Spurr’s Draft led by Shoobees Place progeny

Wagin breeder Kevin Spurr will offer 10 yearlings, his biggest sale’s draft, at the APG Perth Yearling Sale on March 3, spearheaded by two outstanding youngsters by highly underrated sire Shoobees Place. 

Shoobees Place has 54 winners from 134 foals of racing age in Australia, with earnings of more than $2.8 million. 

Shoobee Doo (1.49.4, $440K) has flown the flag with 33 wins, both here and in the US, and multiple Group 1 winner Better Be The Best (1.52, $353K, NSW Derby) is likely to be a major player in the upcoming Chariots Of Fire at Menangle. 

His daughter Merrywood Lynn (1.53.8, $103K) won the Group 2 NSW True Blue final in 2021. 

The Artsplace stallion has already produced smart trial winner Shoobees Double from his current crop of 11 two-year-olds – his first crop to race in WA. 

Shoobees Double won her qualifying trial at Pinjarra on February 7 in 1.58.8 and ran a fast finishing fifth in APG 2YO fillies classic heats on Tuesday. 

Spurr said Lot 519, a filly by Shoobees Place from Royal Anvil, was one of the best looking yearlings he had produced. 

The filly is a half-sister to Regal Aura (1.55.5, $60K) and her dam is a half-sister to WA Champagne Stakes (G2) winner Bushwacked (P2,1.56.9, $55K). 

“She is an outstanding filly and she has great movement,” Spurr said “She is all-American bred. Her grandam produced five winners and her third dam is by Albatross, so there is depth in her pedigree. The other outstanding youngster is the colt by Shoobees Place from Chasing Ay Jay. He is a half-brother to Unwritten Rule.” 

“Unwritten Rule could reel off 26sec quarters and (trainer) Hayden Reeves considered setting him for the big 4YO races” he continues. “He won five races but got injured as an early four-year-old and didn’t get to fulfil his potential. He was certainly the best horse I have had for a while and this colt is bigger and stronger.” 

Four of Shoobees Place’s top six earners in Australia are from mares by Artsplace stallions – Shoobee Doo (Modern Art), Katchar Shoobee (Modern Art), Merrywood Lynn (Art Major) and Schooby (Artiscape). 

This statistic makes Lot 427, a filly by Shoobees Place from Art Major mare Bomb De Fleur, a must see for buyers looking to snag a bargain. 

Bomb De Fleur is a half-sister to multiple Group 1 placegetter Adda Double Dip (1.58.8, $209K), 3YO fillies Sires final placegetter Rebecca Amy (1.58.5, $97K) and 2YO fillies APG Sales Classic runner-up Flirtalicious (1.58.7, $62K). 

“She is on the smaller side but has good movement and her family goes deep,” Spurr said. 

Spurr was in primary school when his older brothers Peter, Tom and Matt started the family interest in harness racing. 

The Wagin fertiliser spreader contractor now has two stallions at stud and a band of 40 broodmares. 

“The brothers got involved through Cavie Risborough and I was eight or nine when horses started turning up at the farm,” he said. “Matt was 16 when he started helping Don Wegner. He went on to train and drive. He was great with young horses – handling and breaking. Tom stood stallions. I think Reason Why was the first, in the early 70s and Armbro Intercept was the last one.” 

Spurr is the president of the Wagin Trotting Club and is a strong supporter of country harness racing. He stands Bonavista Bay and former outstanding Victorian juvenile Goodtime Sammy. 

“I put 35 mares to Goodtime Sammy this season. He showed enormous potential in four two-year-old starts and he has done a good job at stud with just a handful of mares.” 

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