Melba Avenue infuses ability and longevity into her foals and there’s no better advertisement for the Yarradale Stud mare than her first foal Valour Road.
Now a 9yo, Valour Road resumes for his latest prep in the LR Idyllic Prince Stakes (1300m) at Belmont this Saturday. The Frost Giant (USA) gelding has won 11 races and earned over $1.76 million in a black-type career going back to a Group 2 victory in the 2018 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) at Ascot.
Melba Avenue is a 15 year-old daughter of Street Sense (Street Cry) and she was represented by another spritely winner on Tuesday when her 8yo gelding Sioux City (War Chant) caused a boilover in Broome for trainer Jody McLaughlin in the Allure Hcp (1100m).
Melba Avenue was the top-priced yearling at the 2011 Yarradale Stud Sale when purchased by leading owner Keith Biggs for $180,000.
On a brighter note, Hamill recalled the back-and-forth background of Valour Road. “He’s the first foal from Melba Avenue who Ron bought as a weanling at the 2010 Darley Reduction Sale in Sydney. Ron has a liking for families and he had purchased her mother La Melba earlier that year at the Inglis Easter Mare Sale.
“We sold Melba Avenue to Keith Biggs as a yearling but, of course, Ron kept a share. She won a race and Ron bought her back off Keith and put her to stud. We had lost La Melba by then so she’s our link to that family.”
Melba Avenue has been given every chance after that impressive start to her stud career and they don’t come any better than Champion Australian sire I Am Invincible. She foaled a ‘Vinnie’ colt in August 2022 and Yarradale owner Lyn Sayers sold him through Bhima Stud (as agent) for $400,000 at the 2024 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
Trainer Edward Cummings won out against some keen opposition at the Bundall complex and he declared the 2yo colt hasn’t stopped improving since going through the sale-ring in January. “He’s been telling us he’s a nice horse from the start,” Cummings said from his Myrtle House stables at Hawkesbury on Wednesday.
“Everything he does is encouraging. He’s a great physical and even though he’s a colt, he’s come through with a professional attitude and temperament. We’re not going to put him under too much pressure too early. He’s a magnificent type and has just gone back out after a couple of quick preps. We’re looking at the end of the year before getting him ready to race.”
The I Am Invincible – Melba Avenue colt hasn’t been named. There’s still a 20% share available in a partnership that includes staunch stable client Ron Jones and there’s already a WA connection through Two Fillies Stud owners Nino and Tina Tufilli.
Yarradale Stud manager Davy Hanratty was also upbeat after featuring on Sky Channel’s Bred To Win earlier this week. “We’re happy to hear about the I Am Invincible colt and the mare’s yearling filly by Pinatubo (Ire) is gorgeous.
Pinatubo (Ire) is by Champion sire and sire of sires Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) and Sheikh Mohammed shuttles him for a $55,000 service fee between Dalham Hall Stud in England and Kelvinside in NSW. His race career invites no disparaging correspondence with Group 1 victories in the Curragh National Stakes (1400m) and Newmarket Dewhurst Stakes (1400m) at two.
Pinatubo, remember that name, returned as a 3yo to claim the prized G1 Prix Jean Prat (1400m) at Deauville and was runner-up in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes (1600m) at Royal Aacot and the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1600m).
“Lyn will keep the Pinatubo filly. She’s not going to the yearling sales next year,” Hanratty explained. “She’s the only filly after five colts from the mare. Melba Avenue missed last year and she’s going back to Gingerbread Man next month.”
Yarradale has been a hive of activity like every other stud around the nation. Foal-watch is on high-beam and Hanratty has welcomed several well-bred arrivals at Gidgegannup this month.
Among the early arrivals was a Playing God filly from Dainty Tess (War Chant) who won to Group 3 level in Perth and Adelaide. She arrived on the same night as a Splintex colt out of Electrifying Lady (Zoustar). He’s the first foal out of a mare representing a Group 1 North American family headlined by New York G1 Breeders Cup Juvenile (1700m) winner Stevie Wonderboy (Stephen Got Even)
Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) will stand at Yarradale for a $5,500 (inc GST) service fee this year. Stud manager Davy Hanratty can be contacted for bookings or further details on (08) 9574 6490 or 0429 326 904.