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Clarken Racing | Clarken Racing News 55985 In Form Stable Set To Strike With Jean Valjean

In-form stable set to strike with Jean Valjean

In-form stable set to strike with Jean Valjean

The Will Clarken and Niki O'Shea stable has struck form in the past month and is hoping to parlay it into a Flemington victory with the exciting Jean Valjean.

The talented six-year-old made a mess of his rivals first-up at Morphettville Parks, defying the track pattern on the day to storm home from the back and salute in impressive fashion.

The manner of that performance prompted a trip over the border with Jean Valjean looking to go one better than an eye-catching second at The Valley in January in his only other race in Melbourne.

Stable apprentice Ben Price is also set to make his Flemington debut.

Jean Valjean is rated a $5 chance in the opening race with the TAB, the second-elect behind the Peter Moody and Kathryn Coleman-prepared River Noire ($2.80).

"I think he's going well. He went super first-up, I wish there was a bit more give in the ground over there but he's drawn beautifully," Clarken said.

"It looks like (Smile And Wave) will roll along and it's a good chance for Ben to go and have a ride over there.

"I think the straight will really suit him. Big tracks are his go."

It has been a year of evolution for the stable with Clarken and O'Shea officially joining forces in January while this week they moved 30 horses into their brand new Murray Bridge yard – with another 10 to join them next week.

But after snaring five metro winners from the past four meetings, and finishing second, third and fourth in last week's Listed Lightning Stakes, things are looking up.

"It's much better. We flushed out a lot of the older horses that had hit their rating mark and were holding up the show," Clarken said.

Story by Tom Biddington

"We've got a really good team of young horses coming through. We've got a big set of jumpouts at Murray Bridge on Monday and we're getting a bit of a flow on.

"There might be a few teething issues now that we've got Murray Bridge online – we've got to find the lay of the land – but I think the back-end of this season and into the next couple of seasons to come, we should be a force to be reckoned with."

Clarken will saddle up five horses at Murray Bridge on Saturday and suggests the debutant Grint is the best of his chances.

"I think Grint has improved a lot since his trial and I think there might be a couple that are vulnerable in that race and he'll be strong late," he said of the $5 hope.

Meanwhile, stable star Ironclad – who finished second to Amelia's Jewel in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes in December – is set to resume in next weekend's Group 3 Behemoth Stakes.

"He trialled really well (on Friday) morning – I'm really happy with him," Clarken said.

"He'll go to the Behemoth and then the Leon Macdonald Stakes and then there are plenty of options in Melbourne and we may even look taking him for a few runs in Sydney this time in, given he gets through the going."

RELEVANT NEWS

Clarken on Adelaide Cup Path with Komachi after Premier’s Plate Success

Will Clarken will follow a proven path as he searches for a second successive Adelaide Cup with well-travelled galloper Komachi after claiming the Listed Premier's Plate at Morphettville on the weekend. Coming off a narrow defeat in the Strathalbyn Cup six days earlier, Komachi justified a strong push from punters to fight off Crimson Vine in the feature on the back of a brilliant ride by Rochelle Milnes. “We’ll look to push towards an Adelaide Cup,’’ Clarken said post-race“The horse is in great form, I wonder if he’s peaked. We’ll find out in the Lord Reims.“We’re going to have to go to another level, he’s got a great pedigree and a big engine.“It was a really good ride from a sticky spot early,’’ he said. Komachi was the first leg of a training treble for Clarken, with former New South Wales mare Mic Drop maintaining her unbeaten record in SA with a third straight win, while Thunder Shoc was successful later in the day. Komachi’s win marked the start of a massive weekend for Milnes who claimed Sunday’s Naracoorte Cup aboard El James for Victorian horseman Symon Wilde. Wilde produced three winners on the day, matched by in-form jockey Campbell Rawiller who landed a treble of his own to continue a big start to 2026.

