One of the choicest lots among the thirty in the select catalogue for the Magic Millions yearling sale commencing January 7 by one of the best Danehill sires, Commands, appears to be lot 339 in the draft from the Basil Nolan family’s Raheen Stud at Gladfield, Darling Downs.

It is a brother to a Raheen bred performer whose racing exploits in Australia and Hong Kong stamped him as one of the fleetest of the Commands offspring.

After winning all his three appearances here, Sydney sprints including the Listed AJC Brian Crowley Stakes at Randwick under the name of War of the Worlds, he became a leading sprinter in Hong Kong as Royal Delight. In fact he went so fast in 2007 in recording one of three Hong Kong wins, a Group 3, event, he ran the fastest time for 1200m ever registered to that time at this very competitive racing region.

It was an effort that was followed by a third in one of the world’s most prestigious sprints, the Hong Kong International, behind two other Australian products, Sacred Kingdom (by Encosta de Lago; a world champion sprinter 2008 and 2008) and Absolute Champion (Marauding; world champion sprinter 2006). Absolute Champion was defeated by Royal Delight when he set the Hong Kong track record.

Brothers to a colt which sold to South Africa for $480,000 at the 2008 yearling sale at the Gold Coast, Royal Delight and the current Raheen sale youngster are from Conquered, a Sydney 2-year-old winner by the Bletchingly Golden Slipper winner Star Watch.They represent the fabulous Heights family, one which consistently throws up talented performers.The latest star has been 2008 Melbourne Cup winner Viewed.

The Commands yearling is one of 14 lots, all by brilliant performers, accepted for the select sessions of the Magic Millions sale from Raheen, a stud which has been a major player in Queensland in Nolan ownership for half a century.

The others are offspring of Lonhro, Snippetson (three), Show a Heart, Flying Spur, Jet Spur, Stratum, Shovhog, Bradbury’s Luck (two), Anabaa and Stromberg Carlson. Shovhog (a Danehill Golden Slipper second) and Stromberg Carlson (a smart performing three-quarter brother by Redoute’s Choice to Testa Rossa) are both resident sires at Raheen and between them have eleven lots on behalf of the home stud in the second section of the January Gold Coast sale.

Used over 129 mares in his first season at Raheen and now represented by first crop 2-year-olds, Stromberg Carlson is expected to become a prominent Queensland sire. All his five runners to date, including two winners, have earned money.