Perth black-type mare Earthstorm topped the Magic Millions July (Early) Digital Sale when changing hands for $155,000 on Thursday.
The 4yo daughter of former Coolmore shuttler Calyx (Kingman) was purchased by SM & KB Bloodstock owners Kyle and Brody Sutherland who have built a successful partnership with Ascot trainer Stefan Vahala.
Remarkably, Earthstorm’s sole win in 14 starts was an Ascot 3yo Plate, however, just as surprising was a black-type slate with four entries and none of them in caps. Straight from the off as an autumn 2yo, she was runner-up to Sir Dreamalot (A Lot) in the LR Supremacy Stakes (1000m) and Bustling (Frosted) in the G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m).
Earthstorm (Photo / Western Racepix) was bred by Kojarena-based Ruby Racing & Breeding owners Rod and Bridie O’Bree and they kept a share after she made $60,000 to the bid of Ascot trainer Russell Stewart at the 2023 Perth Yearling Sale.
She’s the final foal of Bombay (Encosta de Lago) who was a Canterbury juvenile winner while second-dam Sarasota (Danehill) is a full-sister to Group 1 racehorse and sire Fastnet Rock.
The O’Bree family had purchased Bombay from Coolmore Stud for $30,000 at the 2021 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale when she was carrying a positive to Calyx (Kingman).
Earthstorm has earned $288,000 to date with another season of racing ahead. “We’ve followed Earthstorm since her two-year-old season and have always believed in what she could do,” Kyle Sutherland said. “She will race for at least another twelve months before eventually retiring to our broodmare ranks.”
Vatican Storm (Playing God) was a narrow black-type winner for Vahala Stables and SM & KB Bloodstock in the LR Beaufine Stakes (1000m) at Belmont last month. After seven starts, he’s already more than doubled a $100,000 price-tag from Yarradale Stud at the Perth Magic Millions back in 2024.
Vahala Racing and SM & KB Bloodstock topped Day 1 spend at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in February and finished with an overall spend of $790,000 for 6 lots at Riverside Stables. A Written Tycoon – Night Express filly (Lot 249) topped that leaderboard at $200,000. She has a dozen black-type winners down the page to third-dam Express A Smile (Success Express) and the majority of them have been shared by Heytesbury Stud and Keith Biggs.
A week later they added another three yearlings at the Perth Magic Millions topped by the $160,000 Playing God colt out of Just Jessie (Lot 195) from Darling View Thoroughbreds.
Vahala saved his most expensive bid for Day 1 of the Inglis Australian Easter Sale when paying $500,000 on behalf of the Sutherlands for the Siyouni (Fr) filly out of Irish-bred mare Rasmiya (Galileo) who has already foaled LR Prix Madame Jean Couturie (2000m) winner Jouza (Toronado).
