The Head of Marketing and Stallions Nominations for the Thompson family’s successful operation began his time in the Hunter Valley in a practical role and, with knowledge of all facets of the stud’s workings, saw him seamlessly move into his current role.

In 2009, McEvoy relocated to a newly established Victorian office based in Melbourne, but is a regular visitor to the farm and its unique setting and stunning vistas make it a special welcome home each and every time.

“Widden is in a remote location and I think that adds to its beauty and charm,” he said. “Arguably, it’s one of the most tranquil stud farms in Australia, if not the world.

“It’s surrounded by these beautiful big rock escarpments, it’s a wonderful, peaceful place for horse and human. It’s easy to see why so many high class horses have come from there, they’ve bred champion after champion.”

Current owner Antony Thompson is the seventh generation of his family to breed thoroughbreds in the Widden Valley.

“The Thompson family celebrated their 150th anniversary in 2017,” McEvoy said. “In 1857, those pioneers came over the Rylston Ranges and were presented with this beautiful, lush valley and you can understand why they set up and never left!”

Thompson has understandably been a major influence in McEvoy’s life, but more of that later, and back to beginnings for the country boy from Wodonga.

“I spent my formative years running around there, going to school, working at a couple of stables in the mornings and playing football on weekends – a fairly typical and common upbringing for most young guys in the area,” McEvoy said.

“I wouldn’t say I was from a racing family, my late father Richard was a livestock agent on the border of Victoria and New South Wales and that’s where I grew up.

“The family raced a couple of horses locally in the bush and I was certainly more attracted to a few of our old racehorses running around rather than the cattle. Ultimately, that was the catalyst that sparked my early interest in the industry.

“I guess I was quite pragmatic in what I wanted to do and realised early on that it was an industry I was keen to be involved in and my parents were both very supportive of that. My mother Margaret is still a great supporter.

“She’s a great racing fan and that’s developed further since I’ve been with Widden.”

Enough to even get involved in racehorse ownership and her first share in a horse being none other than 2015 Australian Horse of the year Dissident (Sebring) who was bred and raised at Widden.

Formal equine education

After completing his VCE, McEvoy enrolled at Wangaratta’s NCEE (National Centre For Equine Education) where the thoroughbred journey began in earnest.

“It was a two year course and it was brilliant and I really enjoyed it,” he said. “The first 12 months was predominantly theoretical with study assignments relevant to anything from horse reproduction, anatomy, stud management, pedigrees etc.

“By design, we were exposed to all different facets of the industry and the analysis of bloodlines was a particular strong suit. I really enjoyed studying them while I was at high school as well, much to the frustration of many a teacher!”

“I remember catching the old V-Line train down to the Melbourne sales, marking the catalogue on the three-hour commute and then seeing the yearlings in the flesh, meeting the vendors and I loved every minute of it.

“Fundamentally, I suppose that initial understanding of how a pedigree might be effective is something I’ve been able to adapt to some use whilst at Widden.

“The second year of the course was entirely practical, we were placed at various studs and introduced into everything from yearling preps, foaling units, stallion barns. I was lucky enough to go to Eliza Park (now Sun Stud) which was run by the Fleming family.

“I was at Eliza for four months on a yearling preparation before working at Blue Gum Farm. I got to work in the stallion barn with Encosta de Lago in his last year before he went to Coolmore and you could sense what a super young stallion you were dealing with at the time.”

Call of Widden

Nearing the completion of the course, McEvoy’s mind turned to full-time employment and a knock on the door of Widden.

“The great thing with Widden is the staff are exposed and given opportunities in all areas of the farm and those early years I had living on the stud was great fun, a time to simply observe, listen and learn,” he said.

The Widden experience has been enriched with the advice and encouragement of Thompson, who has been McEvoy’s chief mentor.

“I’ve always admired Antony’s boldness and ambition. As long as I’ve known him he’s been someone that is uniquely driven in everything he does, not just for Widden necessarily but broader industry issues,” he said.

“Competition is fierce and as a young studmaster he’s had his challenges, yet the Widden stallions and brand are known the world over and recognised as being elite. Antony has the management acumen and overall vision to do that.

“He has so much respect for the land he is on and often describes himself as simply being a custodian of Widden. I think that philosophy will certainly ensure a long and bright future for the stud for many decades to come.

“Antony and Katie have been incredibly generous to me and my young family so I’m very thankful of that. It’s an exciting, fun and rewarding business to be involved in.”

