Lot 93 is closely related to Gr1 winner Hurtle Myrtle (pic: Steve Hart)

A fully irrigated, 70-acre jewel in the heart of the Hunter Valley, Fernrigg Farm is very much an exciting new player at the 2018 Magic Millions. With a quality draft of 13 yearlings on offer, the team will be aiming to add to the swathe of elite racehorses to have already graced the property. Among them are recent big ticket names like dual Gr1 winner Yankee Rose and Gr3 winner Acatour.

The draft opens with a metaphorical bang (Lot 93) with a filly by highly touted freshman yearling sire Shooting To Win, winner of the sire-making Gr1 Caulfield Guineas. This girl is from Royal Academy mare Miss Fidler, a three-quarter-sister to Listed winner Whisper Bay and a half-sister to Gr1 Myer Classic winner Hurtle Myrtle. It’s a lovely family that traces to Gr1 Golden Slipper winner Star Watch.

Just over 100 lots later (Lot 198) is the colt by Champion Australian Sire (and elite 2YO production machine) Exceed and Excel from stakes-placed French mare Procrastination. This is a hot family, with second dam Dilly Dally a winner of the Gr2 TJ Smith Stakes and placed in the Gr1 Manikato Stakes, while just down the page is Gr2 Sweet Embrace winner Millrich and Australia’s current leading sprinter Redzel.

Lot 382 is next, and one of 3 by freshman yearling sire and Australian Horse of the Year Dissident in the Fernrigg Farm draft. He’s an athletic colt from VRC Matriarch Stakes-placed Encosta de Lago mare Terrenora, who is already proven as dam of WA stakes winner Rebel Call. Lot 670 is another Dissident colt, this time from Exceed and Excel mare Djinda, a half-sister to stakes-winner Litter and stakes-placed South African gelding Golden Oasis. The third Dissident in this impressive draft is the filly from Snippets mare Quipster. A winner at 1200m, her Zizou 2YO Everage was one of the better 2YOs of her year with a Listed victory and third in the Gr3 Kindergarten Stakes. This is a precocious family with second dam Funster by outstanding 2YO sire / broodmare sire, the late Rory’s Jester.

Regally bred Rubick is another freshman yearling sire to feature in the diverse Fernrigg draft. Lot 408 is from Flying Spur mare Tuscan Haze. For a contemporary reference, look no further than second dam Halibery, the smashing Red Ransom filly who took the Gr2 Schillaci Stakes, Gr3 Blue Diamond Prelude and was runner up the Gr1 Blue Diamond. Surely this filly will be back at the Gold Coast in 12 months’ time for the $2 million scamper.

Another freshman yearling sire to impact this draft is Lot 565, the filly by Gr1 Australian Guineas winner Wandjina (and son of sire phenomenon Snitzel) from Bright Heart. With only two to race, the dam has already produced stakes-placed Brisbane gelding Volpino.

Lot 510, the colt by the Leading Australian First Season Sire of 2014-2015 Hinchinbrook, appears on paper to have significant distance scope. The first foal of a winning Shamardal mare, her grand-dam, by outstanding distaff sire Anabaa, is Listed Tasmanian Oaks-winning mare Marchelle Belle. The pedigree also tracks to South African Champion Male Stayer Global Legend.

Lot 512 is the colt by Gr1 Golden Slipper winner and outstanding sire Sebring from Not A Single Doubt mare Arrowette, a half-sister to Gr1 Coolmore Stakes runner-up Jersey Lily. It’s the gifted family of Gr1 Oakleigh Plate runner-up and Gr1 Golden Slipper third Paklani (third dam), together with stakes winners Real Mak, Octavia, Stellite, Zirconeum and King Neptune. A must for inspection!

The colt by Smart Missile (Lot 657) is also sure to have many admirers. He’s from Listed-producing GB mare Dazzledar. Second dam Razzle is a sister to breed-shaping Danehill and stakes-winning full relations Eagle Eyed, Shibboleth and Harpia. The top of the page has also had some recent black-type additions with South African import Kinaan running second in the Listed Java Handicap at Vaal in early November before taking the Listed Kenilworth Cup in Cape Town a fortnight later. This family is both progressive and boasts the purplest of purple Danehill branch.

The Fernrigg Farm draft also includes two offerings by Gr1 Coolmore Stakes winner Star Witness. Lot 671 is a gorgeous filly from Snitzel mare Dollhouse, a half-sister to Gr2 Schillaci Stakes winner Unpretentious. This is a tough, speedy family that includes leading Perth-based sprinter Rock Magic and Gr1 Caulfield Guineas winner Chortle. The second Star Witness (Lot 853) is from Galileo mare Just Incredible. Her only one to race, Rock With You, is already a winner, while second dam Mona Lisa had the class to run second in the Gr1 Prix de l’Opera at Longchamps, third in an Irish Oaks and Coronation Stakes and fourth in an Ascot Fillies Mile. This is the prolific UK family of Colorspin and, as families go, they don’t come much more sought-after.