Cover image courtesy of Michael McInally
Getting an immediate return on your investment is one thing, but doing so while enjoying your very first stakes winner in your own colours is enough to put anyone on cloud nine.
Thankfully for Jo O’Gorman of Parsons Creek Farm, that’s exactly what happened on Saturday when Chassis, a $230,000 purchase from last month’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, motored up the inside rail at Ipswich to score her breakthrough stakes win in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic.
Just three and a half weeks earlier, O’Gorman had secured her from the draft of Ciaron Maher Racing, for whom she had won her most recent outing having already won a further five times and placed twice at Group 3 level when under the watchful eye of her previous trainer John Price, including when running multiple Group 1 winner Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) to within 0.2l in the G3 Cockram S. back in 2021.
Such an impressive race record had earned Chassis a high-ranking spot in the Parsons Creek broodmare band, but after much deliberation, O’Gorman opted to roll the dice and let the 6-year-old mare remain in training with the Maher and Eustace team for a little while longer, a decision that yielded a handsome return on Saturday.
“We’re absolutely ecstatic to get that result so quickly, because we only bought her last month,” O’Gorman told TDN AusNZ. “It doesn’t always happen like that and it’s not one that we’re taking for granted, we’re very lucky to have her.
“Ciaron (Maher) kind of twisted my arm to keep her racing and I’m glad that we did. Initially we were second-guessing whether we should race her - she won her last start and we were wondering if we should let her go and finish on a high in that sense.
“Ciaron (Maher) kind of twisted my arm to keep her (Chassis) racing and I’m glad that we did. Initially we were second-guessing whether we should race her - she won her last start and we were wondering if we should let her go and finish on a high in that sense.” - Jo O'Gorman
“I had a chat with Ciaron and he said that she was on a good trajectory, that she was doing really well and it would be a shame not to race her on as he’d just gotten her right again, so we thought we’d give her one more run and see what happened.
“We were umming and ahhing, Ciaron was thinking the Eye Liner and then we threw the Gai Waterhouse (Classic) out there. We were even looking at a race at Randwick, which wasn’t a black-type race, but Ciaron was keen to run her up there in Queensland and she trialled really well. I think they chose the right race for her!”
Given a “perfect” ride by jockey Jake Bayliss, whose family has a rich history with the Ipswich Turf Club, Chassis showed a smart turn of foot inside the final furlong and was well in command at the finish, coming home a length clear of the stakes-winning pair Better Get Set (Better Than Ready) and Hellfest (Fastnet Rock).
Jo O'Gorman | Image courtesy of Parsons Creek
After giving immense credit to both trainer and jockey, O’Gorman was also quick to heap praise on bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington, who helped source the daughter of multiple Group 1-producing broodmare sire Al Maher from last month’s sale on the Gold Coast.
“Dermot is a good mate of ours and we have bought quite a few mares through him before,” O’Gorman revealed. “He has been really helpful for us in trying to improve our broodmare band and I have a lot of respect for him, not only as an agent but as a friend.
“He’s an excellent judge and Chassis has proven that. He showed me quite a few mares at the sale and out of all of them I liked her the best.
“Dermot (Farrington) is a good mate of ours and we have bought quite a few mares through him before... He has been really helpful for us in trying to improve our (Parsons Creek's) broodmare band... He’s an excellent judge and Chassis has proven that.” - Jo O'Gorman
“I just thought even if you took away the page, just looking at her on type she was a nice, strong mare with an excellent shoulder on her. She was very well behaved and just looked like she could run.
“She was so fit and she looked fantastic when I saw her at the sales. That’s what initially attracted me to her, and given her race record there was a lot of ability there. She’s such a beautiful mare.”
Focus on improvement
Chassis wasn’t the only mare that Parsons Creek picked up at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale last month, with the Milbrodale-based operation also parting with $200,000 in conjunction with Farrington to secure the well-related Better Than Ready mare Gypsy Isle from the draft of Newgate Farm.
A winning half-sister to the stakes-placed Snipzu (Snippetson), who has already produced two Group 1-performed 2-year-olds of her own in The Drinks Cart (Unencumbered) and Don Corleone (Extreme Choice), Gypsy Isle was purchased in foal to Newgate’s Golden Slipper-winning stallion Stay Inside, meaning that the foal she is carrying will be a close relation to this year’s G1 Blue Diamond S. and G1 Sires’ Produce S. runner-up.
Gallery: Two mares purchased by Parsons Creek and Dermot Farrington Bloodstock at the 2023 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, images courtesy of Magic Millions
The purchase of both Gypsy Isle and Chassis are part of a deliberate plan to improve the quality of stock in the paddocks at Parsons Creek, and O’Gorman is relishing the prospect of adding a mare of Chassis’ calibre to the broodmare band once time is called on her racing career, which will almost certainly be in the coming weeks.
“We really wanted to try and start to improve our broodmare band and she was one who stood out to me from the beginning,” O’Gorman said. “She’s done so much already. She’s a great racemare and she’s Group 3-placed a couple of times.
“We don’t want to push her too hard. She’s a 6-year-old mare now so we’ll send her to the breeding barn this season, but whether there’s another run in her or not I’m not sure. I’ll have to have a chat with Ciaron and the team to see what they think.
