Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au
Idle Flyer’s (Dundeel) maiden Group One success in the Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick prompted celebrations at Little Avondale Stud.
The Matthew Smith-trained daughter of Dundeel is out of the Street Cry mare Progressive whose half-sister Winter Sky (Invincible Spirit) is a member of the Wairarapa nursery’s broodmare band.
“Idle Flyer had previously won a Group Two (Emancipation Stakes, 1500m) and a Group Three (Angst Stakes, 1600m),” Little Avondale’s Sam Williams said.
“We were hoping she could run in the first three on Saturday and to beat Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) and Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) really cemented how good a mare she is.”
The Irish-bred Winter Sky, by Invincible Spirit from the family of Redoute’s Choice, was a A$300,000 purchase at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale with Little Avondale and bloodstock agent Bruce Perry signing the ticket.
“We were chasing a few mares that year and she was one of three we bought,” Williams said.
Winter Sky is jointly owned by the stud with the estate of Williams’ late father-in-law Stu McLeod and his wife Rosie, of Martinborough.
“We sold the second foal, Arctic Bright, at the Easter Sale for A$200,000 to Duncan Ramage,” he said.
“She was the lot before the Winx filly (by Pierro) that sold for A$10 million.”
By Per Incanto, the lightly raced Arctic Bright was a last start fourth from John Sargent’s stable and has subsequently relocated to Chris Anderson’s Eagle Farm stable but is currently sidelined by a foot injury.
“We sold a Pinatubo filly this year out of Winter Sky at Karaka (for $100,000) to Paul Beamish and she’s gone to Cindy Alderson,” Williams said.
“The mare’s got an outstanding Per Incanto colt, one of the top three by him on the farm, and he’ll head to one of the top sales next year.
“She’s back in foal to Per Incanto and she’ll go to Little Brose later this year.”
Winter Sky is also a half-sister to Transfers (Street Cry), dam of the three-time Group One winner Tom Kitten (All-Star Mile, 1600m, twice, Spring Champion Stakes, 2000m).
Two other notable family members are the Little Avondale sold pair of Oak Hill (NZ), a son of Per Incanto, who has won eight races including the Gr.2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m), and his brother Oak Lightning (NZ) was a debut second in Saturday’s Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m).
They were bred by the Mahoenui Partnership and respectively realised $180,000 and $200,000 when offered at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.
The pair are out of the unraced High Chaparral mare Isstoora, also the dam of the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) winner Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) who was sold through Little Avondale’s draft at Karaka for $150,000.
“The mare has a cracking three-year-old sister to Oak Hill and Oak Lightning named Sihaya (NZ) the owners kept and she’s just gone over to Lindsay Park,” Williams said.
“She’s also got a Per Incanto filly at foot, which we will take to the sale next year and she’s an absolute ripper.”
