Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale Review: Day 1

Written by

Paul Vettise

8 min read

Fernrigg Farm went all out for a well-related daughter of High Chaparral (Ire) and got their prize with a final bid of $220,000, a price that was later matched on the opening day of the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale by Yulong’s pursuit of a Bernardini (USA) mare from a strong Group family.

At A Glance

>> Fernrigg comes up roses with $220,000 bid for High Chaparral (Ire) mare in foal to super sprinter Merchant Navy to join its growing band of broodmares at Musswellbrook.

>> Yulong said yes with $220,000 to She Said No (Bernardini {USA}) and the mare with a cover to No Nay Never (USA) is a likely consort for its new stallion Grunt (NZ).

>> Sean Duke adds to his broodmare band with $205,000 purchase Rioghan (Snitzel) and a possible date with Written Tycoon.

>> Day one ends with a gross spend of $5,470,500, a clearance rate of 75%, an average of $41,132 and a median of $30,000, with figures up on the Select session in 2018.

>> Coolmore the top vendor on aggregate with 14 lots sold for $657,000 and Yulong the leading buyer with a spend of $517,000 on four lots.

Fernrigg in love with Deb

Fernrigg Farm’s Rae-Louise Farmer wasn’t to be denied Lot 388 and she went all out to secure Roses For Deb (High Chaparral {Ire}) out of the draft of Segenhoe Stud.

In foal to the internationally-performed sprinter Merchant Navy, she is a daughter of the dual Group 2 winner and Group 1 performer Chinchilla Rose (Lion Hunter).

“She’s a beautifully balanced mare and really attractive with a great head and shoulder,” Farmer said.

“I thought I was going to be paying close to $200,000, but a couple of the good judges were on her, so you have got to pay for the ones you want.

“She’s a beautifully balanced mare and really attractive with a great head and shoulder.” - Rae-Louise Farmer.

“The top end is strong, which seems to be the pattern throughout the year, at the yearling and weanling sales.

“She is such a beautifully balanced mare who is really attractive with a great hip and shoulder and in foal to a stallion who went across to Royal Ascot and was pretty impressive.

“Coming from Widden, the Leonie Chiara is a family that caught my eye from there. We are trying to keep growing our broodmare band with mares who have that sort of profile. It is also an active family as well, there is a lot going on.

“She will stay at Fernrigg for a while I think. We are trying to put together nice young foundation mares for the farm.

“There’s no stallion in mind. It’s a bit of a later cover so we’ll see what she throws. " - Rae-Louise Farmer.

A future mating for Roses For Deb has yet to be confirmed.

Roses For Deb is in foal to Coolmore stallion, Merchant Navy

“There’s no stallion in mind. It’s a bit of a later cover so we’ll see what she throws,” Farmer said.

Outstanding sale for Segenhoe

Segenhoe Stud General Manager Peter O'Brien said Roses For Deb was an outstanding type and in foal to the right stallion.

“She’s a lovely High Chaparral mare from a family that just keeps giving. Her half-brother Rendition was stakes placed in New Zealand a couple of weeks ago and every year a good horse seems to come out of the page.

“She’s a beautiful mover, had all the attributes of High Chaparral and I think Merchant Navy is a perfect mating for her.

“She’s a beautiful mover, had all the attributes of High Chaparral and I think Merchant Navy is a perfect mating for her. " - Peter O'Brien.

"We could have gone to the Chairman’s Sale, but we placed her here deliberately to try and sound her out a bit and it seems to have paid off.

“The market has been good, really good. It’s an evolving market. You walk in and you look at the sales ground and auditorium and think gosh there’s not many people here, but it’s deceptive because it’s so big.

“There’s much more people here than you might think, there’s more people bidding online so that’s great.”

O’Brien said Segenhoe had also enjoyed an outstanding Chairman’s Sale.

“I wish I’d had more mares there, we had a bumper time. We had four mares in and three of them made way overs on what we thought.

"We had four mares in and three of them made way overs on what we thought." - Peter O'Brien.

“I’ve never seen an active market like it. Normally at a mares’ sale you might have one or two bidders on a mare, but there was seven or eight bidders every time. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Yulong buying with Grunt

Yulong landed Lot 406 with a final phone bid of $220,000 for the Coolmore offered She Said No (Bernardini {USA), who is in foal to No Nay Never (USA).

“This year, we are buying some good quality mares to enhance our broodmare band,” Yuesheng Zhang said.

“We’ll send between 60 to 70 of our best mares to support Grunt. This Bernardini mare, in terms of physique and pedigree, matches our standards and requirements plus in No Nay Never we believe he will prove to be a world-class stallion of the future.

“Although we have paid more than our expectations, the market is very strong for these good mares and we are happy to have this mare join our broodmare band.”

“We’ll send between 60 to 70 of our best mares to support Grunt." - Yuesheng Zhang.

