Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Less than a week after winning another leading vendor title at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Arrowfield Stud were on Monday celebrating the victories of a couple of talented 2-year-olds.
Twenty minutes after the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Namesake - a son of Arrowfield Stud’s star shuttle sire Maurice (Jpn) - won stylishly at Warwick Farm on debut, Chill The Krug broke the ice in comfortable fashion at Sandown-Lakeside.
The latter is a daughter of Shalaa (Ire), who is a resident at Arrowfield Stud.
Namesake as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Namesake made $100,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale when consigned by Arrowfield Stud. The chestnut colt was bought by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock.
He is a son of the winning Redoute’s Choice mare Banksia and she herself is a half-sister to the Group 1 winner and Group 1-producing sire Foxwedge, as well as the Listed scorer She’s A Fox (Fastnet Rock) and the stakes performer Paulownia (Fastnet Rock).
“It was nice to see the Maurice win and then Chill The Krug afterwards,” Arrowfield Stud’s Bloodstock Manager, Jon Freyer, told TDN AusNZ.
“It was nice to see the Maurice (Namesake) win and then Chill The Krug afterwards.” - Jon Freyer
“Namesake was very genuine and it’s a good result for them (the colt’s owners).”
Namesake proved too good in the run to the line for the Chris Waller-trained Matusalem - a colt by The Autumn Sun that was on debut. He was bred and is part-owned by Arrowfield Stud.
“He’s got a big future ahead of him and Chris has been a huge rap for him all the way through,” Freyer said.
“From four or five months ago, he had in mind to set him for the (G1) JJ Atkins (at Eagle Farm on June 10), so I guess that will be the direction he heads from here.
Jon Freyer | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He’s such a beautiful horse and he’s a half to Kenedna and Spill The Beans, so he will get over a bit of ground.”
Namesake becomes Maurice’s third individual 2-year-old winner this season (he is also the leading third-season sire), while Shalaa has five, following Chill The Krug’s triumph.
“He (Maurice) had another Group 1 winner in Japan… Jack D'Or looks a top-liner and he ran amazing time in that race, so it’s good,” Freyer explained.
Maurice (Jpn) | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Chill The Krug, who was bred by Arrowfield Stud and Planette Thoroughbred, realised $130,000 at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. She was consigned by Kulani Park and knocked down to Merricks Station / Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) for $130,000.
Third behind Chill The Krug was another of The Autumn Sun’s progeny - Alectrona - who was on debut for Tony and Calvin McEvoy.
Chill The Krug is out of the Ballarat winner and Group 3 placegetter Earth Angel (Animal Kingdom {USA}) and she herself is a daughter of the great Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice) - a winner of five Group 1s.
A half-sister to the Group 1 victress Stay With Me (Street Cry {Ire}), Earth Angel had a Written Tycoon colt (Lot 110) fetch $200,000 at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Stay With Me had a Dundeel (NZ) colt (Lot 384), while Miss Finland’s Castelvecchio colt (Lot 239) realised $280,000.
“It has been a great family for us and it’s only going to get better and better, I’m sure,” said Freyer.
