Steven Scaglia reflects on a Mapperley’s 2021 NZB Ready To Run sale Draft   

10 November 2021

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Continuing their commitment to providing first-class service to clients and buyers alike, Mapperley once again presents a carefully curated draft at the NZB Ready To Run Sale. The Impact speaks with Steven Scaglia, Business Development Manager at Mapperley ahead of the virtual event to understand more about their draft. 

 

Q: You have an impressive draft of four quality horses going into the sale. Please tell us what makes these horses special? 

A: We have carefully selected our boutique draft this year, which features four strong 2YOs. 

Lot 7 Complacent – Thyme: He’s a very attractive colt, he’s a beautiful dark colour and has a great presence about him. He has really come on over the last few months and he is looking fantastic leading into the sale. His sire Complacent is producing some nice staying types and I think he will be the type that will get going over a mile and be a horse that will be at his best over 2000m. 

This is a relevant family in Hong Kong at the moment, Thyme is a half-sister to Gr.2 winner Rattan, who has also placed twice at Gr.1 Level. He is also from the same family as stakes winners Her Royal Highness, Kingsguard and Sweet Cheeks. 

Lot 130 Contributer – Glamazon: She’s a well-put-together filly that looks like she could get up as a late 2YO and be ready for the spring classics at 3. We sold her full brother at this sale last year and I think this filly is a nicer type. Obviously, Contributer has had a wonderful year siring the Gr.1 Randwick Guineas winner in Lion’s Roar and Gr.2 winning filly Llanacord, so we expect this filly to gather plenty of attention at the sale. 

She is out of a Pins mare, who was multiple winners over sprint distances and her grand dam won 9 races over 1200-1400. From a family with a good speed influence, we are confident she has the right genetic make-up to be a strong miler. 

Lot 269 Contributer – Rock Rose: We really like this filly, she is a striking individual and has a lot of elegance to her. She’s a good-sized filly with great action as you can see in her breeze up. She ran a slick breeze up time of 10.94 on the 2nd day, there had been a lot of rain overnight and they were running into a strong headwind which made her effort even more impressive. 

I think this filly can be a real classic mile type, and whoever buys her should have their sights on the 1000 Guineas as a 3-year-old. Her grand dam Clear Rose was a winner of Gr.1 1000 Guineas and the top filly of her generation, so hopefully, this Contributer filly can follow in her footsteps.  

Lot 296 Contributer – Sharp Proposition: This is a filly that has flown under the radar a bit, she’s only a medium-sized filly but she breezed up very sharply and has a beautiful efficient action. I liked the way she conducted herself during the breeze ups and I think she still has tremendous improvement in her.   

She is bred to be at her best over a mile but I think she could pleasantly surprise and be a bit sharper than that but time will tell. She is the first foal out of the mare Sharp Proposition who is a half-sister to the Gr.1 Easter Handicap winner Sound Proposition who won 6 races and was competitive at stakes level in Australia. 

Q: Please tell us about some of your biggest sales successes from this event in the past?

A: We only take a small draft up to the Ready to Run sales every year but we sold a very nice Contributer colt out of our stakes producing mare Bella Carolina last year. He sold for NZ$150,000 to Mark Newnham in Sydney and by all the feedback we have received, he looks like a very nice horse in the making. 

Q: How did your horses perform during the breeze-ups? 

A: Our horses did a wonderful job at the breeze up last week. They were presented sensationally well and we must thank Ohukia Lodge and Cody Cole Racing for doing such a great job with them. They are back on the farm now and all look in great order going forward to the sale. 

Q: Please tell us about you’re the biggest racetrack successes of your top graduates.

A: We have had a number of group 1 winners come off our farm, but So You Think has always been the one that really stands out. A 10-time Gr.1 winner, he won the Cox Plate as a 3YO and a 4YO and won multiple Gr.1 in both hemispheres. Dundeel is another one of the famous rolling hills of Mapperley, A champion 3YO in Australia he won six Gr.1 races and more recently Brutal a winner of the Gr.1 Doncaster Handicap. We are very proud of the fact that all 3 of these horses stand at stud in the Hunter Valley, the leading breeding region in Australasia.  

Q: Please tell us about your favourite racehorse and stallion and why?

A:  Contributer, our resident stallion at Mapperley would have to be on the top of the list. He was crowned Champion Australian Miler and his wins at Group One level were super impressive beating the best WFA horses in Australia. 

As a farm, we have had so much success with sons of High Chaparral, and we are thrilled to have one of his best sons standing at Mapperley. 

Contributer’s eldest have only just turned 4 and watching his first crop of 3YOs perform so well on the track brought so much joy to everyone at the stud. 