She Said No is a sister to the Listed Twilight Glow S. winner Meidung and a half-sister to the G2 Moonee Valley Fillies’ Classic winner Banish (Lonhro). The pedigree page also features the dual Group 2 winner Pinwheel (Lonhro) and the former champion Hong Kong sprinter Charming City (Chief’s Crown {USA}).

“She's a beautiful young mare from a good current family, in foal to one of the most exciting young sires in the world,’’ Coolmore’s Tom Magnier said.

“The first Southern Hemisphere-bred No Nay Never yearlings sold for up to $400,000 this year and he has over 10 per cent stakes winners to runners, despite his oldest only just turning three.

“She will be a great addition to Yulong's exceptional broodmare band and we wish them the very best of luck with her."

Yulong Investments' Yuesheng Zhang and Sam Fairgray

Snitzel mare to Victoria

Victorian Sean Duke added Lot 381 to his growing band of broodmares, paying $205,000 for the unraced Rioghan (Snitzel). She was offered by Yarraman Park Stud in foal to I Am Invincible.

“I bought one at the Chairman’s Sale and two here and I bought four here last year,” Duke said. “I’ve got five or six at home on the farm just outside Ballarat.”

“I’m also in a pretty good horse at the moment, Ringerdingding, and I was in Jakkalberry." - Sean Duke.

He is keen on Written Tycoon as a future consort for Rioghan, who is from the family of Group 3 winners Tuscan Sling (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Kiwi (Reset), Lite’n In My Veins (Henrythenavigator {USA}) and Hit World (High Chaparral {Ire}).

“I’m also in a pretty good horse at the moment, Ringerdingding, and I was in Jakkalberry,” Duke said. “He ran third in the Melbourne Cup, won the American St Leger and I went over and saw him run third in Dubai.”

Classy mare for Eureka

Jessamin (Stratum) provided an early highlight when the Corumbene Stud-offered mare, Lot 272, was knocked down to Harry McAlpine Bloodstock for $155,000.

In foal to exciting young stallion Rubick, Jessamin turned the head of the Queensland-based Harry McAlpine and he secured the mother to be, who was a 2-year-old winner and is a half-sister to the multiple winner Smart Venture (Smart Missile).

“We haven’t decided which stallion she will go to yet,” he said. “Certainly, Encryption is a possibility, we’re hunting to get him some nice mares to kick off his stud career. She’ll either go to him or Spirit Of Boom.”

The G2 Danehill S. winner Encryption (Lonhro) will stand his first season at the McAlpine family’s Eureka Stud later this year alongside Spirit Of Boom.

“Certainly, Encryption is a possibility, we’re hunting to get him some nice mares to kick off his stud career." - Harry McAlpine.

Jessamin is from the family of the G1 Randwick Guineas winner Inference (So You Think {NZ}), also runner-up in the G1 Rosehill Guineas and third in the G1 VRC Derby.

“She suits everything we look for in a mare,” McAlpine said. “She’s got outstanding quality, she was a 2-year-old winner and she’s got a cover to a promising young sire in Rubick. It’s a great family and they throw good sorts.”

Encryption

Positive trading day

Inglis General Manager Bloodstock Sales Sebastian Hutch was delighted with the day’s business.

“Competition was spirited for the better lots. It was very encouraging to see a strong clearance rate and a diversified buying bench,” he said.

"It was very encouraging to see a strong clearance rate and a diversified buying bench.” - Sebastian Hutch.

“Stallion masters see it as a great opportunity to pick up mares for their stallions. There are people with money to spend and fortunately they came here.

“Young mares with good covers, the appetite for them is just insatiable. As long as people are presenting the right product to the market they are selling very well.”

Leaderboards

Top Lots


388	Roses For Deb	High Chaparral (Ire)	Mare	Merchant Navy	$220,000	Fernrigg Farm Pty Ltd NSW	Segenhoe Stud Australia Pty Ltd, Scone
406	She Said No	Bernadini (USA)	Filly	No Nay Never	$220,000	Yu Long Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd VIC	Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains
381	Rioghan	Snitzel	Mare	I Am Invincible	$205,000	Duke Property Group VIC	Yarraman Park Stud, Scone
263	Tideflow (Ire)	Invincible Spirit (Ire)	Mare	-	$160,000	Emirates Park Pty Ltd NSW	Davali Thoroughbreds, Luskintyre
272	Jessamin	Stratum	Mare	Rubick	$155,000	Harry McAlpine Bloodstock QLD	Corumbene Stud, Dunedoo
397	Seagrove	Exceed and Excel	Mare	Hellbent	$130,000	Swettenham Stud VIC	Edinburgh Park Stud, Wingham
412	Snow Sparkle	More Than Ready (USA)	Mare	Deep Field	$125,000	Laceby Lodge Stud VIC	Segenhoe Stud Australia Pty Ltd, Scone
385	Rockaroo	Fastnet Rock	Mare	No Nay Never	$120,000	Cannon Hayes Stud NSW	Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains
257	Kanlaon	High Chaparral (Ire)	Filly	-	$110,000	Yu Long Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd VIC	Gooree Park Stud, Mudgee
318	Marvellous Miss	Fusaichi Pegasus (USA)	Mare	Russian Revolution	$110,000	Aston Bloodstock NSW	Middlebrook Valley Lodge, Scone

