Inglis Director Peter Heagney was in a buoyant mood after selling the last of 393 weanlings at the Great Southern Sale on Tuesday.  The average shot up 22% so Heagney was entitled to be upbeat and so were broodmare owners who have supported Eliza Park sire Magnus.

There were 26 stallions with their first foals on offer at Oaklands Junction and Heagney singled out Magnus for special mention.  “A number of first crop sires had progeny sell well, particularly Magnus,” Heagney said.  “He had two of the Top 16 highest priced lots.”

Magnus (Flying Spur) stands at Eliza Park in conjunction with Yallambee Stud.  His top-priced Great Southern foal was the chestnut filly from Tendancy (Rory’s Jester) that made $55,000.  She was offered by Supreme Thoroughbreds as agent for Sunbury breeders Townsings Lane Farm.

Tendancy was a 2YO Moonee Valley winner and she is a half-sister to Melbourne sprinter Sipowicz (Success Express) who earned black-type when a G3 runner-up in the 2007 SAJC Irwin Stakes in Adelaide.  Her first foal Belle Society (Bel Esprit) won at Ballarat on debut in October 2008.

The other Magnus foal to feature on the Inglis leader-board was the bay filly from Flirted (Bluebird).  She was catalogued by Eliza Park and attracted a successful bid of $42,500 from Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock.

Flirted has already clicked with Eliza Park sires to produce the winners Lacey Underall (Desert Sun) and Sandhill King (Val Royal).  The mare also has a 2yo filly by Black Hawk and a yearling filly by Bel Esprit.  

Eliza Park sold Lacey Underall for $30,000 at the 2004 Adelaide Magic Millions and she went on to earn almost $500,000 for Princess Park owner Adam Palmer.  She was retired after winning the 2008 Adelaide Cup and presented Palmer with a Fastnet Rock filly last year.

Magnus has another three foals entered for the Gold Coast Magic Millions National Sale starting next Wednesday (May 26) including a filly out of NZ bred mare Luvya Babe.

Catalogued as Lot 23 by Eliza Park, she will appeal to Queensland buyers.  Luvya Babe is a half-sister to the dam of Lyndhurst Stud’s high-flying first-season sire Hidden Dragon.

Magnus was a Group 1 winner of the AJC The Galaxy and G2 VRC Age Classic and was placed in another 8 G1 events including the VRC Newmarket, MRC Oakleigh Plate (twice) and the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Eliza Park resident is by Flying Spur and his pedigree has the speed influences of Danehill, Mr Prospector, Snippets, Vain and Lunchtime in the first three generations.  Flying Spur was Australia’s Champion Sire of 2006-07 thanks, in part, to Magnus who is one of 74 stakes winners by the Arrowfield resident.

Magnus is from G3 Blue Diamond Preview winner Scandinavia and her influence at stud continues to go from strength to strength.  She has also produced Darley’s G2 winner Wilander (Exceed And Excel) who has just been retired to stand at Lindsay Park.

Her daughter Helsinge produced flying filly Black Caviar (Bel Esprit).  Like Magnus, she is trained by Peter Moody and maintained her unbeaten record in the G2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley in January.

Scandinavia has a 2yo colt by God’s Own and a yearling filly by Flying Spur.  The latter is a sister to Magnus and has been retained by breeder Rob Crabtree.  Magnus will stand for a $22,000 (inc gst) service fee at Eliza Park in 2010.