Cover image courtesy of Oakmont Horse Club

Written by Bren O'Brien

TDN AusNZ's Bren O'Brien caught up with US-based Hannah Mathiesen, the managing owner of leading Magic Millions 2YO Classic contender Away Game (Snitzel), founder of Oakmont Horse Club, a new racing and pinhooking partnership and formerly based in Australia with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

Bren O'Brien: First of all Hannah, how does it feel to have your first stakes winner and your first runner in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in Away Game?

Hannah Mathiesen: It’s an incredible feeling to have Away Game running in the 2YO Classic. That race was the goal when we bought her, and it is very satisfying to see that become a reality. She was the first horse my family and I purchased at auction in Australia, so we feel very fortunate to have the early success that she has given us.

Bren O'Brien: Talk to us about purchasing this filly at last year's Gold Coast Magic Millions?

Hannah Mathiesen: Last year was my first time attending the Magic Millions Sale when I was working for Ciaron and Dave. Kerri Radcliffe was buying for a US client that my family often partners with, so we decided to team up and try to find a well-bred filly or two to send to Ciaron.

Ciaron, Kerri and I sat down and compared lists and ended up with about five fillies that we all agreed on. Away Game was my absolute favourite filly in the sale, so I was thrilled to get her. She was so well put together and precocious-looking and had a huge, purposeful walk. The pedigree was there as well, being by Snitzel and a full to a stakes winner, so she ended up being exactly what I was looking for.

Bren O'Brien: You worked with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's stables when you were in Australia, talk us through that experience?

Hannah Mathiesen: I couldn’t have asked for a better experience working for Ciaron and Dave. I intended on only staying for six months but extended that and I still work for them in a smaller capacity as US Representative. They are two of the most talented people I’ve ever been around and the experience I gained working for them was invaluable. I was given a lot of responsibility and was able to learn about many different aspects of the thoroughbred industry from bloodstock to owner communications and sales.

Bren O'Brien: What drove you to come to Australia in the first place?

Hannah Mathiesen: When I graduated from college, I asked Tom Ryan (SF Bloodstock) for advice on what my next step should be in order to be successful in the thoroughbred industry, and he said I would gain the best experience by going to Australia. He put me in touch with Ciaron and it ended up working out perfectly.

I had also studied abroad in South Australia when I was in college and spent quite a few mornings at Morphettville Racecourse, so I had a small taste of Australian racing beforehand and was very intrigued to go back and learn more.

Bren O'Brien: And you returned to the United States to found and manage Oakmont Horse Club, talk to us about the background to that and how the pin-hooking and racing aspects of Oakmont have evolved over the past nine months?

Hannah Mathiesen: I was back in the US in March 2019 selling one of my pinhooks at the Fasig Tipton Gulfstream Sale. Colt Pike, who had worked in Australia for Arrowfield Stud, asked if I would be interested in teaming up at the weanling sales in Australia and trying to buy a few to pinhook.

From then until May, we gathered clients and came up with a plan, and Oakmont was formed. We both love Australian racing and sales, and we want more Americans to be able to experience all that the industry has to offer. Our goal is to get as many investors as possible to Magics and Easter to watch their horses sell, which will hopefully make them want to race in Australia as well.

Over the past nine months, we have also been purchasing yearlings to pinhook, we’ve bought a broodmare, and we’ve travelled to Europe to explore the market there. We are working on setting up our first racing syndicate at the moment.

Bren O'Brien: And you have got a couple of yearlings which you purchased as weanlings in 2019 to be offered at the Magic Millions Sale as well?

Hannah Mathiesen: Yes, we are very excited to own two weanlings selling in January, both of which were bought at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale. The first to go through the ring is Lot 85, an I Am Invincible filly out of the stakes winning Fastnet Rock mare Anatina.

She is an absolute queen and looks like a filly that could make it back next year for the 2YO Classic. She is very forward and has done everything right in the lead up to the sale, and we couldn’t ask for her sire to be doing much better!

