Aussie Rules Family is Flavour of the Moment
5th October 2007
As a dual Group One winning son of champion sire Danehill, there is a lot to like about Coolmore new recruit Aussie Rules, who is serving his first Australian book of mares this spring.Delayed in quarantine at Eastern Creek, Aussie Rules made a belated arrival to headquarters at Jerry’s Plains and has since proven popular, but breeders unsure of his merits need look no further than results from the Goffs Million Yearling Sale in Ireland during the week.
Setting the sale ring alight was a glorious grey filly by Sadler’s Wells from Albanova that made a whopping 2.4 million euros in becoming the most expensive yearling sold in Europe for the last five years.
Triple Group One winner Albanova is from stakes-winner Alouette, a half-sister to Group Two winner Last Second, the dam of Aussie Rules.
The record priced filly was secured by renowned Irish bloodstock agent Demi O’Byrne, who made the following comments.
“What can you say about her? She's by a world class sire who is still the best around and she comes from one of the very best families. There's not much more you can say about a filly like this,” he said.
Last year the Goffs Millions Yearling Sale was also topped by a youngster from this very same family, when a Sadler’s Wells filly from Alakananda (half-sister to Albanova) made 2 million euros to the bid of Barouche Stud.
London based agent Charlie Gordon-Watson is also enamoured of the family going to 600,000 euros on the third day of trade to secure a colt by Indian Ridge from Alleluia, a Group Three winning half-sister to the dam of Aussie Rules.
To say this family is valued at a premium in Europe would be an understatement and Australian breeders are fortunate to be gaining access to what is one of the finest active female families in the world.
A glance down the pedigree page of the sale-topping filly from Albanova reveals a treasure trove of talented performers, the majority having won as juveniles and then trained on to further glory.
This is a fast maturing family with scope for classic success and Aussie Rules is very typical of the breed and true to his bloodlines.
At $22,000, Aussie Rules is value and even more importantly is still available.
