Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Paydirt for Breeder
Hawkes Bay's Alan Jackson fashioned a successful business career from backing his hunches, so when he went on last year's Manawatu Stallion Parade and liked what he saw in a stable box at John O'Brien's Newmarket Lodge property, he didn't muck around.
Jackson had taken an instant fancy to a weanling colt by Mr Nancho from the Anziyan mare Cashcade. A keen follower of the races again since selling up his business interests about 12 months previous, he had been impressed with the potential of the filly Ekstreme whose resume at that stage included a win the Group Three Lowland Stakes win and a group two placing from a just concluded Brisbane winter campaign.
Recognising that Cashcade was the dam of Ekstreme, and after establishing that Newmarket Lodge in fact owned Cashcade, Jackson negotiated a package to acquire the mare and her weanling colt. Once Jackson had the seal of approval on confirmation from his bloodstock advisor Cambridge agent Michael Wallace, the deal was done and the fun started.
About the time Ekstreme returned to the racetrack for her new season campaign, Jackson was getting wind that Opaki trainer Andrew Campbell had quite an opinion of unraced two-year-old colt in his stable. The link for Jackson was that the colt happened to be Cashcade's second foal, by Mr Nancho and a full brother to the younger brother he had acquired a few months earlier.
By this stage Jackson was keen to track down the whereabouts of Cashcade's second foal - an unraced year younger full sister to Ekstreme - and his hunt resulted in a call to Matamata trainer Paul Jenkins who had the Ekraar filly and a pretty fair opinion of her too. Lining up for her racecourse debut in mid November last year at Rotorua, the well backed filly, by then named De Colletage, unfortunately injured herself in the running and wasn't a factor in the race, however Jackson's disappointment was quickly tempered when just a few weeks later Ekstreme confirmed the potential he had seen in her all along and then some, by taking the Group One Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham.
Boarding his mares at Masterton's Little Avondale Stud, Jackson gets down regularly to see his flock so started making a point of stopping in at the Opaki track to keep up with the progress of the Andrew Campbell charge. After a number of growing pains the colt -by then named Maradona - finally debuted in a two-year-old race at Foxton in July this year and despite the wet track, which he detested according to jockey Jonathan Riddell, battled on very gamely for second.
The three-year-old open event on the first day of this years Hawkes Bay Spring Carnival was Maradona's next start and despite another wet track, connections persevered with a start knowing that any chance of making the Hawkes Bay Guineas rested on a good performance. Producing one of the better efforts of the day, from a wide draw Maradona had to do a fair bit of work to get a position on the outer, challenged the leader wide on the home turn before surrendering second late in the race.
Meanwhile De Colletage was back in training after her long injury induced layoff and a trials win at Cambridge in July preceded a very much under wraps second place finish at the Te Teko trials on 12 August. De Colletage is down to make her second career start at Counties this Sunday in a maiden 1300m and while she doesn't have the same wet track inclination as her full sister her class should still have her in the finish.
So what s happened to Maradona's full brother that Jackson bought in the package deal? Recently turned two and still unnamed, he s just about to commence a second preparation with Hastings trainer Patrick Campbell and has done everything asked of him to date although it s too early to say if he s inherited the family genes.
Two weeks ago the jewel in the crown Cashcade delivered her owner the Pentire filly shown in the top photo of this blog and the mare is currently at Darley Stud in Victoria where she ll be served by Domesday anyday. With her genes the Pentire filly is one very valuable girl but one imagines her insurable value and that of her mum, can only get bigger and it may start that climb as soon as this weekend.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Taupo: Talent Unearthed
It maybe not quite Tattenham Corner but the home-turn at Taupo has bought many an inexperienced horse undone; it falls away into quite a dip on the point of the turn before an abrupt rise, leaving only about 150m for a horse to get balanced and find the line.
Therefore there was a lot to like about the wins on debut of He's Remarkable (Pentire-Axiom)and Rockandready (More Than Ready-Bumps) at the lakeside circuit last week, coming as they both did from well off the pace and wide on the home-turn.
It seems almost impossible to fathom now but only four or five years ago John Thompson was seriously considering not continuing to bring Pentire down on his southern hemisphere shuttle so significant a shun was he receiving from local breeders. Serving less than 100 mares between the seasons 2002-2004 and leaving only 44 live foals, the former high-class European stayer was being heavily penalised for a slow start to his breeding career.
Pentire's standing with local breeders changed significantly after the 2004/2005 racing season during which the career of the near champion Xcellent commenced with group one victories in the NZ Derby and Zabeel Classic and his Australian trained daughter Recurring took the Group One Railway Handicap after earlier placing second in the Group One Sallinger Stakes at Flemington. The floodgates had suddenly opened for Pentire - he had gone from a stallion acknowledged by breeders as capable of leaving slower maturing middle distance-staying types to one who could throw serious WFA and sprinting horses.
Using the expression career defining to describe the next couple of seasons for Pentire's progeny would be putting unwarranted expectations on a stallion who has already reached heights most studmasters can only dream about, but it will be fascinating to monitor their progress, coming as they do from far and away his biggest and best books of mares.
Unraced due to an eye injury, Axiom is a Zabeel daughter of the dual Australian group two winning Centaine mare Arletty, a leading three-year-old filly of her year in NZ before transferring to become an inaugural member of the O'Sullivan stables short-lived Sydney operation from where she tasted further group race success as a four and five-year-old. Arletty's best performer to date from her nine foals is the three win Zabeel gelding Maythehorsebemagic.
