Medhurst’s draft brings proven South Australian Bloodlines to APG Adelaide Sale

South East breeder-owner Peter Medhurst, one of South Australia’s most successful participants in the breeding and ownership ranks, will present a three-strong draft at the Australian Pacing Gold Adelaide Yearling Sale.

All three yearlings are being prepared for the March 29 sale at Gawler Harness Racing Club by leading horsewoman Samantha Hill.

Lot 509 is a filly by emerging sire Stay Hungry from the outstanding racemare Purple Royale. The first four dams of this filly were all above-average performers and collectively have produced 26 foals, 21 winners, 12 with mile records better than 2:00 and four earners of more than $100,000.

Purple Royale herself was a high-class performer, winning 26 races—including eight at Albion Park—and $131,091 in stakes, taking a mile mark of 1:53.1. At stud she has already produced several winners, including My Purple Patch (7 wins), the promising three-year-old Dark And Hansome, who scored as a two-year-old, and Purple Kaida.

The grand-dam Indigo Rose was a 10-race winner and the dam of five winners headed by Big Bruce (1:54.6), the winner of 16 races and $80,116 in stakes.

Further back, the third dam Catch A Bouquet won 11 races and left five winners, including Devil Fish (1:57.4), Burston Holme (1:57.6) and Mibestcatch (1:58.3). Another daughter, Towelling, produced a trio of outstanding performers in Bee Gee’s Bandit (1:53.8, $128,180), Royal Jacquard (1:53.5) and Maffioso Girl (1:56.2).

The fourth dam is Medhurst’s foundation mare Roses In Paris, a top racemare and Moonee Valley winner who established the family’s reputation. She produced 12 winners—five inside 2:00—including the SA Oaks and triple Southern Cross champion Thorninmyside, Southern Cross and Golden Nursery winner King Grin and Pete’s Elect (1:51.6). She also became the grand-dam of Southern Cross and Breeders Plate winner Forty Seven Flash and the talented Jax Navaro.

The pedigree of  Purple Royale also features a strong influence of Direct Scooter, with notable strains of U Scott appearing in the material background.

Lot 507 is a filly by champion sire Art Major from the winning McArdle mare Princess Fiona NZ. She is the dam of four winners, including the talented No Notthebuttons, winner of the Southern Cross Final at two and the Vicbred Super Series Silver at three, along with the promising three-year-old filly Centerfold Star, already a five-time winner.

This filly hails from a strong New Zealand family that includes outstanding fillies Oaxaca Lass and Millwood Nike, the latter crowned New Zealand’s 2YO and 3YO Pacing Filly of the Year. The lineage has also produced the five-time Group winner Alberto Contador and Be Good Johnny Sprint victor Mattgregor.

Lot 516 completes Medhurst’s draft and is a colt by Stay Hungry from the six-time winning mare Crown Royale. He is the second foal from the mare and represents a continuation of the long-standing Medhurst family.

The colt traces back to 1989 when Medhurst purchased a filly by Kentuck from Rutherglen hobby breeder Graeme Gourley. That filly became the foundation mare Roses In Paris.

The colt’s second dam is the Falcon Seelster mare Crown of Thorns, a three-time winner and a 100 percent producer with four winners from four foals of racing age, including Crowning Glory (21 wins), the Group 1 placed Partatthebeach (six wins) and the twice successful Little Tiara.

His third dam is the outstanding Thorninmyside, who captured the Southern Cross Finals at two, three and four, along with the Group 1 SA Oaks. She produced nine winners from 10 live foals, headed by the 19-race winner Jax Navaro.

Completing the pedigree once again is the influential foundation mare Roses In Paris, whose legacy continues to shape one of South Australia’s most enduring harness racing families.

by Gary Newton for Harnesslink