Top Buyers


Yu Long Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd	4	$517,000	$129,250	$220,000
Duke Property Group	3	$347,000	$115,667	$205,000
D Hanley	7	$305,000	$43,571	$90,000
B Kwok	6	$271,000	$45,167	$85,000
Harry McAlpine Bloodstock	5	$248,500	$49,700	$155,000
Fernrigg Farm Pty Ltd	1	$220,000	$220,000	$220,000
Laceby Lodge Stud	2	$200,000	$100,000	$125,000
Emirates Park Pty Ltd	1	$160,000	$160,000	$160,000
Parsons Creek Trading Pty Ltd	2	$146,000	$73,000	$100,000
Swettenham Stud	1	$130,000	$130,000	$130,000

Top Vendors by Average (3 or more sold)


Segenhoe Stud	6	5	1	$468,000	$93,600	$220,000
Davali Thoroughbreds	4	3	1	$242,000	$80,667	$160,000
Edinburgh Park	6	4	0	$300,000	$75,000	$130,000
Amarina Farm	3	3	0	$188,000	$62,667	$90,000
Yarramaman Park	6	6	0	$321,500	$53,583	$205,000
Goodwood Farm	6	3	2	$152,000	$50,667	$80,000
Coolmore Stud	14	14	0	$657,000	$46,929	$220,000
Middlebrook Valley Lodge	5	5	0	$223,000	$44,600	$110,000
Lime Country Thoroughbreds	10	6	2	$265,000	$44,167	$105,000
Sledmere Stud	7	7	0	$262,000	$37,429	$105,000

Top Vendors by Aggregate


Coolmore Stud	14	14	0	$657,000	$46,929	$220,000
Segenhoe Stud	6	5	1	$468,000	$93,600	$220,000
Yarramaman Park	6	6	0	$321,500	$53,583	$205,000
Edinburgh Park	6	4	0	$300,000	$75,000	$130,000
Bhima Thoroughbreds	10	8	0	$281,000	$35,125	$100,000
Lime Country Thoroughbreds	10	6	2	$265,000	$44,167	$105,000
Sledmere Stud	7	7	0	$262,000	$37,429	$105,000
Davali Thoroughbreds	4	3	1	$242,000	$80,667	$160,000
Middlebrook Valley Lodge	5	5	0	$223,000	$44,600	$110,000
Gooree Park Stud	9	6	1	$206,000	$34,333	$110,000

Guineas result crowns a classic breeding career

Written by

Paul Vettise

5 min read

Prominent Australian thoroughbred identity Bob Scarborough has a long and decorated career as a breeder, but his lengthy list of achievements was surpassed when Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit) demolished his rivals in the G1 English 2000 Guineas.

A former Moonee Valley Racing Club Chairman, Australian Bob Scarborough has a boutique band of broodmares based at Norelands Stud in County Kilkenny in Ireland.

Among them is the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt’s mother Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire).

“I’ve bred or raced 14 Group 1 winners so I’ve had plenty of highlights, but I reckon breeding an English 2000 Guineas winner would have to top them all,” Bob Scarborough said.

“I stayed up until 12.35am Australian time and I don’t normally stay up that late anymore,” he said. “It was very, very exciting and he absolutely bolted in. It was a serious win of a high-class horse.”

Breeder Bob Scarborough

Scarborough purchased Magna Grecia’s mother Cabaret (Ire) for 600,000 guineas at the 2011 Tatts December Mares’ Sale. She was the winner of two races, including the G3 Silver Flash S. and is also the dam of the multiple winner Invincible Ryker (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

“It was very, very exciting and he absolutely bolted in. It was a serious win of a high-class horse.” – Bob Scarborough.

Cabaret is a half-sister to the G3 Solario S. winner Drumfire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and the Listed Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup winner Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

Magna Grecia was subsequently sold through Norelands Stud’s draft at the 2016 Tatts December Foals’ Sale to MV Magnier, Peter and Ross Doyle and Mayfair Speculators for 340,000 guineas.

And it was the Magna Grecia that made Scarborough think better of selling the mare, admitting he came close to parting ways with Cabaret.

“I was getting a little bit frustrated. The only hope was this colt who I’d sold and he was an absolute cracker,” he said.

“The only hope was this colt who I’d sold and he was an absolute cracker.” – Bob Scarborough.

“I had some rotten luck and the first foal split a pastern and she did go on and race. I’d sold her for a lot of money, she was a Danehill Dancer filly and went to the Niarchos family for 525,000 guineas.

“I pretty much got myself out of the mare so it wasn’t a disaster. She had a few more foals and I was beginning to panic a bit.

“I thought she was still commercial to someone and thought I’d stick her back in the ring and try my luck with something else.

