Bernardini – Easter yearling preview

With his first crop selling for up to $450,000 at the Easter sales last year, there is much excitement about the quality of the draft that will be presented this year, especially when considering what a successful past 12 months Bernardini has had in the northern hemisphere.

Bernardini has the largest offering of any second-season sire at the sale, and some of the leading lots on pedigree include;

Lot 49, a bay colt offered on behalf of one of New Zealand’s leading vendors Haunui Farm, is sure to create plenty of interest for those buyers looking for a pedigree which contains both two-year-old speed and three-year-old Classic ability. This colt is out of a full sister to the G1 Dubai Rosehill Guineas winner Zabrasive (Zabeel) and comes from the family of G1-winning Redoute’s Choice mare Cheeky Choice.

A handful of lots later will see Almavale Bloodstock consign lot 55, a bay colt out of the G2-winning, G1-performed Zeditave mare Ateates. A full sister to G1 Newmarket Handicap winner Ruffles, Ateates has had three foals to race for three winners including the multiple city-winning Exceed And Excel gelding Sixtyfour.

With the Asian market having purchased numerous Bernardini yearlings at the sales already this year, lot 110 is bound to appeal. Consigned by Torryburn Stud (as agent), this colt is a half-relation four Stakes-performers including the HK-G3 winner Sichuan Success and the HK-G1 Centenary Sprint Cup runner-up Yellow Diamond.

Lot 131 will see arguably the best bred Bernardini colt (pictured right) to be offered at the Easter sale. The third foal from the G1 Australian Oaks winner Dizelle, a half-sister to Champion Hong Kong galloper Vengeance Of Rain, this colt will be consigned by Yarraman Park Stud (as agent). With every dam on the catalogue page a Stakes winner, this colt is sure to demand plenty of notice for all looking for a racehorse with potential stallion appeal.

One of the last lots through the ring on the first day of selling is the Attunga Stud-consigned lot 190. A brown filly out of the Good Journey mare Grand Journey, the winner of the G1 WATC Derby and G3 Western Australian Oaks winner, and a half-sister to the promising Stakes winning three-year-old Proliferate, this filly is the second foal from the mare, who is currently in foal to Street Sense.

Early on day two of the sale is lot 236, a bay filly (pictured right) out of the Canadian-bred mare Ladies’ Day. Consigned by Sledmere Stud (as agent), this filly is a half-brother to the G1 Dubai Rosehill Guineas winner He’s No Pie Eater (Canny Lad). From the family of G1 winners Redoute’s Choice, Umatilla, Hurricane Sky and Platinum Scissors, this filly is bound to hold plenty of residual value when she retires.

Rothwell Park (as agent) will present lot 347, a bay filly out of Quaffle, a half-sister to the Listed winner Golden Snitch. This filly is a half-brother to Shamardal gelding Gingerbread Man, Champion two and three-year-old in Singapore. From the family of the aptly-named G1 winner Iron Horse, the pedigree of this filly offers buyers both speed and stamina.

With four individual G1 winners to date, and a further four who have performed at the highest level, Bernardini is arguably one of the hottest sires in the world. His service fee in the southern hemisphere is a fraction of his fee in the north, so buyers would surely be smart to tap into what many breeders recognise as one of the thoroughbred breeding industry's next big things.