Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
From afar pedigree analysis probably looks like a rather dry job, hours spent researching - delving into books, scanning breeding charts, studying statistics. There is a lot to take in, much to remember and plenty to keep up with both locally and internationally.
But everyone who works in racing knows this; it is not just a job, it is a passion.
One that had me hooked pretty early, right from the moment the breeder of our first horse handed me a pedigree chart and said, "this might interest you."
An understatement!
Kristen Manning with Hearts And Arrows (dam of Jonker)
What stood out early was the power of family and I loved reading about the great matriarchs; the likes of Pretty Polly (GB) (Gallinule {GB}), Selene (GB) (Chaucer {GB}), La Troienne (Fr) (Teddy {Fr}), Plucky Liege (GB) (Spearmint {GB}) and Mumtaz Mahal (GB) (The Tetrach {GB}).
And the latter's descendant Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}). When commissioned by a client to help them find a broodmare at the 2001 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, a catalogue standout was a granddaughter of Cotehele House (GB) (My Swanee {GB}) - Villa Igea (Papal Power {USA}).
For six seasons I was lucky enough to recommend her mates, one of which was Danewin (son of Cotehele House) with the result being the brilliant G3 Colin Hayes S. winner Fair Trade.
Another was Kempinsky, a great grandson of Eight Carat. Hearts And Arrows was the produce of that mating, a gorgeous black filly who the breeders syndicated - and we got together with friends to take a share.
Hearts And Arrows when racing
Trained by Mick Kent, she impressively won her first two starts before sustaining a tendon injury. There were big plans for her on the track but they were not to be and with the majority of her owners not being breeders she was sold on Mick's advice to Queensland breeder Jeff Cullen of Wicklow Lodge.
I will forever be grateful that Jeff has included me in Hearts And Arrows' career. He is the breeder, he makes the decisions and takes the risks yet he has been so generous allowing me to feel part of her life. And has even let me name her now 2-year-old daughter, and Jonker's full sister, Culasse!
"I will forever be grateful that Jeff (Cullen) has included me in Hearts And Arrows' career." - Kristen Manning
With Hearts And Arrows' crosses of Eight Carat and Oceana (Ire) (Colombo) via Faringdon and Todman and Eureka Stud's Spirit Of Boom with his Mumtaz Mahal influence and a strain of Oceana's other son, Noholme II, the match looked good on paper.
A first-season sire is always a challenge as you never really know what he is going to pick up on. You have to cover a lot of bases to put the genetic odds in your favour which is where the study comes in - and aside from those obvious crosses Spirit Of Boom and Hearts And Arrows have much in common further back in their pedigrees.
Their colt arrived on September 26, 2015. He looked so much like mum I was immediately smitten. Continuing the jewel theme of the family (Hearts And Arrows is a diamond cut), his owners named him Jonker, after one of the biggest diamonds ever found, and when he won on debut I admit to bursting into tears!
"Continuing the jewel theme of the family (Hearts And Arrows is a diamond cut), his owners named him Jonker, after one of the biggest diamonds ever found." - Kristen Manning
And there have been a lot of them along the way with Jonker's career one of ups and downs. He has run into more than his fair share of bad luck but none of that mattered when, last Friday night, he had his gorgeous nose in front at the finish of the G1 Manikato S. at Moonee Valley.
There are many emotions in regards to being even a small part of such a win. Of course there is the professional pride in successfully reading a pedigree but there is so much more to it than that. Such as the love of the horse and an appreciation for all the people who make such success possible.
Hearts And Arrows with Jonker as a foal | Image courtesy of Jeff Cullen
And many of those people have become great friends. Jeff and I have many great breeding chats whilst Taisen Maddern, a very proud Jonker owner, purchased my own homebred stakes winner from the family - Quilate (Bramshaw) producing as her first foal a strong, imposing Spirit Of Boom filly who we will be racing together.
Breeders John Allen (dual Group 1 winner Albert The Fat {Magic Albert}), Robert and Ann Anderson (G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Portland Sky {Deep Field}) and John Ferguson (G1 SA Derby winner Escado {Casino Prince}) keep in touch and I take it as the biggest compliment when such successful breeders return to me for further advice.