Thompson’s mentoring aside, McEvoy also credited General Manager Derek Field and Stud Manager David Merrick with the roles they have had in his development.

“They are two hugely respected industry figures and I’ve been fortunate to have them both as mentors throughout my time at Widden,” he said.

“Both Derek and Dave have in the last couple of years been recognised with various industry awards and I couldn’t think of two more deserving people.

“Of recent years, I have also enjoyed learning from the likes of David Redvers, Hannah Wall, David Toole (Kambula Stud), Dean Harvey, Grant Burns and Matt Rudolph who have also become good friends.”

Shift to Victoria

McEvoy said the move to Victoria had been beneficial for the continued growth of the business.

“Having a presence in the southern states, I’d like to think it’s been a positive for us both. By and large, this is a people industry and you need to connect, so to build on relationships with breeders and trainers from not just in the New South Wales or Hunter Valley bubble is clearly important.

“We get terrific support from Victoria, South Australian and Western Australian clients, along with New South Wales and Queensland obviously.

“I’m of the view the industry in Victoria is one of real progression and there is some brilliant, young talent in the state. Particularly those that are managing farms such as Ryan Arnel, Dearne Gess-Jones, Toby Liston, Gerrard Jones, Sherah Sullivan, Rob Carlisle…I could go on.

"If these guys are the future of the industry then I reckon we’re in pretty good hands.”

Top quality roster

McEvoy is also blessed to be selling nominations to such a stellar cast that Widden has assembled.

“It’s an incredible line-up and we’re very thankful to work with and showcase the stallion quality we currently have,” McEvoy said.

“I guess there is nothing like having a young gun to keep the momentum flowing and fortunately Zoustar is achieving things that we couldn’t have dreamed of when we first put together a plan to secure him prior to him winning the Coolmore Stud S. in 2013.

“He could well end up being Widden’s greatest ever sire and that’s certainly saying something.

“This is a young stallion that has effectively won every title he could possibly win up to now. He’s just a phenomenal horse.

“Then there’s a young horse like Trapeze Artist and I can’t think of a stallion with a profile like his who has retired to stud in the last few years with his mix of sire line and racetrack performance.

“Indeed, as a 3-year-old he was the highest rated sprinter in the world, which is quite an awesome accolade.

“Written By is a fascinating horse, a champion 2-year-old colt with a devastating sprint on him and a beautiful looking horse. He’s just perfect for what the market loves in Australia and he reminds us so much of a horse like General Nediym who was a sensation.

“Nicconi and Star Witness just keep producing stakes winners, they’re still relatively young horses and I’m certain their best years are ahead of them given the numbers and quality of mares supporting them in the last couple of years.”

They are ably complemented by Your Song, Supido, Stratum Star and Outreach.

Made for marketing

In addition to nominations, McEvoy has added the important role of Marketing Manager to his portfolio at Widden, a role which he’s dived into with great enthusiasm.

“Having that responsibility to promote the Widden stallions and our brand to the wider audience is something that really drives me and feel it coincides well with my selling role,” he said.

“Antony is a natural marketer and to work together on different projects has been huge for my development in that role. I think some of the advertising campaigns or initiatives we have run over the years, on safe to say a more modest budget than some of our competitors, have been really effective.

“Overall, having successful stallions and sales graduates such as Sunlight makes life a little easier from a marketing viewpoint.

“It’s a stallion roster we’re really proud of and I must admit, it’s very rewarding to witness the support these stallions receive from all over Australia.”

It was a promising nick on the pedigree page that saw Fasika (So You Think {NZ}) first catch the eye of Tricolours Racing's James Moss and he is hopeful that instinct can result in a significant success for the burgeoning syndication business in Saturday's $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill.

Fasika, one of four yearlings purchased by Tricolours in its first year of operation in 2017, may be the least experienced horse in the inaugural running of the Golden Eagle, but shapes as one of the leading chances in what has evolved into a brilliant race.

Trained by Joseph Pride, she has won three of her five starts, including the Listed South Pacific Classic at Randwick last April, while she has been runner-up in her other two starts.

The connection for Moss began when he picked up the sales catalogue for the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, looking for yearlings to syndicate as part of his then fledgling business.

"It was definitely her pedigree. Before I'd even seen the horse, I was already in love with her pedigree because she was by So You Think out of a Redoute's Choice mare," Moss told TDN AusNZ.

"At that time, Inference had just won the Guineas and he was bred on the same cross. It's a cross that even though at that stage, So You Think's oldest horses were only three, it had produced quite a few winners. She was the only horse in the catalogue with that cross."