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Tough galloper claims first stakes win at 46th start

Will Clarken will consider an Adelaide Cup tilt after Komachi finally broke through for a maiden stakes win in the Premier’s Plate at Morphettville at start No.46. Eight-year-old gelding Komachi is racing in career-best form and on Saturday, and rewarded connections with a maiden win at stakes level at Morphettville. At start No.46, trainer Will Clarken gave Komachi his first shot at a Listed race and he duly saluted, proving too tough for his rivals in the Premier's Plate (2006m). It was not an easy watch for Clarken with the son of Kingman looking under siege the whole way down the straight, but he showed plenty of toughness to hold all challengers off. Clarken, who has had Komachi in his stable since April last year, was confident he had the horse as fit as he could and was pleased to see him cling on for the win. "He's been a good, fun horse," Clarken said "He's just had a terrific week, I've upped his work, so he basically goes on the treadmill every day and then goes to the beach for half an hour." Saturday's victory has the Sellicks Hill-based conditioner pondering a tilt at the Adelaide Cup, but he admits he'll need to pump a bit more work into him to run out the two miles. "We'll look to push on towards an Adelaide Cup," Clarken said. "The level of work he's copped to get to the 2000m is pretty high, but he's by Kingman, and he's got a great pedigree and a big engine." Leading jockey Rochelle Milnes was on board for the ride and was able to navigate from a tricky barrier to get across and lead. Clarken was all praise for the ride with Milnes, having just her second sit on the galloper. "It was a really good ride from a sticky spot early," Clarken said. "She took her time and got him to the right spot, and it paid off." Jockey Kayla Crowther is the regular rider of Komachi, but was on board Crimson Vine for Saturday's feature and nearly got the job done, finishing a narrow second. Milnes gave plenty of credit to Crowther for the job she had done on Komachi in the lead-up to the $120,000 contest and said she could feel her looming late. "All credit to Kayla for the work she's done on him," Milnes said. "I could feel her coming late, and she wouldn't have wanted me to win, so it was good to hold her off. "Gosh, he's a hard ride though."Story from Punters.com (Jeff Hatton)

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J-Mac Magic Puts Galaxy Patch in Winning Mood

Larneuk Stud in Victoria is home to value sire Wandjina, whose talented son Galaxy Patch staked his claim for glory on Hong Kong International Day next month when scoring a thrilling win for James McDonald in the Group II BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Trained by Pierre Ng, Galaxy Patch was third in this race last year behind Voyage Bubble and then ran seventh to him in the Group I HK International Mile, but this year appears to be going better again. Given a magic ride by J-Mac, Galaxy Patch surged straight up the fence to burst through and win by half a length over Capitalist gelding Sunlight Power with race favourite My Wish in fourth place. The race was run in the slick time of 1m 32.88s – the best of Galaxy Patch’s career and Ng revealed the addition of blinkers was a telling factor. “Obviously, with the gear change, with the blinkers, he finished stronger to the line, but still a little bit of improvement has to be made,” Ng said. “We waited for very long (for this win). This preparation has gone really well. Last month’s (race) was a bit unlucky with the run – he ran sixth. And today, luckily, it opened up well for him.” Adding further merit to the win, McDonald reported Galaxy Patch overcame interference in running. “He did really well. He got a bit of a check at the 800 (metre mark), and he regathered himself and came with a good surge,” McDonald said. “A nice confidence-boosting win heading into December and we’ll see how we go.” The result makes the HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) an intriguing affair with My Wish seeking to turn the tables and the prospect of some smart overseas challengers, such as The Lion In Winter and Soul Rush, adding to the intrigue. Ng revealed that McDonald is engaged to ride Galaxy Patch again for his grand final and said he had pursued the champion jockey to take the ride. “We waited for long for him (James McDonald) – he was busy last season with Voyage Bubble. So this season we waited for him. It was the first time he rode him in a race, he won it. We’re looking forward to the next one,” he said. Galaxy Patch was a $50,000 Magic Millions Adelaide purchase for Will Clarken/Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/David Jolly from the Summerset Park Stud and won his debut in Adelaide before his sale to Hong Kong. He now has the overall record of 10 wins from 23 starts. Bred and sold by Summerset Park, Galaxy Patch is a half-brother to stakes-placed Comearoundsundown and Creativity being the best of eight winners from unraced More Than Ready (USA) mare Voltara, who died last year. Galaxy Patch is one of seven stakes-winners for Wandjina, who stands at Larneuk Stud this spring at a fee of $6,600. Story from Breednet

