Oakland Park Stud has topped the Perth Magic Millions several times in the last decade and owner Neville Duncan has catalogued another outstanding draft for the 2010 sale beginning January 27.
Duncan would be the most successful breeder in Western Australia in recent years. Cox Plate hero Northerly put his stud on the map and since then gallopers the calibre of Marasco, Grand Nirvana, Roman Time, Covertly, Shirazamatazz and North Boy have emerged from the gold mine that is Oakland Park.
Duncan was named WA Breeder of the Year in 2002, 2003 and 2008 and finishes in the top three year after year. “At the end of the day, all we are trying to do is breed winners regardless of what anyone else thinks,” Duncan said. “Some of them may not have fashionable pedigrees, but all that counts is how they perform on the track.”
Highlights of Oakland Park’s 2010 consignment are the half brother to G1 winning mare Covertly (Lot 163) and the half sister to Scenic gelding Marasco (Lot 387). Both are by successful sire Key Business (Success Express).
“The half brother to Covertly is a fantastic type and I’m expecting a fair amount of interest in her,” Duncan predicted. “I have a regard for Key Business and sent five of my top mares to him this year.”
Lot 163 is also a half-brother to So Secret who stands with Key Business at Robbie Gray’s Rangeview Stud in Bullsbrook.
“The half sister to Marasco is a cracking type. She is nice and very much in the mould of Marasco and is hard to not see her performing on the track.”
Duncan revealed Marasco is recovering well from minor surgery on his knees and is expected back in the autumn. “He had some bone-chips removed and is enjoying a good spell at the moment,” Duncan said. “He should be back in Melbourne over the autumn and Fred (Kersley) has a few races picked out for him.”
Duncan has also tapped into the cream of Eastern States sirelines and will offer two yearlings by Champion 2yo stallion More Than Ready.
The More Than Ready filly (Lot 1) from Bletchley Park mare Ebony Magic is closely related to Covertly. “She is very much in the sprinting mould and has a superb action. The dam’s sister Most Secret was the top filly of her generation here in Perth and it’s a great female family. Ebony Magic herself was a two year-old stakes winner.”
The other More Than Ready (Lot 429) is a half sister to G1 Sydney Cup winner No Wine No Song (Song of Tara). “She’s built like him and has a back-end to match.”
Other standouts from the Oakland Park draft include a half brother to Listed Beaufine Stakes winner Ma Ma Machine (Lot 135). He by promising Kitchwin Hills stallion Dane Shadow who has sired 12 winners from his first crop led by Randwick Group winner Shellscrape (AJC San Domenico & Roman Consul Stakes).
Another Oakland Park entrant who could have a significant catalogue update in the weeks ahead is the Blackfriars filly out of Gran Bella (Lot 43). Her dam is a half-sister to Grand Nirvana who ran a gallant fourth in the G1 Railway Stakes.
“Grand Nirvana pulled up well after the Railway and we will press on to the Kingston Town Stakes,” Duncan said. “He’s a genuine Group 1 horse and I wouldn’t mind a few more like him. He’s a son of Scenic so a Group 1 would increase his stud value.”
Rounding out the Oakland Park draft is a half sister to last-start Ascot winner Margaret Street (Ihtiram). The filly (Lot 42) is by Lynward Park champion Bletchley Park and is a half-sister to Sydney black type performer Boncoeur.
Oakland Park is home to former Woodlands sire Viscount. His latest star is Darley gelding Kidnapped who completed a hat-trick of black-type wins in the G2 Sandown Guineas on November 14.
Viscount is in the Top 30 in Australia this season and he’s the leading active sire in West Australia.