Cover image courtesy of Darley

Lonhro was one of the most adored horses ever to wear the Inghams’ famous cerise silks - a standard-bearer for an era of champions that captured the public’s imagination. For Debbie Kepitis, his legacy is more than a bloodline; it’s part of her family’s story.

When asked what it’s like to breed, own, and have success with a son of Lonhro, such as Lindermann, or even to enjoy watching the success of his progeny on the track, like Attica or other of his progeny, Kepitis replied emotionally, “It means the world to me; it really does. He was a very special horse to my Dad (Bob Ingham) and my Uncle Jack (Jack Ingham).

“For our family to first of all have a wonderful horse like Octagonal, that was a champion on the track, and then to go to stud and produce Lonhro in his first crop, was just something dreams were made of.

“You just can’t write racing stories like that. They were also special horses - Bob and Jack had the guts to race these horses on, to have long careers, and it paid off for them. They weren’t shipped off to stud straight away, and they showed their toughness and ability to race at the top level year after year.

“They were the public’s horses - the public loved them and felt involved. Octagonal was famously known as the 'Big O', and Lonhro was 'The Black Flash.' It was a great time for racing Champions, and the love for them from everyone was unbelievable.”

Mr consistency

Whilst Ingham Racing is run in conjunction with her siblings, Kepitis runs Woppitt Bloodstock together with her husband and daughters.

Lindermann (Lonhro), became the first Group 1 winner bred under the Woppitt Bloodstock banner when he took out the G1 Rosehill Guineas as a 3-year-old back in 2023, he did that just 48 hours after Darley announced that his sire Lonhro would be retired from stallion duties.

Lindermann has been in unbelievable form this spring winning the G2 Chelmsford Stakes, the G2 Hill Stakes, placing second in the $1 million 7 Stakes behind the Ingham Bloodstock-owned star Fangirl (Sebring), and on Saturday at Randwick, he picked up the $750,000 G3 Craven Plate that took his earnings over $4 million with his eighth career victory.

Lindermann is the most talented offspring from Listed-placed city winner Self Esteem (Stratum), who is closely related to G3 Red Roses Stakes winner Aitch Two Oh (Headwater). Self Esteem has a yearling filly by Pierro to come, and missed last season.

“He’s Mr consistency is our Lindermann. We are so proud of him. You want to breed Group 1 winners and he did that as a 3-year-old - and he has gone on with it.” Kepitis said.

After the colt lost a bit of form and wasn’t quite at his best as a 4-year-old, Chris Waller and the Woppitt Bloodstock team made the decision to geld him.

“He has been an extremely rewarding horse for us. We had to make a hard call and geld him after he lost a bit of form. But if you have stallions going to stud, I believe you have to be doing it for the right reason. He was very sound - he was just too heavy.

“It is a bit of a case of what could have been, but he wouldn’t have this record and we wouldn’t have had the fun racing him if we didn’t geld him. We have our heart in the racing, even if it overrides business sense at times. But Chris made the right call and we’re reaping the rewards now.”

It does, however, raise an interesting question - why was he contesting the G3 Craven Plate at Randwick rather than the $6 million G1 Cox Plate on the same day, a race over a distance and track that, on paper, should suit his customary go-forward style?

Kepitis explained the thinking, “Yes, he deserved a spot in the Cox Plate. He is a front-runner, and whether he would be able to lead all the way we weren’t sure, when he could be winning these valuable races in Sydney.

“With those front-runners, we wanted to keep his spirit and confidence, and Chris made the right call.

“Even though he is a 6-year-old, he is still growing and maturing, and we enjoyed his win. Nash has a gift on him - they just have synergy, and it gives you great confidence every time they go out to race.

“In racing, you need to aim and dream. He has had a great spring - now we will aim and dream towards the big races in the autumn with him.”

The legend of Lonhro

Lonhro, was born at Woodlands on Thursday, December 10, 1998, hailed from a prestigious lineage. His father, Octagonal, was a champion on the racetrack, claiming 10 Group 1 victories, including the illustrious G1 Cox Plate. Lonhro, the seventh foal of Shadea (NZ) (Straight Charge {USA}), inherited his father’s brilliance.