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More Murray Bridge joy for Crowther

Kayla Crowther won her second Murray Bridge Gold Cup in four years when ex-Tasmanian Cartoon Graveyard landed the spoils in Saturday’s Listed feature on one of SA’s biggest spring racedays, which attracted more than 3000 racegoers. The Will Clarken-trained gelding was well-backed late and produced a sharp turn of speed from midfield to reel in Pudding, who dashed clear at the top of the straight. Pudding stayed on gamely to hold second, while Sir Kingsford finished third in a performance that will lay the foundations for a tilt at some feature races in Melbourne over the coming weeks. Crowther, who won the Gold Cup in 2022 on Agreeable, said the race worked out perfectly for the six-year-old, who was having his third run in SA. “He had a beautiful run, he bounced well, and the tempo was very genuine, which allowed him to relax into a good rhythm,” Crowther said. “He got onto the back of Sir Kingsford, shuffled his way into the clear, and finished it off well. “He was primed for today. “A bit thanks to Will and the team, they’ve done a great job with him.” SA’s first two-year-old race of the season, the Moorundi 2YO Classic, went the way of local trainer Michael Hickmott with exciting filly Inhabit. A $200,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase, Inhabit is a daughter of Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside and looks to have inherited at least some of her sire’s precocity. The filly could now be aimed at the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast in January. It was a day of firsts at Thomas Farms Racecourse, with apprentice Caitlin Munro riding her first city winner, while veteran trainer James Bates saddled up his first metropolitan winner in partnership with Ann Pearson. Munro won the opener, the Andrew Mills Gifford Hill Guineas, on the Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained three-year-old Virtual Illusion, while another apprentice, Brooke King, steered Bates’ exciting prospect Cockatoo Rose into the winner’s stall. The feature sprint, the Reg Nolan Flying, was won by the David Aldridge-trained Chicago Storm, with Rochelle Milnes in the saddle. The talented gelding has now set up a likely trip to Melbourne for a feature race at The Valley. Milnes and Crowther were also on the board at Morphettville Parks on Friday afternoon, where eight different jockeys and trainers shared the spoils on the twilight card. Story from RacingSA

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Tasmanian gelding lands Murray Bridge Gold Cup

Tasmanian gelding Cartoon Graveyard delivered Will Clarken and Kayla Crowther a second Murray Bridge Gold Cup win with a commanding victory at Gifford Hill on Saturday. Aided by a gun ride from Crowther, Cartoon Graveyard ($3.20 Sportsbet) settled midfield throughout in the field of nine, shuffling into the clear at the 500m as Crowther pressed go. The son of Turffontein cruised to a two-length win over 1600m ahead of Pudding and Sir Kingsford. It was the 6YO's second start under Clarken, the gelding having crossed to South Australia in September after previously being trained by Tasmanian handler John Keys. "He went really well today," Clarken stable representative Charlotte Sorby said. "He came over from Tassie and stayed after his first run over here. "I think they (owners) just thought this would be a really good race for him. They ended up deciding Will would be a good fit for the horse. "We train him up at the farm, he's fit in really well into our training regime up there – he's really thrived here."Crowther was aboard the Clarken-trained Agreeable when the mare saluted in the 2022 edition of the race and this year's Cup panned out perfectly for the hoop. "He had a beautiful run, bounced well, (the) tempo was really genuine," Crowther said. "He relaxed into a good rhythm on the back of Sir Kingsford, shuffled his way into the clear and he was just primed for today. "A big thanks to Will and the team, they've done a really good job with him." Story from Punters.com (Tyler Maund)

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Cicala keeps unbeaten streak alive in Lightning Stakes

