Cover image courtesy of Seymour Park
With "diverse thoroughbred interests centering around Seymour Park," Seymour Bloodstock's Darren Thomas and Mark Pilkington are in the process of building up their broodmare band, seeking to "develop a blue-collar group of mares, primarily breeding to race."
“We are not big commercial breeders," Pilkington explained, "and we don't profess to be in the mainstream commercial breeding caper, but we've been fortunate to have sold some expensive yearlings and bred plenty of winners.
Mark Pilkington | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We've also had our losses; we have a healthy respect for the racing and breeding gods!”
In this regard Seymour Bloodstock, like any other breeder, aims for the heights but remains realistic, Pilkington noting that “we are cognizant that supporting our trainers via on-going ownership doesn't often end up in stakes glory, but it is a vital component to the thoroughbred ecosystem.”
A collective of home-breds
“Our team is a collective of home-breds, recommended trainer yearling buys and some tried imports.”
Whilst Seymour may at some stage look more at the sales ring, they are content for the time being to concentrate on buying and breeding to race, Pilkington noting that Darren Thomas' skill set is very helpful in this regard.
“I don't know where he finds the time but Darren is an astute form student so we can react quickly when trainers and agents identify new prospects.”
Seymour Park | Image courtesy of Seymour Park
With the newly formed Lovatsville operation working out of Seymour Park in the heart of Victorian thoroughbred country at Northwood, Pilkington has a keen interest in the progress of the farm's stallion residents.
“We are very enamoured with the job their resident stallion Royal Meeting (Ire) has done.
“Annexing Victoria’s Champion First Season Sire title with less than half the foal numbers of most of his contemporaries is an amazing result and a pointer to the future.
Royal Meeting (Ire) | Standing at Lovatsville
“A G1 Blue Diamond S. winner (Hayasugi) in his first crop is a dream start.
“We've got a few in training and the message is so consistent from all who handle them; they are sound, natural, uncomplicated horses with good brains.
“His second crop include Te Akau Racing's $280,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier colt out of Alana's Party (Exceed And Excel) and it is great that that mare is booked back into him this season.”
Dare to dream
Also paying a return visit to Royal Meeting (Ire) is the Listed Oaklands Plate winner Westport (Not A Single Doubt) whose yet to be named Royal Meeting colt, a home-bred for Ron Finemore, is one of his sire's seven G1 Golden Slipper S. nominees.
“I think we can dare to dream about Royal Meeting," Pilkington said, "So Darren and I have decided to up the ante in the quality of mares we are sending him this season. I can't see him standing at $22,000 for long.”
It is certainly a nice group of mares Seymour Bloodstock are supporting Royal Meeting with this spring with the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas heroine Risque (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) a highlight of his book.
Darren Thomas
In foal to Ole Kirk, she has had her first two foals both in winning form whilst her 2-year-old, a $420,000 Easter filly called Market Future (Written Tycoon) is a Yu Long Investments owned member of the Tony & Calvin McEvoy stable.
The G2 Angus Armanasco S. winner Lavish Girl (Xtravagant {NZ}), a $250,000 purchase at this year's Magic Millions National Sale, is another to visit Royal Meeting as is the G3 Thoroughbred Club S. winner English Riviera (Deep Field) and the Thoroughbred Breeders S. winner La Rocque (Kuroshio).
The former was a $260,000 purchase for Pilkington at Easter, winning two of her eight starts for Seymour Bloodstock and partners whilst the latter (who is in foal to Xtravagant) was an Inglis Chairman's Sale purchase last year; the lightly raced mare from the family of Cliff's Edge costing $250,000.
More nice prospects for Royal Meeting
The G3 Victoria H. winner Bam's On Fire (Universal Ruler) from the Startling Lass (Luskin Star) family is carrying to Rubick after foaling a filly by that same stallion and she is another nice prospect for Royal Meeting as is the G3 Champion Fillies S. winner Art Series (Sebring) are the stakes placed mares The Front Bar (Sessions) from the family of Beaded (Lonhro) and Miss Dunsford (Dissident) out of a half-sister to Zipping (Danehill {USA}).
The Front Bar is currently in foal to Shamus Award and Miss Dunsford to U S Navy Flag (USA).
Rubick | Standing at Swettenham Stud
Shamardal (USA) mares are performing well at stud with 15 of the 109 stakes winners produced by his daughters being Group 1 winners and Seymour are happily supporting Royal Meeting (taking note of the same Invincible Spirit {Ire}/Shamardal cross that produced Imperatriz (I Am Invincible)) with the proven broodmares Maxi Dress (Ire) and Dice Game (GB).
The former, in foal to Supido, is dam of the G3 SA Sires' Produce S. winner Ringbolt (Dream Ahead {USA}) whilst the latter, in foal to Toronado (Ire) has produced the Group 3 placed and Listed Royal Ascot meeting placegetter Boonie (Ire) (Brazen Beau). She foaled a full sister to Boonie last year whilst her yearling is a daughter of the mighty Frankel (GB).
A full sibling to the stakes winners He's Xceptional (Xtravagant) and Xtravagant Star (Xtravagant) is due in October and their dam She's A Danica (Sebring), a granddaughter of Ballroom Babe (NZ) (Citidancer {Ire}) is another nice member of Royal Meeting's harem.
“Shamardal mares are performing well at stud with 15 of the 109 stakes winners produced by his daughters being Group 1 winners and Seymour are happily supporting Royal Meeting.”