In an era with far less prizemoney than today, Lonhro amassed a staggering $5,790,510 and became the pin-up horse of Australian racing. He retired to Woodlands Stud in 2004, and in May 2008 His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum secured the bloodstock operations of Ingham Enterprises, with Lonhro remaining a Darley stallion until his retirement in 2023, and his death in 2024.

In total, Lonhro sired 98 stakes winners, including 14 individual Group 1 winners.

Lonhro’s success didn’t end there - Pierro, one of his most notable sire sons and best runners, has produced 40 stakes winners.

As a broodmare sire, he has now left five individual Group 1 winners -Golden Mile, Zapateo, Gatting, Here To Shock (NZ), and Return To Conquer.

In total, his daughters have produced 81 stakes winners, at a 4.9% stakes-winners-to-runners ratio - and of those 81, 49 are Group winners.

“He has not only been a great sire, but you see his daughters and granddaughters everywhere,” Kepitis said.

“He also has lots of sons at stud, and Pierro is doing a good job. There’s no doubt there’s more to come from him. His lineage will endure for a very long time - and that’s very satisfying.”

Attica takes out the Group 1

It wasn’t all about Lindermann on Saturday at Randwick. The most recent Group 1 winner, and the 14th for Lonhro, came from his second-to-last book, his 18th book of mares.

The Godolphin-homebred, Attica, out of their classy mare Savatiano (Street Cry {Ire}), saluted the judge in impressive style, coming with a withering burst from well back in the field to snatch the G1 Spring Champion Stakes from Shangri La Boy (Pierro).

Savatiano is also a half-sister to stakes winners Vilana (Hallowed Crown) and Athiri (Lonhro) and to the stakes performed Rakomelo (Lonhro), and Aleppo Pine (Blue Point {Ire}).

With his pedigree, there’s no doubt trainer Joseph Pride and the Godolphin team will be searching for the best way to turn him into a stallion prospect, with races such as the G1 Randwick Guineas firmly on the target list.

Patient approach with Quinceanara

Of course, the most famous link between Lonhro’s bloodline and the present day will race in the Woppitt silks: the $10 million Pierro x Winx filly (named Quinceanara), bought back by Kepitis at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Kepitis did not want to see the filly she co-owned leave, so she bought her back as “her future broodmare”, as she described.

This filly combines the blood of two of Kepitis’ favourite horses - naturally, she is a daughter of Kepitis part-owned Champion, Winx, but she is by Pierro, a Golden Slipper-winning son of Lonhro himself.

“It certainly wasn’t done on purpose, but it is nice when you put it that way. She is a gem. She is our future broodmare, and we are very pleased with her.”

The filly, now a 3-year-old, has just returned to work, and the team is taking a patient approach.

“She has just gone back into the stables. She has a bit of a reputation, but Chris and the team are taking her at her pace. When she’s ready to show her best, she’ll go racing. She is exciting, and everyone is very pleased with her.”

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

This week’s Buy of the Weekend is Salty Pearl, who claimed the G2 Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley on Saturday and now looks to have her sights set on Group 1 glory in Sydney in the autumn. But it hasn't always gone to plan for the light grey daughter of Tagaloa.

The win marked a big result for Starblue Consultancy, an emerging syndication company that has been building steadily, but clearly enjoyed its biggest day yet at Moonee Valley on Saturday. The atmosphere was dazzling, fitting for the final race day at The Valley as we know it.

“It was a very special win," said Adrien Senechaud, the founder and sole director of Starblue. “We have never experienced an atmosphere quite like that before. With it being the last meeting at The Valley, it really was electric.

“This filly is very special to us.”

Founded by Senechaud, the syndication and bloodstock business only began operating publicly in 2022, but Saturday’s success was its biggest yet.

“We just started real small and syndicated some shares. We had a few winners and were going okay.

“We were doing that syndicating alongside our other bloodstock work.

“In 2023 we decided to go a bit bigger and start going to the sales and offer horses from sales, and we have been going well and built that again from last year onwards, from which we sourced Salty Pearl.”

Fillies Classic success

The win saw the $75,000 yearling purchase Salty Pearl confirm her quality, patiently stalking the early leaders before finding the gaps and powering through under Ben Allen to claim a decisive victory.

