot 447. 

Princess Major (1:55.8) and Gaylee’s Delight (1:57.3) are both race-winning mares, the former the winner of four races and a placegetter in the WA Sales Classic at 2 and 3 and the latter a winner of five including the Group 2 NZ Southland Oaks. 

“They’re the only two mares I own at the moment,” Ross said. 

Princess Major’s first foal is the talented Grevis ($101,390), a winner of three races and a placegetter in the Pearl, Westbred and WA Sales Classics. He has been nominated for the 2023 WA 2YO Colt of the Year award. 

Princess Major is a half-sister to the Group 1 WA Sales Classic winner and WA 2YO Filly of the Year Red Hot Roxy, a winner of 13 races and $162,550, the APG Gold Bullion winner Rocket City ($137,690) and the Sales Classic runner-up Rock On The Beach. 

Waddell’s daughter Rebecca, who is preparing both youngsters, said: “He’s a lovely colt, a similar type to his brother with a much kinder nature.”    

The other colt is a half-brother to Rambo Rabbit (1:56.4) and Delightful Shadow (1:56.4). 

“Gaylee’s Delight’s third foal, a Hurrikane Kingcole filly, showed great potential but suffered a fracture to her hock. She is being used as a recipient mare,” Rebecca said. 

She said the yearling colt is “a leggy, good natured fella who really enjoys his work.” 

Ross Waddell has been associated with harness racing in WA for as long as he can remember. He was also a livestock auctioneer for 30 years and conducted several butchery businesses. 

“I bought my first pacing mare called Edwirl with Craig Murphy and the late Russell Perkins almost 50 years ago,” he said. 

Ross owned Gloucester Standardbreds, who conducted the yearling sales in Perth for many years, before being bought out by Australian Pacing Gold. 

“While I was running Gloucester Standardbreds I started up Pacing WA and Girl Power In Pacing syndicating young horses,” he said. “The Bond’s trained for us and Justin Prentice won the WA Oaks with Has No Fear in 2019. 

“Red Hot Roxy was one of the first horses raced by Pacing WA. She was trained by Trevor and Kat Warwick. 

“In three years we had five individual Group 1 winners with our babies.” 

Another feather in Ross’s cap was assisting Gloucester Park with getting the very successful Trotsynd syndication company up and running. 

For full details of all 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