3 minute read

Greg Hickman goes all the way for colt by Capitalist

Newgate Farm's first-season sire sensation Capitalist (Written Tycoon) was handed his best result in a sales ring on Tuesday, as trainer Greg Hickman went to $1,050,000 - the highest price ever paid for a yearling by the sire. 

Catalogued as Lot 222 and offered by Yarraman Park, the colt is the fourth and final foal out of the Listed-winning mare Bonnie Mac (Thorn Park), who died last May. 

The daughter of Thorn Park (Spinning World) is the dam of 2019 Coolmore Stud Stakes (registered as Ascot Vale Stakes) (Gr 1, 1200m) winner and now Vinery Stud-based sire Exceedance (Exceed And Excel), while the pedigree received another significant update recently when her second foal Oxley Road (Exceed And Excel) landed the Zeditave Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Caulfield on February 20. 

Bonnie Mac was purchased by Allam Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock for $375,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale when carrying this foal in utero and she is herself is a daughter of Listed-placed Gold Class (Gold Brose), making her a half-sister to Group 3-winning pair Upham (Mastercraftsman) and Intimate Moment (Dubawi) as well as Listed winner Gold Run (Golan). 

Capitalist has made a sensational start to his career as a stallion, siring eight winners headed by stakes winner Profiteer and Yarraman Park's farm manager Matt Scown told Racing & Sports Bloodstock, that when you coupled the last foal out of a high-class broodmare and a stallion who is in great form, one can always expect a good result. 

"Capitalist is doing a sensational job at stud and this was the last foal out of Bonnie Mac and this is the last chance anyone would get to buy one out of the mare," said Scown. 

"He kept getting better and better and you couldn't fault him really. He was a good moving Capitalist and he was sharp and he deserved to make every dollar.

"It really is the perfect time to sell a Capitalist out of a brilliant mare and she has done a great job and he was a lovely horse, so it was a bit of a no-brainer really."

Hickman said he was over the moon to secure the colt and hoped he could prove to be as good as his famous half-brother. 

"He was a very athletic horse and he will only get better with time and being a half to Exceedance is a huge positive," Hickman said. "We bought him for a group of owners, we still have to find a few more and we have a few in mind. 

"He was a really nice horse and I thought Exceedance could have been anything as a younger horse and lets hope he goes the right way."

Before Tuesday’s sale, the most paid for a yearling by the son of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) was $975,000, which James Harron paid for a colt out of Golconda (Snitzel) at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier in the year. 

During the first session, Capitalist had four lots sell for a total receipts of $1,590,000 at an average of $397,500.