Arletty is a half sister to the 2007 NZ Broodmare Of The Year winner River Century the dam of group one winners Legs and Guyno while she's a three-quarter sister to group one winner Sixty Seconds and group three winner Spottswoode. Adding further credence to a most prolific family is Arlettys full sister Rivertaine, the dam of three individual winners in Hong Kong including multiple group placed performer Regency Horse and the five times winning O'Reilly Rally.
Axiom's first foal is the promising Melbourne trained mare Fashion Black, a winner twice including a city victory, and two placings from just five starts. Her next foal was the $360,000 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale graduate He's Remarkable, followed by a full brother who sold to Fashion Black's trainer Danny O'Brien for $160,000 at this years Karaka Sale. She is due to foal again to Pentire this spring after failing to get back in foal to him the previous season.
Another stallion on an ever increasing upward surge in popularity over recent seasons has been the Australian based More Than Ready who just a matter of days after his daughters Taupo success registered his 73rd stakeswinner worldwide when a two-year-old son won a group three event in North America. Like Pentire, most of More Than Ready's sire success has been generated off his down-under shuttle service where he demands a service fee of $121,000 Aus (down from last years pre recession $148,500), a jump from $40,000 in 2007 largely courtesy of consecutive Champion Australian Two-Year -Old Premierships in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009, and a significantly higher fee than the $30,000 US he currently commands Stateside.
Rockandready is bred on a very similar cross to More Than Ready's second Golden Slipper winner Phelan Ready whose dam is a daughter of the Scenic stallion Blevic.
Bumps an unraced daughter of Scenic from the Christmas Tree mare Final Claus has fashioned a most respectable record at stud with Rockandready her sixth individual winner from the eight of her nine foals to make it to the racetrack. Two of her earlier progeny - both by Rory's Jester - were stakesplaced while her 2006 son by Fastnet Rock named Therock already has a fourth to his credit in a listed event after only 6 lifetime starts.
Final Claus's hails from an imported family which has crossed successfully with Australian speed influences. Her dam the imported Northfields mare Life At Last left a VRC St Leger winner in Full At Last and a daughter Imposing Life is the grand dam of Group One Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort while Betty Box, a full sister to Life At Last, is the dam of Aynda who in turn is the grand dam of Waikato Stud stallion Fast N Famous.
Rockandready was sold as a yearling at the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale to Grant Searle for $190,000 before being re sold in the yearling section of the 2009 National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Sale for $75,000 and again in the two-year-old section of the same sale this year for what could well turn out to be a bargain price of $90,000. While the financial plight of her co-breeders is likely to have had something to do with the unusual ownership changes the filly doesn't seem to have taken the passing around personally judging by her Taupo win.
Conclusions:
He's Remarkable - from a stable not reknown for having their charges wound up to win first time out, the colt looks just the type to make up in a Derby horse in the autumn and further enhance the reputation of his sire for leaving middle-distance Classic performers.
Rockandready - big long legged type who never looked suited to debut venue at any stage but overcame that with raw natural ability to win easily and while the 1000 Guineas may come around a little too soon for her, she may just be good enough to give the race a huge shake.
Therefore there was a lot to like about the wins on debut of He's Remarkable (Pentire-Axiom)and Rockandready (More Than Ready-Bumps) at the lakeside circuit last week, coming as they both did from well off the pace and wide on the home-turn.
It seems almost impossible to fathom now but only four or five years ago John Thompson was seriously considering not continuing to bring Pentire down on his southern hemisphere shuttle so significant a shun was he receiving from local breeders. Serving less than 100 mares between the seasons 2002-2004 and leaving only 44 live foals, the former high-class European stayer was being heavily penalised for a slow start to his breeding career.
Pentire's standing with local breeders changed significantly after the 2004/2005 racing season during which the career of the near champion Xcellent commenced with group one victories in the NZ Derby and Zabeel Classic and his Australian trained daughter Recurring took the Group One Railway Handicap after earlier placing second in the Group One Sallinger Stakes at Flemington. The floodgates had suddenly opened for Pentire - he had gone from a stallion acknowledged by breeders as capable of leaving slower maturing middle distance-staying types to one who could throw serious WFA and sprinting horses.
Using the expression career defining to describe the next couple of seasons for Pentire's progeny would be putting unwarranted expectations on a stallion who has already reached heights most studmasters can only dream about, but it will be fascinating to monitor their progress, coming as they do from far and away his biggest and best books of mares.
Unraced due to an eye injury, Axiom is a Zabeel daughter of the dual Australian group two winning Centaine mare Arletty, a leading three-year-old filly of her year in NZ before transferring to become an inaugural member of the O'Sullivan stables short-lived Sydney operation from where she tasted further group race success as a four and five-year-old. Arletty's best performer to date from her nine foals is the three win Zabeel gelding Maythehorsebemagic.
Arletty is a half sister to the 2007 NZ Broodmare Of The Year winner River Century the dam of group one winners Legs and Guyno while she's a three-quarter sister to group one winner Sixty Seconds and group three winner Spottswoode. Adding further credence to a most prolific family is Arlettys full sister Rivertaine, the dam of three individual winners in Hong Kong including multiple group placed performer Regency Horse and the five times winning O'Reilly Rally.
Axiom's first foal is the promising Melbourne trained mare Fashion Black, a winner twice including a city victory, and two placings from just five starts. Her next foal was the $360,000 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale graduate He's Remarkable, followed by a full brother who sold to Fashion Black's trainer Danny O'Brien for $160,000 at this years Karaka Sale. She is due to foal again to Pentire this spring after failing to get back in foal to him the previous season.