“Then Magna Grecia came out and won what used to be called the Racing Post Trophy so I withdrew her from the sale.”

“She’s at Norelands, a lovely, lovely farm. I’ve got five mares there.” - Bob Scarborough.

Cabaret now has yearling colt and a foal by Siyouni (Fr) and is in foal to Invincible Spirit (Ire).

“She’s at Norelands, a lovely, lovely farm. I’ve got five mares there,” Scarborough said.

Magna Grecia has now won three of his four starts and his Guineas triumph took O’Brien’s tally in the race into double figures.

It is 21 years since the Irishman first won the colts' Classic with King Of Kings (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) and he is also the first to train three successive winners with Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire) and Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) preceding Magna Grecia.

Ridden by O’Brien’s son Donnacha, Magna Grecia was one of only three horses to race on the stand side when the field split and he strode clear to win by two and a-half lengths.

"I'm delighted. He is a lovely, straightforward horse and he has done well over the winter,” Aidan O’Brien said.

“He is a lovely, straightforward horse and he has done well over the winter.” - Aidan O’Brien.

“He has got very pacey. He is a strong traveller now and is very uncomplicated. We were a little bit worried as he was over there by himself and all the fancied runners were over on the other side. Donnacha gave him a lovely ride, had him in a lovely position and in a lovely rhythm."

O'Brien confirmed Magna Grecia was likely to remain at a mile for the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien

Scarborough and wife Rosemary owned the historic Wood Nook Farm near Nagambie for more than 20 years with Group 1 winners including Gallica (Redoute’s Choice), Hit the Roof (NZ) (Maroof {USA}), Leica Guv (NZ) (Deputy Governor {USA}), Light Fantastic (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Marble Halls (NZ) (Nassipour {USA}), Sleek Chassis (Flying Spur) and Stella Cadente (Centaine) coming off the 122-hectare property.

“My real focus are the mares I’ve got in Europe and selling into the European market.” – Bob Scarborough.

They sold it in 2017 to Rob and Sylvie Crabtree, who operate under their Dorrington Farm banner to concentrate their European breeding efforts, although they still have a small presence in Australia.

“I’ve got a Street Cry mare called Barchetta, who is in foal to So You Think and St Swithuns, a Fastnet Rock mare who won a few races,” Scarborough said.

“She’s got a Written Tycoon foal and is back in foal to him. I’ve just got my toe in the water and will probably race these ones. My real focus are the mares I’ve got in Europe and selling into the European market.”

Trainer back in the Group 1 spotlight

Written by

Paul Vettise

5 min read

Gold Coast trainer Garry Newham is preparing to step back on to the Group 1 stage and a return to the heady days he enjoyed with the outstanding Starcraft (NZ) (Soviet Star {USA}) more than a dozen years ago.

Newham has enjoyed a long and successful association with owner Paul Makin and they are rolling back the years to the Starcraft era with the aptly-named Winning Ways (Declaration Of War {USA}), who has emerged as a serious G1 Queensland Oaks prospect.

Winning Ways completed a hat-trick of wins on her home track when she was successful in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet and Newham is confident she can deliver further Group 1 glory for himself and Makin.

“My last Group 1 runner was Starcraft, he was a terrific horse,” he said. “They were great times for all of us.”

“My last Group 1 runner was Starcraft, he was a terrific horse.” – Garry Newham.

Starcraft won the G1 Australian Derby and the G1 Chipping Norton S. before Newham and Makin set their sights on New Zealand and the Triple Crown series at Hawke’s Bay in 2004.

Owner Paul Makin with trainer Garry Newham and jockey Glenn Boss following Starcraft's win in the G1 Chipping Norton S.

No horse has ever completed the Group 1 clean sweep but Starcraft went mightily close, winning the first two legs – the Mudgway Partsworld S. in the hands of Leith Innes and then the Stoney Bridge S. under Glenn Boss.

Boss was also in the saddle as they attempted to make New Zealand racing history in the Kelt Capital S., but came up agonisingly short when second to the Kevin Myers-trained Balmuse (NZ) (Lord Ballina).

Starcraft was subsequently to earn his slice of history when he became the first New Zealand-bred winner of a European Group 1 race.

“I got out of training and drove horse floats.” – Garry Newham.

Transferred to Luca Cumani for the international venture, the Waikato Stud graduate was successful in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp and the Queen Elizabeth S. at Newmarket before embarking on a stud career.

Starcraft

Newham later moved to New Zealand to further his training career and a spell in partnership with Graeme Rogerson was followed by a stint with Westbury Stud, then owned by businessman Eric Watson.

“I trained over there for about five years and then came back to Australia,” Newham said. “I got out of training and drove horse floats.”

“Out of the blue he rang me up and convinced me to do it all again.” – Garry Newham.

But that all changed in 2016 when Newham received a surprise phone call from Makin and the catalyst for a return to training.

“Out of the blue he rang me up and convinced me to do it all again,” Newham said. “Paul lives here and he’s got a 40 acre property an hour out of the Gold Coast.”