In time, it has proven the most successful nick for the Coolmore stallion, with 17 of his winners being from Redoute's Choice mares including Group 1 winners D'Argento and Inference.

"The mare Jarada had already produced a stakes winner by Excellent Art (GB), so it was an upgrade going to So You Think. Then as soon as I saw her, I fell in love with her and got Joe (Pride) to have a look and he fell in love with her too," Moss said.

Tricolours paid $120,000 for the filly, who Pride and Moss always knew would take some time to grow into her frame.

"She was such a big strong horse and she was quite robust, but it took her a while to grow into her body. She had some issues early on with her knees, so we had to give her some time. We were always open and honest with the ownership group, telling them we liked the horse but she needed to be given time," he said.

"She was never going to be a 2-year-old and they were happy to be patient and trust the process."

Owners Eagle eyed

When the Golden Eagle was announced by Racing NSW in December last year, Fasika hadn't even made it to the trials, but that didn’t stop a couple of her owners firing some cheeky texts to Moss suggesting it would be an ideal race for her to target.

"I had about 10 owners text me to ask is that a race for Fasika. At that time, she hadn't even had a barrier trial, so they were a bit more enthusiastic than I was," he said.

Moss' enthusiasm quickly grew when Fasika trialled brilliantly for Corey Brown at Hawkesbury in February. She debuted in a midweek maiden at Warwick Farm two weeks' later.

"It was a pretty tough 3-year-old maiden that day and she won pretty arrogantly and to then come and back it up in a BM70, which is a step that is hard to make at that time of year, was pretty encouraging," he said.

The $7.5 million Golden Eagle was then firmly etched as her spring target when she showed both her talent and character to sit outside the pace and win the Listed South Pacific Classic.

Pride plotted a three-start spring campaign, kicking off in the G2 Sheraco S. where she was narrowly beaten by Mizzy (Zoustar) and then a four-week break into the Silver Eagle, where she was again just beaten, this time by The Inevitable (Dundeel {NZ}).

She peaks heading into Saturday's race, albeit against a field which contains four Group 1 winners.

"We are very conscious about what we are up against. It’s an outstanding field, there's some brilliant horses but I guess the one thing for her is that this is her Grand Final," Moss said.

"She's so strong and so tough and she has never run a bad race in her life, and even though this is just her sixth start I'm confident she will run really well."

Strong start for Tricolours

It’s a confidence well founded after a spectacular start for Tricolours. Of those four yearlings it bought in that first year, as well as Fasika, Miss Moana (NZ) (Uncle Mo {USA}) has won three of her 13 starts and been stakes-placed and Royal Witness (Star Witness) has won five of 15.

In August that year, Tricolours would buy the former Godolphin mare Pecans (Skilled) for $50,000 and she would go on to win five more races, including three at stakes level and over $350,000 in prizemoney for connections before she was sold for $405,000 earlier this year.

Those successes have been significant but would be dwarfed by a win from Fasika on Saturday.

"It’s huge to have her in the race. It’s a credit to our process and the way we do things. We don't buy a lot of horses. We only buy four to six a year and we focus on quality. It’s definitely a quality not quantity focus for us," Moss said.

"I feel like we have the right process, from the way our horses are broken in to where they spell. I think the results are proving themselves."

Welfare commitment a matter of trust

Also significant for Moss and Tricolors, especially in the current environment, is the lifetime commitment they have to their horses. Moss announced to his owners 10 days ago that every Tricolours horse purchased in the future would attract an additional $5000 fee, which will be put into a trust which will fund re-homing and re-training all Tricolours horses after their racing careers.

"It’s nice to have horses like Fasika that are competitive at stakes grade but just as important are the horses that don’t make the racetrack. We haven't reached that point yet at Tricolours, but we will in time and we've got a plan for that," he said.

"From now on, there will be a $5000 levy on every horse purchased that will go into a fund. Even those who own Fasika are happy to put in, knowing that they will get a good home after racing. You have to be a horse lover and you have to be serious about horse welfare and if you aren't then you are not welcome as a Tricolours owner."

Moss said he hopes the rest of the industry follows suit with similar initiatives to protect the welfare of retired racehorses.

"I've been really encouraged by the way the industry has come together over the past few weeks. I'm sure that everyone is working to the same goal here," he said.

"How long that takes and how everyone approaches that, I can't control. I can only concentrate on my own responsibility. I feel myself and my owners, we are responsible for our horses and they have to be looked after. I'll do everything to make sure that happens and I hope that the industry follows that path."

