Snitzel filly a star for Perth Magic Millions

Thursday, 16 January 2014 - Eddie Rigg is full of anticipation for the Perth Magic Millions yearling sale with the businessman and racing entrepreneur confident his Geisel Park Stud will present its best ever draft next month.

In an interview with The West Australian newspaper journalist Robert Edwards this week, Rigg outlined the highlights of Geisel Park’s draft of 8 colts and 7 fillies to go up for auction. The stud will offer another two colts as agent.

One of the prized lots of Geisel’s draft is a striking filly (Lot 126) by boom sire Snitzel from the imported US mare New York Citi (Citidancer), a winner of 13 races and a half-sister to Iosilver (Silver Ghost), a winner of 9 races and a stakes placegetter.

Snitzel made a big impact at Saturday’s glamour Gold Coast meeting where his daughter Sweet Idea overcame a wide gate to win the $1 million MM Guineas (1400m).

Sweet Idea (ex Flidais by Timber Country) was purchased by trainer Gai Waterhouse and James Harron for $240,000. Waterhouse and Harron paid $200,000 for her full sister (Lot 399) at the MM sale last week.

Another daughter of Snitzel, Oakleigh Girl (ex Miss Kournikova by Mr. Greeley) finished runner-up to powerful colt Unencumbered in the $2 million MM 2YO Classic (1200m). Oakleigh Girl was a $400,000 purchase at last year’s Gold Coast sale.

Snitzel, with five crops of racing age, remains on top of the Australian sires’ list with prize money of $5.49 million and the 3YO Sires’ list with $3.56 million. “She is an absolutely cracking filly and the Snitzels are red hot,” Rigg said.

Geisel will also offer a colt (Lot 40) by Encosta De Lago from Dancing Pago, a filly (Lot 58) by Flying Spur from the USA mare Forest Flight, and a colt (Lot 147) by Choisir from R Brown Sugar (USA).

The bulk of Geisel’s offering will be by shuttle stallion War Chant, who stands at Yarradale Stud in Gidgegannup.

War Chant has a 69% winning strike-rate and has produced winners in 25 countries, including seven stakes-winning two-year-olds.

Snug Buggles (Jeune), a mare close to Rigg’s heart, will have her first foal, a colt (Lot 174) by War Chant, offered at the sale. “Snug Buggles was a very talented filly,” Rigg said. “We never got to see the best of her because she had a breathing problem.”

Old Spice mares are proven producers and Geisel has one of the few still at stud in Old Value. She has delivered a filly (Lot 128) by War Chant.

Old Value is a half-sister to La Trice Classic winner Elite Belle and Pinjarra Cup victor Battle Emblem and boasts the family of WA Guineas winner Clueless Angel, Mogul and Springtime Gold.

Rigg also has big expectations for a filly (Lot 177) by Musket from Steely Gaze (Metal Storm). The filly’s half-brother by Mungrup Stud’s Oratorio was sold to trainer Lindsey Smith for $120,000 last year.

“I think she is one of our best on type,” Rigg said. “Her half-brother is named Mr Motown and he is close to racing and he is being aimed at the MM 2YO Classic.

“Steely Gaze has produced Face Off (Helenus), who has claimed three wins in Singapore and she is a three-quarter sister to World Of Fun from the family of Moccasin Bend and Surrender To Me.”

Lot 143 is a colt by War Chant, from Point Me To It (Precise End). He boasts an international pedigree including French G2 winner Summer Trip, Japanese G2 winner Musheer and the G1-placed gallopers Al Nasrain and Tsurumaru Glamor.