The Thousand Guineas form looked the strongest heading into the race, and it proved correct. Salty Pearl, who had finished fourth in that race behind Ole Dancer (Ole Kirk), burst through late to defeat Chris Waller’s Enviable (Frankel {GB}) by a length, with the runner-up fighting on gamely for second.

“It’s great for Adrian and the Starblue crew. They get nice, value horses and they spend a lot of time at the sales,” said trainer Ciaron Maher.

“How good that they’ve got a stakes-winning filly on Cox Plate day? You don’t get much better than that.”

“Ben’s had a great association with her and he’s riding with a lot of confidence. It was a beautiful, patient ride. He had to wait for his time, and he knew what he had underneath him and it was a very good result. This race came up a bit light, so I thought we’d have a go,” Maher said.

Maher also outlined potential future targets.

“She might tackle a Group 1 like the Surround,” he said. “She wasn’t far away in the Thousand Guineas. Restricted to fillies, that is probably her go. If she improves again then she’ll be thereabouts. We put the shades on the last couple of starts and got that much more focus as well. She’s a filly with a bright future.”

The story behind the buy

Salty Pearl was bred by David Brideoake, and purchased by Starblue Consultancy and Ciaron Maher Racing for $75,000 at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

“We purchased her from Sullivan Bloodstock, who do a great job with their horses," Senechaud said. "We love inspecting horses there.”

“In 2024, we started working with trainers on potential purchases. The way we did this was by combining shortlists and trying to find where we matched up,” Senechaud explained.

“We teamed up with Ciaron Maher at the 2024 Classic Sale, and she was on both of our shortlists and interestingly the only grey filly in the sale.

“There has to be an element of teamwork involved. Brian Hibberd is a key member of the Starblue Bloodstock team and he attends all the sales with me. Then we link with the trainers. I think that is very important, as the trainers have to like the stock as well.

“We liked Tagaloa, who was a first-season sire at the time. He had good speed and toughness, and we liked the mating as it was speed on speed. Her dam, Leaven Of Malice, was by Sebring and she was a winner as a 2-year-old over 1000 metres.

“She was closely related to Mildred, who was a very good 2-year-old, and our aim was to find something early but at value, and we thought she fit that criteria. She looked sharp, she was compact and strong, and our vision was to go early."

The promising young Yulong Stud stallion Tagaloa has now produced two Group winners in the space of a week, following the Nick Olive-trained Spicy Lu, winner of the G3 Ethereal Stakes only a week earlier.

Tagaloa won the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes as a 2-year-old, then went on to win the G3 CS Hayes Stakes and place in the G1 Australian Guineas as a 3-year-old. Now standing his fifth season at Yulong Stud, his oldest progeny are three.

In addition to his two Group winners, Tagaloa has produced the promising Alottago, a stakes-placed colt now on a path toward the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, and the Listed-placed Meisho. From just 47 runners, he has sired 15 winners with an 8.5% stakes performers-to-runners ratio.

Did she show up early as expected?

Salty Pearl was given every opportunity to show her potential as an early 2-year-old, although not everything went to plan. She had been lightly educated but encountered a setback before she could make her mark.

“She actually broke her jaw. She had been broken in and had shown plenty early, but she broke her jaw and we had to give her a little break. She had surgery and had some wires put in, but she is such a tough filly it didn’t take long before she was back in work,” Senechaud said.

“She ran in the Merson Cooper, but it didn’t work out for her. After a little break, she ran a great race in the VOBIS at Bendigo, running on for second from near last. At that stage, we thought we had a nice filly.”

That potential was quickly confirmed. Salty Pearl ran third in the G3 David Coles Stakes behind Steel Trap (King’s Legacy) before breaking through in a $150,000 2-year-old handicap at Caulfield; a performance that hinted at her ability to stretch beyond sprinting distances.

Bred for speed and early success, the question mark around Salty Pearl was whether she would train on and handle extra distance. The question has been answered emphatically.

This season resuming she finished third in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes and the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude, before finishing a touch unlucky fourth in the G1 Thousand Guineas behind Ole Dancer (Ole Kirk). Backing her up a week later at Moonee Valley, she claimed a deserved Group 2 success.

