Matings Mix: Merricks Station seeking another Group 1 star

Cover image courtesy of Merricks Station

Group 1 Bloodstock's Mat Becker met Ben Cooper through "a friend of a friend," a mutual love of all things horse racing assuring that they would get on well and when Cooper spotted a lovely parcel of land on the Mornington Peninsula six or so years ago, Becker was excited to become an integral part of a new venture.

That being Merricks Station which sits on highly fertile ground at Merricks, currently home to 25 mares with a continual process of upgrading taking place.

“Like most small operators we are in a constant battle to upgrade in what is a very bullish market,” Becker said. “It is really tricky to get the mares you want but it is a process we are really committed to.”

Merricks Station's first Group 1 horse is out of the lightly raced Hangin’ Tough (Exceed And Excel) who at first disappointed Cooper with her lack of ability but who certainly turned that around with Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}) (who Merricks sold for $200,000 at the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale) her first foal.

Currently in foal to Maurice (Jpn) having missed to Home Affairs the previous season, Hangin' Tough hails from a high-class international family, able to boast amongst her relations the Group 1 gallopers Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), National Defense (GB), Ave (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Anna Monda (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), Helmet and Epaulette.

She is booked in to revisit Tuvalu's sire Kermadec this year.

The prized mare

Whilst Hangin' Tough is doing a great job for Merricks, she is not their prized mare, that title going to Calaverite (Lonhro) who they picked up for $310,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, not long before her son Golden Mile embarked on his very successful spring.

That G1 Caulfield Guineas winner is keeping his dam's name in lights as he embarks on a stud career at Darley's Victorian base and Becker is confident that there is more to come from the dual stakes winner.

“She is a lovely mare,” Becker said, noting that the Street Boss (USA) filly she was purchased in foal with is a real eye-catcher.

Purchased by Cambridge Stud for $460,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale this year, she has already been named Rambova and Becker is looking forward to watching the progress of the John O'Shea and Tom Charlton-trained chestnut.

“She is an exceptional type and Calaverite is from a great family. She is due any day to I Am Invincible which we are really, really excited about,” Becker said, adding that the 12-year-old has a spring booking to Zoustar.

Another nice member of the Merricks Station broodmare band is Smart ‘N’ Sexy (NZ) (Smart Missile), a Listed Dalrello S. winner purchased for $600,000 at last year's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

She subsequently foaled a Zoustar filly who Merricks have high hopes for, next year's Magic Millions pencilled in for her.

Out of a daughter of the dual Group winner Eureka Jewel (Semipalatinsk {USA}), Smart ‘N’ Sexy is another mare due very soon to I Am Invincible with his son Home Affairs to be her 2024 mate.

New purchase heads to Vinnie

Merricks were hard at work at this year's Magic Millions National Sale, happy to come home with the $700,000 mare Butter Blonde (Choisir) in foal to Justify (USA).

“Looking at her you can see why she was able to run so well at two," Becker said of the chestnut who followed up an all-the-way Bendigo debut victory with a close up G3 Ottawa S. third.

“The mating with Justify looks really good for her and with City Of Troy taking all before him, this is one we are really excited about.”

Due to foal in early October, Butter Blonde, whose Group 3-placed dam The Fairy’s Kiss (Elusive Quality {USA}) is out of the four-time Group winner Ballet Society (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) will visit I Am Invincible.

Daughters of Butter Blonde’s sire Choisir have fared extra well with I Am Invincible; 14 winners from 15 runners including the recently retired dual Group 1 winner In Secret and two other stakes winners.

And this family has shown an affinity with I Am Invincible, Butter Blonde's G1 Sistema S.-winning half-sister Ulanova (NZ) (Santos) being by one of his sons whilst her Listed-winning half-sister Steal My Kisses (I Am Invincible) is by him.

And he also sired Ballet Society's four-time Group 2-winning daughter Dame Giselle.

Foundation type mare

Another new addition to the Merricks Station broodmare band is a mare they purchased as a yearling (Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, $130,000), Chill The Krug (Shalaa {Ire}) winning races at Sandown and Cranbourne for them.

“She is the sort of mare who could really prove to be a foundation type mare for Merricks Station,” Becker said. “She comes from a really deep family and it is good to get her into the broodmare herd.”

Chill The Krug is the first foal produced by the two-time Group 3 placegetter Earth Angel (Animal Kingdom {USA}) whose dam is the multiple Group 1-winning successful broodmare Miss Finland (Redoute's Choice).

Dundeel (NZ) has been chosen as her first mate.

Becker is confident that Merricks Station will make a name for itself as a force in Victorian (and beyond) breeding.

“It is a magnificent farm and everything Ben does he does so with absolute quality in mind.

“He's got a great eye for detail and you can see why he has been such a success in business. Merricks Station is going to end up a real showpiece of the Mornington Peninsula.”

For the first time, Merricks Station are becoming stallion owners this year, taking equity in a couple of young horses they have a lot of time for, Newgate Farm's triple Group 1-winning first-season sire Militarize (NZ) and Darley's G1 Newmarket H. hero Cylinder.

Excited by Cylinder

The presence of Cylinder at Northwood Park has Becker excited; “it is great that there are now so many commercial options in Victoria now," he said, “and we are very keen to support such horses.”

Visiting Cylinder will be One Funny Honey (USA) (Distorted Humour {USA}), dam of the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup hero Vega One (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and the G2 Sweet Embrace S. winner One More Honey (Onemorenomore).

Also going to Cylinder is a mare raced by Cooper to G2 Edward Manifold S. success, Elusive Express (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}). Second in the G1 1000 Guineas, she is a half-sister to the Listed winner Condo's Express (Rubick). She retired to stud last year, due next month to Blue Point (Ire).

Another nice mare in Monks (Hellbent) heads to Militarize. A lightly raced mare who was purchased as a yearling, she is out of the Group 3-placed Savannah's Choice (Redoute's Choice) who also produced the G3 Zeditave S. winner Overshare.

“She hails from a powerful Japanese family,” Becker said, noting that Savannah's Choice is a half-sister to the high-class race and broodmare Cesario (Jpn) (Special Week {Jpn}).

Gallery: Some of the young stallions that the Merricks Station broodmares will be visiting in 2024

Another two Victorians who will be serving Merricks Station horses are Yulong's Alabama Express and Pierata with Becker noting that “they are both young horses who have been doing a really good job.”

Newgate's Tassort is another horse they have their eye on; “we like what he was doing with his 2-year-olds last season so we will also be supporting him.”

The best possible racehorse

“Always breeding with the market in mind,” Merricks have the ultimate aim to “breed the best possible racehorse.”

“Great results for the farm will keep people coming back to us,” Becker said, noting that the process of planning the farm's matings is “a consensual one.”

“We discuss the mares with our farm manager Dearne Gess-Jones and we go to and fro with suggestions.”

At the farm every couple of weeks, getting to know each of the mares and their progeny “intimately,” Becker makes plans with Cooper over a period of time.

“The process evolves throughout the season, you have to be across any changes, to see the foals and make any adjustments that need making.”

Several of the farm's best broodmares are owned in partnership with Flintstone Bloodstock's Dave Weston who interests are managed by Matthew Houldsworth.

“Matt is a good mate of mine, we do quite a bit of business together,” said Becker, " and that is how the relationship between Ben and Dave evolved.”

“Dave breeds a few in England and is quite interested in Australia and the vibrancy of the industry down here.”

Becker and Cooper are confident that the best is still to come for Merricks Station, Becker noting that “I am sure that the next Group 1 winner is not far away.”

Table: Matings schedule for some of Merricks Station’s high-profile broodmares