We selected Ralph Satchell as our Owner of the Month for December for his horse Mullinger Lane. Ralph kindly provided us with these details about his horse. It was pleasing to see Mullinger Lane recapture his winning form with back to back wins at Morphettville in December. Leading all the way over 1600m, Mullinger Lane is a real chip off the old block, being by our resident stallion Mint Lane. Mint Lane won all his races leading all the way and showed his best form when racing over 1600 to 1700m. Usually all the yearlings we (Willow Grove Stud) breed are offered for sale at the Yearling Sales. Sometimes if I am fortunate, I manage to keep a share in a handy one. The Mullinger Lane story took a different path. Being a first crop Mint Lane, “Mully” had his photo added to our website along with the rest of our foals for that season. I received a phone call from a stranger from NSW (enter my partner in Mullinger Lane, Alan Worrell), who told me that he was admiring the Mint Lane foal photos. We discussed which ones look the best and we settled on the one from a Redoute’s Choice mare Asadie. Alan suggested that if I liked him enough, he would buy in and race him with me. He eventually persuaded me not to travel the usual path of the yearling sales with this one and a deal was struck, with Alan to name him and “Mully” to race in my colours of Gold Red spots and Red cap. Many thanks to Jon O’Connor for training Mullinger Lane who has now won 6 races, 3 seconds and 2 thirds from only 23 starts. Mullinger Lane as Ralph says is one of his home breeds from his stallion th e American horse Mint Lane. Heis out of a Redoute’s Choice mare Asadie. The mare placed 3 times in a short racing career and has produced three foals with two race, Mullinger Lane being the most successful to date winning a touch under $100,000. Mullinger Lane seems to win his races in spells having in December won two in a row and back in 2015 winning three consecutive starts. He has now won three in the city and there seems to be no reason why he can’t win more for his connections. Asadie, who has been served this year by Zebedee (after losing a Zebedee foal at birth last season), is out of a Bold Revenue mare – the well named Canadian import Miss Behave. Ralph has been a stalwart of the South Australian breeding industry and it’s great to see him having success on the racetrack. Over the years Willow Grove Stud at Woodside has stood a number of quality stallions, the likes of Blazing Saddles, Keepers, Stargazer, Centre Stalls, Mugharreb and Clangalang. Currently as well as Mint Lane, Willow Grove stands Hussonet’s Chilean bred multinational stakes winner Host. Host has produced three stakes winners in Australia and is offered at excellent value to local breeders.