The next is Lot 886, a Fastnet Rock colt out of Two Beauties consigned by Widden Stud. The 2-year-old half brother by Not A Single Doubt is in training with Ciaron and we hear he is going really well. This colt just keeps improving and looks better and better every time we see him.

Bren O'Brien: What is your ambition for Oakmont Horse Club going forward?

Hannah Mathiesen: Right now, Oakmont is focused mainly on pinhooking, but we would love to be able to buy more racehorses going forward. We are in the process of putting together a racing syndicate in the US, and the goal is to extend that to Australia in the future.

We love getting new people involved and showing them the process of selecting a horse, prepping them for the next sale, and ultimately getting them to the racetrack. Our goal is to keep growing and expanding into new parts of the market and bringing new people into the sport.

Bren O'Brien: Where does your passion for thoroughbreds come from?

Hannah Mathiesen: I was recruited to play collegiate volleyball at Cal Poly, but ended up getting hurt my first season. Cal Poly happened to be one of a handful of schools in the US that offered a Thoroughbred Enterprise program, and I ended up joining that pretty much out of nowhere, but I had always loved horses and athletics so the racing industry perfectly combined the two.

We had lectures on equine nutrition, conformation, and pedigrees and worked hands on with the thoroughbreds on campus. I fell in love with the animal and the sport and spent all my time that summer at Del Mar Racetrack or researching anything I could find on the internet about horse racing. I was fortunate enough to meet Bob Baffert and spend a few hours with him and American Pharoah (USA), which is one of my all-time favourite horse racing memories.

I remember leaving the barn that day and knowing that is the industry I wanted to work in. Later that summer, I ended up convincing my dad to buy 5 per cent of a syndicate horse and our racing stable grew quickly from there! My passion ultimately comes from the connection to the animal. They are so beautiful and try so hard for us, and that is something that sets our sport apart from others.

Bren O'Brien: And you are equally passionate about getting younger people involved in the thoroughbred industry. How have you gone about this?

Hannah Mathiesen: I am very passionate about getting young people involved in the industry. I serve as the Vice President of Nexus Racing Club, which is a racing club created for young people to get involved in ownership and learn more about the racing industry.

We partner with established, successful owners and lease the racing rights of their horses to our members. This allows our members to visit their horses at the track, help with naming, receive weekly updates on their horses, and get all ownership rights when they go to the races.

We also like to focus on education and have many networking events with industry leaders mainly organized by Craig Bernick, who has helped us out a ton and has been a huge mentor to me personally. The goal is for our members to either invest in ownership or work in the industry when they move on from us, and we have helped connect lots of young people to jobs in racing.

Bren O'Brien: Do you feel it is tougher to promote thoroughbred racing to people of your generation than it has been in the past?

Hannah Mathiesen: Yes, I think the constant negative media coverage makes it difficult to sell racing to the younger generation. Especially in the US, the public perception of racing is not positive, so it is a tough sell to get new fans of any age, but specifically young people who spend lots of time on social media and are exposed to all the negative press.

On the flip side though, if we can find ways to give the sport a positive image again, it’ll be easier than ever before to reach new people thanks to social media and the internet. Also, past generations were able to watch horses race over much longer careers which I think made it easier to create new fans.

Thankfully, horses like Zenyatta (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}) and Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) dominated for many years, and we’ve seen what they have done to promote the sport.

Bren O'Brien: Thanks for your time

Written by Richard Edmonds

Following an enormously successful 2019 edition of The Chairman’s Sale, Inglis is sticking to a winning formula in 2020. The 2019 sale introduced a 0% commission on the sale of race fillies and broodmares offered through The Chairman’s Sale, producing spectacular results in the most successful sale of its kind in Australasia.

It achieved the highest average price ($422,455) and clearance rate (93%), and it also featured the most expensive pregnant mare to sell at auction in the southern hemisphere in 2019. Maastricht (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), the dam of Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible), sold to Coolmore and James Bester Bloodstock for $2.25 million, having been offered through the Newgate Consignment on behalf of owners Ananda Krishnan and Alan Bell.