Winning Ways was purchased out of Coolmore’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2017 by agent Dermot Farrington on Makin’s behalf for $110,000. She is a daughter of Skip Along (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), whose dam Peony (GB) (Lion Cavern {USA}) was a Listed winner and runner-up in the G1 French 1000 Guineas.

Winning Ways as a yearling

A 2400 metre winner in England, Skip Away was signed for by Blandford Bloodstock at a Tatts October Sale for 200,000 guineas and she has left three winners, including Dreamtime Dancer (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who was successful in the Listed Challenge S.

“More importantly, she can stay and I could see a long way out she was going to be hard to beat." – Garry Newham.

Winning Ways broke her maiden over 1800 metres at her fourth start and this preparation has excelled over ground with a 2200 metre success against the older horses at Eagle Farm last month fuelling an Oaks ambition.

Newham freshened Winning Ways for the Gold Coast Bracelet and a rain-affected track further fuelled his confidence in the filly’s chances.

“She can handle a wet track, that was beautiful,” he said. "When it started to rain again I was very happy. I knew we would have a heavy track.

“Winning Ways loves the wet, but she is effective on top of the ground as well. More importantly, she can stay and I could see a long way out she was going to be hard to beat."

“She’ll have her next run in The Roses in a fortnight and then in to the Oaks two weeks later. It’s lovely timing for her.” – Garry Newham.

Winnings Ways has been ridden in her last two starts by Matthew McGillivray and he carried out his pre-race instructions to perfection.

“I asked him to be patient and he rode her a treat,” Newham said. “I could see 400 meters from home that she was travelling so well.

“She’ll have her next run in The Roses in a fortnight and then in to the Oaks two weeks later. It’s lovely timing for her.”

Newham’s last Oaks runner was the Makin-raced We Can’t Say That (NZ) (Generous {Ire}), who was unplaced in the 2004 edition and she subsequently became a broodmare of note.

She was the dam of the G1 Captain Cook S and G1 Levin Classic winner We Can Say It Now (Starcraft {NZ}) and produced the G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange winner Sky Kingdom (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).

Magic touch for first-time owner

5 min read

Written by Richard Edmunds

A newcomer to racehorse ownership savoured a dream result in the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne S. at Riccarton when All About Magic (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) was a dominant winner of the juvenile feature.

She has now had five starts for three wins and a placing for her Canterbury owner-breeder Stephanie Rathgen.

“It was a hell of a day, really,” said Rathgen, who is a committee member of the Canterbury, Marlborough, Westland and Otago branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.

“She’s the first horse my partner and I have ever raced, so we can’t believe our luck. It’s pretty awesome. You don’t really expect things like this from your very first racehorse.

“We went into it thinking that just one win would be a big bonus, so it’s amazing.”

“She’s the first horse my partner and I have ever raced, so we can’t believe our luck.” – Stephanie Rathgen.

Rathgen’s magic story begins almost exactly three years ago, at the 2016 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka.

She paid NZ$7000 to buy the well-related Rosecroft (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}). That mare was carrying a foal by Showcasing (GB), who would later be named All About Magic.

Rosecroft is a daughter of Soltanto (NZ) (Tights {USA}), from an esteemed New Zealand family made famous by Richard Moore.

Soltanto herself produced nine winners headed by the Group 3 winner Temple Hills (NZ) (Marju {IRE}) and the Group 1-placed Filey (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).

Soltanto’s half-sister Solveig (NZ) (Imposing) won 14 races including the G1 New Zealand Oaks, DB Draught 1600 and Avondale Cup, and she produced four winners including two at stakes level.

Sire of All About Magic, Showcasing

Group 1 family

Group 1 winners to descend from this family include the Australian Derby winner Jon Snow (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), VRC Derby winner Fiveandahalfstar (Hotel Grand), New Zealand Oaks heroine Savaria (NZ) (Savabeel) and elite weight-for-age winners Culminate (NZ) (Elnadim {USA}) and Captivate (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).

Rathgen was surprised at being able to secure Rosecroft for that NZ$7000 price.

“Along with a few others, she was one that I’d really specifically identified in the catalogue for that sale,” she said. “But I really didn’t think I was going to be able to afford her. She comes from a great family, one of the best ones in New Zealand, so I was sure she’d be out of my price range.

“But she got a bit worked up before going through the ring and got into a bit of a sweat, which might have helped us out a bit. To get her for the price we did was pretty incredible.”

“To get her for the price we did was pretty incredible.” Stephanie Rathgen.

Rosecroft produced All About Magic later that year and then Rathgen sent the mare to a new stallion at Otago’s renowned nursery White Robe Lodge.

“She went to Ghibellines later that year and produced a colt,” Rathgen said.

Ghibellines (Shamardal {USA}) is a half-brother to the multiple Group 1 winner Guelph (Exceed and Excel). He himself won the G2 Todman S.