Another stallion on an ever increasing upward surge in popularity over recent seasons has been the Australian based More Than Ready who just a matter of days after his daughters Taupo success registered his 73rd stakeswinner worldwide when a two-year-old son won a group three event in North America. Like Pentire, most of More Than Ready's sire success has been generated off his down-under shuttle service where he demands a service fee of $121,000 Aus (down from last years pre recession $148,500), a jump from $40,000 in 2007 largely courtesy of consecutive Champion Australian Two-Year -Old Premierships in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009, and a significantly higher fee than the $30,000 US he currently commands Stateside.
Rockandready is bred on a very similar cross to More Than Ready's second Golden Slipper winner Phelan Ready whose dam is a daughter of the Scenic stallion Blevic.
Bumps an unraced daughter of Scenic from the Christmas Tree mare Final Claus has fashioned a most respectable record at stud with Rockandready her sixth individual winner from the eight of her nine foals to make it to the racetrack. Two of her earlier progeny - both by Rory's Jester - were stakesplaced while her 2006 son by Fastnet Rock named Therock already has a fourth to his credit in a listed event after only 6 lifetime starts.
Final Claus's hails from an imported family which has crossed successfully with Australian speed influences. Her dam the imported Northfields mare Life At Last left a VRC St Leger winner in Full At Last and a daughter Imposing Life is the grand dam of Group One Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort while Betty Box, a full sister to Life At Last, is the dam of Aynda who in turn is the grand dam of Waikato Stud stallion Fast N Famous.
Rockandready was sold as a yearling at the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale to Grant Searle for $190,000 before being re sold in the yearling section of the 2009 National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Sale for $75,000 and again in the two-year-old section of the same sale this year for what could well turn out to be a bargain price of $90,000. While the financial plight of her co-breeders is likely to have had something to do with the unusual ownership changes the filly doesn't seem to have taken the passing around personally judging by her Taupo win.
Conclusions:
He's Remarkable - from a stable not reknown for having their charges wound up to win first time out, the colt looks just the type to make up in a Derby horse in the autumn and further enhance the reputation of his sire for leaving middle-distance Classic performers.
Rockandready - big long legged type who never looked suited to debut venue at any stage but overcame that with raw natural ability to win easily and while the 1000 Guineas may come around a little too soon for her, she may just be good enough to give the race a huge shake.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Waikato Stallion Parade 28 & 29 August
I was well overdue a Waikato Stallion Parade. After our long winters you do yearn for some quality live racing and Mudgway Day has won out in recent times. Not this year; with the number of new stallions a weekend getting reacquainted with the picturesque farms of our breeding heartland won out.
For a townie like me those maps in the Stallion register are gold when you re trying to find the likes of Scott Eagleton's property in the hills west of Matamata. After a few roadside stops I managed to find the farm literally as new stallion Tiger Prawn was been led from his box. A medium sized athletic type with a generous barrel and girth he should be popular particularly with those looking to bred to race or trial.
Next stop was Ancroft where we viewed the un-raced full brother to El Segundo in El Hermando. If ever there was a case for seeing a stallion in the flesh rather than in a photo then it's this son of Pins; clearly a more athletic and strongly coloured bay than in his photos, it s not hard to see why he fetched $500,000 as a yearling. Steve Till from Windsor must be acknowledged for showing catching skills worthy of the Black Caps.
It hardly seemed worth moving the car for our next appointment but I'm glad I did; the driveway to the stallion facilities at the old Fieldhouse and Java property next door to Ancroft is a decent stretch. The farm and it's ample facilities are back in good shape and if they are any indication, Stoneybridge Waikato will be around for a while yet.
Ekraar surprised me with his quality - once again he s probably let down by average photography in his promotional material- although I gather not shuttling to the NH this year helped. Not as rangy or coarse as I expected, he s another fine physical example of the emerging Red Ransom sire-line. Mr Nancho is a bull of a horse with some quality in front of the saddle but a little limited behind. Of the rest of the Stoneybridge roster, father time has been kind to Ustinov; the son of Seeking The Gold reminding me why I once rated him one of the more attractive stallions I'd seen.
Waikato Stud around the corner was our next stop and as a farm it s quality never ceases to amaze me - and if it were possible, it just seems to get better. At 1200 acres and with some of the best pasture anywhere in the country, it s value must be enormous.
I was kind of hoping Rios may have suddenly shot up in the height stakes since I last saw him as a three-year-old. Sadly he hadn't, but it still shouldn't deter breeders with the right type of mare; his head and eye and a well developed crop feature in an otherwise excellent physical package.
Across to the other side of town to Rich Hill for the last stop on the day. I covered the Waharoa farms stallion line-up in some detail in a posting this time last year so won't repeat myself. In a nice touch to finish, we were shown half a dozen Any Suggestion yearlings; peas to a pod with nice walks and well developed hindquarters - the pick was a colt from a Pentire full sister to Railway winner Recurring.
In contrast to Saturdays balmy weather, Sunday dawned dark and threatening. Full of saturated fats and tannins from a Saturday night stopover with my mum in Tauranga, I managed to navigate my way down the Kaimai's and across the Matamata plains to Brighthill for the early start.
