New Zealand Racing Hall of Famer Anderton and his family ended a lengthy search for new blood with the signing of Ancient Spirit, a dual Group 2-winning son of Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Galileo (Ire) mare Assisi (Ger).
White Robe was established on the North Taieri Plains by Anderton in 1956 and has been developed on firm family foundations with son-in-law Wayne Stewart and wife Karen managing the stud while Brian and son Shane oversee the training side of the successful operation.
Anderton and wife Lorraine’s grandson Jacob Lowry is a Group-winning jockey while it was another grandson Jack, Wayne and Karen’s son, who is fully immersed in the stud business and first unearthed Ancient Spirit as a serious contender for the White Robe roster.
Ancient Spirit (Ger) | Standing at White Robe Lodge
“I’m proud of all the family involvement and Wayne and Karen do a great job. My grandson Jack picked this horse out and we managed to get him through Irish bloodstock agent Ed Stapleton and Marcus Corban,” Brian Anderton said.
“When I look at this horse’s pedigree and performance, I have to say it has rejuvenated me as well. I’m really looking forward to his arrival.
“When I look at this horse’s (Ancient Spirit) pedigree and performance, I have to say it has rejuvenated me as well.” – Brian Anderton
“Ghibellines is owned by Godolphin and he’s got another year to go and is doing a good job. I thought we needed to be secure if he went with Raise The Flag and Gallant Guru getting on.
“We wouldn’t have anything to offer our clients and some of them and their families have been lifetime clients. Some of them are third generation and still sending mares here.
“I started with a stallion called Harken when I was 18 and I’m 84 now. When I was about 23, I bought the property in Wingatui and called it White Robe Lodge. White Robe was my first winner when I was 14, he won a race at Wyndham and that’s how it all started.
“I got to know Jim Malcolm from Te Rapa Stud well and he leased me three stallions – Rejoicing II, Ruddington and Resurgent and then I bought Mellay in partnership with the Whites and Dad.”
Champion residents
The farm’s profile was lifted to lofty heights by the arrival of Mellay (GB) and later Noble Bijou (USA), both Champion Stallions.
“Mellay was an amazing horse and Noble Bijou, of course. We’ve been lucky and had some lovely horses. Yamanin Vital was never recognised for what a great stallion he was when it came to distance they excelled, he had Cup winners and jumping winners and so forth,” Anderton said.
He has been heavily involved in all facets of the industry, riding nearly 100 winners, training well over 1000 and as an administrator.
In 1993, Anderton received the award for Outstanding Contribution from New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, followed by induction to the NZ Racing Hall of Fame in 2012 and in 2015 was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for his services to the racing industry.
Shared anticipation
Stud Manager, Wayne Stewart shares Anderton’s excitement surrounding Ancient Spirit, who won twice at Group 2 level and was crowned Champion 3-Year-Old Miler of Germany and Italy.
“Brian has always said to me he likes a miler and how they can make good sires. He’s still as keen as ever and our son Jack has been back on the stud for the last two years,” he said.
“He was playing rugby in Scotland he had two years at Juddmonte in England when Frankel was just starting off. We’re all really excited about Ancient Spirit.
“We had been searching for a while and it’s hard to get one from this part of the world. We’ve always wanted a European-type horse. It’s damn hard to get a horse with pedigree, performance and looks at the elite level and Ancient Spirit is very close to it so we’re pretty lucky.”
White Robe is well known as a source of staying success and Ancient Spirit will offer something different to breeders.
“He’s got plenty of speed and I know we breed stayers, and we’re renowned for that, but we still want to breed autumn 2-year-olds and spring 3-year-olds,” Stewart said.
“We don’t want to breed just out-and-out stayers and jumpers. We did it with Noble Bijou and Mellay, who produced horses that can win those early spring races and go on with it.
“Ancient Spirit has got a great mix of blood and will suit New Zealand mares. He’s German-bred and a pedigree with a lot of world flavour being out of a Galileo mare and his second dam is by Monsun, all the world knows them through their deeds as sires and Galileo is a phenomenal broodmare sire.
“Ancient Spirit has got a great mix of blood and will suit New Zealand mares.” – Wayne Stewart
“He’s by Invincible Spirit who is a great sire and sire of sires. He ticks all the boxes in that respect and won the two Group 2s. When he won the Guineas he showed a great turn of foot and ran a good time.”
Ancient Spirit is a half-brother to the G1 Criterium International winner Alson (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) and a pedigree that has been to the fore in Australia with family member Almandin (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) a dual Group 1 winner.
“We will be backing the horse ourselves with our own mares, we have got a lot of faith in him and think he will do a wonderful job at stud,” Stewart said. “He was a very good horse and very adaptable, which I think will be a big asset for breeders in New Zealand.
“He is an outstanding individual. He is very correct and he has got a really good, intelligent head. You couldn’t ask for much more from a sire in terms of conformation and looks.”
Ancient Spirit will stand his first season at stud at White Robe Lodge for a service fee of NZ$7000 + GST.