Ghibellines

His oldest progeny are now two, with two winners from seven runners. Ranger was placed in last month’s Listed Champagne S. at Ellerslie.

“The mare’s in foal now to Haunui Farm’s new stallion Belardo,” Rathgen said.

“The mare’s in foal now to Haunui Farm’s new stallion Belardo.” - Stephanie Rathgen.

All About Magic’s black-type heroics have set up a valuable broodmare career of her own, but first, Rathgen is looking forward to seeing what more she can do on the racetrack.

“We’re looking forward to racing her as a three-year-old, and hopefully she can carry on the way she’s been going,” she said.

“Then eventually we’ll retire her into our broodmare paddock. That was the main plan we had when we bought her, so it’s all fallen into place really well so far.”

Stakes double emphasises Showcasing loss

Both black-type juvenile races in New Zealand on Saturday were won by daughters of the former Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Showcasing.

In addition to All About Magic’s win at Riccarton, the Group 2 placed Rainbow Dash (NZ) won the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre S. at Te Rapa.

Showcasing shuttled to Haunui from 2011 to 2017, when it was announced that he would remain permanently at Whitsbury Manor Stud in England.

Showcasing is the sire of 338 winners from 585 runners, including 35 individual stakes winners. Heading that group are the English Group 1 winners Quiet Reflection (GB) and Advertise (GB).

His southern hemisphere progeny have included 147 winners from 259 runners with 16 at stakes level. Group 2 winners Xpression (NZ) and Showboy (NZ) top that list.

Co-trainer overseas with star sprinter

All About Magic’s win capped a successful day at Riccarton for the local father-son training partnership of Michael and Matthew Pitman, who were also successful with Nellie Bly (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Pinup Coup (NZ) (Pins).

But Michael Pitman was not there to see it. Instead, he was thousands of kilometres away with the stable’s flagship sprinter Enzo’s Lad (Testa Rossa), who is being aimed at Royal Ascot.

Bought by Pitman Racing for just $15,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Enzo’s Lad has won seven races and more than $393,000.

Trainer Michael Pitman

Along with superb back-to-back triumphs in one of New Zealand’s biggest sprints, the G1 Telegraph at Trentham, he has also won the Listed Pegasus S. at Riccarton.

He was invited to compete in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin last Sunday, but disappointed in finishing at the tail of the field.

Nevertheless, the team is keen to push on to Royal Ascot next month, with the G1 King’s Stand S. and Diamond Jubilee S. possible targets.

Five in a row for comeback king

4 min read

Written by Richard Edmunds

Six stakes races were contested at Aquis Park Gold Coast on Saturday, but the most remarkable story might have come from the undercard.

The Attwood Marshall Lawyers Benchmark 75 was won in determined fashion by The Candy Man (Casino Prince) and a fifth consecutive victory for a horse who is lucky to be alive, let alone racing.

Following a fifth placing on debut at the Sunshine Coast in May 2016, the grey gelding suffered horrendous injuries in a stable accident.

“It was a terrible injury, he smashed his jaw,” trainer Barry Baldwin said. “They had to do nine hours of surgery and put seven plates into his jaw.

Trainer Barry Baldwin

“They also had to roll him over during the operation, because he’d broken the jaw on both sides.

“They also had to roll him over during the operation, because he’d broken the jaw on both sides.” – Barry Baldwin.

“It was such a traumatic experience for him and probably not many horses would even be able to come through a nine-hour operation like that.”

But come through it he did, and after a third and two seconds at the Sunshine Coast and Ipswich in November and December, he has now strung together five consecutive wins.

“It’s five wins in a row now, and not many horses can do that,” Baldwin said. “Winx won 32, and he’s no Winx, but it’s fair to say he’s been through a lot more than most horses have.

“It was a good, game win. I thought he was going to get beaten, but he’s got a real will to win.”

“It was a good, game win. I thought he was going to get beaten, but he’s got a real will to win.” – Barry Baldwin.

The Candy Man is owned by Lucky Pippos, and he races in the same colours as the Queensland hero Gunsynd (Sunset Hue), who won 29 races including the Cox Plate, Doncaster H., Epsom H., Toorak H. and George Adams H. (now Cantala S.). Gunsynd was part-owned by Pippos’ brother George.

The Candy Man

The Candy Man has a long way to go to match those achievements, but his incredible back story could turn him into a cult hero in his own right.

And Michael Cahill, who rode him to Saturday’s half-length victory under 59.5 kilograms, has no doubt that there are bigger and better things in store.

"I think he is a pretty good horse and he is up to stakes race," he said.

Depending on how he comes through Saturday’s run, black-type races such as the Chairman’s H. and Premier’s Cup could be on his agenda in the coming weeks.

"I think he is a pretty good horse and he is up to stakes race.” – Michael Cahill.

The Candy Man has now had nine starts for five wins, three placings and $137,750 in stakes. He was sold for $40,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast and then Baldwin bought him for $120,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale later that year.

