MM 2YO Classic hero Unencumbered is a 1/2 to Lot 47 (pic: Steve Hart)

It's said that timing is everything in racing. Whether that's preparing one to the minute, winning by a hair in the last stride or buying a mare for peanuts a weekend before a relative in the first dam suddenly appears in bold black type caps. Well, Lucas Bloodstock's 2018 Inglis Easter Draft is all timing. In spades.

Not that Snitzel required any additional accreditation, but the front-running victory of Estijaab in the recent Gr1 Golden Slipper was the final piece required for a sire with a CV already awash with sprint elitism: luminaries such as Australasia's current top seed sprinter Redzel, dual Gr1 winner and sire-elect Russian Revolution, Gr1 Cox Plate winner and sire Shamus Award, Gr1 Golden Rose winner Trapeze Artist, Gr1 winner and burgeoning sire superstar Sizzling. Snitzel's running total is a massive 145 stakes horses, 81 stakes winners, 48 Group winners and over $103 million in progeny earnings.

Lucas Bloodstock has 5 Snitzels in its 2018 Inglis Easter draft comprising 3 outstanding colts and 2 exceptional fillies. The Snitzel colt (Lot 28) is the second offering in a draft of 9 in total. He's from Zabeel mare Attractive. Rule number 1 - any yearling out of a Zabeel mare has a higher than average chance of top drawer racetrack success. And this Zabeel mare is a half-sister to Gr1 Goodwood Handicap winner Velocitea. It's also the family of Gr1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Orange County. Plus, the nick has produced 19 winners and 10% SW/R so far. The second colt (Lot 201) is from US Listed-winning mare Leinan, a half-sister to stakes-winning sprinters Willow Bunch and Natural Speed. This is the Australian family of Gr2 Alister Clark winner Pheidon. The final Snitzel colt is from another US bred mare in Miss Charming. A 1200m winner, she's a half-sister to prodigiously talented dual Gr1-winning / Breeder's Cup placed US filly Tout Charmant. 

The 2 Snitzel fillies in the Lucas Bloodstock Draft hold equally as much appeal, and serious residual upside. Lot 73 is from Listed-winning Red Ransom mare Cinq Rouge. She's already produced Gr3 runner-up Maysoor from only two foals to race and springs from the family of Gr1 Australian Guineas winner Mr Murphy and Gr2 Apollo Stakes winner Alma's Fury. Meanwhile the second Snitzel filly is from Smart Strike mare Vintage Strike (also US-Bred), a half-sister to both Gr2 Louisiana Derby winner Friesan Fire and talented Gr2 Sandown Guineas-winning colt Villermont. The family has serious depth and traces to Gr1 Golden Slipper winner Bint Marscay, dam of Gr1 Coolmore Classic winner Bollinger and Gr3 Blue Diamond Prelude winner Mannington.  

This draft just does not have a weak point. Lot 47 opens it and is the Fastnet Rock colt from the stakes winning More Than Ready mare Blizzardly. That makes him a half-brother to Gold Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner and ill-fated sire Unencumbered. This cross stands at 17 winners from18 runners at 16% W/R. 

Lot 87 is by rampaging 2YO-producing sire I Am Invincible from Anabaa mare mare Dash On Ruby. Put Anabaa in the same excel column as Zabeel for broodmare potency. This filly is a half-sister to the Champion South African 2YO of 2013-14 and Gr1 Greyville Premier's Stakes winner Harry's Son. It's also the family of Gr1 Australasian Oaks winner Miss Clipper and her Champion South African Sprinting Filly Ruby Clipper.

The good times roll on with Lot 129, by triple Australian Champion Sire Redoute's Choice from More Than Ready mare Feels Like Home. This is the first foal of this stakes-winning mare who's a daughter of Listed Canonbury Stakes winner Danehill Smile.

The draft rounds out just as it started - classily. Lot 435 is by Medaglia d'Oro from Street Sense mare Watchful Eyes, a half-sister to both Gr3 C S Hayes-Stakes placed gelding Cavalier Bay and stakes-placed French colt Forum Magnum. The family traces to the Nacres branch of the flashy My Flashing Star, an early 2YO who took out a Gr3 Blue Diamond Prelude.