Jim Mason reckons the Blackfriars – Europium yearling he bought for $130,000 this week could be one of the bargains of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.

The Ballarat trainer took a shine to the filly and bought her for stable clients Bob and David Digney.  By Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars, she is a younger half-sister to Moment of Change who is pre-post favourite for this Saturday’s G1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.

“He’s already won a Group 1 this season in the Rupert Clarke and another one in the Newmarket won’t hurt the filly’s value,” Mason said.  “She’s a terrific individual with plenty of scope and we were chasing a filly with a pedigree.”

The Digney family have raced plenty of winners with Mason – the most recent being Cottonwood (Galileo) who was originally with Lloyd Williams.

Moment of Change was bred and sold by Sovereign Stud proprietor Tracy Knotts for $50,000 at the 2010 Perth Magic Millions.  After he won the Rupert Clarke, the Capel based breeder cashed in by selling his dam Europium (Metal Storm), the Blackfriars filly and a Barely A Moment filly foal to Cornerstone Stud.

Cornerstone stands Barely A Moment but studmaster Sam Hayes bred her back to Hussonet who has been based there for the last two years.

Blackfriars can sire another Group 1 winner of his own at Flemington this Saturday when Eclair Surprise runs in the $1 million Australian Cup (2000m).

– Karl Patterson