Eagle Mountain was a pleasant surprise. Taller, with more bone and quality than I had assumed from his racing photos, he s also a nice walking animal. There maybe slightly more Darshan about him than Rock of Gibraltar; something breeders will probably warm to, given that he's the dam sire of High Chaparral.
I hadn't seen Perfectly Ready in the flesh since his third-place finish in the Blue Diamond as a two-year-old. The muscular bodybuilder I saw then has morphed into a less defined individual with the girth and shoulder now of a retired All Black tight forward but he s still a very imposing individual and clearly a superior walker than the other Southern Halo stallion Mr Nancho.
Completing the line-up was Patapan and it wasn't hard to see why Brighthill have had little trouble attracting big books of mares so far to the speedy and durable son of Stravinsky. He s medium sized but stands over a bit of ground for a sprinter. Like his Brighthill barnmates he looks to have a wonderful temperament.
For a townie like me those maps in the Stallion register are gold when you re trying to find the likes of Scott Eagleton's property in the hills west of Matamata. After a few roadside stops I managed to find the farm literally as new stallion Tiger Prawn was been led from his box. A medium sized athletic type with a generous barrel and girth he should be popular particularly with those looking to bred to race or trial.
Next stop was Ancroft where we viewed the un-raced full brother to El Segundo in El Hermando. If ever there was a case for seeing a stallion in the flesh rather than in a photo then it's this son of Pins; clearly a more athletic and strongly coloured bay than in his photos, it s not hard to see why he fetched $500,000 as a yearling. Steve Till from Windsor must be acknowledged for showing catching skills worthy of the Black Caps.
It hardly seemed worth moving the car for our next appointment but I'm glad I did; the driveway to the stallion facilities at the old Fieldhouse and Java property next door to Ancroft is a decent stretch. The farm and it's ample facilities are back in good shape and if they are any indication, Stoneybridge Waikato will be around for a while yet.
Ekraar surprised me with his quality - once again he s probably let down by average photography in his promotional material- although I gather not shuttling to the NH this year helped. Not as rangy or coarse as I expected, he s another fine physical example of the emerging Red Ransom sire-line. Mr Nancho is a bull of a horse with some quality in front of the saddle but a little limited behind. Of the rest of the Stoneybridge roster, father time has been kind to Ustinov; the son of Seeking The Gold reminding me why I once rated him one of the more attractive stallions I'd seen.
Waikato Stud around the corner was our next stop and as a farm it s quality never ceases to amaze me - and if it were possible, it just seems to get better. At 1200 acres and with some of the best pasture anywhere in the country, it s value must be enormous.
I was kind of hoping Rios may have suddenly shot up in the height stakes since I last saw him as a three-year-old. Sadly he hadn't, but it still shouldn't deter breeders with the right type of mare; his head and eye and a well developed crop feature in an otherwise excellent physical package.
Across to the other side of town to Rich Hill for the last stop on the day. I covered the Waharoa farms stallion line-up in some detail in a posting this time last year so won't repeat myself. In a nice touch to finish, we were shown half a dozen Any Suggestion yearlings; peas to a pod with nice walks and well developed hindquarters - the pick was a colt from a Pentire full sister to Railway winner Recurring.
In contrast to Saturdays balmy weather, Sunday dawned dark and threatening. Full of saturated fats and tannins from a Saturday night stopover with my mum in Tauranga, I managed to navigate my way down the Kaimai's and across the Matamata plains to Brighthill for the early start.
Eagle Mountain was a pleasant surprise. Taller, with more bone and quality than I had assumed from his racing photos, he s also a nice walking animal. There maybe slightly more Darshan about him than Rock of Gibraltar; something breeders will probably warm to, given that he's the dam sire of High Chaparral.
I hadn't seen Perfectly Ready in the flesh since his third-place finish in the Blue Diamond as a two-year-old. The muscular bodybuilder I saw then has morphed into a less defined individual with the girth and shoulder now of a retired All Black tight forward but he s still a very imposing individual and clearly a superior walker than the other Southern Halo stallion Mr Nancho.
Completing the line-up was Patapan and it wasn't hard to see why Brighthill have had little trouble attracting big books of mares so far to the speedy and durable son of Stravinsky. He s medium sized but stands over a bit of ground for a sprinter. Like his Brighthill barnmates he looks to have a wonderful temperament.
The hallowed manicured surrounds of Cambridge Stud were next. Tavistock paraded first - a very different type to Nom Du Jeu and Guillotine - one can see where he generated his sustained closing speed when you see the elasticity in his walk particularly through the hind legs. I ve seen Zabeel a couple of times in recent years and thought him almost ageless but on Sunday I thought he was looking his 24 years. Hopefully his heated stall and blankets can see him safely through his restricted book of 65 mares this spring.
Chequers was a trip down memory lane - I recall seeing Vice Regal there as a pimply teenager. He s well down on his hocks now and a bit tucked up but stalwart Deputy Governor still looked in pretty decent shape for 26. New boy Battle Paint would have wooed a few breeders. He s quite a big horse, generously barrelled but pretty athletic with an attractive head; built more in the mould of a Trusting than a Tell A Tale. He strikes you as more a three-year-old type than the Group 1 placed juvenile he was. If he leaves stock like himself they won't be hard to trade as youngsters.
It's hard not to share the enthusiasm The Oaks GM Rick Williams has for their latest arrival Roc De Cambes. Showing remarkable constitution for one fresh from the plane and quarantines in Japan and USA, on Sundays performance the son of Red Ransom deserved to have worked his way into the thoughts of breeders looking for a staying orientated sire. RDC looks every bit his listed 16.2 hands but he balances that nicely with good bone and width in his barrel. He s not overly rangy- I guess you could describe him as built like the modern fast stayer - with a very intelligent head and eye.
