Over the past 20 years, Australia has had the benefit of some of the highest priced stallions visiting Australia for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season. Galileo, Dubawi, Unbridled Song and Lope de Vega are among many who have graced our breeding barns for limited seasons.
In the crop of yearlings offered in 2021, the most expensive Northern Hemisphere stallion to have his progeny marketed in Australia was Into Mischief. He’s currently standing in Kentucky for US$225,000. Rated the top USA based stallion, he is also ranked 6th globally behind Deep Impact, Galileo, Dubawi, Frankel and Kingman.
As a result of OTI’s strong relationship with Spendthrift Farm, who stand the champion sire in the USA, we inspected a daughter of Into Mischief out of Sunny Desert at their Victorian farm last year. The filly from the Group 2 placed Sunny Desert was passed in at the sales and we were delighted to negotiate her purchase.
This filly, now named Desert Fun, has been fully educated and is currently in the care of Andrew Noblet at Ballarat. All parties who have dealt with her over the past six months believe that we have selected a filly with significant race potential. Should she reach black type, there’s little doubt she’ll be a highly sought after broodmare proposition in both the USA and Australia.
Desert Fun is OTI’s first horse entrusted into the care of Andrew Noblet. Having moved to Ballarat just over 12 months ago, Andrew recorded 15 city wins in the 2020/21 season at a strike rate in excess of 20%. Importantly, he has an exceptional record with fillies and mares, including his Group 1 winning mare Silent Sedition. Needless to say, Andrew and the new owners of Desert Fun are most excited with her possibilities.
Full details for Desert Fun are available through the Public Disclosure Statement prepared by OTI. It’s suffice to say, given her credentials, she’s a most attractive acquisition for her new owners.