Just twelve minutes after Bridal Waltz’s Bletchingly Stakes triumph in Melbourne, Cicala (Tamasa) added further depth to the form over in Adelaide when extending her unbeaten record to three in the Lightning Stakes (Listed, 1050m) at Morphettville. The Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea-trained filly, a daughter of the little-known stallion Tamasa (So You Think), burst onto the scene with a brilliant debut win at Gawler on May 28 and then franked that effort with a gritty success over course and distance last time out, defeating subsequent city winner Noetzie (Harry Angel). Lining up for the third time on Saturday, Cicala was sent out the $4 second-elect behind Fieldelo (Deep Field), who had run fourth to Bridal Waltz in the Creswick Stakes earlier this month. It wasn’t made easy for the filly and apprentice Rochelle Milnes from barrier 11 as they were forced three-deep without cover behind tearaway leader Sir Now (Sir Prancealot), but the Heavy 10 surface proved no hurdle and Cicala quickened when asked on the bend. She chased down the favourite in the shadows of the post to win by 0.2 lengths. Sir Now finished another 1.5 lengths back in third. “She’s tough,” Clarken said post-race. “It wasn’t a comfortable run by any means, but she keeps finding and has handled everything we’ve thrown at her so far.” Bred in Victoria by Glenn Davies, who also owns her sire Tamasa, Cicala was offered unreserved by Maddie Raymond via the Inglis Digital 2023 October (Late) Online Sale but failed to attract a single bid. She has now banked over $135,000 in prize-money. She is the first stakes winner for Tamasa, a son of So You Think (High Chaparral) who won five of his first eight starts before placing at Group 3 level. Tamasa stood just two seasons at stud, covering a total of four mares, with Cicala the only named foal from his first crop and now his only winner. Out of the Group 3-winning mare Divertire (Econsul), Cicala hails from the same family as South African Grade 1 winner Rarotonga Treaty (Geiger Counter). Clarken said no decision had yet been made about the filly’s next target but confirmed the stable was giving serious thought to keeping her in work for another run this winter. “She’s come through each run better than the last,” he said. “We’ll see how she pulls up but she’s earned the chance to chase something bigger again next start.”

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Clarken's filly set for Stakes test

Unbeaten filly Cicala will be thrown into the deep end at start number three, set to contest the Listed Lightning Stakes at Morphettville at the end of July. The race, for two- and three-year-old gallopers, has been won by subsequent Group 1 winners Nature Strip and Viddora in previous years and Cicala's co-trainer Will Clarken has won two of the past four editions of the race. The daughter of Tamasa backed up her impressive debut win at Gawler by winning in equally as eye-catching fashion over 1100m in town last Saturday. "She's a very unassuming little filly," said Clarken, who trains in partnership with Niki O'Shea. "I saw her about a month ago and she looked a bit light, so we dropped her back to the farm and she's really strengthened. "Rochelle (Milnes, winning rider) galloped her last Tuesday and basically declared her, I wasn't as confident! But she rode her like that." The Lightning is run over 1050m and Clarken says the prospect of a wet track in the depths of winter will pose no issues for his emerging sprinting talent. "I think we'll go five weeks between runs," Clarken said. "She's a three-year-old filly and she gets through the mucky going, all you can do is win. "Ligthly raced, we know she gets through the ground, why not?" Story from Racing.com (Tim Yeatman)

