Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Well in the market when making his debut in the G3 Breeders' Plate at Randwick on October 5, North England (Farnan) gave a bold sight in that early feature, showing good pace before being pressured; only to be claimed over the final stages by King Kirk (Ole Kirk) and Tempestuous (Extreme Choice).
We thought he was pretty unlucky not to win that race,” Henry Field rued. “He was taken on by a longshot only to be run down late.
“He has had a week off and he was really good this morning. He ran a sizzling time, breaking 46 seconds which is rare at Hawkesbury.
“We are really excited about his prospects, and we loved him as a yearling; he was the pick of the (Inglis) Classic sale and the only horse we bought there.
“We are really excited about his (North England) prospects, and we loved him as a yearling; he was the pick of the (Inglis) Classic sale and the only horse we bought there.” - Henry Field
“He is a big, strong, powerful Farnan and he is a stallion who has nice credentials.
“He has a fair bit of his damsire Lope De Vega about him, that size and strength.”
An easy Randwick-Kensington trial winner prior to his debut, the Zhongli Thoroughbreds-bred colt was the first runner (he has had one unplaced since) for his Kia Ora-based, G1 Golden Slipper-winning sire who has 114 foals in his first crop.
North England | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Purchased by Newgate with the China Horse Club, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy for $280,000 at this year's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, he has a number of high hitters in his ownership group including Cunningham Thoroughbreds, Nick Vass Bloodstock, Aristia Park Bloodstock and Corumbene Stud.
Drawing comfortably away from Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}) to win his heat by 0.59l, North England is the third foal produced by the Randwick and Warwick Farm winner Our Belisa (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
A mare who has not had the best of luck since producing North England (missing at her last two seasons), Our Belisa is one of the six winners (from as many foals to race) for the winner Saltator (Testa Rossa).
A family that keeps popping up
She is also dam of the eight-time winner Sunrise Dancer (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and the seven-time winner Real Salty (Real Impact {Jpn}) from the family of the Listed Chautauqua S. winner A Little Deep (Deep Field).
This is one of those families that always seems to pop up with a good one and it has certainly been well represented in stakes company over the years; North England able to boast amongst his relations the big race winners Reward For Effort, Jokers Wild (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe {USA}), Brawny Spirit (Rustic Amber {Ire}), Ivory's Irish and Hit The Roof (NZ) (Maroof {GB}) as well as the RL Magic Millions 2Y0 Classic winner Catnipped (Rory's Jester).
Henry Field | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
North England has an interesting pedigree, bred on a 4 X 5 cross of the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Helen Street (GB) (Troy {GB}) via her son Street Cry (Ire) and grandson Shamardal {USA}). Those two high class stallions have combined in the pedigrees of 54 winners, five of whom are stakes winners.
North England is bound for the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill on November 9, as is the regally bred Chicama (Written Tycoon).
So regally bred that Field said that he is “probably the best-bred colt we've ever owned.”
“(Chicama is) probably the best-bred colt we've ever owned.” - Henry Field
A huge pedigree
“He has a huge pedigree,” he enthused, though pleasantly surprised at how quickly the youngster has come up.
“We didn't have him earmarked as a pre-Christmas horse, but he has kept putting his hand up.
“We thought if he didn't trial well this morning, we'd put him out but when asked for an effort he quickened really well which was very pleasing.
“He still has filling out to do and is going to be a nicer horse in six months time, but he is doing everything above expectations at this stage.
“He (Chicama) still has filling out to do and is going to be a nicer horse in six months' time, but he is doing everything above expectations at this stage.” - Henry Field
“When he does mature, he is going to be a smashing horse,” he added, recalling how Chicama stood out as a yearling; “He was a very athletic colt with plenty of scope.
“He looks the type to have early speed but who will stretch out over 1400 metres and the mile as a 3-year-old, there are plenty of dimensions to him.”
Chicama was scratched from Saturday’s Kirkham Plate to instead detour to the trials (Newgate keen to look after him), where he quickened impressively in the home straight to score by 0.44l over Outcast Ally (Pariah).
Running a slick 32.34s for his last 600 metres of the 800-metre heat, he improved on his first trial appearance; a third to the Kirkham Plate winner Comedy (Snitzel) at Randwick on October 8.
The Best In Show influence
Chicama was bred by Arrowfield Stud and GSA Bloodstock and was offered in the Arrowfield Stud draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy Racing combined to pay $1,350,000 for the regally bred chestnut.
A horse with a drool-worthy pedigree, he boasts a cross of his own fifth dam, the acclaimed matriarch Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}) whose high-achieving grandson Try My Best (USA) is Written Tycoon's great-grandsire.
GSA have fared well with this sort of linebreeding before; Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) owing a similar pedigree.
Chicama as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Cleverly named, Chicama a beach in Peru renowned for providing the world's longest waves, he is the seventh named foal for the Canterbury winner, The Broken Shore (Hussonet {USA}), who has already well and truly proven her worth as a broodmare.
Exported to the United Kingdom in January having foaled a colt by Maurice (Jpn) last spring, The Broken Shore is dam of the triple Group 1 winner Shoals (Fastnet Rock) and the Listed City of Adelaide H. victor Groundswell (Fastnet Rock).
The Broken Shore has a 3-year-old showing talent as well, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Espinho (also by Written Tycoon) running some nice races amongst his first four starts. He was a $950,000 purchase for Yulong and the stable at last year's Magic Millions.
The Broken Shore is the second last foal produced by the wonderful matriarch Shantha's Choice (Canny Lad), the lightly raced but talented mare who made her mark on Australian racing by producing three Group 1 winners including one star sire and one successful sire (and one subfertile horse); Redoute's Choice, Manhattan Rain and Platinum Scissors.
The Broken Shore | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Bred on the same Written Tycoon/Hussonet (USA) cross as the G1 Stradbroke H. winner Tyzone (Written Tycoon), Chicama also has a number of more recent stakes winners amongst his relations.
Successful in good company this year for this prolific family have been the G3 Newcastle S. winner Rustic Steel (Deep Field), the Listed C.S Hayes Memorial Cup winner Meridius (Extreme Choice), the G2 Missile S. and G3 Hawkesbury Guineas winner Schwarz (Zoustar) and the last start G3 Norman Robinson S. winner Kingofwallstreet (Dundeel {NZ}) who holds a nomination for this Saturday's G1 Victoria Derby.
“They are two smart colts,” Field said of North England and Chicama, looking forward to the Golden Gift providing both horses come through their trials well and continue to progress. Exciting times ahead!
