June 15 – Value sire Magic Albert passed the milestone of $2million in progeny earnings for the Australian racing season during the past week with a new winner at Kembla on Saturday in Magic Weekend.
Prepared by Hawkes Racing, Magic Weekend had been placed four times previously so was long overdue for a win and now that he’s broken the ice should be capable of measuring up in better company.
A $150,000 purchase from the Huntworth Stud draft at the 2007 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Magic Weekend is from the Grand Lodge (USA) mare Happy Camper and was the most expensive yearling by his sire sold in that year.
Magic Weekend is one of 56 winners this season for Magic Albert highlighted by Group Two winner Something Anything and Group Three winners Za Magic and Marchinski, who is set to do his future racing in Hong Kong.
His seasonal 45% winner-to runner ratio is on a par with horses such as Encosta de Lago, Commands, Choisir, Exceed and Excel and Strategic.
Magic Albert has covered far better books of mares in his last few years at stud which is sure to provide outstanding follow-through for a stallion, who to this point in his career, has done it all the hard way standing at a modest fee of $11,000 for his first five years at stud.
His current crop of rising two year-olds are from his biggest ever foal crop of 123 and will be followed another bumper crop of 108 live foals, so for the astute breeder who punts Magic Albert this spring at a fee of $13,750 there is plenty of reason to believe it’s a good move.
