RWWA scheduled 11 meetings in the 10 days between December 23 and January 1 making it busier than usual for the industry during the holiday break.

Yarradale Stud, as usual, was a factor from start to finish at Ascot.  On the Saturday before Christmas, Champion resident War Chant (USA) sired Civvy Street to win the Westspeed Platinum Mile (1600m).  And Yarradale-bred graduate Stormchaser closed the New Year’s Day meeting with a flying finish in the Schweppes Hcp (1200m).

The Yarradale effect was evident as far afield as Victoria’s Western Districts on New Year’s Day when Hooah Havana and Starwisp completed a running double at Terang.

Hooah Havana (War Chant) won the Peter Blank Sprint (1125m) as a short-priced favourite for trainer Lindsey Smith.  He was bred by Capel trainer Ross Price and graduated out of the Alwyn Park draft (as agent) for $27,500 at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions.

He was sent east with Smith after being runner-up in all three of his starts at Northam.  Price has his Ducimus half-brother catalogued as Lot 288 at the Perth Magic Millions in February.

Starwisp won the Kevin Smith Memorial (1600m) for Team Corstens.  He’s a son of Zoustar from Yarradale-bred mare Girl In Flight (Commands) who won a G3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) at Morphettville in 2014.

Yarradale has catalogued 24 yearling for the Perth Magic Millions including three colts and a filly by War Chant (USA).  Another filly with recent pedigree updates is the chestnut daughter of Earthlight (Ire) from G3 Gimcrack Stakes winner Chantski (War Chant).

Catalogued as Lot 35, her older half-brother Stormchaser (Impending) was a last-to-first winner on the Perth Cup card just 24hrs after another half-brother Torpedoman (Street Boss) carried Yarradale’s colours to a front-running victory in the Cuprum Distillery Maiden (1116m) at Bunbury.

Yarradale had also doubled up at Pinjarra’s popular Boxing Day meeting with talented 3yo fillies Tawkin’ Jibberish (Ducimus) and Guarding Heaven (Safeguard).

Tawkin’ Jibberish is a stablemate of Stormchaser with trainer Luke Fernie and she looked the genuine article with a game victory on debut in the James Squire Maiden (1000m).  Fernie paid $50,000 for Stormchaser at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions and has already banked over $200,000.

Tawkin’ Jibberish might turn out an even bigger bargain after being pinched for $8,000 a few months later the Magic Millions Winter Sale.

Guarding Heaven was courage personified for Brad Parnham at Pinjarra winning the SBS Computers Hcp (1409m) just two days after being run down a neck by I Dreamed A Dream (Oratorio) at Belmont.  Yarradale owner Lyn Sayers manages the tough filly in a partnership that includes Brad’s wife Sarah.

Guarding Heaven has been rewarding them consistently since graduating from Dawson Stud for $60,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions.  She’s a favourite around Ryan Hill’s stables at Keysbrook where, coincidentally, her nickname is Lyn.