2020 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale

Snitzel’s three-quarter brother King’s Troop has five first-crop yearlings heading to the Perth Magic Millions from Taunton Vale and the half-sister to Special Reward will be popular on pedigree alone.

Lot 109 will headline the quintet at the Swan Valley sales-complex on February 17 & 18.  She is also a half-sister to Showy Chloe (G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes) and El Rijes (LR Perth Stakes).

Taunton Vale sold Special Reward for $145,000 at the 2017 Perth Magic Millions and he earned $480,000 for owners Peter and Kerry Caporn before they sold a significant share to Australian Bloodstock.

Special Reward (Demerit) won 6 of his first 9 starts in Perth last season before transferring east to finish fifth in the LR Testa Rossa Stakes at Caulfield.  He backed-up at Rosehill but didn’t fire behind Snitzel stakes winner Sandbar.

“He’s a better horse than that and was probably feeling the effects of all that travel,” Taunton Vale’s Nina Johnston said.  “He’s trained by Kris Lees at Newcastle now and it was decided to give him a short break to fully recover.

“He came back for trial win at Wyong on New Year’s Eve and then second first-up at Randwick on January 11. Kris believes he will be winning stakes races this year.”

King’s Troop (Redoute’s Choice) was a class sprinter in his own right.  He looked home-and-hosed first-up in a Rosehill juvenile but was run down late by subsequent G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Japonisme.  Trainer Gerald Ryan backed him up for a three length rout at Warwick Farm and then went to the well again in G3 San Domenico Stakes.

He shook off G1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver back at Rosehill only to be collared for a second time by Japonisme.  They were two serious colts but ongoing injuries prevented King’s Troop from locking horns the following season.

Taunton Vale has entered three fillies from the penultimate crop of Demerit including the sister to Agent Pippa (Lot 17) who was also purchased by Australian Bloodstock and transferred Lees.

Agent Pippa (Demerit) won the G3 Gimcrack Stakes at Ascot and added two sprints at Randwick and Rosehill last year when she ran some smart short-course horses off their feet.  Her dam Female Agent (Commands) has also foaled $357,000 earner Double Digit by Demerit and she delivered another full-sister at Taunton Vale in September.