Foal Focus: 'The pedigree update is a real bonus, especially for a young mare'

The dam of this classy looking Exceedance filly is Havasu (NZ), a daughter of Sacred Falls (NZ). She was an unraced on the track, but her first foal Revengeance (Hellbent), added a major pedigree update to the family when he ran a slashing third in the G3 Breeders' Plate at Randwick.

Gallery: Exceedance x Havasu (NZ) filly, images courtesy of Davali Thoroughbreds

The story behind Havasu

Havasu is a mare that Davali Thoroughbreds picked up for $26,000 at the 2022 Inglis Great Southern Broodmare Sale. Originally, the Davali team thought she was an ideal mare to trade after putting her in foal to Hellbent.

That’s exactly what they tried to do, but the plan didn’t pan out as hoped. She didn’t get near the $85,000 reserve that had been set, which may have ended up being a blessing in disguise. The resultant foal was a Hellbent colt that sold for $100,000 to Darby Racing at this year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. The team now have a mare that has an Exceedance yearling filly and another lovely Exceedance filly at foot.

“We bought her (Havasu) off the track at the Great Southern Sale,” Hush said.

“Originally we thought she could be a good trade mare. We put her in foal to Hellbent, but we couldn’t get a bid, so that was fine, we kept her, and that looks a good call now.

“She ended up having a Hellbent colt, and he was always a nice, neat, tidy workman-like horse, a good solid type of trainers or syndicators horse, and Darby Racing purchased him and sent him to Gai (Gai Waterhouse), which was great.”

Havasu (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), is a half-sister to Miss Federer (NZ) (Swiss Ace), a five-time winner including the G3 Taranaki 2YO Classic, Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes, Listed Welcome Stakes and Listed Otago Breeders’ Stakes. She is also a half-sister to Starlight Angel (NZ) (Swiss Ace), a three-time winner and Listed placegetter.

Havasu is out of Halobelle (NZ) (My Halo {Arg}), an eight-time winner who took out both the Listed Eclipse Stakes and the Listed Gore Guineas.

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A current pedigree update and a family on the up

Any pedigree update is always welcome, especially when it’s a significant one. When Revengeance (Hellbent) picked up a placing in the G3 Breeders’ Plate, it added early 2-year-old form to the page - something Australian breeders always value.

With Havasu’s dam being a 2-year-old winner, and her half-sister Miss Federer being a three-time juvenile winner, including at Listed and Group 3 level, there is already plenty of speed in the family.

Revengeance is only Havasu’s first foal, so she’s off to a great start, and she has since left two Exceedance fillies.

“We have a lovely Exceedance yearling out of her, she was a really nice foal, good quality head, good hindquarter, and had a bit of a presence about her, therefore we sent the mare back again.

“Again we have got a nice neat foal that will make into a nice yearling, good size tidy type, good substance, and good power behind her, and she will develop into a nice yearling when the time comes.”

“The aim will be to head to a yearling sale in 2027 with her for sure.”

“The pedigree update is a real bonus, especially for a young mare, and hopefully if the colt (Revengeance) can go on with it, more updates may follow.”

Where does Havasu head next?

There’s been a late change of plans regarding Havasu’s next cover, and it makes perfect sense. She’s heading back to Yarraman Park’s Hellbent with the aim of producing a full relation to Revengeance.

“We have supported Hellbent every year pretty much, and we actually bred a Hellbent filly named My Bella Vista that won on debut at Goulburn a week or so ago,” Hush said.

“So we really like the stallion, and it makes sense to send the mare back to Hellbent, she wasn’t originally going there, but she is now. Revengeance is Group placed and very promising, so going for a full sibling seems a no-brainer.”

“We won't be looking to trade the mare now that is for sure.”