As are a number of well related mares such as Demeter (Lonhro) from the immediate family of Pierro, My Artemis (Written Tycoon) a half-sister to the G2 Rubiton S. winner Heatherly (Lonhro) and The Seven Seas (Merchant Navy, a four-time winning half-sister to the triple Group winner Away Game (Snitzel).
Demeter is in foal to Shamus Award and My Artemis to Toronado. The Seven Seas is off the track as are the winners Beaconsfield Joy (Zoustar), a 3/4 sister to Sunlight (Zoustar), Miss Italiana (Fastnet Rock), a half-sister to Silent Sedition (War Chant {USA}) and Causation (Not A Single Doubt) from Black Caviar's (Bel Esprit) prolific family.
Fierce Impact another favourite
Seymour Bloodstock were part-owners of Royal Meeting's Lovatsville stud mate triple Group 1 winning Fierce Impact (Jpn) so it is no surprise that they will also be supporting that well related son of the great Deep Impact (Jpn).
“Matt Smith and Fierce Impact gave us and our fellow owners a great ride so our breeding and racing operation has strongly supported him.
“We have been buoyed by the way the market has accepted his stock, his yearlings selling for up to $310,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier.
Fierce Impact
And "subsequent breaker reports" have also given Pilkington and Thomas confidence, “so we are going to again send quality mares to him this season.”
Pilkington compared Fierce Impact to fellow Deep Impact horse Satono Aladdin (Jpn), noting that "his ascension to the top and the massive returns for breeders who supported him in his fourth season is a salient lesson that getting a host of two-year-year-old runners in his first crop wont be the sole determining factor in his success."
The G2 Wakeful S. winner Luvaluva in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB) visits Fierce Impact as does the regally bred Aubade (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Hailing from the family of Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), she is in foal to So You Think (NZ) with her Frankel yearling fetching $725,000 at the Gold Coast.
“We have been buoyed by the way the market has accepted his (Fierce Impact) stock, his yearlings selling for up to $310,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier.” - Mark Pilkington
A granddaughter of Bosra Sham (USA) (Woodman), Tinga (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is in foal to State Of Rest (Ire), returns to Fierce Impact after her colt by him was purchased by Lindsay Park for $310,000 at the Melbourne Premier.
In foal to Proisir, Sancta (So You Think {NZ}) is a half-sister to the Group 3 English Riviera (Deep Field) whilst My Marquis (Fastnet Rock) in foal to So You Think is a half-sister to Luvaluva, as well as to the G2 Hobartville S. winner Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}).
Melbourne Cup winner's debut season
Seymour are also fans of Lovatsville's first season sire Gold Trip (Fr), "hoping to breed us a weight-for-age 2000-metre horse" with Bali Beach (GB) (Farhh {GB}), a half-sister to the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}).
Fellow first season Lovatsville stallion Generation, a fast son of Snitzel, also has a Seymour Bloodstock mare on his list; Create Some Magic (All American) whose first foal Viola Vivace (Nicconi) is a stakes placed winner from her first two starts at two.
Gold Trip (Fr) | Standing at Lovatsville
Generation (Lovatsville's precocious Snitzel debutante) will cover Create Some Magic (her first foal is SP) who is a 1/2 sister to G3 Snitzel SW Irithea. The half-sister to Snitzel's dual Group 3 winner Irithea is in foal to Fierce Impact with her yearling colt by him fetching $120,000 at the Melbourne Premier.
Supporting the Lovatsville stallions holds further appeal for Seymour with Pilkington noting that "VOBIS is one of the determining factors for us as the bulk of our horses race for Australia's best bonus scheme," he said.
Outside stallions
Several Seymour partnership mares will visit outside stallions as well, namely the G2 1000 Guineas Prelude and Listed Hinkler H. winner Miss Gunpowder (Pendragon {NZ}) who is likely to revisit "the promising Vinery horse" Exceedance having enjoyed good sales success with him on two occasions; her Waterhouse & Bott trained recent trial winning two-year-old Jupiter Hills a $380,000 yearling whilst her yearling filly by him sold for $250,000 to Andrew Williams Bloodstock at Easter.
Miss Gunpowder
Mousai has produced the promising 3-year-old Easy Dun (Dundeel {NZ}) and will return to that stallion as will the triple Group winning sprinter Super Cash (Written Tycoon). Star Syrah (Zoustar) from the family of Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) heads to Toronado (Ire) whilst Velocity (Ire), a half-sister to the G1 American Oaks winner Lady Prancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) has a date with Shinzo.
The Group 3 placed Lady Of Crebilly (Choisir), currently in foal to Toronado, visits Cool Aza Beel with her yearling colt by him selling for $150,000 to the Danny O'Brien stable at the Magic Millions. And the triple Group 2 winner Spanish Whisper (Lope de Vega {Ire}) visits So You Think.
With a variety of stallions being utilized by Seymour Bloodstock, we asked Mark Pilkington how they go about choosing which mare goes to each horse.
“We account for predictive and then known performance of the stallions and balance out the physical attributes and commercial realities of both the mare and stallion as we likely to end up racing most of them.
“We account for predictive and then known performance of the stallions and balance out the physical attributes and commercial realities of both the mare and stallion as we likely to end up racing most of them.” - Mark Pilkington
“And all the time we are trying to replicate proven successful line-breeding philosophies.
“Plus we incorporate the shared knowledge of those breeders and trainers who have the runs on the board. Those things with a healthy serving of optimism are probably the most important ingredients of the lot!”
