This is a really nice type of a filly by the exciting first season sire Hellbent out of the well related mare Island Pago.

She is a ½ sister to our 2yo filly by Astern out of Island Pago which is trained by Patrick Payne. Patrick has a very good opinion of the filly. This is good information and the reason I was so keen to get my hands on this filly. She ticks a lot of boxes.

I love purchasing weanlings and yearlings by the first season sires. About 30% of our best mares go to these sires. Our current outstanding fillies Rubisaki, Fituese and Miss Divine Em were out of the first crops of their respective sires.

Other good horses I have been associated with by young sires include Under Command, Unchain My Heart, Horrocks, Bedi, Huiskes and Rose Of Scotland. These were outstanding horses. In any year I will normally purchase three or four yearlings by the new sires. While I don’t always get it right we have had a lot of success with this strategy.

On my way back to Melbourne from the Magic Millions National Sale I stayed at Yarraman Park and inspected this filly by exciting young sire Hellbent out of the Choisir mare Island Pago. She has a nice hindquarter and is strong through the hocks. I expected this to be the case given how good a sort her sister is. I’ve seen quite a few foals by Hellbent and like what I see.

The filly is a beautiful mover. She has a great swagger and gets along nicely. This is important. We are looking at buying athletes, not cart horses. She is a nice filly with good length of reign and deep girth. This is where the engine is located. She has plenty of scope to further develop though her girth and through her chest. She is strong behind and through the hocks.

I strong pointer to this filly’s prospects is the record his sire I Am Invincible has achieved when mated to Choisir mares. Nine have raced with all nine winning including the Group winner Eckstein and Stakes winner I Am Eloquent.

The filly was reared at Yarraman Park in the Hunter Valley, one of our elite nurseries. I have had great success purchasing horses from Yarraman Park. Some of the horses I purchased include Desk Top Lover, Invincible Al, Believe ‘n Achieve and Too Many Reds.

Hellbent

The filly is by the Group 1 winning sprinter Hellbent, a son of Champion Sire and sire of sires I Am Invincible. I Am Invincible is one of the most exciting sires in Australia with his sons Brazen Beau and Super One doing a good job.

I remember the first time I inspected In Am Invincible at Yarraman Park. He is an impressive animal, strong and imposing. He has gone on to be one of the best sires of the modern era in Australia and currently leads the Australian Sires List. He is a super star and should establish a dynasty through his deeds and those of his sons and daughters.

I know the Mitchell family from Yarraman Park had been looking for a sire to come in behind I Am Invincible and Hellbent ticked all the boxes.

I was at Moonee Valley the night Hellbent won the Group 1 William Reid Stakes. His turn of foot and acceleration was spectacular. Australian racing is all about speed and he certainly had that to burn.

He is out of a Volksraad mare who also threw the talented sprinter Hulk. Hellbent’s female line is quite good with the smart sprinters Second Effort and Diamond Effort featuring.

Volksraad is the broodmare sire of successful sire Shamexpress as well as the very good mare Lights Of Heaven and Champion Hong Kong galloper Able Friend.

Island Pago

Island Pago is a very well related mare by the emerging broodmare sire Choisir. He is already represented by 36 stakes horses out of his daughters including four Group 1 winners. It shouldn’t be surprising as he was a very fast horse and highly successful sire and served good books of mares.

Island Pago won at 1200m and is the ¾ sister to the Stakes winners Pago Rock and Rock My Pago. This family also gave us the multiple Group winner Special Reward and WA Sires Produce winner Showy Chloe.

This is Island Pago’s 4th live foal. Her second foal is a filly by I Am Invincible named In de Sun Iwilcome which showed good ability but hurt herself and is now back in work.

I spoke to Keith Dryden who trains her and he said a horse got away and she was spooked when it ran towards them and flipped over on the concrete damaging her wither. He has a good opinion of her.

I purchased the 3rd foal by Astern. Patrick Payne trains her. From day one her breaker Shane Stockdale talked her up with Lee Powell from Fulmen Park calling me after she arrived from the yearling sale to say she was the nicest filly on his property which is quite a statement.

I have had great success buying yearlings out of WA mares. Some of my best horses were out of mares from the west including Zero Drama, Unabated and Raido. The best horse I have been associated with was Dignity Dancer who was also out of a WA mare.

In conclusion, where is the downside for this filly? As I see it, we have ticks across the board from her sire, her dam and the farm she was reared. She is also a great type. I could not recommend a better filly to you. Good luck with her.