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Keeping it in the family

Later in the day, a pair of lots sold for $200,000 respectively to secure their placings as the joint-second-top lots on the second day of trade. Lot 273, the first of the duo to go under the hammer, is a filly by Yulong’s Written Tycoon who sold to Ridgeport Holdings, Clarken Bloodstock, and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA). The filly is out of Blue Morpho (Hussonet) who from 16 starts on the track managed three wins, including landing the 2018 Laelia Stakes (Listed, 1600m). Clarken and his training partner Niki O’Shea know about the family, with the filly’s brother, the unraced Windrow, and her Alabama Express half-sister, who Clarken bought for $80,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in 2021, both residents of their Murray Bridge stable. “The quality always makes money and there have been some really nice types and there’s been no doubt that they have been well received. We were narrowly beaten on the Zoustar filly [Lot 255] earlier today and we were lucky enough to get the Written Tycoon filly a second ago,” Will Clarken told ANZ Bloodstock News. “I’ve got her two relations who have shown great promise and haven’t been to the races yet. Written Tycoon has been a good stallion to the yard and we’ve got Kuroyanagi who was Group 1-placed in the Blue Diamond and it’s going to be for the same ownership group [Ridgeport].” “We’ve got four so far [on the day], we’ve been sent a few and I think there’s a couple more on the list for the rest of the day, but we really came here to buy what we thought was the best filly and the best colt and I think we’ve done that. “Adelaide has been a really happy hunting ground for us. We bought Beau Rossa here and he was narrowly beaten in a Group 1. I bought Galaxy Patch out of here, Prawn Baba and both of them have run in a Hong Kong Derby [Galaxy Patch second in 2024] and I just know the sale and it’s been really good for us. “Let’s hope the Magic Millions lives on here in South Australia. Obviously there are some changes ahead, but it’s a great asset to have a sale in our backyard.”Story from ANZ Bloodstock News

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‘Quality’ So You Think colt heads to Clarken and O’Shea

A week on from claiming Adelaide Cup (Gr 2, 1200m) success with Silent Surrente (Fiorente), Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea secured a win in the sales ring when they went to $240,000 to secure a stunning colt by So You Think (High Chaparral) early on day one of selling at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. Catalogued as Lot 25 and offered by Mill Park Stud, the colt is out of winning mare Miss Otto (Elusive Quality), making him a brother to Group 2 winner, and now Twin Hills Stud-based sire, Peltzer (So You Think). Bidding ringside at the Morphetville sales complex, the stable’s racing manager Lachie Weekley was thrilled to snare the colt, who was knocked down to Clarken Bloodstock in partnership with Suman Hedge Bloodstock and prominent South Australian businessman Rob Chapman. “He’s just got a lovely action and a really nice demeanour, beautiful head on him, great eye,” Weekley said. “Very importantly he came off a terrific farm in Mill Park Stud down at Meningie, from Chris Watson and the team, their record is second to none and one of the best in the land.” The partnership, who purchased four lots at this sale last year for a combined total of $285,000, had to stay strong to win the colt, and plan to continue the momentum on the second day. “We were right at [our limit on him]. We wanted to be pretty strong on him, obviously he’s a quality colt so we didn’t want to miss out and there was some good competition as always, with those nice horses. “The clients that we bought him for, they were keen to attempt to try and buy the best horse here and that’s what we saw him as. We did the job early and there’s a couple over the next day or two and that’ll be us.” A close relation to 2019 Adelaide Guineas (Listed, 1600m) winner So We Are (So You Think), Weekley said the colt will be given time to mature and develop. “He’s just a lovely horse and we’ll give him a bit of time. He’d be more that sort of three-year-old type. We’ll just let the ball come on to the bat.” Mill Park finished the first day as the leading vendors by aggregate, having sold 12 yearlings for $1,031,000, the only vendor to break the million barrier.

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Peltzer's brother turns heads

Peltzer's brother will stay in South Australia and be trained by Will Clarken and Niki O'Shea after being bought for $240,000 in the opening session of Monday's Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. Offered as part of leading SA nursery Mill Park Stud's draft, the colt (Lot 25) was on the shortlist of several good judges but was ultimately knocked down to Clarken's Racing Manager Lachie Weekley on behalf of the stable, owner Rob Chapman and bloodstock agent Suman Hedge. As well as leaving multiple Stakes winner and now young stallion Peltzer, who was purchased for $260,000 as a yearling, the colt's dam Miss Otto has also left Stakes-placed filly Madison Kate. Weekley said the stable targeted the colt and was buoyed by the record of Mill Park Stud, the property on SA's Limestone Coast which has bred or raised more than 20 Group 1 winners. "He's a beautiful colt, just a lovely, well-balanced horse," Weekley said. "He has a lovely So You Think head on him and he looks to have a lot of class. "You'd like to think he'd be that sort of miler type O like. "We tend not to rush our young horses, it's cliche to say but we'll give him plenty of time. "Mill Park Stud is such a fantastic nursery, Chris Watson and the team down there do such a good job and the stats are just phenomenal. "They've nearly got the alphabet of Stakes winners, which speaks for itself." Story by James Tzaferis from Racing.com

