Bruce and Vicki Edward established Durham Park in 2006 and in this year’s Nutrien Melbourne Yearling Sale they have a draft of 11 – five fillies, five colts and one gelding.
Three of the fillies are described by Bruce Edward as stunners and among the best yearlings he has ever presented for sale.
Coming from the Durham Park principal the remark carries more weight than usual as Durham Park has bred some of the best young horses seen in Australia in recent years.
Horses of the quality of Australian 2yo and 3yo Filly Pacer of the Year Petacular, Australian 3yo Colt Pacer of the Year Act Now, Auckland Cup winner Turn It Up, NSW Derby winner Ideal For Real, 4yo Vicbred Super Series winner Tam Major and Group One Bathurst Gold Chalice winner Idyllic to name but a handful.
Durham Park has been set up to ensure they have the best available bloodlines in Australia, the USA and New Zealand and the benefits of their business plan are plain to see.
The three fillies that Bruce Edward is particularly taken with this year are Lots 192, 246 and 305 and all three descend from mares that Durham Park imported from the USA.
Lot 192 is a filly by siring legend Bettors Delight from the Somebeachsomewhere mare Beach Garden p,1:52.9 $135,844. It is Beach Garden’s second foal and her first is a current 2yo.
Beach Garden was bred by Durham Park and transferred to a syndicate of owners created by the Ballarat Trotting Club and before she returned to her breeders at the conclusion of her racetrack career.
Her dam is the imported Garden Gate Tina whose five winners include the sub 1:50 winner Major Major p,1:49.8 $122,845 whose six starts since the beginning of December, all at Menangle, include three wins and three minor placings including a second last Saturday night.
Lot 246 is a filly by Downbytheseaside from the imported Western Ideal mare Ideal Priority which means that she is bred on an identical cross to USTA 3yo Colt Pacer of the Year Pebble Beach p,3,1:48.2 $1,720,875.
It also means that she is a three-quarter sister to the Australian 2yo and 3yo Filly Pacer of the Year Petacular p,3,1:55.6 $454,083 and Group One Bathurst Gold Chalice winner Idyllic p,3,1:52.9 $216,440.
That pair are by Downbytheseaside’s sire Somebeachsomewhere.
Lot 305 the third foal from the Group One placed 2yo Perfect Sense p,1:55.5 $143,530 and being by Bettors Delight, she is a full-sister to 2023 2yo winner Hy On A Hill p,2,1:58.8.
Perfect Sense is a daughter of the imported Western Ideal mare O Narutac Bella p,1:51.2 $154,536 which means she is a half-sister to the Auckland Cup and New Zealand Easter Cup winner Turn It Up p,1:51.8 $846,071 and to the dam of the 2023 Victoria Oaks winner Sweet Bella p,3,1:56.6 $220,200.
In addition to being first class racing prospect all three would make valuable broodmares when their race-track careers are finished.
Jaimie-Lee King is preparing the Durham Park yearlings and she would be happy to arrange pre-sale inspections of the three fillies mentioned above or any of the others in the Durham Park draft.
Jaimie-Lee can be contacted on 0498 123 791.
For full details and catalogued yearlings in the three remaining Nutrien Standardbred 2024 Yearling Sales, click here.
By Alan Parker