This colt broke in extremely well at Thenford Farm earlier this year and has recently arrived at our Ballarat stables.

He has been in work since the beginning of September and has impressed us with the professional way he has handled everything asked of him so far.

Being by Brutal, we don’t necessarily expect him to be a pre-Christmas two-year-old. He looks more likely to come into his own through the latter half of the season, with the scope to really progress and shine as a three-year-old.

Brutal is the sire of Group 1 winner Nepotism, along with stakes winners Harlem Queen, Sentimental Legend, Savagery Vibe and Jenni’s Meadow. His progeny have developed a reputation for being tough and competitive, and he is also beginning to make his mark internationally, with four winners from six runners in Hong Kong.

On the dam side, Finishing Touch is by world-class sire Invincible Spirit, the sire of I Am Invincible and broodmare sire of 76 individual stakes winners, including 10 at Group 1 level.

Finishing Touch has produced three foals to race for two winners, including the Jack Bruce-trained four-time winner San Jose Boy.

There is plenty to like about this colt both physically and on pedigree, and we’re looking forward to seeing how he progresses.

Lot 99 | Magic Millions Tasmania | $110,000 | Bay or Brown Colt | Armidale Stud

We are thrilled to present an outstanding gelding by the Cox Plate champion State of Rest out of the quality mare Falika, purchased for $110,000 at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale.

We have been trying hard to secure some of the State of Rest progeny throughout the sales season. This young colt ticked all the boxes and was bred on the lush green grasses of one of Tasmania’s leading breeders, Armidale Stud, who bred 8 stakes winners last year.

State of Rest was rated among the top racehorses globally during his peak, a world-class middle-distance performer, combining toughness, adaptability and consistency throughout his career. Not many horses are able to achieve what he did, winning 4x G1 contests all in different countries. Another feat was that he is the only horse in history to have won three consecutive Group/Grade 1 races on three different continents.

STATE OF REST has made a SENSATIONAL start to his stud career in the northern hemisphere. From very few runners, he has sired 3 individual winners already. STAR OF STATE for Joseph O’Brien won by a staggering 9 lengths at his second start. The other winners are  ANAD & SWORD OF STATE.

Being a Cox Plate winner sets him on the path to sire success, much like previous winners of the WFA championship of Australasia. Cox Plate winners make outstanding sires and Savabeel, So You Think, Ocean Park and Shamus Award are testament to this.

• Group 1 Cox Plate 2040m (AUSTRALIA)
• Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes 2004m (UK)
• Group 1 Prix Ganay 2100m (FRANCE)
• Grade 1 Saratoga Derby 1911m (USA)

The gelding’s dam Falika was a very consistent performer on the track, winning the Pinker Pinker Plate at Cranbourne amongst multiple metropolitan successes. Her sire Faltaat’s impact has been particularly notable in New Zealand and Australia, where his daughters have crossed successfully with Danehill-line stallions and emerging local sires.

This gelding immediately stands out with his athleticism, conformation, and presence – a true 3-year-old classic type in the making. He exhibits the balance, scope, and movement that suggest a bright future on the racetrack.

Mark our words: you will be hearing a lot more about the progeny by STATE OF REST in the near future.

Lot 488 | 2025 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale | $240,000 | Bay Filly | Milburn Creek

Tony thought this filly was the most natural athlete at the 2025 Inglis Premier Sale.

She is the first foal out of a multiple-winning, black type-placed TEOFILO mare, SPECTACLE. Tony trained Spectacle and believed she had a lot of untapped talent that we never got to witness on the track. Teofilo has proven himself to be a world-class broodmare sire. The current star performer who wears the Yulong silks, ANGEL CAPITAL, is out of a Teofilo mare, as well as 8 G1 winners.

STAY INSIDE is by Australia’s hottest stallion, EXTREME CHOICE. He was a dominant winner of Australia’s leading 2yo and stallion-making race, the G1 Golden Slipper and went on to become Australian Champion 2yo.

“Stay Inside is the best 2YO colt I’ve ever had anything to do with. He has elite talent and an electric turn of foot.” – Michael Freedman

He has kicked off his stallion career in style, winning the G3 Breeders’ Plate with gun 2yo colt, INCOGNITO, who also made $1,000,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Other standout performances already include EVICTION NOTICE, who clocked the fastest time for a colt and scored by the day’s widest margin at Sydney’s 2025 first official 2YO trials. The McEvoys have a hugely impressive track record when it comes to training first season sires’ progeny – think SUNLIGHT (Zoustar) VEIGHT (Grunt), COCO SUN (The Autumn Sun), ARABIAN SUMMER (Too Darn Hot) etc

This filly was reared at Millburn Creek, one of the country’s leading boutique Stud Farms, which operates at a remarkable 10% stakes performers to horses offered at auction, and has raised G1 performers such as COOLANGATTA and MAGIC TIME.

Combining our knowledge of the mare with an exciting Golden Slipper winning stallion by the best sire in the world, this filly has every chance to be a true spectacle on the track!