STAR standardbred sires Village Jasper, Bettor’s Delight and Art Major, who topped the national Sires’ Premiership last season for all-aged, two-year-old and three-year-old performers respectively, all have progeny in the 2011 Tasmania Premier Yearling Sale.
The leading Australian stakemoney sire for the last two years, Village Jasper is represented by two colts – including a half-brother to last Sunday’s Devonport winner Willy Play — and a filly.
Bettor’s Delight and Art Major both have single representation. The former has a half-sister to the Tasmanian Oaks runner-up Bonny Lena 1:56.8, while the latter has a half-sister to Damo Boy 1:57.2 and the Belmont winner Scarlet Heart.
Other Top Ten stallions with progeny in the sale are Live Or Die, who has a colt from the dam of the Victoria Youthful Stakes winner Abbreviated, and Courage Under Fire, who has a half-sister to the stakes-winning Karoola Town.
The 1:49 US import JR Mint, whose first crop will race as two-year-olds in Tasmania this season, has the biggest entry with 15 lots.
Other Apple Island sires with multiple representation are Dieberspace (5 lots) and Topnotcher (4).
Several highly credentialled imported sires will make their debut at the sale. They include Lis Mara 1:47.6 ($2.2m.), Four Starzzz Shark 1:47.8 ($2.7m.), Sutter Hanover 1:50.2 and Lombo Pocket Watch 1:53.6 ($1.4m.).
Lis Mara, the joint fastest race-winning stallion in history, has a colt from the Tasmanian Broodmare of the Year Marlee Jayne, the dam of Lourdes, Make A Memory, Dare We Dream, Colsta and co.
The Little Brown Jug winner cum champion sire Life Sign has four fillies nominated including three from winner-producing mares.
The Tasmania Premier Yearling Sale will be conducted at the Inveresk Showground, Launceston on Saturday, January 8 at 12 noon. It will be preceded by a yearling parade at 10am.
Catalogues are now available from the auctioneers Davidson Cameron Board & Simmons (phone 02 6884 8355) or Tasracing (03 6212 9333).
A DVD of the yearlings can be obtained from Tasracing after December 20.