Hostile Talk has maintained his winning momentum this prep with a comprehensive victory in the Quayclean Hcp (1400m) at Ascot for premier trainers Grant and Alana Williams.

The lightly-raced son of former Yarradale Stud sire War Chant (USA) looked the winner sitting in the driver’s seat behind front-runner Starring Knight (Shooting To Win) on Saturday.  And when given rein in the straight by Clint Johnston-Porter, he dashed clear to win with something in hand from Knot Secret (So Secret) and Soldanelle (Siyouni).

Hostile Talk had resumed with a never-nearer sixth in the TBWA Stallion Tender Scheme Trophy (1200m) last month before breaking through in the Ascend Trophies Hcp (1200m) on New Year’s Day.

“He looked amazing parading in the yard and he’s going super since coming back from a spell,” stable rep Jasmine McAuliffe said.  “He looks stronger and is obviously mentally stronger so we’re really excited to see what he can do this time around.”

Hostile Talk was bred and sold by Tony Patrizi for $62,500 through Greenfields Lodge at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions and Saturday’s win sent his earnings to $200,000 with Westspeed kicking in Bonuses of $75,000.

Patrizi purchased his dam Lip Service (Marooned) for $37,500 at the 2015 Geisel Park Stud Breeding Stock Dispersal Sale.  She was pensioned last year after a stud career spawning 8 winners headed by Express Service (LR Challenge Stakes).

Hostile Talk had won a Belmont 3yo maiden on debut with Willie Pike aboard before Johnston-Porter took over last year.  “They had trouble getting him to settle early on and ‘Pikey’ got sick of him pretty quickly,” Johnston-Porter recalled after weighing in.  “I thought he had a bit of potential and we’ve just been chipping away teaching him to run on.”

Yarradale Stud has entered 16 yearlings for the Perth Magic Millions on February 20 and 21.  Champion sire Playing God dominates the draft with 8 lots and resident sire Gingerbread Man has 4 colts parading.

Interstate stallions So You Think (NZ) and Palace Pier (GB) are also represented with yearlings from Yarradale homebred mares Dainty Tess and Mizlecki.

The So You Think filly from Dainty Tess (Lot 24) is the second foal from a War Chant (USA) mare who earned seven-figures during a career highlighted by Group 3 sprint wins in Perth and Adelaide.  She was bred by Queenslea Park while her dam Classic Smile (Bletchley Park) was on lease from Yarradale.

The Palace Pier colt out of Mizlecki (Lot 92) will be one of the highlights on Day 1 in the Swan Valley.  His dam carried Yarradale colours to Listed victories in the Raconteur Stakes, Sheila Gwynne Classic, Belmont Oaks and Old Comrade Stakes.