If there s pressure on Darci Brahma to be the future of our breeding industry it doesn't affect him. It s hard to reconcile but each time I see him there seems to be more quality about the son of Danehill. My pick of the weekend.
Mastercraftsman maybe fully booked for next season but Windsor will have taken bookings for next season based on his Sunday parade. Rarely do you see a big horse move as well as this guy. During his parade he spotted an opportunity to get his front leg over his lead after his handler momentary relaxed the slack and his leg moved quicker than a blink of your eye. Thewayyouare is also an impressive type, shorter coupled and lighter boned than his fellow shuttler, he s thrown quite a bit to his dam sire Sadlers Wells.
It s good for our industry to have three well credentialed sons of Montjeu at stud and all different types. Grey s can put some breeders looking to the sale-ring off but Guillotine has a lot going for him to overcome such a prejudice. He has good bone but retains plenty of athleticism. There s a fair bit of Defensive Play in his physical make-up which makes it all the more surprising he was so well backed for the Golden Slipper of his year.
Last stop for me before heading back up SH1 was Paxton Park. Shinko King was a smaller type than I d envisaged but nicely in proportion with the pronounced wither and arched neck so typical of the Fairy King line however the lasting impression as I drove off into the threatening northern sky was his honest eye.
The crowd which built to a peak of around 120 at The Oaks should have left with plenty of options for their mares. Some trends I thought the weekend may have highlighted: it s hardly new but a continuing move towards more outcross blood - a swing back towards the Mr Prospector sireline through his grandsons and the sourcing of stallions from racing and breeding markets we are not as familiar with, such as Hong Kong, South Africa and Italy.
Thanks to the Waikato branch of the NZTBA for putting on the weekend and a big bouquet for the timeliness of the schedule and the food options at The Oaks were an inventive touch. It doesn't reflect on the organisation but more farms would benefit from a solid surface to walk their stallions. With the inevitable rain around at this time it s odds on that a stallion won't walk for his handler on grass and seeing a stallion walk is important.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Makaraka: Saved By Old Age
In an ironic twist the aging but character rich racecourse at Makaraka on the outskirts of Gisborne, has been saved by a retirement village.
My inaugural road trip to the Gisborne races was in the late 1990's and since then it's always been one of my most looked forward to racing experiences each season. You don't miss the racecourse; on the flat alluvial plains that stretch from the towns limits to the Urewera's, it's tall main grandstand stands out like an NBA player on the streets of Tokyo.
While it's as far removed from the hospitality suites at Flemington as the Topp Twins are from Heff's mansion, the Poverty Bay Turf Club's home has a charm all of it s own. The exteriors of the two stands and brick totalisator building seem untouched from when they were built some 100 years ago, and the setting is complemented by a copse of old willow trees behind these buildings.
Over the years I recall seeing the debuts of Chieron, Marook and one-time Melbourne Cup favourite Native Jazz at Makaraka. It's easy sometimes to underrate the value of provincial racing carnivals in developing our horses. Gisborne for one is a long way from anywhere and a road trip plus a 3-4 day stay in unfamiliar surroundings can do wonders for the minds of young thoroughbreds.
Hopefully it's still a few years away but I think I might just have to put my name down for this village and in particular the unit at the 400m mark. And who knows, if I take my medication, maybe I'll see Kindergarten come out of the fog on the plough one morning.
My inaugural road trip to the Gisborne races was in the late 1990's and since then it's always been one of my most looked forward to racing experiences each season. You don't miss the racecourse; on the flat alluvial plains that stretch from the towns limits to the Urewera's, it's tall main grandstand stands out like an NBA player on the streets of Tokyo.
While it's as far removed from the hospitality suites at Flemington as the Topp Twins are from Heff's mansion, the Poverty Bay Turf Club's home has a charm all of it s own. The exteriors of the two stands and brick totalisator building seem untouched from when they were built some 100 years ago, and the setting is complemented by a copse of old willow trees behind these buildings.
Over the years I recall seeing the debuts of Chieron, Marook and one-time Melbourne Cup favourite Native Jazz at Makaraka. It's easy sometimes to underrate the value of provincial racing carnivals in developing our horses. Gisborne for one is a long way from anywhere and a road trip plus a 3-4 day stay in unfamiliar surroundings can do wonders for the minds of young thoroughbreds.
Hopefully it's still a few years away but I think I might just have to put my name down for this village and in particular the unit at the 400m mark. And who knows, if I take my medication, maybe I'll see Kindergarten come out of the fog on the plough one morning.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Avondale: End of The Line
I had wanted to get to Avondale to pay my respects but had a family commitment out of town. Sadly I think they'll struggle to get racing back. The dates that have gone to other clubs will be harder to prize back than a politicians credit card reimbursement.
I hope they come up with constructive ways to keep the assets - particularly the land- productive. Selling our assets to fund stakemoney and keep other facets of our industry going is too short term thinking. Maybe it can be developed as a training and trials centre like Cambridge.
Avondale holds special memories for me; first venturing there in the early 80's and including my first taste of raceday ownership. Three of my favourite performances are:
1986 Avondale Cup: The quality of Avondale Cup fields has lessened markedly in recent years but from the mid 70's to the end of the 90's it was undeniably the toughest middle distance handicap in the land. Solveig was a wonderful little mare, particularly potent when the summer tracks were at their hardest and she could roll along on a fast tempo. This day she took a sit behind the leader before sprinting to the front 500m from home, running her last 1200m in 1.11 and giving none of those behind her any chance.
