Greta West studmaster Laurie McCarthy had one eye on Sky Channel while keeping the other on his yearlings at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale on Wednesday.

McCarthy watched Honey Steel’s Gold win at Sandown and then sold the top-priced Reward For Effort and the top-priced Domesday during Session II at Oaklands.  Both yearlings were offered through the Little Plains Stud consignment.

Honey Steel’s Gold is by Greta West stallion Keep The Faith and trainer David Hayes will set him for the G1 South Australian Derby in May.

The Reward For Effort – Sea Frolic (Dolphin Street) filly made $48,000 to First Light Racing and will be trained by Mat Ellerton and Simon Zahra.  She is a half-sister to 5 winners and 3 of them are by Greta West sires Keep The Faith and King of Prussia.

The Domesday colt from Firhill (Marauding) is a half-brother to five winners topped by Greta West bred mare Two Hills who has won 7 sprints in Melbourne and over $360,000 in prizemoney.

He impressed several prospective buyers and auctioneer Jonathon D’Arcy.  “Here’s a big, strong colt,” D’Arcy boomed as the youngster entered the sale ring. “He looks like he could run through a brick wall.”

Trainer Ciaran Maher agreed and went to $40,000 to outbid a visiting trainer from Singapore.

Earlier in the week, Greta West stallion God’s Own burst through the $2 million barrier in prizemoney this season when Angel Warrior came from last to land the Bullarook Park Plate (1000m) at Terang.

Angel Warrior (4m God’s Own – Wingin’ A Prayer by Raise A Stanza) was racing first-up on Monday and won running away by a length for trainer Michael Roebuck.  At her only other run, she led but faded at Swan Hill in October.

God’s Own is second among Victorian based sires for the individual winners’ premiership this season.  Bel Esprit (103) leads that division ahead of God’s Own (64), Reset (61), Magnus (59), Dash For Cash (55) and Elvstroem (55).

– Karl Patterson

ON SITE AT OAKLANDS
Laurie McCarthy (left) and Ciaran Maher flank the Domesday colt
and Little Plains handler Alex Hansford-Smith
Photo /  Sharon Chapman