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Victorian Alliance, Hedge and Redvers go to $1 million to secure Widden-consigned yearling.

After enjoying a wonderful day during the first session at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Widden Stud continued their good run of results on the second day as they offered a colt by their resident stallion Zoustar (Northern Meteor) who was purchased by Victorian Alliance, Suman Hedge and David Redvers for a cool $1,000,000. The yearling becomes the fifth by the sire to sell for seven figures.

Catalogued as Lot 332, the colt is out of Group 3 winner Fuddle Dee Duddle (Red Ransom), who was herself purchased for Seamus Mills and Longwood Thoroughbred Farm for $230,000 at this year's Inglis Chairman's Sale. 

Fuddle Dee Duddle herself is half-sister to Hallowell Belle (Starcraft), who landed the Gilgai Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) in 2012, while she is also a half-sister to the dam of Group 3 winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai). 

Further back this is the same family as Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winners In Top Swing (Beautiful Crown) and Listed winner Enchanted Angel (Rory's Jester). 

Hedge's association with Zoustar goes back to when he purchased him for Iskander Racing Services for $140,000 at the 2012 edition of the Gold Coast sale and he told Racing & Sports Bloodstock that this particular colt reminded him of his father. 

"He was just so reminiscent of his sire, having bought the horse and being fairly familiar with his progeny and we were looking for those qualities here," said Hedge. "He was just head and shoulders above any of the others we have looked at and we just prioritized him. He is a horse that has got such good movement, his hind action is almost identical to his sire. 

"He has a very similar type of presence about him and quality in the head and coming off a really good farm. We have a lot of respect for Widden and they are always breeding good horses. For us he ticked a lot of boxes and with his pedigree as well it was exactly what we were looking for."

The Victorian Alliance is the brainchild of Rosemont's Ryan McEvoy, Hedge and David Redvers and Hedge said they have worked on things together for a number of years and he is enjoying the new allegiance they have formed for this new venture. 

"It has been bought by the Victorian Alliance, which is a new group and Rosemont Stud are primarily the backers of this, but there is also a group of high level business men from Victoria who have got involved," said Hedge. 

"The plan is to target colts throughout the year and through Magic Millions, Melbourne Premier Sale and Easter and hopefully try to secure colts through the year. 

"It is Ryan McEvoy from Rosemont, myself and David Redvers who are working together on this and we have a good relationship and have worked on a number of different things over the years, so there is a lot of harmony in what we are looking for."

Hedge said that given the strength of the market, they had to re-evaluate how much they were willing to spend to take home the colts they wanted. 

"When we first got here we had a plan and how much we wanted to spend, but since being here we have had to re-adjust that plan. 

"Leading into the sale there was a certain amount of trepidation for everyone surrounding the COVID scenario and no one knew who that would affect the market and the colt market is very crowded and due to this we had to make a call on the horses that were at the top of our list and that would be very strong to try and secure those horses."