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Surrente stars in Adelaide Cup

Silent Surrente has given star apprentice jockey Rochelle Milnes the biggest win of her career, winning the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) for local trainers Will Clarken & Niki O'Shea at Morphettville on Monday. Milnes was initially caught wide aboard the $10 chance but kept the six-year-old mare in a good rhythm and eventually took her to the front, finding plenty in the straight to shake off initial leader Newfoundland ($6.50), who held on for second, beaten 1-1/4 lengths with $16 chance Grand Pierro a further length away in third. The 22-year-old apprentice, who was awarded Dux of the Racing SA Apprentice Academy earlier this year, said she was lost for words after her first ride, and win, in a black-type race. "I'm a bit at a loss of words, to be honest," Milnes said. "I'm absolutely run ragged, and for the support, this team has just been incredible with my career. I can't thank them enough. I'm a bit breathless, but I really just don't have the words to describe how thankful I am for this crew to be behind me." "They're amazing people, and this horse has just come into this race so well. I'm so proud of her." It was a first Adelaide cup win for the Clarken & O'Shea yard, and Will Clarken said the credit has to go to his training partner Niki O'Shea for the work he does with Silent Surrente. "Hometown Cup obviously means a lot, doesn't it," Clarken said. "I pride myself on my modesty. My name's in the book, but Niki really trains this horse." "He's just done a wonderful job from the time he got to the stable. He sort of nurtures, he rides all their own work. He's just done a wonderful job, it's obviously a team effort. We work hard together, but full kudos to him. He's a brilliant horseman." Clarken also sang the praises of Milnes, who he quickly identified as a talented jockey on the rise. "I know this sounds silly, but I don't think she was ever going to get beat. She just got in a beautiful rhythm," Clarken said. "I've spruiked her (Milnes) before she had her first race ride, but her skills are silky smooth. She's a really good rider. She works with us really hard, it's just great." Story from RSN

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Adelaide Cup Day summary: Milnes rates Silent Surrente to perfection in The Cup

Front running masterclass - gives Silent Surrente success in The Cup A brilliant piece of front-running riding by apprentice Rochelle Milnes enabled Silent Surrente to out-tough her opposition in the 2025 G2 Adelaide Cup for trainers Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea. The daughter of Melbourne Cup-winning Fiorente (Ire) outstayed her rivals as Milnes took control of the race after being caught wide early on. She sustained a strong gallop, kicked away at the top of the straight and the result was never in doubt, claiming a 1.2l victory, with Newfoundland (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Grand Pierro (Pierro) filling the placings behind. “Your hometown cup obviously means a lot doesn't it?,” co-trainer Will Clarken said. “I pride myself on my modesty, my name is in the book but Niki really trains this horse – he's done a wonderful job. From the time she's got to the stable he's nurtured her, rides her all her work, it's obviously a team effort, we work hard together. Full credit to him, he's a brilliant horseman.” Silent Surrente’s dam, Silent Surround (Face Value), was a Group 3 winner on the track and has now produced three individual stakes winners, with Silent Surrente joining Listed winner Silent Command (Commands) and Silent Sovereign (Dalakhani {Ire}). Rochelle Milnes | Image courtesy of Racing SA This win is also great timing for Sledmere Stud, who offer Lot 165, a half-brother by Stay Inside, at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where he is sure to be well-sought after. Silent Surround, since producing the Stay Inside colt heading to the sales, has had a regular date with Stay Inside, leaving a full sister last spring and being served the promising young sire last spring also. Story from TTR AusNZ

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