Like many breeding operations, Mill Park Stud is very much a family run business. It is owned and operated by the Watson family – Peter, Serena and their son Chris – and is situated in a beautiful part of South Australia. The 10,000-acre property is undulating and limestone-based, and is located just nine kilometres from the ocean.
In the early 90s, Toorak Park Stud sent them a large number of broodmares, and since then, the stakes winners have flowed.
Top-class graduates from Mill Park Stud in the early days include multiple Group 1 winner Gold Guru (Geiger Counter {USA}) and Group 1 victress St. Clemens Belle (Don’t Say Halo {USA}). Over the last several seasons, Mill Park has only continued to build on a very rich historical record with exceptional graduates such as Away Game (Snitzel), Instant Celebrity (Not A Single Doubt), Peltzer and Seradess (Astern).
Obviously, an honour roll as long and successful as that (and that was only scratching the surface) doesn’t happen by chance.
Chris Watson explained how the Watsons go about trying to achieve their motto, ‘We raise champions’.
“It’s generally done in-house, but we do use the Tesio program. We’ve got a few breeding theories of our own, but for us, type is just so important and just making sure you know your mare’s phenotype really well, trying to make sure she suits the stallion you’re choosing and that she matches on aptitude, as well,” Watson told TDN AusNZ.
“Pedigree, phenotype and aptitude are just so important, we believe, in making sure you get the right product on the ground.”
“Pedigree, phenotype and aptitude are just so important, we believe, in making sure you get the right product on the ground.” – Chris Watson
Mill Park Stud has added three quality mares to the farm this year – Group 1 winner Instant Celebrity (Not A Single Doubt), black-type performer Pimm’s Party (Street Boss {USA}) and Group 1 victress Quantum Mechanic (Deep Field). That trio will complement an already established list of broodmares.
They have approximately 90 broodmares on the property, of which a third are owned by the Watsons.
Darley stallions catch the eye
Watson has been impressed by the roster Darley Australia has put together and has no hesitation sending a number of the farm’s top mares to some of their stallions.
Chris Watson | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“I think they’ve got a fantastic roster this year with some of the best-rated horses coming into Australia. We’re pretty excited to see what they can do; there’s some fantastic families and world-class performances with their stallions,” Watson said.
“It just so happens that a number of their stallions will suit some of our mares.
“Some of their young stallions, like Pinatubo and Bivouac, look really exciting. They did the job on the track and I’m confident they will do it off it, too.”
“Some of their (Darley’s) young stallions, like Pinatubo and Bivouac, look really exciting. They did the job on the track and I’m confident they will do it off it, too.” – Chris Watson
Family Portrait (Excellent Art {GB}) has had four offspring go to the races for three winners. Among them is this year’s Listed Centaurea S. heroine Foxy Friday (Foxwedge).
She has a 2-year-old filly by Divine Prophet and a yearling filly by Hellbent on the ground and is currently in foal to King’s Legacy.
Family Portrait will be served by Pinatubo (Ire).
“I love a bit of that Shamardal blood, and he’s one of the best racehorses coming out of Europe in the past few years… he’s a pretty exciting stallion and we think it’ll be a terrific mating for Family Portrait,” said Watson.
Pinatubo (Ire) | Standing at Darley
“We’ve got Foxy Friday there for Andrew Noblet and we’re really looking forward to watch she can do.”
After a relatively slow start to life as a broodmare, nine-time winner and multiple Listed placegetter Obsidian Dragon (Hidden Dragon) looked to have turned the corner when she foaled a filly by Written Tycoon during the 2017 season. That filly is now a 5-year-old mare name Rose Quartz. She is trained by Grahame Begg and has won four of her eight starts, including two at Flemington.
The following season, Obsidian Dragon produced a filly by Astern, Seradess. Trained by Mark and Levi Kavanagh, Seradess has been a model of consistency, winning five of her 10 starts and placing third, twice. She has netted connections close to $450,000 and notched back-to-back stakes wins earlier this year when taking out the G2 Tobin Bronze S. and the G3 Proud Miss S.
Obsidian Dragon has a Nicconi 2-year-old colt and a Magna Grecia (Ire) yearling filly on the ground, and will be covered by Pinatubo.
Obsidian Dragon when racing
“She will also go to Pinatubo. Again, he looks a fabulous stallion, given his race record and family,” Watson added.
“Seradess’ success… it’s a current family that we really want to look after and make sure we are going to commercial stallions.
“Her last two to hit the track have both performed really well, so hopefully that trend continues, and it’ll be good to see what Seradess can do during the spring.”
A daughter of the late, great More Than Ready (USA), Inishmore has done a wonderful job since joining the Mill Park Stud broodmare band. Her first foal, Lady Dunmore (Wandjina), has won seven of her 22 starts and $174,085 in prizemoney. Inishmore’s second foal, Harleymoven (Foxwedge) won this year’s Listed Port Adelaide Guineas, before running second in the G3 Chairman’s S. He has since been sold to Hong Kong.
Inishmore has a 2-year-old filly named Nicish (Nicconi), who was bought by Phillip Stokes for $130,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Inishmore’s daughter Nicish who sold for $130,000 to Phillip Stokes at this year’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She is booked to Street Boss (USA).
“He’s obviously a commercial stallion and a proven stallion. He’s got Anamoe doing great things,” Watson remarked.
“We believe that Street Cry would really suit the More Than Ready cross.
“She’s a lovely, refined mare… he throws a good bit of strength into his stock, so I think it will be a great mating.”
