Segenhoe striking at the heart of stakes races

Last season, an extraordinary trend continued for Segenhoe with dual Group 1 winner King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) leading the charge of the graduates and ably backed up by stakes performers Barbaric (I Am Invincible), Dubai Star (Pride Of Dubai), Holyfield (I Am Invincible), Ticket To Ride (Vancouver) and Vangelic (Vancouver).

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Blaze A Trail (Criterion {NZ}) was also runner-up in the Golden Gift and this season Holyfield is again on the board following his impressive victory in the G3 Ming Dynasty at Rosehill.

“Holyfield was a beautiful yearling and physically he always looked like a 3-year-old. Ciaron Maher was here last week and said he’ll just get better and better,” Segenhoe General Manager Peter O’Brien said.

“It’s amazing when you look at that crop that we had at the Magic Millions that year. We had Vangelic, King’s Legacy, Holyfield and Barbaric and they were our four most expensive yearlings at the sale.

Gallery: Segenhoe Stud's stakes performed graduates from 2019

“There are four other good horses like Poland, Shaik, San Antoni and Willinga Panache from that draft and I’d be very surprised if they don’t become stakes performers so we could have half of our Magic Millions draft from that year as stakes performers.

“From a Segenhoe perspective, 26 per cent of the mares that the Maloney family own have produced stakes performers in the last five years, which is extraordinary.”

Segenhoe, will breed from 48 mares this season, and mating plans for 2020 have been planned and confirmed by O’Brien and Assistant Manager Brian Clarke.

“I’ve said it before and I honestly think this is the best farm in the country and when we do our matings, from conception to maturity all we are thinking about is producing a racehorse, not a sales horse,” O’Brien said.

“Obviously, sales are where we get our income from, but producing a racehorse is absolutely what we want to do.

“We go through all the mares and then first of all look at all the stallions we want to use. From there we do in-depth pedigree analysis as well as obviously physical compatibility.

“With the young mares, in the first three years we try to make sure they go to two proven stallions. We are also very conscious of sending young mares to speed stallions, particularly in the first two years to get them up and running.

“Invariably, we try and go to proven stallions as much as possible like So You Think, Pierro, Pride Of Dubai, Zoustar, Snitzel and I Am Invincible.

“Considering the market we are in, I think the services fees are way too high so this season in particular we have had to look at first-season stallions that we like.”

Segenhoe will be supporting half a dozen stallion newcomers.

“I absolutely love Too Darn Hot and we are sending six Segenhoe mares to him. The other one that absolutely blew me away was Pierata and we are sending four very good mares to him,” O’Brien said.

“Another stallion that I’ve followed and saw on a racetrack in Brisbane is Zousain, and he is an Adonis so we’re breeding four to him. Of the others, we’re sending three to Microphone, one to Exceedance and one to Brutal.”

O'Brien also made special mention of the first foals by young Arrowfield stallion The Autumn Sun making a particularly strong impression.

King’s Legacy’s dam Breakfast In Bed (Hussonet {USA}) is in foal to Pierro and a decision on a return to the stallion will be made after the youngster arrives.

Holyfield’s mother Hurtle Myrtle (Dane Shadow) will foal to Deep Field and is booked to I Am Invincible while Total Attraction (Nadeem), who has produced G2 Moreton Cup winner Pretty In Pink (Sebring), will visit Zoustar.

Group 1 producer

Girl Hussler (Hussonet {USA}) has been a grand producer with her brood including the G1 Orr S. winner Manuel (Commands) and the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic winner Taking Aim (Choisir). She is foaling to Zoustar and will be served by Snitzel.

Custard (Lonhro) will be mated with Zoustar following the arrival of her Trapeze Artist foal and is the dam of the G3 Thoroughbred Club S. winner Serene Majesty (Fastnet Rock) and the Listed winner Curdled (All Too Hard).

“We’ve retired Granny Red Shoes, Winter Bride, Pretty In Pink and Miss Admiration, four stakes winners,” O’Brien said.

Granny Red Shoes (Not A Single Doubt) will visit Pierro or Deep Field, Winter Bride (Not A Single Doubt) is booked to Pierro, Pretty In Pink will be off to Zoustar and Miss Admiration (Sebring) will be served by Too Darn Hot (GB).

“I was very fortunate when I started here to have such a beautiful canvas and the quality of stock. Like any farm we have a consistent team here and the Maloney family support me like no other,” O’Brien said.

“Part of that, is making sure all the team are happy and more importantly well paid and that brings longevity. All of that is a massive part in the success of the farm.”

Quality clientele

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Fairway Thoroughbreds, Go Bloodstock, Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Trelawney Stud, Chris and Jane Barham and Aquis all also have mares at Segenhoe.

“With Sheikh Khalifa, Tim Stakemire and Mohammed Khaleel they come up with suggestions send them through and really do all of it. I have a look and make suggestions,” O’Brien said.

“With Fairway, John (Camilleri) does the majority and I’m just there to advise if needed and the same with Go Bloodstock. Trelawney do their own as do Phoenix, but again they send a list and I might make a suggestion.

“With the Barhams, we work together with the matings and most of our breeders are some of the best in the country. We’re privileged to have them on the farm and they’ve been around long enough to know more than I do.

“Aquis moved a lot of the mares to Gooree and called us to take some so we’re delighted and have a very good relationship with them.”

Segenhoe Stud 2020 mating plans