The Magic Millions/Atkins Photography SA Owner of the Month award winners for May was Rob and Maureen McBryde part owners of Voltage Point. Rob forwarded this application: This storey begins with Summerset Park Stud preparing the eighth foal (by Artie Schiller (USA)) out of More Than Ready mare Voltara for the Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale in March 2022. In the lead-up to the Sales, the Magic Millions Sales Company arranged a bus tour of a number of Adelaide Hills studs for interested local buyers to pre-view a number of stud drafts. Among other attendees was Morphettville trainer, Chris Bieg, who took a shine to the Artie Schiller colt presented in Summerset Park’s parade of yearlings. At the Sales, when the colt was sent for pre-sale endoscopic examination (“scope”), he refused to co-operate, taking a decided dislike to the horse crush, the nose twitch and the whole procedure. Consequently, it was not possible to undertake the examination without the benefit of heavy sedation, whereupon the recorded scope was entirely unsatisfactory due to the sedation reducing any meaningful movement of the throat cartilages. The result of this refusal to co-operate with the scope examination was a decision to not lodge the recorded scope in the MM Repository for visiting veterinarians to view as it was so unsatisfactory. It is said that the colt is the only horse in the 2022 Adelaide MM Sales to not have a scope video lodged in the Repository. Not to be put off by the colt’s refusal and lack of scope video, Chris Bieg was the successful purchaser of the colt at $25,000, having had the previous experience of purchasing a Duporth filly that refused to submit to a scope examination and yet becoming a successful racehorse (Unscopeable) . Subsequently, Summerset Park purchased back a small interest in the colt and is part of the ownership group of Voltage Point. After Voltage Point’s first win (start number 4), an offer for him came from Hong Kong interests on the back of another Voltara foal (Galaxy Patch) who was starting to make a name for himself in his first season in HK (eventually named Champion 4 Y O in HK for 2023-2024 season). Chris Bieg debated with himself as to whether to proceed with the necessary veterinary examinations that would be required to pass fit for Hong Kong. In the end, Chris agreed to proceed, to see what would happen. Predictably, Voltage Point refused to co-operate once again with the notion of undergoing endoscopic examination. The veterinary review and thoughts of sale to Hong Kong had to be abandoned! Voltage Point has since won 4 additional races, with one 2nd and two 3rd placings, culminating in his last win in the Sportsbet Handicap over 1050m at Morphettville on 3rd May (Derby Day) at his first run back from a spell, with total prizemoney earnings of nearly $212,000, including $22,250 of Racing Rewards SA bonuses. As well-respected race commentator Terry McCauliffe noted in a post-race interview with Chris Bieg after Voltage Point’s win in the Sportsbet Hcp, he was a good investment! Since Rob wrote this Voltage Point has won again and at the time of writing his record stands at 26 runs with 6 wins one second and three thirds with earnings of almost $260,000 including $22,500 of Racing Rewards Bonuses. Voltage Point is by Artie Schiller from the More Than Ready mare Voltara. Voltara, now deceased, has produced eight progeny to race, all have at least one race to their credit. As Rob mentions Galaxy Patch (by Wandjina) is the star of the group with 9 wins from 21 starts and earning of over 30 million HK dollars which converts to approximately $6 Million $AUS. He was awarded the Champion Four Year Old in Hong Kong in 2024. Other progeny of note include Comesaroundsundown (by Not A Single Doubt) Freedom Road (by Good Journey); Creativity (by Master Of Design); and Exaltara (by Excelebration), all of which were multiple winners. Rob served SAROA extremely well as Treasurer for many years and we wish him and Maureen all the best with Voltage Point and their other horses.