Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Banjup trainer Annie Belton went to the 2020 APG Perth yearling sale keen to purchase the Always B Miki colt out of Harriet Elisabeth.
She bid for the colt but retired from the duel before he was sold for $57,500. The colt who was later named Tricky Miki has earned $482,721 from eleven wins and nine placings from 25 starts, with his victories including four Group 1 events, the 2021 Golden Slipper, the Westbred Classic and WA Derby in 2022 and the Golden Nugget in 2023.
“My second choice was a colt by Fly Like An Eagle, and I had to keep going (in the bidding) to get him,” said Belton. Remarkably, she outlaid exactly $57,500 to buy the colt she later named Mister Montblanc.
Mister Montblanc, now a five-year-old, is proving an excellent performer who improved his record to 32 starts for ten wins and six placings for stakes of $80,215 when he was driven to a smart victory by Shannon Suvaljko in the 2503m Hoist Torque Australia Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mister Montblanc was the $3 favourite, who paced roughly for a few strides from the 10m mark before settling down in eighth position while Hes Royal Blue, Deeorse and Feeling Aces all took turns in the lead in the first lap.
Suvaljko quickly had Mister Montblanc poised to strike from the one-out, one-back position, following the $4.20 chance Ardens Horizon in the breeze.
Ardens Horizon got to the front 110m from home before Mister Montblanc finished strongly to take the lead 70m from the post and win by almost a length from Ardens Horizon.
Mister Montblanc is the tenth foal out of the New South Wales-bred Village Jasper mare Arkareena, who had 88 starts for 30 wins (all in Queensland) and 24 placings for stakes of $130,305.
Mister Montblanc is a half-brother to Monarkmac, who earned $313,002 from 35 wins (24 in Queensland, nine in Tasmania and two in New South Wales) and 81 placings from 342 starts. He won a heat of the NSW Derby at Menangle in April 2012 in which Fly Like An Eagle finished third. Monarkmac then finished eighth behind Smolda in the final.
Arkareena’s half-brother Atomic Ark earned $435,113 from 36 wins and 49 placings from 163 starts. He raced in WA in 2011 when he had 19 starts for five placings at Gloucester Park.