Images courtesy Tattersalls

Australian and New Zealand buyers were active again on Day Two of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, including Ciaron Maher Racing, who paid 150,000 gns (AU$296,000) for the Newsells Park Stud-bred Bartholemu Dias (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}).

The three-time winner for Charlie Hills' stable is headed to the Australian stables of Maher and co-trainer David Eustace. He had originally been bought as a yearling for 60,000 gns by agent Alastair Donald on behalf of Hong Kong-based owner P K Siu.

Donald was there to buy him again, signing the docket in partnership with Maher and Blandford Bloodstock.

“This is a horse I bought as a yearling so I know him well,” Donald said. “His style of running should suit Australia, he is versatile over a mile and a half to two miles and he likes fast ground.”

His dam, the Listed-placed Lady Francesca (GB), is a Montjeu (Ire) half-sister to the dual Group 3 winner Purr Along (GB), who is also by the former Newsells Park stallion Mount Nelson and sold for 1 million gns (AU$1.97 million) at the December Sale six years ago.

South Australian trainer and agent Michael Hickmott went to 70,000 gns (AU$138,000) to secure Destination (GB) (Mukhadram {GB}), a 3-year-old who has been with William Haggas, winning once and placing on two other occasions. He is out of the Listed winner Danehill Destiny (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who has produced four other winners.

Australian Bloodstock will look to continue its success from buying out of European sales with the purchase of Cristal Breeze (Ire) (Gale Force Ten {GB}), also from Haggas' stables. It partnered with agent Ronald Rauscher to secure the one-time winner for 60,000 gns (AU$118,400). He is one of four winners from the Viking Ruler mare Sapphire Spray (Ire).

De Burgh doubles up for Darby and Fortuna

Hubie de Burgh was busy for a couple of Australasian buyers, securing Harpo Marx (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for Darby Racing and Khafeef (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) for New Zealand-based Fortuna Syndications.

Harpo Marx, who is out of G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Nechita (Fastnet Rock), was offered by Ballydoyle having won one of his six starts and was last seen when trailing in the field in the G1 Goodwood Cup. He was sold for 60,000 gns (AU$118,400). That came after De Burgh had paid 100,000 gns (AU$197,400) for Spirit Ridge (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) on behalf of Darby Racing on Day One.

Fortuna secured 3-year-old Khafeef, previously with Shadwell and trainer Freddy Head and a 4.5l maiden winner at Le Touquet in August, for 28,000 gns (AU$55,300).

“We are very pleased to secure Khafeef," Fortuna Director John Galvin said.

“He is lightly raced with just four starts as a 3-year-old and was an impressive winner of his Maiden race in France in August. We were prepared to pay a lot more for him than we had to in the end and I am sure he will be a very popular syndication opportunity for our clients, who just love to be involved with these European bred staying types – he will be aimed at the staying events in New Zealand and if successful, we will then set our sights on the staying events in Australia.”

Khafeef will head to New Zealand and spell at Te Akau Stud for a few weeks before being prepared by Jamie Richards.

Having purchased three lots on Day One, Dynamic Syndications was busy again, securing Saint Of Katowice (Ire) (Elzaam {AUS}) for 50,000 gns (AU$98,700).

Saint Of Katowice (Ire) has been placed in all five runs as a 2-year-old for Richard Fahey and is a half-brother to the stakes placed Nurture (Ire) (Bachelor Duke {USA}) and three other winners.

O'Brien goes big for Summer Sands

The top lot of the day was wildcard Summer Sands (GB) (Coach House {Ire}), whose third-place finish in the G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. and Listed Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy, saw Joseph O'Brien pay 625,000 gns (AU$1.23 million) for the colt.

His price was the third-highest ever at the Horses in Training Sale and it represents a significant return on investment for the Cool Silk Partnership who have owned him for only seven months since purchasing him at the Ascot Breeze-up Sale for 85,000 gns (AU$168,000) through agent Matt Coleman.

A solid second session underlined by a strong clearance rate, which rose again from a decent opening day to 91 per cent, with 260 of the 285 horses offered finding a buyer. Across the board figures remained largely on par with 2018. At 18,000 gns (AU$35,500), the median was up slightly by 3 per cent, the 31,286 gns (AU$61,756) average dropped by 10 per cent, and with an extra 21 horses sold compared to the corresponding session last year, turnover was down a little at 8,134,300 gns (AU$16,057,108).