Written by Paul Vettise
William Fell returned from a European vacation this week with his time away made all the more enjoyable by a number of success stories with origins from his Goodwood Stud nursery on the outskirts of Palmerston North.
Fell’s time in Italy, Spain and Singapore was regularly celebrated with farm graduates winning races in three different countries, including one during the Queensland winter carnival.
He has a long and successful association with brothers Cam and Chas Stewart, originally from New Plymouth, but are now operating a seafood importing business at Noosa.
William Fell
The siblings race the Goodwood-raised and Brian Smith-trained Hirtshals (NZ) (Pins), who was successful at Eagle Farm and his half-brother Don’t Worry (Ocean Park {NZ}) subsequently won at Kranji in Singapore.
“We were keeping an eye on things while we were away and we’ve had a super run,” Fell said. “We sold Don’t Worry and we raced Hirtshals’ brother Barbaric, he was a great horse for us and a stakes winner.
“We were keeping an eye on things while we were away and we’ve had a super run.” – William Fell.
“Hopefully, Hirtshals will come back here when she retires and we can carry on with her and the Stewart boys.
“We’ve got a share in Contributer together and six or seven mares on the farm. Jetset Lad was their flagship horse and won the Brisbane Cup and was Group 1 placed and we’ve had Order Again, who is a Group 3 winner.”
The Ron Quinton-trained Betty Blooms (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) is another Goodwood success story following her win at Kembla Grange. She was purchased out of Fell’s Karaka draft for NZ$170,000 by agent Ric Wyllie.
Betty Blooms was an NZ$170,000 yearling
“She was a cracking yearling and her mother Zambezi, is a lovely Zabeel mare, and is in foal to Tivaci,” Fell said. “We’ve got a Tivaci yearling filly out of her that we’ll probably race in partnership with Fairdale.”
“She was a cracking yearling and her mother Zambezi, is a lovely Zabeel mare, is in foal to Tivaci.” – William Fell.
Fairdale Stud was established by Fell’s grandfather Arthur in 1943 and was home to champion stallion Pakistan II. It is now run by Fell’s cousin Duncan after an amicable split to give the next generation a farm each.
Goodwood graduate Inca Warrior (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) added to the tally with a win at Te Aroha and Rex Royale (NZ) (Rock ‘n’ Pop) completed the haul at Waverley.
The latter is out of Celtic Crown (USA) (Doneraille Court {USA}), who has also produced this season's G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ S. winner Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel).
Inca Warrior
“Celtic Crown’s still here and active and she’s been a great mare to us,” Fell said. “We were looking for a few mares that particular year and New Zealand Bloodstock’s Andrew Seabrook had a guy in America who had her for sale.
“She was a Listed winner and we bought her and didn’t pay huge money. I think she was NZ$30,000 landed here.
“We’ve got a Tivaci rising yearling and we’re not sure whether we’ll hang on to her or sell. We’ll enter her in a sale and make a call on that around October.”
Broodmare farm
Goodwood is now a boutique broodmare farm after formerly being involved in the stallion business.
“We gave it a crack with Chinese Dragon and Nom du Jeu and if one of those had been reasonably successful we might have carried on,” Fell said.
Goodwood is now a boutique broodmare farm
“We had no luck and it’s tough standing stallions here in the central districts. We’ve changed to that smaller model with about 20 mares on the farm and that suits us.
“We’ve also got stallion shares in Contributer, Priosir, Time Test, Per Incanto, Super Easy and Alamosa. It's a good mix.”
Howbaddouwantit (USA), sire of Group 1 winners Authentic Paddy (NZ) and Mi Jubilee (NZ), remains resident in retirement at Goodwood.