She was one of two mares to reach the $2 million mark at The Chairman’s Sale, with Tom Magnier purchasing multiple Group 1 winner Srikandi (Dubawi {Ire}) from the Kitchwin Hills draft for $2 million.

That 0% commission policy will be repeated for the 2020 Chairman’s Sale, and there will also be no commission charged on the balance over $100,000 for any weanling, race filly or broodmare offered through the Australian Broodmare & Weanling Sale, as well as the Great Southern Sale.

The 2020 Chairman’s Sale will be held on Friday evening, May 8 at Riverside Stables, and will again be restricted to a select catalogue.

Sebastian Hutch, Inglis’ general manager of bloodstock sales and marketing, believes the structure will further enhance the quality and depth of the weanling and breeding stock sales.

“We were absolutely determined to run a very successful Chairman’s Sale in 2019, and thanks to amazing support from firstly our vendors and secondarily our buyers, it worked out well,” he said.

“We want to build on the momentum from 2019 in 2020 to ensure that The Chairman’s Sale – as well as the accompanying Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale – is again a success.

“The level of interest from people looking to be a part of The Chairman’s Sale in 2020 has been striking, but we want to maintain the boutique feel to it and will be conscious of this when considering entries.”

Leading industry participants were highly impressed by the 2019 edition of The Chairman’s Sale.

“I wish I’d had more mares there,” Segenhoe Stud’s Peter O’Brien said. “We had four mares in and three of them made way overs on what we thought. I’ve never seen an active market like it.”

Newgate Farm’s Henry Field added, “Every single mare we put to the market sold for above the reserve, and the competition on most mares, there were three or more buying groups on them.”

Aquis Farm’s Shane McGrath was similarly pleased with the results. “As a vendor, we exceeded our expectations, and as a buyer, there was a great selection of mares on offer,” he said. “Good atmosphere, good vibe, the top end of the market especially was as strong as we’ve seen anywhere.”

SALE DATES

Wednesday May 6 – Day 1 of Australian Broodmare & Weanling Sale (weanlings offered)

Thursday May 7 – Day 2 of Australian Broodmare & Weanling Sale (weanlings offered)

Friday, May 8 – The Chairman’s Sale (Evening Session)

Sunday May 10 – Day 3 of Australian Broodmare & Weanling Sale (breeding stock offered)

Monday May 11 – Day 4 of Australian Broodmare & Weanling Sale (Breeding stock offered)

By Bren O'Brien

Vendors at this week's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale have thrown their support behind victims of the bushfires that have struck every Australian state, with $500 to be donated from every horse sold at the sale.

With more than 800 horses catalogued, it is hoped the initiative can raise well in excess of $300,000.

The devastating bushfires over the New Year's period have affected significant parts of Victoria and New South Wales, including the breeding stronghold in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.

With the industry gathering for the traditional start of the year on the Gold Coast, breeders and vendors have rallied to support those Australians impacted.

“A lot of vendors were talking about what we could do to help those who need it the most and there was overwhelming support when this idea was discussed,” said Tom Reilly, chief executive of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA).

The money will be deducted from the sale price and donated to charities that support the victims of the fires.

Basil Nolan, President of TBA, said while it was a difficult time for a lot of breeders who have also been impacted by fire and drought, it was important to assist those in need.

“I think this is a great effort as many of the vendors have had a very tough time in recent years with drought and many have been dealing with fires themselves," he said.

“The industry is a real community and everybody I’ve spoken with wanted to do something. You cannot look at what’s going on and not be affected by it.”

The Magic Millions and its sponsor, The Star Gold Coast, have also both committed $50,000 to the bush fire relief.

“The thoroughbred industry has been famous for its generosity," Magic Millions proprietor Gerry Harvey said.

“Whenever things happen out there in the community, I think nobody responds better than the racing industry.