“She’s the kind of mare that I think will throw a lovely foal. She has the physique and quality to her, and that’s what we’re looking for.
“She’s (Chassis) the kind of mare that I think will throw a lovely foal. She has the physique and quality to her, and that’s what we’re looking for.” - Jo O'Gorman
“She’d be one of the stronger mares in our broodmare band at the moment and that’s what we really need to start doing - getting these good racemares and sending them to good stallions to try and ultimately get a good racehorse.”
With the possibility of another run in the pipeline, O’Gorman has yet to turn her attention to which stallion Chassis will visit for her first cover later this year, but having previously enjoyed success with Maurice (Jpn) courtesy of Parsons Creek flagbearer Mazu, the Arrowfield-based stallion is sure to be mentioned in discussions, alongside one of his red-hot barnmates.
“I have a couple of ideas, but nothing is locked in yet,” O’Gorman said.
“I really like Dundeel and I have a nom to him. He’s doing a great job with his 2-year-olds this year as well and I think on type he might suit her, she’s a very big, strong mare with lots of scope about her.
Gallery: Potential stallions which Parsons Creek are considering for a mating with Chassis, once she has retired from racing
“I’m obviously a little bit biased because of Mazu, but I do love Maurice as well and I think he’s a great sire. He was an incredible racehorse and I think he could maybe work well with her.
“I think she warrants a good stallion and I’ll have to chat with my stud manager Ross (Bone), he’s very good at picking stallions and mares on type. We’ll see where we end up, but it will be a good mating for her.”
Flying The Flag
Under its current proprietors Marc and Lindy De Stoop, who took ownership of the Lower Hunter property back in 2015, Parsons Creek is still in its relative infancy as a commercial stud farm, but similar to how it tasted immediate success with Chassis, the operation burst onto the scene courtesy of last year’s Doomben 10,000 winner Mazu.
The Triple Crown Syndications-raced gelding was among the first foals bred on the farm under the new ownership, and after selling him for $180,000 at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in what was its first draft at the auction, Parsons Creek opted to retain a share in the son of Maurice, who has already netted his connections almost $7 million in prizemoney to date.
Mazu as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Having finished a cracking third in The Everest last year, the rising 5-year-old is firmly on track for a second tilt at the $15 million showpiece this October, and all reports coming from the Mazu camp point towards him being a major force in whichever races he contests in the spring.
“He spelled really well and has put on a heap of weight, which is good for him,” O’Gorman revealed. “Maybe it’s a maturity thing, I don’t know, but he looks fantastic.
“He was spelling down at Thenford and the team said he’s been the best that they’ve ever seen him. They put him in with a couple of little ponies to relax him a little bit, because he can be a bit hot as we all know, but he came back in last week and has spelled really well with them.
Mazu (red cap) fights off Paulele to win the G1 Doomben 10,000 at Eagle Farm | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
“He’s a very consistent horse who always tries his best, but I genuinely think he’ll have his best prep yet this time around and we’re expecting some big things from him.
“Sprinting at that level is really tough, there are some exceptional horses and there’s even more coming through the ranks. You’ve got Giga Kick, In Secret, Think About It - lots of competition, but he’s the sort of horse that thrives off of that. I feel good about him.”
News of Mazu’s continued improvement will come as music to the ears of the Maher and Eustace stable, who purchased his half-brother by Toronado (Ire) in conjunction with MyRacehorse for $350,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale back in April.
Mazu's half-brother by Toronado (Ire) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Just like they did with Mazu, Parsons Creek opted to retain a share in the “beautiful moving” colt, who has already been the subject of rave reviews from the stable having recently completed the breaking in process.
The team at Parsons Creek also have a weanling colt out of Mazu’s dam Chatelaine (Flying Spur) by King’s Legacy to look forward to, but after missing to his Coolmore barnmate Pierro last year, O’Gorman is yet to decide whether the apple of her eye will have one final cover later this year at the grand old age of 24.
“She’s old now, but for an old girl she is in top nick, she really doesn’t look her age,” O’Gorman said of Chatelaine.
“She’s our queen and she’s very well cared for at the farm. She’ll always have a home there and at this stage she’s probably going to be a bit of a nanny in the paddock, but we’ll see what happens.
“She’s (Chatelaine's) old now, but for an old girl she is in top nick, she really doesn’t look her age (24). She’s our queen and she’s very well cared for at the farm. She’ll always have a home there and at this stage she’s probably going to be a bit of a nanny in the paddock, but we’ll see what happens.” - Jo O’Gorman
“A filly out of her would be a great dream to keep that family going, and unfortunately we haven’t got one, but you’ve got to think what’s best for the mare and we always keep that in mind. We wouldn’t push her on if we didn’t think she could do it.
“The back-up plan was her daughter Whitula, who is the most like Chatelaine that I’ve seen come through the sales ring. She had a Maurice filly last year who is just outstanding. She really is. I saw her the other day, we’re just doing a little light prep on her, and she’s just beautiful.
“I think the plan will be to retain fillies out of her and keep the family going that way.”
Chatelaine remains the queen of Parsons Creek for now, but Chassis could well be next in line for the throne following Saturday’s performance.
