The Forest View Farm consignment to the 2023 Perth Magic Millions received an early update when All About Eve scored a barnstorming last-to-first victory at Ballarat on Thursday.
Forest View owners Ben and Jo Duncan bred and sold All About Eve (Star Turn) in partnership with Rushton Park’s David and Kayley Johnston and her half-brother by Frosted (USA) has been entered for the Swan Valley Yearling Sale next February.
All About Eve was resuming after two disappointing preps last season and the lightly-raced 4yo mare was back in the good books with local trainer Andrew Noblet after the Sportsbet Hcp (1000m). “We only gave her the one jump-out at Burrumbeet before today,” he said. “I told Johnny (Allen) she would get back and then let down fresh.”
As a 2yo, All About Eve had won a Ballarat nursery on debut and was runner-up in the VOBIS Gold Elvstroem Classic before coming back for the 2021 Melbourne spring carnival.
“We gave her three starts in Stakes races but she didn’t come up against the other 3yo fillies,” Noblet recalled. “She was working well but not reproducing that at the races.
“It was no different in the autumn so we decided to give her a long spell at Rushton Park where she was bred and they did a great job. She came back in wonderful condition and the strength of Star Turn really shows in her frame.”
Noblet and agent Suman Hedge paid $110,000 for All About Eve at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale on behalf of Carbine Thoroughbreds. “We just had to have her,” Hedge said at Oaklands. “She’s an athlete and a beautiful mover with a great attitude.”
Carbine manager Julian Hay was also impressed during her education. “She was a natural under saddle from Day 1. The young ones are usually overawed but she wasn’t fazed.”
The comeback win also received a vote of approval on a couple of fronts from Forest View. “Wow! What a run from All About Eve after some setbacks,” Ben Duncan said. “Thanks to Andrew for getting her back and to Dave & Kay up at Tatura.
“Rushton puts so much effort into the horses they breed and race. It’s a pleasure having horses in partnership with such a progressive farm.”
Her dam Garden Of Eden (Blackfriars) is a half-sister to Perth Group 3 winner Grand Nirvana (Scenic) and their dam Paradise Park (Bletchley Park) won a G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes. It’s the Group 1 winning family of Rogan Josh and Machine Gun Tom.
Garden Of Eden has a 2yo colt by So You Think between All About Eve and the Frosted yearling. He sold as a foal at the 2021 Inglis Great Southern Sale to Paul Willetts for $160,000. She been covered by Darley’s Shamardal shuttler Pinatubo (Ire) this season.
“Her Frosted colt is a ripper,” Duncan reported from Forest View. “We’ve entered 11 yearlings for the 2023 Perth Magic Millions and among the other standouts are the full-brother to Boomtastic and a Written By filly from Skating On Ice.”
Hoofnote: Classy 3yo filly Quang Tri began a big week for the Forestview – Rushton partnership at last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup meeting. She was a smart winner first-up in the Tile Importer Trophy (1400m) and it signalled an imminent return to black-type ranks.
Quang Tri (Shalaa) was bred and sold by the Duncans and Johnstons for $90,000 at the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. Bought by Prime Thoroughbreds, she paid that back promptly last season with victories in the LR VRC Gibson-Carmichael Stakes and VOBIS Gold Elvstroem Classic.
