Roger Langley was out celebrating last night. And why not.
Earlier in the day his Dundeel colt from the stakes placed mare, Cerberus Gal, had been knocked down for $240,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, the most expensive foal by a sire who would ultimately top the averages among his freshman peers.
Langley purchased Cerberus Gal – runner-up in the Group Two Yallambee Classic – off the track and sent her originally to Nicconi where she produced the city winning filly Deanna Jean.
Langley doesn’t have many horses these days though and after selling his farm in Victoria, sent the mare to a good mate, Nick Hodges, who owns Riversdale in the Hunter Valley. Langley also credits Hodges with selecting Dundeel as a mate for Cerberus Gal: “she (Cerberus Gal) is a big, boofy type and Nick thought Dundeel would add a bit of refinement to the eventual foal.
“It certainly worked … Tim Stewart (who purchased the colt on behalf of Musk Creek) just loved him. “Dundeel had a few knockers out there originally, but look at what he’s done up here (on the Gold Coast). He topped the averages among the freshman sires and everyone I spoke to said all the Dundeels – not just my bloke – are cracking types. Good bone, plenty of size about them.”
While Langley has scaled back his bloodstock interests, he remains vice-president of Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria and is also chairman of the Children First Foundation, whose Miracle Miles program brings kids from developing countries to Australia for profoundly life-changing, or life-saving surgery that is not available in their country of origin.
“It’s a wonderful cause and while funding is always a battle, the end result is worth it.
“I also enjoy my involvement in the (thoroughbred) industry, especially when people fancy what you breed.”
HOOFNOTE: The Dundeel colt from Cerberus Gal, purchased by Musk Creek, hails from the family of Golden Slipper winner and former top sire, Danzero. From the first crop of the legendary Danehill, Danzero was raced by David Kobritz, owner of Musk Creek.