“I was always confident she would train on. Ciaron uses a lot of data systems and we had her speed gene tested, which can help with finding optimal distances, and she came out CC Long, suggesting she would be at her best at 1200 metres up to 1600 metres.

“She can relax and then sprint, and she has proved this, so it’s been great.”

When asked if the plan was always to back her up seven days later after the Guineas, Senechaud recalled how quickly Maher recognised the filly’s condition.

“It was an interesting week. She went enormous running fourth in the Guineas, she pulled up really well and Ciaron rang me and said he wants to back her up - she’s pulled up so well. Basically, I said you and your team know what you are doing, so you are more than welcome to.

“She got a good gate, was kept fresh and was too good. When the gap opened she was always going to win, she is very game and brave.

“That is why you put horses with Ciaron Maher; he is a master and has an amazing team behind him."

A great group of owners

Behind Salty Pearl is a syndicate that reflects Starblue’s growing reputation for creating genuine communities among its owners.

“Being a newish syndication company, we didn’t have a huge group of owners, so we advertised her as we do with all of ours via social media, and the interest was really good.

“We have owners from Victoria, New South Wales and further afield in Australia.

“They are an amazing group, get on so well and are now friends for life. That is what it’s all about - they now travel together and are great friends even outside of racing.

“We try to create a community and get good people together who can ride the highs and lows of racing horses.”

Looking ahead, Senechaud said the team’s focus remains on growth through smart, value-based buying.

“With a bit of momentum, we will be busy through the 2026 sales series. We will be looking for quality stock but at value. Value is very important for us. It is exciting, and we can’t wait to get more owners involved and have more success on the track.”

Europe

Hawk Mountain too good in the Futurity

Aidan O'Brien had a stranglehold on Saturday's G1 William Hill Futurity Trophy and was able to wrap up the British trainer's title with a one-two-three in the Doncaster feature led home by Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett).

Sent off the outsider of the trio at 18-5 under Ronan Whelan, the Beresford winner scrapped it out with Action (Frankel) as the 7-4 favourite Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) floundered in the deep ground. At the line, he had half a length to spare over Lambourn's half-brother, with Benvenuto Cellini 2 3/4 lengths away.

“He's a lovely big horse who stays and has pace and a great mind, so he's very exciting,” the trainer said of the son of Galileo's high-class Hydrangea, who was bringing up a dozen renewals for the stable and a 23rd Group 1 win this year.

“We thought Action would be a middle-distance horse next year and he didn't surrender, whereas the winner could get away with being a miler before going up to middle distances.”

“He is big, but athletic and so chilled, he's hardly even blowing which is unusual,” O'Brien added of the winner. “He's 100 per cent homebred and there have been so many people involved with him all along–it's a big team. Christophe said Benvenuto Cellini didn't go in the ground, but he kept coming to the line. He's a good mover who handles fast ground well. They are three lovely horses.”

Whelan was continuing his fine record for the operation in 2025 and was impressed by the winner, who he had also ridden in the Beresford. “He's still very babyish and it felt like my biggest job in the last furlong was trying to keep him straight and getting him to go forward,” he explained. “He's just quite idle and it felt like I had plenty more there.”

“The whole way round in the Beresford, he was ears pricked and dossing but when I could feel the others starting to come to me I gave him a smack and he just took off with me,” he added. “He doesn't do much and it's hard to tell where his ceiling is, it's hard to place all these horses. It's my second Group 1 for them this year and my first year being down there and kind of associated with them–it's nice to deliver and feel I belong.”

Pedigree Notes: Hawk Mountain is the fourth foal out of Hydrangea, who had the speed to win the Matron Stakes at a mile and stamina to add the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes to her tally over a mile and a half on testing ground. Her other two runners are Dubawi's Listed Hurry Harriet Stakes winner Wingspan, who was runner-up in the Fillies & Mares last year, and this year's Listed Tetrarch Stakes winner Officer.

Hydrangea is a full sister to the fellow Group 1-winning pair The United States and Hermosa, and to Salsa whose daughter of Wootton Bassett, Whirl, is one of the best in the yard having won this year's Nassau and Pretty Polly. Hermosa, who completed the 1000 Guineas-Irish 1000 Guineas double, is the dam of this year's Hampton Court Stakes winner and Grand Prix de Paris runner-up Trinity College, also by Dubawi.

