Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
When prominent breeders Mick Talty and his wife Michelle Wright purchased the Xaar (GB) mare Xaar’s Jewel after she was retired at the end of 2008, not in their wildest dreams did they imagine she would turn out to be such a wonderful broodmare.
Now 19, Xaar’s Jewel was a modest-performer on the track, winning three races - all in the bush - and $33,800 in prizemoney in her 17-start career.
In the breeding shed, well, that’s a very different story. Xaar’s Jewel has produced six winners from eight that have been to the races. Among them are two stakes winners, the 2013 G2 Villiers S. hero Ninth Legion (Fastnet Rock) and the 2016 G2 Queensland Guineas victress Tsaritsa (Dane Shadow). The Group 3 placegetter Sing A Love Song (Your Song) is also from Xaar’s Jewel.
On Wednesday at Canterbury, another of Xaar’s Jewel’s foals - the Shooting To Win colt McHale - became a winner, with the Chris Waller-trained 2-year-old slicing through the field late to score a brilliant victory in Race 2 under apprentice Tyler Schiller in what was a blanket finish.
The colt was offered by Edinglassie Thoroughbred Stud at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. There, he was purchased for $160,000 by Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA).
Talty was understandably thrilled by McHale’s debut victory.
“He was held up and held up, but once he found that gap, he really picked up. He looks a nice horse,” Talty told The Thoroughbred Report.
“It was great to see a horse with the Edinglassie brand finish a race off like that.”
“It was great to see a horse (McHale) with the Edinglassie brand finish a race off like that.” - Mick Talty
Talty lavished praise on Xaar’s Jewel, who was bred by Lorraine Smith and David Thomas under their Davilora Lodge banner at Edinglassie Thoroughbred Stud. That duo also bred the top-class middle-distance horse Lad Of The Manor (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and among his five stakes triumphs was the 2005 G1 Mackinnon S.
Just weeks ago, Talty and Wright vacated Edinglassie Thoroughbred Stud after 32 years at the Hunter Valley-based property. They have taken up residency at Akuna Park - a 70-acre farm in Denman.
McHale as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“It’s really satisfying, given we have bred all of her progeny, including Ninth Legion, Tsaritsa and Sing A Love Song. We’ve still got a daughter, Xaarfoxylady, and she had a Zousain colt sell at Magic Millions (Gold Coast Yearling Sale) this year; he was bought for $180,000 by Triple Crown Syndications and is with Peter and Paul Snowden,” Talty explained.
“Xaar’s Jewel has got a beautiful Zousain weanling filly. She’ll be a yearling come August and she will go to the sales next year.
“Every stallion you send her to, she throws a nice horse.
“Every stallion you send her (Xaar’s Jewel) to, she throws a nice horse.” - Mick Talty
“She’s been very good to us.
“Ninth Legion was her first foal; she won eight races, four of them were stakes races, including a Group 2.
“We bred Shooting To Win and had a breeding right in him, so we used that on her, so he (McHale) really is a homebred horse.”
Talty and Wright also bred Shooting To Win’s dam, the brilliant Listen Here (Elusive Quality {USA}), who won at Listed level and produced three stakes winners - Shooting To Win, Deep Field and Zaniah (Zoustar). Listen Here fetched $3.4 million at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, with China Horse Club and Bruce Perry Bloodstock buying.
Shooting To Win | Standing at Oakland Park Stud
Elite-level winners Nechita (Fastnet Rock), Wonderful World, Bentley Biscuit (Peintre Celebre {USA}) and God’s Own were turned out on the farm, too.
Xaar’s Jewel was pensioned after being covered by Zousain in November 2021. She is living a wonderful life in retirement, being a nanny for five yearling fillies.
McHale’s second dam, Our Libra Lady (NZ) (Khairpour {Ire}) landed the G3 Auraria S. in the same year and she herself is a half-sister to the 1989 G3 SA S. hero Gleam High (NZ) (Gleam Machine {NZ}). Our Libra Lady has thrown the two-time Listed scorer Kidlat (NZ) (Snippets).
Duckworth sees a bright future
Waller’s stable representative Charlie Duckworth told Sky Racing there was a lot to like about McHale’s debut performance, considering it was the colt’s first start and that came after two trials, with the first of those taking place on June 23.
“Obviously, it’s only his first preparation really in terms of getting through to trials and that sort of thing, so the sky’s the limit,” said Duckworth.
“Obviously, it’s only his (McHale’s) first preparation really in terms of getting through to trials and that sort of thing, so the sky’s the limit.” - Charlie Duckworth
“It was a blanket finish by most of them and it was a thrilling race to say the least.
“Tyler had to thread his way through a pretty narrow passage.
“It’s fantastic for the owners, including Denise (Martin) and it’s a big thrill.”