The Candy Man as a yearling

He is a son of Melody (NZ) (Stavinsky {USA}), who won five races and placed in the Listed Angst S. She is already the dam of two stakes performers.

The Candy Man’s full-brother Phrases won the Listed Randwick City S. and placed in the G3 NE Manion Cup and Listed Gosford Gold Cup, while Motifs (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}) won twice and placed in the Listed Queen Adelaide S.

Other notable family members include the multiple stakes winners Able Attempt (NZ) (Spectacular Love {USA}), Zaza (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and capable grey stayer Maygrove (Authorized {Ire}), and the G1 New Zealand Oaks placegetter Falsetto (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).

The Candy Man as a 2YO

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Waller respectful

Champion trainer Chris Waller respects his jockey Hugh Bowman's decision to take a break for the rest of the season, but doesn’t believe it will have a major impact on his operation.

Bowman has been a key part of Waller's team, most notably with the recently retired champion Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).

On Friday, the jockey pulled out of the Gold Coast meeting and signalled his intention to take an extended break, citing exhaustion. "I respect Hugh's decision and he needs a break. However, don't forget this time last year Hugh went to Japan," Waller said.

Hugh Bowman and Chris Waller

Trainer bullish

Greg Eurell is confident Star Missile (Smart Missile) is in the right order to make an impact in the G1 South Australian Derby.

"I think he's a live chance coming into next week," the Cranbourne trainer said. "I thought his run last start was enormous. He covered a lot of ground and certainly looked the winner at one stage.”

Future undecided

Trainer Jason Warren is still unsure whether Brooklyn Hustle (Starspangledbanner) will be kept to sprints or stretch out to the G1 Thousand Guineas distance.

Brooklyn Hustle

"She has just started at Rosemont's pre-training," Warren said. "She will just have a month there with them and then she will come across to us.

"We'll probably give her a couple of starts in the usual 3-year-old fillies’ races at the start of the spring and then we'll decide whether we stretch her out to a mile or stay at the short trips.”

Ryan bullish

Two recent barrier trials have convinced Gerald Ryan that Deploy (Fastnet Rock) is ready to return to the races after a forgettable year.

Deploy's 2018 autumn was cut short when he was found to have bone bruising and bone chips and he had 10 months away from the track. His summer campaign was short lived with Ryan unhappy with his form.

But after a trial win on April 12 followed by a third in another behind Zousain (Zoustar) on April 26, Deploy is primed for the Listed Luskin Star S. at the showpiece Scone meeting on Saturday.

Deploy

No fractures

Apprentice Lachlan King has been cleared of any fractures after a race fall at Flemington.

He was aboard the Liam Howley-trained Belgravia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in Saturday's Brew H. at Flemington and was dislodged when the horse suffered a serious injury and was later euthanised. King was taken to Epworth Hospital and was complaining of elbow and knee soreness.

"Doctors at Epworth Hospital have advised that X-rays have cleared Lachlan King of any fractures. Just severe bruising," the Victorian Jockeys' Association said.

Patience rewarded

Talented filly Burgundy Belle (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) made it three wins from five starts when successful in the Crown Prosecutor Cup on Sunday.

Burgundy Belle

She had been in the reckoning for last week’s G3 Cambridge Breeders’ S., but connections were happy to wait and were rewarded an easy success on a heavy Trentham track.

“It looked ideal because she can handle heavy ground and we’d been pleased with her work,” trainer Jamie Richards said.

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Country House wins controversial Kentucky Derby

For only the second time in the history, a horse was disqualified after winning the Kentucky Derby. After a lengthy objection, stewards ruled that Maximum Security (USA) (New Year’s Day {USA}) interfered with multiple horses in the far turn and moved him to 17th place under the horses he had interfered with.

Country House (USA) (Lookin At Lucky {USA}), a 65-1 longshot, was the ultimate beneficiary of the move when awarded the win after finishing second by 1 ¾ lengths behind the would-be winner. It was a huge victory for trainer Bill Mott, who’d run eight horses in the Kentucky Derby during his career with his best up until yesterday being Hofburg last year finishing seventh.

Mott’s other entry Tacitus (USA) (Tapit {USA}) also benefitted from the disqualification when moving up to third to give his trainer a first-third finish with Bob Baffert the last trainer to get that result when Dortmund (USA) (Big Brown {USA}) finished third behind American Pharoah (USA) (Pioneerof the Nile {USA}) in 2015.

“It’s bittersweet and I’d be lying if I said It was any different,” said Mott. “You say you always want to win with a clean trip and everyone recognise the horse as the as the great athlete he is and due to the DQ some of that is diminished.

"I know the stewards had a very difficult decision. With that being said, I’m damn glad they put our number up.” - Trainer Bill Mott

"Two horses lost all chance to win a Kentucky Derby and they were in a position at the time to hit the board. People bet on these horses and millions are bet on these races. I know the stewards had a very difficult decision. With that being said, I’m damn glad they put our number up.”