From the Strauss dynasty of Last Tycoon and Zipping et al, Hydrangea has a yearling full brother to Hawk Mountain and a colt foal by Justify. She has been bred back to the latter for 2026.

Bloom and McAleavy's millionaire My Ophelia impressive

Unbelievably, there was a more expensive yearling purchase than My Ophelia (Wootton Bassett) in Saturday's mile novice at Newbury but it was Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy's 1.7 million gns (AU$3.65 million) Tattersalls October Book 1 sensation who emerged as the TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard.

“He couldn't pull her up and she is still pretty raw,” she added. “You'd probably start at a mile next year and see, but she needs a little bit more practice yet.”

While the William Haggas-trained half-sister to the top-flight performers My Prospero (Iffraaj), My Oberon (Dubawi) and My Astra (Lope De Vega) played second fiddle to Alpinista's sister Alpinara (Frankel) at that auction, she was the one making headlines on the track as she rewarded even-money favouritism in style.

At the line, the blueblood bred by Sunderland Holdings had two lengths to spare over stablemate Earth Shot (Time Test) as Alpinara faded to be seventh. The winner's late sire now has 17 TDN Rising Stars includes the likes of Camille Pissarro, with his current crop of juveniles including Albert Einstein, Italy and Dorset. “She looks a nice horse and is bred to be nice,” Maureen Haggas said. “We've had quite a lot of the family and been lucky with them and she looks like she can go a bit.”

“He couldn't pull her up and she is still pretty raw,” she added. “You'd probably start at a mile next year and see, but she needs a little bit more practice yet.”

Pedigree Notes: My Ophelia is the sixth foal and fifth runner out of Sea The Stars' My Titania, who captured the CL Weld Park Stakes and was third in the Kilboy Estate Stakes. Her first three mentioned above were all trained by Haggas, with My Oberon successful twice in Group company and placed in four Group 1 contests, My Astra finishing runner-up in the Pretty Polly and My Prospero a dual Group winner who was third in the Champion Stakes and St James's Palace Stakes.

My Titania's half-brother Muthmir (Invincible Spirit) was a talented sprinter also trained by Haggas who captured the King George Stakes and two renewals of the Prix du Gros-Chene and was third in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp. Other smart members of the clan include the Group and Graded-Stakes scorers Dress Rehearsal (Galileo) and Majestic Queen (Kheleyf). Next up from the dam is a colt foal by Too Darn Hot.

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

1. Best value stallion in the country?

The Autumn Sun and at a lower level Wild Ruler.

Gallery: Tom Wilson's picks for best value stallion

2. Most exciting new stallion for 2025?

Broadsiding.

3. Breeding more, less, or the same as last year?

We are breeding the same however it’s clear that numbers are significantly down and given clearance rates at the lower end of the market last sales season, that doesn’t surprise.

4. Best breeder in the country?

I’ve always thought the boys at Bell River do a terrific job off small numbers.

5. Best judge of a weanling/yearling?

We’ve learned everything off Paul Willetts and I’d stick by that assessment that Paul is the best judge.

6. Best pound-for-pound trainer?

Rob Heathcote does a phenomenal job for the quality of cattle he gets through his stable and his job with Abounding, Rothfire, and Buffering is testament to that.

7. Most talented young person you’ve come across recently?

I’m biased but Tyla Becker who works for First Light Racing (FLR) is a jet!

8. Redistribute prizemoney across races, or happy as is?

Absolutely redistribute! We need to increase the percentage of owners who break even. Owners will always tolerate making a loss if they enjoy the experience to a reasonable degree however too many are getting disproportionate results with upkeep costs increasing quicker than prizemoney.

9. Tariff on imported horses - great idea or misguided protectionism?

I don’t have a firm view here.

10. Your best mate in the business?

A lot of our owners have become great mates like Simon Gardner and Scottie Bartlett but that’s not too exciting to read. There are several amazing people but most are best kept at arm’s length or on occasional visitation rights (Trent Busuttin)… so I’d go with Caitlin Agnew or Rory Gardner from Howden insurance both girls are legends (and would crack it if I chose one over the other).