BREEDERS’ Cup winner Pluck is forecast to make a huge impression on buyers when his first progeny make their debut at the 2015 sales series.

Entries for Australasia’s three main yearling sales – Karaka, Magic Millions and Easter – close at the end of this month with numbers for the combined auctions expected to reach into the thousands.

One of the more interesting aspects to any fresh round of yearlings sales is the progeny of the first season sires.

Stallions whose progeny make their yearling sale debut in 2015 include So You Think, Sepoy, Foxwedge, Smart Missile and Dream Ahead.

One other prominent newcomer in this generation is Vinery resident Pluck who covered 150 mares in his first season at the Scone nursery.

Pluck is a replica son of the Stud’s flagship sire, More Than Ready, who was himself the Champion First Season Sire in Australia in 2004/5.

Pluck was a high class racehorse and helped maintain More Than Ready’s reputation as the world’s most successful sire of 2YO’s courtesy of his extraordinary Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Turf) win in 2010.

That was the same year that More Than Ready (and trainer Todd Pletcher) supplied both the male and female winners of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Turf).

Pluck’s progeny are certain to make their presence felt in all of the major sales, not least the Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast where More Than Ready is a particular favourite with buyers.

“If you ever get the opportunity to watch his win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, it was one of the best wins you will ever see,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said.

“The horse was knocked out of the race going around the first bend and was still hopeless at the last turn but he dusted himself and and just finished right over the top of them to win by a space.

“So he is a major stakeswinner on turf, he’s by More Than Ready and he’s a good type – it’s the right mix for our racing scene.

“Precocity is what we’re all about and Pluck was a precocious two-year-old.”

More Than Ready has quickly established himself as s sire of sires primarily through the deeds of one of his two Golden Slipper winners, Sebring.

Despite being a Group 1 `grandsire’ through sire-sons and daughters, More Than Ready remains a formidable sire himself.

Just this season alone he is responsible for delivering South Africa’s Champion 2YO, the Australian-bred Banaadeer.

 

Another equine expat will fly the More Than Ready flag in South Africa this weekend when the James Bester-buy Readytogorightnow lines-up in the prestigious Group 1 Vodacom Durban July (2200m).

At the same time in the UK, dual Group 1 winner Verrazano aims to improve of his last start second in the Queen Anne Stakes when he tackles the Coral-Eclipse (2018m) at Sandown.