1989 Concorde: Maybe not a classic Concorde but for me the most memorable because my dad was co breeder of the winner Testament. Injury plagued throughout his career he had returned from almost a year out on this occasion to beat the 'useful' Mr Tiz, Festal and Zephyr Magic amongst others.
2005 Concorde: With it's uncambered bends Avondale tendered to favour front runners and the courses history is littered with stellar performances from some of our more re known tear aways such as Jans Beau, Oranmore and Greene Street however it will always be hard to trump this performance. An immensely talented and teak tough gelding who was cruelly cut down just days after this breathtaking performance when preparing for the Railway, the aptly named Run Like The Wind burst from a wide gate this day and found the rail after less than 200m before burning off many off the country's best sprinters with a sustained display of strength and speed that was so pronounced that I'm sure he could have carried the success even easier out to 1400m so strongly did he find the line.
I hope they come up with constructive ways to keep the assets - particularly the land- productive. Selling our assets to fund stakemoney and keep other facets of our industry going is too short term thinking. Maybe it can be developed as a training and trials centre like Cambridge.
Avondale holds special memories for me; first venturing there in the early 80's and including my first taste of raceday ownership. Three of my favourite performances are:
1986 Avondale Cup: The quality of Avondale Cup fields has lessened markedly in recent years but from the mid 70's to the end of the 90's it was undeniably the toughest middle distance handicap in the land. Solveig was a wonderful little mare, particularly potent when the summer tracks were at their hardest and she could roll along on a fast tempo. This day she took a sit behind the leader before sprinting to the front 500m from home, running her last 1200m in 1.11 and giving none of those behind her any chance.
1989 Concorde: Maybe not a classic Concorde but for me the most memorable because my dad was co breeder of the winner Testament. Injury plagued throughout his career he had returned from almost a year out on this occasion to beat the 'useful' Mr Tiz, Festal and Zephyr Magic amongst others.
2005 Concorde: With it's uncambered bends Avondale tendered to favour front runners and the courses history is littered with stellar performances from some of our more re known tear aways such as Jans Beau, Oranmore and Greene Street however it will always be hard to trump this performance. An immensely talented and teak tough gelding who was cruelly cut down just days after this breathtaking performance when preparing for the Railway, the aptly named Run Like The Wind burst from a wide gate this day and found the rail after less than 200m before burning off many off the country's best sprinters with a sustained display of strength and speed that was so pronounced that I'm sure he could have carried the success even easier out to 1400m so strongly did he find the line.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Roc De Cambes: Inside Information
While NZ Bloodstock would have wished for more of a financial return from the larger than usual Japanese turnout at this years Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, a conversation with the team at The Oaks Stud will clarify the reason for their numbers; something clearly not lost on the farms GM Rick Williams when he received word earlier this year that their home bred Roc De Cambes was on the market as a stallion prospect.
As one of the more form savvy studmasters around these parts, Williams for one would have appreciated the true value of the colts race record in Japan, however even he was allegedly moved by the steady stream of visitors from the land of the rising sun - many of them here to see geysers and glowworms rather than thoroughbred yearlings - who trod a path to Barn D at Karaka earlier this year to see RDC's half brother by Darci Brahma. The colt - a cracking type - could have been three legged for all the tourists cared; their motivation solely to see the close relation to a horse, that despite a career cut short by injury, had obviouly still managed to capture the imagination of the Japanese racing public.
As one of the more form savvy studmasters around these parts, Williams for one would have appreciated the true value of the colts race record in Japan, however even he was allegedly moved by the steady stream of visitors from the land of the rising sun - many of them here to see geysers and glowworms rather than thoroughbred yearlings - who trod a path to Barn D at Karaka earlier this year to see RDC's half brother by Darci Brahma. The colt - a cracking type - could have been three legged for all the tourists cared; their motivation solely to see the close relation to a horse, that despite a career cut short by injury, had obviouly still managed to capture the imagination of the Japanese racing public.
Even allowing for their first class international record including the quinella in the 2006 Melbourne Cup at then and still their only genuine major race campaign down under, Japanese form still probably doesn't get the same kudos here as say American and European does so the marketing staff at The Oaks have a challenge to convince local breeders about the legitimacy of RDC's race record, made more the harder by the fact that his winning runs are only classed internationally as listed events.
Staying races in Japan are no place for the faint hearted with many of their feature events producing sectionals that would make the resumes of many of our leading milers and overall times that would saturate the record books in Australasia. When RDC ran fourth- coming from well off the pace - in Japan's biggest race the NZ 4 million Group One Arma Kinen at 2500m, the overall time was 2.31.3 with the last 600 off the front run in 33.7 - the NZ record for the distance is 2.32.41 held by Frequent.
The Red Ransom factor should appeal to local breeders who will have watched of late the demand for his sire sons in Australia which has come on the back of very encouraging starts by Charge Forward and Doomsday. And in Ekraar - his only sire son with progeny of racing age here - he has a staying performed son doing the job; with his oldest still only four and already represented by group one winner Ekstreme, recent VRC St Leger winner Exceptionally, 2000 Guineas third-place-getter Clapton and the promising but ultimately ill fated Revoke.
