Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Christian had been patiently waiting to celebrate his first Group 1 winner as a breeder for many years, coming close on many occasions and last Saturday that dream became a reality when Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) - who Christian and his wife Siobhan still part-own, proved too strong for her rivals in the G1 Manikato S.
However, fresh off the back of that win, Christian did not have to wait long to breed his second winner at elite-level as the Godolphin-owned, James Cummings-trained In Secret (I Am Invincible), who the Christians co-bred with Segenhoe, proved to be a class apart in Saturday’s G1 Coolmore Stud S.
In Secret stormed home to win the G1 Coolmore Stud S. at Flemington | Image courtesy of Darren Tindale
“I literally said to my daughter earlier today (Saturday), that we have been trying for years to breed a Group 1 winner and we have had so many Group 1-placings and then, in the space of seven days, we now have two - it’s just amazing,” he told TDN AusNZ.
“I don’t really know where to start, I’m speechless to be honest. There are Group 1s and then there are Group 1s and in the 2-year-old year, there is the Golden Slipper, but I think it has been established over time that this race is the 3-year-old race you most want to win. It is certainly from the colts perspective a stallion-making race and for a filly to win the race is not easy, so it’s a massive thrill.”
Important family ties
Much like with Bella Nipotina’s family, In Secret hails from a pedigree very close to the Christians' heart, having purchased In Secret's grandam, the winless Runaway Jesse (Rory’s Jester) because he was a huge fan of the Rory’s Jester element of her pedigree.
Bella Nipotina, winner of the G1 Manikato S. | Image courtesy of Darren Tindale
Producing winners with her first and third foals, Runaway Jesse’s fourth foal was In Secert's dam, Eloping (Choisir), who Christian retained a share in when she was sold to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock and the Racing Women Syndicate for $120,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2013.
Unlike her mother, Eloping, who is herself a half-sister to Group 3 scorer Of The Brave (Starspangledbanner), proved a star on the track winning five times at stakes level-headed by wins in the G3 Royal Randwick S. and G3 Champagne S. and Christian said he and his wife’s long association with the family made the victory all the more special.
“I think the most thrilling thing for me and my wife, Siobhan, is that we bred In Secret’s dam, Eloping as well. We bought the grandam for $10,000, mainly because she was a tank and she was by Rory’s Jester, who I really like to see in a pedigree and in fact Bella Nipotina’s great-grandam is also by Rory’s Jester.
“I think the most thrilling thing for me and my wife, Siobhan, is that we bred In Secret’s dam, Eloping as well.” - Michael Christian
“She (Runaway Jesse) was no good as a racemare, but her fourth foal was Eloping and she was a brilliant racemare, winning five stakes races and over a million in prizemoney, which at time was just incredible.
“We took the mare, Eloping, to the Magic Millions sale as a yearling, but we were keen to stay involved and a close friend ours, Peter Morgan, bought the horse and we stayed in for 50 per cent to race her and to be fair, I would love to race all our fillies, but I need to bring a bit of money back in door.
“Towards the end of her racing career, the other 50 per cent, made up for 10 five per cent holders, became available and there was an offer from Segenhoe and I told Billy Mitchell, who was working for Segenhoe at the time, that we wouldn’t sell her, so they bought the other 50 per cent out.”
Eloping when racing | Image courtesy of Sportpix
The Secrets out
Eloping’s first foal, King Of Hearts (Sebring), was also a winner and then she missed to I Am Invincible in her second year, before producing In Secret the following season.
In Secret was purchased by Godolphin for $900,000 from the draft of her co-breeders Segenhoe at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling in 2021 and Christian said he was sad to see the filly sell, but knew she would get every chance to become a top-class horse with Godolphin.
“So, to have her second foal come out and do what In Secret has done, is just mind-blowing and is what every breeder dreams of. To win a prestigious Group 1 like the Coolmore and have Bella Nipotina last week, I can’t believe it.
“To have her (Eloping's) second foal come out and do what In Secret has done, is just mind-blowing and is what every breeder dreams of.” - Michael Christian
“We are obviously in the ownership of Bella Nipotina, but sadly not in the ownership of In Secret. I’ve known Vin Cox for a long time and Godolphin only bought one horse at the sales in 2021 and In Secret was it - that’s astonishing.
“Obviously, they paid a good price for her and at the time I was just so pleased she was going to a great home and knew that she would be given every possible chance.”
Michael Christian, Tim Porter and Mick Johnston | Image courtesy of Darren Tindale
A long way
The filly has come a long way since she broke her maiden at Hawkesbury in April earlier this year and Christian was full of admiration for the team at Godolphin with how they have handled her career thus far.
“I think she had a couple of little issues before Christmas, but as we got into the new year and they started to ramp up her preparations before her first-up run, there was a fair bit of excitement in the Godolphin camp,” he said.
“But who would have thought after she broke her maiden at Hawkesbury at the back end of last season, she would be winning a Coolmore? It’s incredible. They have been very clever with her throughout her training, after she broke her maiden they targeted her at the Listed Woodlands to get her black-type, which was a big tick for them and a big tick for us as well.
“But who would have thought after she (In Secret) broke her maiden at Hawkesbury at the back end of last season, she would be winning a Coolmore? It’s incredible.” - Michael Christian
“To win the Coolmore after five weeks between runs is impressive and full credit has to go to Vin Cox, James Cummings and James McDonald and the team for the amazing job they’ve done with her - I couldn’t be more proud.”
The Christians spring could get even better when Bella Nipotina takes aim at a second Group 1 win when she lines up in the G1 Champions Sprint at Flemington on Saturday.
Building up families
As for Eloping, she has a yearling filly by Snitzel, who is headed for the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and five weeks ago she delivered a sister to In Secret and has once again been covered by the Yarraman Park-based sire.
Eloping with her I Am Invincible filly at Segenhoe Stud | Image courtesy of Segenhoe Stud
While he no longer owns In Secret, Christian said he still owns a lot of the family, which he will continue to keep building on.
“It really is a dream come true. She has a five-week old sister to In Secret, who is as good a foal as In Secret was and she is back in foal to I Am Invincible,” said Christian.
“The Snitzel filly is a very strong looking, fast yearling and she will be sold at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale next year. She looks like she can really run, we are very excited about her as well.”
“The Snitzel (ex Eloping) filly is a very strong-looking, fast yearling and she will be sold at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale next year. She looks like she can really run, we are very excited about her as well.” - Michael Christian
Christian said his main aim at Longwood Thoroughbreds is building families and he is under no illusions of the enormity of Saturday’s win and the life-changing effect it can have on a pedigree.
“We have Eloping’s two sisters on the farm, plus we have a young 4-year-old mare, who is a three-quarter sister to Eloping. We also have a sister to Of The Brave, who is just off the track, and she is in foal to King’s Legacy.
“We are heavily invested in the family and we have tried to build the family. We are taking a colt by Street Boss out of a sister to Eloping to the Magic Millions Sale in January, so we are heavily invested and we are trying to build that family. It is very exciting, because the ripple effect that a win like this can have can really help us achieve what we want to achieve.”