“It will help a lot of people and we’re more than happy to do that and on behalf of the Magic Millions family it’s something that we should do and we will do.”

Ascot, G2 TABTouch Perth Cup, 2400m, $400,000

Race summary:

Mississippi Delta (High Chaparral {Ire}) produced a barnstorming finish to deliver a ninth Perth Cup win for dominant Perth owner Bob Peters – and his fifth in the last six years.

Sent out as the $3.50 favourite, Mississippi Delta and jockey William Pike dropped out towards the back of the 13-horse field. With 200 metres to run, they still had only one runner behind them.

But Mississippi Delta produced a spectacular finishing burst, sweeping past her rivals and clearing out to win by 1l from Missile Launch (Smart Missile) and Taxagano (Rogano).

Bred and raced by Peters Investments Pty Ltd, Mississippi Delta has won 10 of her 19 starts and more than $700,000 in stakes.

This was her fourth stakes win, having previously won the G3 R.J. Peters S., the Listed ATA S. and the Listed Tattersall’s Cup.

The 6-year-old is trained by Grant and Alana Williams.

Pedigree notes:

Mississippi Delta is by the influential stallion High Chaparral (Ire), the sire of 179 individual stakes winners worldwide. He made a particular impact in this part of the world, siring 68 stakes winners including 17 Group 1 winners – headed by the likes of So You Think (NZ), Shoot Out and Dundeel (NZ).

The dam of Mississippi Delta is Mississippi Belle (Marooned {GB}), a half-sister to the G3 WATC Easter S. winner Mogul (Serheed {USA}) and stakes-placed Springtime Gold (Old Spice).

Mississippi Belle is also a full-sister to Petite Angel (Marooned {GB}), the dam of G2 Western Australian Guineas winner Clueless Angel (Oratorio) and stakes-placed Impact (Eternity Range {USA}).

The second dam, Bonus (Haulpak), produced three black-type winners including the G1 WATC Fruit ‘n’ Veg S. winner Old Nick (Old Spice).

Mississippi Belle is the dam of seven winners from seven foals to race, with three stakes winners.

Elite Belle (Canny Lad) won the G1 Railway S., G2 C.B. Cox S. and five other stakes races, while Battle Emblem (Second Empire {Ire}) won twice at Listed level.

Ascot, G3 Mrs Mac’s La Trice Classic, 1800m, $150,000

Race summary:

In a glimpse of what was to come later in the afternoon in the Perth Cup, William Pike wore the Bob Peters colours to another black-type victory – this time with Perfect Jewel (Redoute’s Choice) in the G3 La Trice Classic.

After breaking well from the inside gate, Pike eased Perfect Jewel back to settle in fifth spot. He angled her off the fence rounding the home turn, then she quickened impressively under her 60-kilogram topweight, sprinting to victory by a 1.75l from Royal Strata (Stratum) and Aconite (Discorsi).

Trained by Adam Durrant for owner-breeders Peters Investments Pty Ltd, Perfect Jewel has had 18 starts for five wins, two placings and more than $670,000 in prize-money. It was her first win for more than two years, having gone winless in 12 starts since the G2 Western Australian Guineas in December of 2017.

This was her third stakes win, having captured the Western Australian Guineas and the Listed Belgravia S. as a 3-year-old.

Pedigree notes:

Perfect Jewel is by the late, great Redoute’s Choice, sire of 170 stakes winners among his overall total of 1109 winners from 1450 runners.

The dam of Perfect Jewel is Star Encounter (Jeune {GB}), who herself won eight races including the Listed Pinjarra Cup, and she also placed in the G1 WATC Derby.

Star Encounter is the dam of three foals to race, all of them stakes winners. Star Exhibit (Statue of Liberty {USA}) has won 12 races, headed by two editions of the G2 Perth Cup, and also placed in the G1 Doomben Cup. Royal Star (Redoute’s Choice) won the Listed Natasha S. and placed in the Perth Cup.