RDC's looks a particularly well timed acquisition by The Oaks coming as it does on the back of a resurgent demand for staying bred yearlings and an emerging sire-line.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Fireside Favourites
What with the weather and falling stakemoney our racing scene at the moment looks about as bleak as a Shane Jones credit card statement so it's a good time to sit back and remind ones self that we have plenty of promising horses taking a break before the spring. Here are ten that caught my eye; no real criteria just horses that I feel can go onto a better rating next season - without focusing on some of the more obvious suspects.
Single Currency: It's been a while between drinks for trainer Chris Wood but this Bachelor Duke three-year-old looks the type to get the Cambridge conditioner back in the spotlight. Following facile wins at Taupo -on debut - and Hastings, the gelding stepped up to stakes company in a very strong edition of the Arnie Sarten Memorial on Labour Day. Outside the winner Katie Lee I thought Single Currency's effort was the next best in the race; posted three-wide throughout on a good pace and only fading late to be beaten 4.5 lengths into ninth position. It would have been interesting to see where the three start veteran ended up rated amongst the three-year-olds had he stayed in work post Te Rapa.
Lion Tamer: Early season two-year-old form can often be dubious however this seasons early maturing juveniles were a high class bunch as evidenced by their form right through the season and Lion Tamer - winner on debut of the Listed Murdoch Newel in October - although failing in the Manawatu Sires, signed off his season in style with another storming finish to take the Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie in April. Somewhat of a pity the long striding colt wasn't then taken to Sydney for their Champagne Stakes, as the 1600m journey on spacious Randwick and against a less than vintage field would have given the Murray Baker colt every opportunity. The Storming Home colts physical make-up and style of racing suggests he'll only get better at three. A most exciting prospect.
MacCavity: Our two-year-olds rarely match their Australian counterparts for size and strength so imagine my surprise when I found two juveniles who would have stood out in a Golden Slipper lineup making their debuts in a two-year-old maiden at Ellerslie in late March. One of the afore mentioned duo turned out to be the eventual winner The Diamond Duke who post race was singled out for very high praise by his trainer Sean Ritchie, all of which makes the narrowly beaten runner-up and second part of the handsome pair, MacCavity, clearly an interesting prospect for next season. By reputation Roger James rarely has his horses ready to win first-up and judging by MacCavity's appearance in the Ellerslie parade ring he hadn't over taxed the Keeper filly in the build-up to her debut. It's difficult to get a line from one start on what distance MacCavity will excel at and although a half sister to the Australian group-one winning filly Velocitea (by Volksraad) and built like a sprinter, the filly may relish the 1600m of the 1000 Guineas.
Mr Charlie: The Dunstan Stayers Final has been quite some revelation as a form race since it's inception and the narrowest of runner-ups in this years contest Mr Charlie looks set to continue the trend judging by the comprehensive nature of his win just two starts later in the NZ St Leger; although down in quality on recent renewals the Golan gelding won with such ridiculous ease and in one of the quicker times in recent history to suggest he can take the step to major cup handicaps next season.
Blonde Bombshell: thoroughly genuine filly who showed her speed and class when stepping up to stakes company and setting a hectic pace in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic yet still boxing on for third to Katie Lee and Adaline. Although by a noted sire of sprinter-milers, with a bit more maturity and strengthening of her lengthy barrel she's more than capable of running 2000m in group company.
Cellarmaster: should be recognised as the nations leading two-year-old when the awards get handed out in August and deservedly so. A busy customer lining-up on nine occasions between September and finishing with a second placing in the Manawatu Sires in April, the Dubawi colt performed consistently well against the best juveniles on right and left handed tracks and on firm and soft surfaces. While he looked more of a natural two-year-old than most of his contemporaries his sires stock are training on in the NH and close relatives on the female side of his family get better with age notably Second Coming and Our Bahare so he should have scope for further improvement. His natural speed and ability to race on the pace make him an ideal candidate for the early guineas races.
Dullingham: Good horses invariably move like Alberto Junatorena and it was the stride and economy of movement that first attracted me to the son of Pins in a maiden 1600m on the middle day of the Auckland Xmas Carnival; despite finishing down the track in that contest behind the winner Green Supreme, there was sufficient merit in way the four-year-old stretched out between spates of greenness to suggest he wouldnt last long in that class. He next walloped an average maiden field at Hastings by seven lengths before venturing to Wairoa to score an easier than it looked success over the handy Hawkes Bay Cat and Cat Woman. Not seen since, look for the Jim Collett trained gelding to go quickly through to open class if he's not sold to Hong Kong in the meantime.
So Pristine: Slow maturing Zabeel mare who looks set to capitalise from typically patient handling by trainer Richard Collett. Inclined to over race when tried over ground this season and quite claustrophobic when racing in a field the mare has therefore done well to already record three wins especially bred the way she is. With more maturity look for the mare to come into her own next season at five and ultimately get 2000m and further.
Gaston: Strongly made son of Charge Forward who first came to notice when, despite an average beginning - something to which we would become accustomed - he comprehensively won his NZ debut over 1100m, beating the well regarded pair of Thundermore and Rampant in the process. Put aside after failing at his next start in the Guineas at Wanganui on a wet track the gelding returned in late summer for two starts - running third then second at Te Rapa, both in very strong company over 1200m. Possessing a big finishing kick it's likely Gaston will be even better suited by further next season.
Leica Scotch: The subject of quite a bit of spruking by his stable for the 2009 NZ Derby before going badly amiss, the Zabeel gelding resumed this season after a years convalescence and showed enough potential over distances ultimately shorter than his optimum to inspire potential as a cups contender next season.
