By Ric ChapmanAll over the world the awesome presence of Fusaichi Pegasus is being felt. On Wednesday, day two of Adelaide's Magic Millions yearling sale, his strapping chestnut son from the Brief Truce group II-winning mare So Gorgeous, topped South Australia's all-time yearling sale record at Aus$330,000. And if Fu Peg, like many believe he can, produces this year's
group one Golden Slipper winner and grade I Kentucky Derby winner, anything by this magnificent young stallion will be worth an extra zero henceforth.No stallion in history has pulled off that double.In Australia he will have two of the top four favorites for the Slipper in mid March -- a Aus$3 million 2-year-old race. In Kentucky, well Roman Ruler and others hold sway.Back here at Adelaide, however, despite the enticing prospects of his >other babies, Fu Peg held court on the conformation alone of this son. In front of a packed sales complex at Morphettville, this colt fell to the final bid of Melbourne-based bloodstock agent Tony Cavanagh, who secured the colt for client and good friend Rod Menzies after a spirited bidding duel with local trainer Mark Kavanagh.Menzies, who has raced a number of top gallopers during his career, including group I-winning star Half Hennessy (now at stud), has chosen top local horseman Joe Hall to prepared the colt when he is ready to race."We really, really wanted the Encosta de Lago colt from yesterday, but were underbidders," he said. "I was not going to let this guy through, though. Joe and I agreed he was just about the equal to the colt yesterday, and as I always buy one a year for Joe to train, this was going to be my horse."Menzies owns the Menzies Group of businesses that boasts an annual turnover of just under A$300 million.Cavanagh, who liked the colt even more than Hall and Menzies did, said the expensive purchase was on the "must buy" list after the team missed the Encosta de Lago that sold on Tuesday for Aus$300,000."It was disappointing not to buy the Encosta de Lago colt," Cavanagh said.Bidding kicked off at Aus$50,000 and rose straight to Aus$150,000. Some 15 more bids rammed home on the handsome chestnut youngster before he reached his sale price of Aus$330,000.The colt is the first live foal from the former outstanding race filly So Gorgeous , the winner of six races during her career including the group II Ascot Vale Stakes, the group II Edward Manifold Stakes, and the group III Tranquil Star Stakes. She won Aus$500,000 in stakes during her career."She was a wonderful race filly," Cavanagh said. referring to So Gorgeous. "And this colt has a truly great (pedigree) page and we're very keen to buy him. He could very well make into a high priced stallion down the track."The colt was offered by Erinvale Thoroughbreds as agent for the youngster's South Australian based breeders. Erinvale also offered a gray filly by Fu Peg a little earlier in the evening, and the entire auditorium was stunned when she barely attracted a bid, falling in the end for just Aus$36,000. If Fu Peg achieves the above, she will be worth 10 times that as a broodmare prospect alone. She was from the unraced mare Scorpian Orchid (by Caerleon), so there is plenty happening in her pedigree, too.Following her lowly price, Cavanagh said he was "a little surprised" he had to go so high to buy the colt."I thought originally he would sell around the Aus$250,000 mark," he said.
Scenic is a group I-winning son of Sadler's Wells who has toiled away with honor in Australia for 10 years now producing 45 stakes winners of which are five are group 1 winners. But he shocked everyone when his gloriously put together son from the Rubiton mare Scarlet Bird reached Aus$240,000 to the >bid of local businessman David Goldfinch. Bidding was fierce and non-stop from the opening of Aus$50,000 -- in contrast to how slow bids were being taken on just about everything else all evening.Danehill's only representative at this sale was an immature colt from the mare Star of Juniper (by Sadler's Wells), which fell to stud farm Wadham Park for Aus$190,000.Things of note regarding this sale included the complete disdain Aussie buyers have for untried shuttlers like champion group I winner Val Royal (by Royal Academy), and also for those shuttlers with foals of racing age like High Yield (by Storm Cat), Xaar (by Zafonic) and Thunder Gulch (by Gulch).