Star Encounter is a full-sister to the dam of G1 Railway S. winner Galaxy Star (Redoute’s Choice), and a half-sister to the dam of Listed Birthday S. winner and G1 Winterbottom S. runner-up Enticing Star (Testa Rossa).

Since producing Perfect Jewel in 2014, Star Encounter has had a colt and a filly by Statue of Liberty (USA), and in the spring of 2019 she had a colt by Dundeel (NZ).

Ascot, Listed Furphy Summer Scorcher, 1000m, $100,000

Race summary:

Fabergino (Maschino) collected her second stakes win in a row with another powerful front-running performance.

The 5-year-old grey mare earned her first black-type credit in the Listed R.S. Crawford S. in October, leading all the way to win the 1000-metre feature in a time of 57.04 seconds. She lined up on Saturday for her first start since then, and it was a similar story.

Sent straight to the lead by jockey Peter Knuckey, Fabergino dominated the race from the front and never looked like being caught. She won by 3.75l, stopping the clock at 57.31 seconds.

Trained by Tiarnna Robertson, Fabergino has now won seven of her 10 starts and $348,500 in stakes.

Pedigree notes:

Fabergino was bred by co-owner Jim Anderson.

She is by the Encosta de Lago stallion Maschino, who stands for a fee of $4,950 at Alwyn Park in Western Australia.

Maschino has been represented by 15 winners from 34 runners, and Fabergino is one of a trio of stakes winners. Cup Night had previously won the Listed Raconteur S., while Snowchino won this season’s Starstruck Classic.

Fabergino’s dam is the Danzero mare Miss Razyana, who has produced four winners from four foals to race. And Jubilations (Congrats {USA}) and Street Patrol (Street Sense {USA}) won two races apiece, while Fabergino’s younger brother Rush’n Machine (Maschino) has won over 1400 metres this season.

A winner of four races herself, Miss Razyana is a sibling to eight other winners including the Listed placegetters Pedro’s Tycoon (Just Awesome) and Man of Oar (Oarsman).

The second dam Lady Road (Sea Road) is a full-sister to the G1 Coolmore Classic winner Camino Rose (Sea Road).

Miss Razyana has returned to Maschino to produce colt and filly foals in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Launceston, Listed Ladbrokes Tasmanian Guineas, 1600m, $100,000

Race summary:

Still a Star (Toronado {Ire}) cost just $13,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale, and on Saturday she starred at stakes level.

Ridden by Brendon McCoull for trainer and part-owner Bill Ryan, the chestnut filly raced in second place before asserting her superiority in the straight. She out-finished the front-running Argyle Beach (Purrealist) and edged clear by 0.5l to the finish line.

The rest of the field finished 3l behind the first pair, headed by the third-placed Mywordis (Wordsmith). Still a Star has now had nine starts for four wins and five second placings, vastly exceeding her purchase price with $201,190 in stakes.

Pedigree notes:

Still a Star was bred in Tasmania by Alva Stud.

She is by the High Chaparral stallion Toronado (Ire), who shuttles to Swettenham Stud. With his oldest Australian crop now 3-year-olds, he has sired 21 winners in this part of the world from 57 runners. Still a Star is his first southern hemisphere stakes winner.

Overall, Toronado has been represented by 100 winners from 197 runners with five individual stakes winners, all at Listed level.

Still a Star is out of Lita (Casino Prince), a winning daughter of the G3 Red Anchor S. winner Royal Asscher (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).

Royal Asscher’s dam Diamond Cashel (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) was also a Group 3 winner and is the granddam of the G2 Rich Hill Mile winner Ruud Not Too (NZ) (Bernardini {USA}).

Diamond Cashel is out of a half-sister to the G1 AJC Sires’ Produce S. and VRC Oaks winner Diamond Shower (Zephyr Zip {NZ})).

Lita is the dam of two winners from three foals to race. Heavenly Bridges (Unencumbered), who is now a 4-year-old, has won two races.