Others to narrowly miss the cut were Our Ella Belle, Eileen Dubh, On The Level, Ishka Baha, Mr Spock and Veronica Franco.
Single Currency: It's been a while between drinks for trainer Chris Wood but this Bachelor Duke three-year-old looks the type to get the Cambridge conditioner back in the spotlight. Following facile wins at Taupo -on debut - and Hastings, the gelding stepped up to stakes company in a very strong edition of the Arnie Sarten Memorial on Labour Day. Outside the winner Katie Lee I thought Single Currency's effort was the next best in the race; posted three-wide throughout on a good pace and only fading late to be beaten 4.5 lengths into ninth position. It would have been interesting to see where the three start veteran ended up rated amongst the three-year-olds had he stayed in work post Te Rapa.
Lion Tamer: Early season two-year-old form can often be dubious however this seasons early maturing juveniles were a high class bunch as evidenced by their form right through the season and Lion Tamer - winner on debut of the Listed Murdoch Newel in October - although failing in the Manawatu Sires, signed off his season in style with another storming finish to take the Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie in April. Somewhat of a pity the long striding colt wasn't then taken to Sydney for their Champagne Stakes, as the 1600m journey on spacious Randwick and against a less than vintage field would have given the Murray Baker colt every opportunity. The Storming Home colts physical make-up and style of racing suggests he'll only get better at three. A most exciting prospect.
MacCavity: Our two-year-olds rarely match their Australian counterparts for size and strength so imagine my surprise when I found two juveniles who would have stood out in a Golden Slipper lineup making their debuts in a two-year-old maiden at Ellerslie in late March. One of the afore mentioned duo turned out to be the eventual winner The Diamond Duke who post race was singled out for very high praise by his trainer Sean Ritchie, all of which makes the narrowly beaten runner-up and second part of the handsome pair, MacCavity, clearly an interesting prospect for next season. By reputation Roger James rarely has his horses ready to win first-up and judging by MacCavity's appearance in the Ellerslie parade ring he hadn't over taxed the Keeper filly in the build-up to her debut. It's difficult to get a line from one start on what distance MacCavity will excel at and although a half sister to the Australian group-one winning filly Velocitea (by Volksraad) and built like a sprinter, the filly may relish the 1600m of the 1000 Guineas.
Mr Charlie: The Dunstan Stayers Final has been quite some revelation as a form race since it's inception and the narrowest of runner-ups in this years contest Mr Charlie looks set to continue the trend judging by the comprehensive nature of his win just two starts later in the NZ St Leger; although down in quality on recent renewals the Golan gelding won with such ridiculous ease and in one of the quicker times in recent history to suggest he can take the step to major cup handicaps next season.
Blonde Bombshell: thoroughly genuine filly who showed her speed and class when stepping up to stakes company and setting a hectic pace in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic yet still boxing on for third to Katie Lee and Adaline. Although by a noted sire of sprinter-milers, with a bit more maturity and strengthening of her lengthy barrel she's more than capable of running 2000m in group company.
Cellarmaster: should be recognised as the nations leading two-year-old when the awards get handed out in August and deservedly so. A busy customer lining-up on nine occasions between September and finishing with a second placing in the Manawatu Sires in April, the Dubawi colt performed consistently well against the best juveniles on right and left handed tracks and on firm and soft surfaces. While he looked more of a natural two-year-old than most of his contemporaries his sires stock are training on in the NH and close relatives on the female side of his family get better with age notably Second Coming and Our Bahare so he should have scope for further improvement. His natural speed and ability to race on the pace make him an ideal candidate for the early guineas races.
Dullingham: Good horses invariably move like Alberto Junatorena and it was the stride and economy of movement that first attracted me to the son of Pins in a maiden 1600m on the middle day of the Auckland Xmas Carnival; despite finishing down the track in that contest behind the winner Green Supreme, there was sufficient merit in way the four-year-old stretched out between spates of greenness to suggest he wouldnt last long in that class. He next walloped an average maiden field at Hastings by seven lengths before venturing to Wairoa to score an easier than it looked success over the handy Hawkes Bay Cat and Cat Woman. Not seen since, look for the Jim Collett trained gelding to go quickly through to open class if he's not sold to Hong Kong in the meantime.
So Pristine: Slow maturing Zabeel mare who looks set to capitalise from typically patient handling by trainer Richard Collett. Inclined to over race when tried over ground this season and quite claustrophobic when racing in a field the mare has therefore done well to already record three wins especially bred the way she is. With more maturity look for the mare to come into her own next season at five and ultimately get 2000m and further.
Gaston: Strongly made son of Charge Forward who first came to notice when, despite an average beginning - something to which we would become accustomed - he comprehensively won his NZ debut over 1100m, beating the well regarded pair of Thundermore and Rampant in the process. Put aside after failing at his next start in the Guineas at Wanganui on a wet track the gelding returned in late summer for two starts - running third then second at Te Rapa, both in very strong company over 1200m. Possessing a big finishing kick it's likely Gaston will be even better suited by further next season.
Leica Scotch: The subject of quite a bit of spruking by his stable for the 2009 NZ Derby before going badly amiss, the Zabeel gelding resumed this season after a years convalescence and showed enough potential over distances ultimately shorter than his optimum to inspire potential as a cups contender next season.
Others to narrowly miss the cut were Our Ella Belle, Eileen Dubh, On The Level, Ishka Baha, Mr Spock and Veronica Franco.
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