Code of Honor (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) finished second in the race, splitting the Mott pair. It was the first time his trainer Shug McGaughey had an entry in the race since he won with Orb (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}).

After the race Chief Steward Barbara Borden made a statement explaining their decision for the disqualification.

The finishing post of the Kentucky Derby

“We had a lengthy review of the race, we interviewed affected riders. We determined [Maximum Security] drifted out and impacted the progress of [War of Will (USA) (War Front {USA}), in turn interfering with [Long Range Toddy (USA) (Take Charge Indy {USA})] and [Bodexpress (USA) (Bodemeister {USA})],” she said.

“Those horses were all affected, we thought, by the interference. Therefore we unanimously determined to disqualify [Maximum Security] and place him behind [Long Range Toddy], [Long Range Toddy] being the lowest placed horse that he bothered, which is our typical procedure.

The winner’s broodmare sire War Chant (USA) (Danzig {USA}) stands at Yarradale Stud in Perth, becoming a permanent resident at the farm in 2014. He is the sire of seven Australasian stakes winners including Silent Sedition.

Redoute’s Choice strikes at Goodwood

On one of the biggest days in Northern Hemisphere racing, Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) was in the spotlight when his daughter Enbihaar (Ire) won the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood.

Raced by Shadwell Stud, the John Gosden-trained mare comfortably set the pace in the 2412 metre race. Jockey Dane O’Neill looked confidence throughout the running, only asking her for effort with 300 metres left to go. While she was challenged by Klassique (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the final 200 metres, she shrugged off that rival to win by 1 3/4 lengths with the rest of the field more than four lengths behind the part.

It was the first stakes victory for Enbihaar, who becomes her sire’s 13th Northern Hemisphere-born stakes winner and 20th stakes horse overall from 129 runners with the stallion shuttling to France in 2013 and 2014.

Bricks and Mortar wins Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic

Already the turf division leader in the United States, Bricks and Mortar (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) added a bit more padding to the spot when winning his second Grade 1 of the year in the Old Forester Turf Classic the race before the Kentucky Derby.

Settling himself near the back of the field in the 1800 metre race, he sat outside a few horses while Markitoff (USA) (Giant’s Causeway) set a pressured pace in front. With 400 metres to run, Bricks and Mortar angled out off the turn to give himself clear running room. He had lengths to make up on the leading Clyde’s Image (USA) (Get Stormy {USA}) and Qurbaan (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) but had plenty of time when coming up on their outside.

He was the third stakes winner of the day for jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who also won on Beau Recall (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) and Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) earlier on the card.

Sir Prancealot brings Australian flavour to Churchill

Beau Recall (Ire) helped bring a bit of Australian flavour to Kentucky Derby day when she won the Grade 2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile for Cornerstone Stud resident Sir Prancealot (Ire).

Sir Prancealot

The 5-year-old mare was the back marker in the 1600 metre turf race until the final 350 metres when she had one tiring horse beat. That was quick to change when she showed an electric turn of foot to pass the field in mid-straight and take over the lead from Got Stormy with only 75 metre to go. Her momentum pushed her to a 1 ¼ length victory with Got Stormy (Get Stormy {USA}) just holding off Daddy Is a Legend (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) for second.

It was one of two stakes placings for Sir Prancealot in the U.S. on Saturday with Lady Dancealot (Ire) also finishing second in the Group 3 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita. Sir Prancealot stands for $14,300 (including GST) in 2019.

Mia Mischief registers first Grade 1 victory

A year after winning the Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes at the same track, Mia Mischief (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) was back at Churchill Downs in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff to kick off the stakes racing action on Kentucky Derby day.

Mia Mischief challenged for the lead early in the 1400 metre race but settled for second, pressuring the leading Amy’s Challenge (USA) (Artie Schiller {USA}) much of the way around the track. Amy’s Challenge yielded with a furlong to go and Mia Mischief romped away from the field.

Race favourite Marley’s Freedom (USA) (Blame {USA}) tried to make a run at the leader but the margin was too big with Mia Mischief winning by 1 ¾ lengths at the line.

Top U.S. sire Into Mischief has had two runners in Australia with both winning at least one race. The race also had an Australian feel with third-place finisher Amy Challenge, sired by Stockwell Thoroughbreds resident Artie Schiller.

Mitole continues streak in Grade 1 Churchill Downs Sprint

Stepping up to the Grade 1 level for the first time, Mitole (USA) (Eskendereya {USA}) took his current winning streak to six when winning the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Sprint.

Mitole was content to settle a few paths off the rail just behind the duelling Bobby’s Wicked One and Promises Fulfilled in the 1400 metre race. Mitole was pushed wide as they entered the straight but it didn’t seem to bother the colt at all as he passed the two leaders.

It was easy work from there with Mitole much the best when winning by 3 ½ lengths. The top three runners throughout the race also finished in the top three with Bobby’s Wicked One second and Promises Fulfilled third.

2YO & 3YO Winners By Sire

NSW Race Results

Dubbo (Country)

Sapphire Coast (Country)