Lita produced a filly by Manhattan Rain in 2018, and in 2019 she was served by Bolt d’Oro (USA).

Launceston, Listed Kevin Sharkie Tasmanian S., 1600m, $100,000

Race summary:

Mandela Effect (Turffontein) is a hard horse to beat in Tasmania, as he proved again on Saturday with his eighth win from just 13 starts in the state.

Mandela Effect has also raced with credit in Victoria, winning races at Caulfield and Bendigo and placing in the Listed Sale Cup.

A last-start placegetter in the Listed Conquering S., Mandela Effect captured his first black-type victory in Saturday’s feature.

Ridden by Craig Newitt, the 5-year-old was always within striking distance of the leaders and collared them in the straight to win by 0.75l. His stablemate Hellova Street (Helike {USA}) was second, with Zatacla (Al Maher) third.

Both the winner and runner-up are trained by Scott Brunton.

Mandela Effect, who was an $18,000 purchase at the 2016 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale, has now had 21 starts for 10 wins, six placings and $427,939 in prize-money.

Pedigree notes:

Mandela Effect is by Turffontein, who stands for a service fee of $8,800 at Blue Gum Farm. He has sired 123 winners from 234 runners, with 13 individual black-type winners. His standout performers have been the Group 2 winners Fontein Ruby (Edward Manifold S.) and Fontiton (Blue Diamond Prelude).

Mandela Effect’s dam is Morell (West Quest {Can}), a winning half-sister to the Listed Tasmanian Guineas placegetter Royal Work (Matsqui).

Third dam Miss Plateola (Galway Bay {Fr}) is a half-sister to the dam of Mighty Manitou (Manihi), who won the G1 AJC Sires’ Produce S.

Morell is the dam of three winners from three foals to race. Mandela Effect was her first foal. Reconquista (War) and Galenus (Magnus) have won one race apiece. The mare returned to Turffontein and produced a filly and a colt respectively in 2018 and 2019.

In the build up to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, we will pick out three yearlings each day who have had substantial pedigree updates in the past couple of months.

Today we check out a filly whose half-brother added a second Group 1 win recently, a filly whose older sister made an impression on debut in stakes company and a half-sister to a mare who has become a Magic Millions favourite in recent years.

Lot 309 - Your Song x Flion Fenena (Lion Hunter) - Offered by Eureka Stud

This filly's half brother Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook) was already a Group 1 winner when the catalogue was released, but he has since added the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint in December to his resume.

He and this Your Song filly are both out of stakes-placed Flion Fenena, who has produced two winners from five to the track. One of the other half-sisters, Mowgli (Not A Single Doubt), is the dam of a Winning Rupert filly offered by Yarraman Park later in the sale as Lot 938.

Lot 423 - Pride of Dubai x Jezzabba (Fastnet Rock) - Offered by Segenhoe Stud

This filly's full sister Dubai Star showed considerable talent on debut, finishing second in the Listed Merson Cooper S. at Sandown in November to add another stakes-performer to a pedigree that already has plenty of black type.

Their granddam is the G1 Manikato S. winner Piavonic (Scenic {Ire}), who produced the Group 2 winner Von Costa De Hero (Encosta de Lago) and the stakes placed Taarish (Encosa de Lago).

Lot 658 - Hinchinbrook x Pure Purrfection (General Nediym) - Offered by Eureka Stud

Outback Barbie (Spirit of Boom) has already been a banner horse for this family and ahead of her half-sister being offered by Eureka Stud here she further built that reputation with a win in the Listed Keith Noud S. in November and followed that up with a third in the G3 George Moore S. She is also likely to contest either the Fillies And Mares Race or the QTIS Open on Magic Millions Day.

It's a pretty strong family already, given the dam Pure Purrfection (General Nediym) was a Listed winner herself and this filly is from the final crop of Hinchinbrook.

To be included in the yearling showcase send an email to olivia@tdnausnz.com.au and tag us in your socials

@tdnausnz #yearlingprep

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