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Though Lochinvar, Hunter Valley, grazier and former coal truck fleet owner Brian Marheine looked forward to growing some good horses when he purchased the Peel river bordered Stratheden Stud at west Tamworth off John and Kaye Park in1995, he was unlikely to have envisaged that in less than seven years they would have produced a champion Australian two and three-year-old, Assertive Lad, and stirred Australian yearling selling by securing the top price of $1.5million at this year's William Inglis & Son's Australia Easter sale.

Knocked down to Irishman Demi O'Byrne acting on behalf of the giant international Coolmore organisation, the youngster, a filly, is a half-sister by Danehill to Assertive Lad and to his Group One winning sister Assertive Lass.The price equalled the national record for a yearling and was $250,000 above the previous best for a filly. 

Stratheden, a stud under the management of Brian Marheine's daughter Judy, also sold a Marscay colt at the sale for $400,000 and at last year's Easter series got $700,000 for a sister to this year's record priced yearling.

Since acquiring the Stratheden Stud, the Marheines have judiciously purchased quality mares in Australia and overseas with the view to patronising the top echelon of sires. Last season their mares went to such respected sires as Danehill, Grand Lodge, Octagonal, Spectrum, Zeditave, Cabird, Redoute's Choice, Danzero, Flying Spur and Desert Prince,

Their record priced yearling was one of four which went through the ring for prices over a million dollars at the Easter sale, the others being a Danehill colt at $1,400,000 offered by Highgrove Stud,QLD, and two Sunday Silence colts at $1,200,000 and $1,100,000 on behalf of Arrowfield, Scone.

The sale of the Danehill colt, one which was acquired for the Philippine owned Gooree Stud at Mudgee, was subsequently cancelled when it failed post sale x-ray examinations. X-ray procedures are expected to play a role in major yearling selling in the future.

Brian Russell Bloodstock Media Service Phone (02) 6543 3051

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