Yarradale Stud has another Guineas in its sights now that Sky Muster has earned a ballot-free entry into the $70,000 Darwin Guineas (1600m) on July 8.
Sky Muster won the MGA Insurance Brokers Hcp (1300m) at Fannie Bay on Saturday to qualify for the Darwin Guineas in a fortnight. It’s the first leg of the NT Triple Crown which carries a bonus of $100,000.
He’s trained by Gary Clarke for pastoralist Viv Oldfield and had won on debut at Geelong for Team Hawkes before transferring to the Top End. The latest victory came a couple of hours before Variation, a son of Yarradale sire War Chant (USA), completed a record-breaking double in the G2 WA Guineas & LR Belmont Guineas.
Sky Muster (Equiano) was bred by Yarradale owner Ron Sayers in partnership with Swettenham’s Adam Sangster. His dam Lanesborough (Redoute’s Choice) is a three-quarter sister to Blackfriars.
Sayers retained his yearling half-sister by boom sire Written Tycoon whose service fee has since risen from $13,750 to $88,000. The filly has been broken-in and will be trained by Danny Morton.
Yarradale started Saturday with War Chant’s under-the-radar winner Pretentious Chant. That Belmont victory boosted his bank-balance to $140,000 for part-owner and trainer Gavin Foster.
Pretentious Chant made $55,000 out of Yarradale’s consignment at the 2014 Perth Magic Millions. His dam Pretentious (Towkay) is related to Ballroom Babe, a Group 1 winning daughter of former Yarradale sire Citidancer.
War Chant leads Yarradale Stud’s roster at an $11,000 (inc gst) fee while Bradbury’s Luck, Gingerbread Man, City Place (USA), Heritage and Vital Equine (Rosalee Park) are all available for $4,400 (inc gst).