Lot 134 is from the family of Gr1 hero Pride of Dubai (pic: Steve Hart)

A relatively new player in the bloodstock market is the Mornington Peninsula-based boutique nursery, Two Bays Farm. A near 200-acre, purpose-built facility, it’s rich in fertile soils, undulating pastures and a temperate climate perfect for thoroughbred development.

Two Bays’ 2018 Classic Draft encapsulates their mantra, “to produce tough, durable, athletic yearlings with great pedigrees.”

It’s a classy draft of 5 that opens with a colt (Lot 134) by first crop yearling sire Toronado from Giant’s Causeway mare Spring Falls. Equal Champion Miler in the UK in 2013, Toronado won both the Gr1 Royal Anne Stakes and Gr1 Sussex Stakes. This is a progressive family. Not only has the dam already produced stakes-placed filly Mariah’s Magic but the 2^nd dam is a sister to Listed winner Hillfa (dam of Listed winner Walk With Attitude). It’s also the family of Gr1 Blue Diamond winner and young sire Pride of Dubai. In terms of progressiveness, the family also added Gr2 Eight Classic winner Countessa Vanessa in late December as well as Gr3 runner-up Astor.

Next up is Lot 220, the colt by Cornerstone Stud’s impressive import Zebedee, sire of upwards of 191 winners including Gr2 winner Magical Memory. With his oldest Southern Hemisphere progeny only yearlings he’s an exciting option for buyers. Especially when this Lot is from a Fastnet Rock mare who is dam of the emerging metro winner Lady Seabring. This is a nicely balanced family hinting at both precocity and middle-distance stamina, and includes stakes performers like McFly (who won from 1000m – 1307m) and his half-brother McCloud (who won four from 1950m – 3000m).

From the bottom of the sire alphabet to the top, and the colt (Lot 650) by another first crop yearling sire in Adelaide (by sire goliath Galileo), brilliant winner of the Gr1 Cox Plate. This colt is from Halling mare Twin Town. Interestingly, when Galileo has been crossed with Halling mares he has the imposing record of 5 winners from only 7 runners with 2 SW. The dam herself has already had 6 runners for 4 winners and traces to 3^rd dam Modena and her elite siblings Reams of Verse (Champion 2YO Filly in GB) and Elmaamul (Champion 3YO Colt in Ireland).

The attractions continue with Lot 685, another colt, this time by Gr1 producing stallion Helmet (by Exceed and Excel) from Fusaichi Pegasus mare Chandelier, dam of SP Farolitos. Look no further than the 2^nd dam here and Gr1 winner Sydney’s Dream, dam of Gr1 winner and successful sire Charge Forward. Speaking of Charge Forward, the last lot in the Two Bays exciting boutique draft is by him. The final of 5 colts is from Iffrajj’s SP mare Glade. It’s a winning family (2^nd dam 3 from 4; 3^rd dam 8 from 11). And the 2^nd dam Eden is a three-quarter-sister to Gr1 Coolmore Classic winning mare Chlorophyll.