Mac attack at Sale

Sunday, 22 January 2017 - Visiting English apprentice Paddy Pilley has signed off a three-month riding stint in Australia with a skinner for bookies on Warrigal Mac at Sale.

Warrigal Mac (3g All American - West Love by Zedrich) had been beaten a dozen lengths on debut after leading at Bairnsdale before Xmas. He pushed up from an inside gate again on Sunday and never relinquished a length advantage in the Programmed Property Hcp (1100m).

“He was green the whole way and kept boring into the horse on our outside,” Pilley said after landing the $61 longshot. “And he only did enough to win. I think he’s going to be a proper horse once he cops on to this game.”

Geisel Park sire All American got his latest maiden winner from a mare with strong connections to Perth. His dam West Love was a precocious filly if ever there was one for trainer Neville Parnham.

He bought West Love for $5,000 at the 2004 Perth Autumn Magic Millions yearling sale and, by Boxing Day, she had already won four juvenile races including the Listed Crystal Slipper Stakes.

Subsequently catalogued twice for sale as a broodmare, she is currently owned by leading Victorian breeder Kevin Heffernan and foaled another All American colt in August.

Warrigal Mac has been handled patiently after selling for $18,000 as a foal at the 2014 Melbourne Great Southern Sale. His trainer Reg Manning comes from a racing family going back four generations in Victoria’s high-country – he won the Hinnomunjie Cup as an amateur jockey 17 times!

Australia’s Top 50 sires’ premiership this season includes just five stallions who retired to stud in 2010. I Am Invincible is the overall leader with earnings of $6.61 million and he is followed by Nicconi, Denman, Manhattan Rain and All American.