Cover image courtesy of Inglis
Cressfield General Manager Wayne Bedggood has been in the sport long enough to understand the importance of celebrating the wins.
For all of the highs, there are just as many lows. It was one of those weeks for Bedggood, Cressfield principal Bruce Neill, as well as and the rest of team last week.
On Tuesday, there was relief and jubilation after Lot 144, the colt by I Am Invincible out of the Stratum mare Egyptian Symbol, was knocked down for $1.5 million to Kia Ora Stud, Tony Fung Investments and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock at the Inglis Easter Sale.
Liesl Baumann and Wayne Bedggood | Image courtesy of Cressfield
An Exceed And Excel colt sold for $150,000 and a Lonhro colt realised $160,000, while the colt by Fastnet Rock out of Shrill (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) was not able find a new home.
“It was mixed emotions; we obviously had that great sale with the Egyptian Symbol colt," Bedggood told TDN AusNZ.
“We trade on our name; we like to get our horses away. We meet the market, so we brought our reserves down to what we thought were fairly low-end reserves, although we finished up bringing one home, which is always disappointing."
Pleasingly, Cressfield’s week finished on another high, but we’ll come back to that.
Lot 144 - I Am Invincible x Egyptian Symbol (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Million-dollar yearling for star mare
A daughter of the Group 1-winning sprinter Our Egyptian Raine (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}), Egyptian Symbol was bred and retained to race by Cressfield, and has now produced a million dollar yearling.
Egyptian Symbol won eight of her 32 starts and also notched 10 minor placings for earnings of $1.5 million. She won twice at Group 3 level, once in Listed company, was a close fifth in a G1 Sangster S., and was triumphant in a Magic Millions Snippets.
“We went into the Sale with reasonable expectations, given the number of inspections he’d had and hits on x-rays, which was a record number for us. That gave us a fair indication that he was going to sell well. We didn’t know exactly how the market was going to play out, we certainly knew there was a ceiling to what people would pay, especially on that first day,” Bedggood said.
Egyptian Symbol when racing | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“We were pleasantly surprised to get that $1.5 million, and, as always, elated to get that result for the boss and the team back home.
“We’re hoping now that he can realise his value on the racetrack; that’s probably the most important part; that these expensive horses perform for the people that have outlaid the money.”
Bedggood said the fact the colt, which is Egyptian Symbol's first foal, is by a mare that was bred and raced by Cressfield was 'icing on the cake'.
How a different a story it might have been, though.
“I actually tried to sell that mare at sale, under reserve. I had a live offer, not too far under reserve, and credit to the boss, Bruce Neill, he stuck to his guns and said, ‘If we can’t make that, I’ll race her myself’, and as he is prone to do, he’s made me look a bit silly,” Bedggood laughed.
“But I’m happy to be proven wrong in that instance. She went on to be a super race-mare and was probably unlucky not to win a few more.
“She was as tough as they come, and ultra-competitive. I dare say she was one of the best of her year, in her own sex, over her distance.
“For her to have a first foal come out and be such a stunner… he was a good-looking foal right from the get-go; he was always a good type and really came on through the prep.”
“For her (Egyptian Smybol) to have a first foal come out and be such a stunner… he (Lot 144) was a good-looking foal right from the get-go; he was always a good type and really came on through the prep.” - Wayne Bedggood
Egyptian Symbol is in foal to Deep Field after missing to I Am Invincible the year prior.
Food for thought
Bedggood said the Shrill colt will remain with Cressfield.
And who knows, maybe history will repeat and he will achieve success on the track in Cressfield’s grey, black checks, yellow sleeves and cap.
Lot 423 - Fastnet Rock x Shrill (GB) (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Asking if there’s a chance Neill could race the colt, Bedggood said: “There is some. We’ve spoken about Egyptian Symbol… my boss has pulled a few of those out of the fire.
“We’ll get him broken in. He’s a big, strong fellow. He wasn’t a terribly handsome brute, but that said, he’s got a tonne of bone.
“With good management and time… some of these horses that the market rejects as yearlings, we all know they race on and become black-type horses later on, and Cressfield has had a couple of those.”
“With good management and time… some of these horses that the market rejects as yearlings, we all know they race on and become black-type horses later on, and Cressfield has had a couple of those.” - Wayne Bedggood
Indeed, they have, with one of them being Group 1-winner Clearly Innocent.
A gelded son of Not A Single Doubt from No Penalty (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Clearly Innocent debuted as a 4-year-old, before going on to amass $1.5 in earnings, having won nine of his 23 starts, including the G1 BRC Kingsford-Smith Cup.
“You’d almost say he was a trainwreck,” Bedggood said.
“We spent a lot of time on him and a lot of money on vets. There was remedial works, we gave him lots of time, and fortunately he had the potential the whole time to go on.”
Clearly Innocent when racing | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Group 1 glory
Now, back to the story of the Cressfield Team finishing the week riding the crest of a wave, and it came when gusty mare Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}) wore down Annavisto (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) to register her maiden Group 1 victory in the Queen of the Turf S. on Day 2 of The Championships.
Out of the unraced Zabeel (NZ) mare Dezign, Nimalee’s grandam is multiple Australian Group 2 winner and G1 Hong Kong Derby champion Elegant Fashion (Danewin), who has left Group 3 victor Star Fashion (Street Cry {Ire}).
“For mine, and I know I’m biased, that mare deserved a Group 1; she’s a tough individual,” said Bedggood.
“I’m so glad for the owners.”
Bedggood admitted the feeling of breeding a Group 1 winner is incredibly special.
“It’s super, that’s as good as it gets,” he said.
“My boss might disagree, but I actually think it’s better than getting the $1 million-plus for your yearlings, because it really does frank what you’re doing, what you’re trying to produce; we’re all here to get that Group 1 winner.”
“...it (winning a Group 1) really does frank what you’re doing, what you’re trying to produce; we’re all here to get that Group 1 winner.” - Wayne Bedggood
It certainly was an interesting and emotional week for the team at Cressfield, and Bedggood said they enjoyed the spoils of victory, both at Riverside and Randwick.
“It’s fantastic, there was plenty of text messages among the staff flying around. They were as excited as anybody,” he commented.
“Again, it validates what they’re doing and makes it all worthwhile. Plus, they love their stock, they love the horses.”
Nimalee, winner of the G1 Queen of the Turf S. | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Cressfield has a 2-year-old brother to Nimalee on the farm, while their dam is back in foal to sire of the moment So You Think (NZ).
“He was a bit of a brute, so we’ve got the full brother broken in and we’re just taking him very gently; he probably won’t race for another 12 months or so, but he’ll stay on our books at this stage,” Bedggood added.
Initially established as a 10,000 acre wheat and sheep farm in the early 1900s, Cressfield has developed into one of Australia’s most prestigious farms for mares.
Bedggood said Cressfield will 'never have more than 30-odd' mares on the farm at any given time, with the game-plan to have a dozen at Magic Millions and a dozen at Inglis Easter.