“She’s (Inishmore) a lovely, refined mare… he (Street Boss) throws a good bit of strength into his stock, so I think it will be a great mating.” – Chris Watson
The Mill Park Stud-bred Pimm’s Party (Street Boss {USA}) returns home to join the top-class broodmare band. She went to the races 19 times, winning on four occasions and placing in six starts, for earnings of $203,275. She had three runs in black-type races, and although a win eluded her, she did run third in Listed company in 2021, before signing off with a third-placed effort in this year’s G3 Spring S.
Pimm’s Party is from the family of Group 1 winner Run Fox Run (Foxwedge), who is a half-sister to Listed victor Guard Of Honour (Northern Meteor).
“She did us proud at her last start, earning some more black type,” Watson commented.
“We’re sending her to Bivouac. We’re looking forward to seeing his first foals. I loved the way he raced and the quality of his pedigree, as well. We just believe that sort of genetically on phenotype just suits her really, really well.”
Two for ‘Vinnie’
Instant Celebrity (Not A Single Doubt) takes up life as a broodmare following a hugely successful career on the track. In a 15-race career, she won five times, with her crowning glory being her triumph in last year’s G1 Robert Sangster S. at her next start, Instant Celebrity ran second in South Australia’s biggest race, the G1 The Goodwood. She also won the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude and the Listed Oakland Plate, both in 2020, and finished with $797,725 in prizemoney.
The 5-year-old hails from a lovely family, with her dam, Celebrity Girl (Starcraft {NZ}), a two-time Listed winner, while stakes winners Dashing Granada (Keltrice), Kablammo (Marauding {NZ}) and Northeast Sheila (Keltrice) are all relations.
Instant Celebrity, winner of the G1 Robert Sangster S.
Instant Celebrity’s first covering will be Australia’s Champion Sire I Am Invincible.
“She will go to I Am Invincible; we’re trying to set her up in the right way for her future,” Watson said.
“What he’s been able to do is quite remarkable. He gets a lovely quality foal on the ground more often than not, so with a mare of her quality, obviously you want to be looking at the most commercial possibility for her.
“With that cover, you’d like to think she will get a good-quality first foal on the ground.”
“He (I Am Invincible) gets a lovely quality foal on the ground more often than not, so with a mare of her (Instant Celebrity’s) quality, obviously you want to be looking at the most commercial possibility for her.” – Chris Watson
Another destined for a date with Vinnie is Quantum Mechanic (Deep Field), who was a great money spinner for Mill Park Stud and partners, amassing just shy of $600,000 in her 28-start career before selling for $1.2 million at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale earlier this year. She won the G2 Sunline S. in 2021 and placed in Group 1 company.
She is from a lovely family, that includes Group 1 heroines Abbey Marie (Redoute’s Choice) and Absolutely (Redoute’s Choice), and Listed winner Runaway (Manhattan Rain).
“Just like Instant Celebrity, it’s a beautiful family and she was a terrific racemare, so we wanted to give her the opportunity with her first foal,” said Watson.
Quantum Mechanic, winner of the G2 Sunline S. | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Tried and true
Having produced the Phillip Stokes-trained 3-year-old filly Written Swoosh (Written Tycoon), Cocoa Doll will return to Written Tycoon.
Written Swoosh made $340,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and ran second in the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) on debut.
“She’ll go back to Written Tycoon, so we can get a full relation to Written Swoosh on the ground, hopefully,” Watson said.
Cocoa Doll’s daughter Written Swoosh as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Cocoa Doll is a half-sister to stare mare Away Game (Snitzel), who has won four stakes races, including the G2 Percy Sykes S., and placed in Group 1 grade on three occasions. She was bred at Mill Park Stud.
Her first foal, Brazen Boy (Brazen Beau), is a two-time winner in South Australia.
She has a 2-year-old colt named Trapeze Warrior (Trapeze Artist) with Stokes, which fetched $850,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Cocoa Doll also has a Snitzel yearling colt, who Watson described as “a lovely type”, and she is currently in foal to Zoustar.
Cocoa Doll’s son Trapeze Warrior who sold for $850,000 to Phillip Stokes at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“Cocoa Doll is a lovely mare and has done a super job,” Watson added.
“It’s a pretty exciting family and we’ve got high hopes for Written Swoosh; we’re hoping to see her pop up in the spring carnival.”
The queen goes to a Slipper king
Farm “stalwart” Victory Cry (General Nediym) has been a tremendous broodmare, producing Group 1 winner Run Fox Run (Foxwedge) and Listed winner Guard Of Honour. Run Fox Run made $420,000 at the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, before landing her Group 1 in South Africa for Ridgemont Stud.
Victory Cry is a sister to Listed winner Victory Chant and a half-sister to Listed winner Reldas (Testa Rossa), who is related to Group 1 victress Serious Speed (Royal Academy {USA}).
She is in foal to Farnan and will go to new Newgate Farm resident Stay Inside.
“She’s one of our stalwart mares and that whole family, for three generations, we’ve raised on Mill Park,” Watson said.
“She’s (Victory Cry) one of our stalwart mares and that whole family, for three generations, we’ve raised on Mill Park.” – Chris Watson
“Victory Cry is a mare that’s just producing quality horses for us.
“She’s the dam of Run Fox Run and we’re hoping to get as many fillies out of this mare as we can before she retires.
“Stay Inside is a son of Extreme Choice, who is doing a remarkable job, given his limited numbers.”
