Begg makes a splash to cap off a memorable Queensland carnival

Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography

The road to Splash Back's breakthrough at the highest level was anything but accidental. From the moment her trainer Grahame Begg and his team began mapping out her latest preparation, the G1 Tattersall's Tiara was firmly in their sights.

After producing a string of outstanding and consistent performances throughout the Queensland Winter Carnival, the French-bred mare Splash Back (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) delivered on that long-term plan, adding a deserved Group 1 victory to an already impressive record and providing the perfect finale to Begg's successful interstate campaign.

A target fulfilled

Long before Splash Back arrived in Queensland, Begg believed the G1 Tattersall's Tiara presented the ideal opportunity for the mare to showcase her strengths at the highest level.

“It was very good, we planned it out from all the way back last year thinking it could be the race for her as we had a chat about potential targets for her next preparation,” Begg said.

“This race was the race which obviously stood out on paper, fillies and mares, weight-for-age, 1400 metres, which is the perfect distance range for her, this was going to be the logical target.”

Everything throughout the campaign was designed to have the mare peaking on the final day of the carnival.

Victory in the G2 Victory Stakes confirmed she was on the right path before she tackled elite company in both the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup and the G1 Stradbroke Handicap. While those runs didn't result in victories, Begg never lost faith that she was performing at the required level.

“Her build up to this race has been ideal in terms of the strength of the company, obviously winning the G2 Victory Stakes and then running in the Kingsford Smith at weight-for-age where she got beaten under three lengths and then she was beaten around the same margin in the Stradbroke at Group 1 level.

“In both of those races she had excuses as she raced on tracks which probably weren't conducive to being close to the inside, she was in that kind of spot on both occasions and it just didn’t really work out.”

Conditions finally fell her way on Saturday.

“On Saturday it was fine being on the inside and the track was improving significantly through the day and there didn't seem to be too much disadvantage on the inside. Whereas the last two times she raced, they had significant rain leading up to the meeting, I think there was about two inches before the Stradbroke, the track raced very well considering.”

Begg entrusted jockey Jordan Childs to make the right decisions from the favourable barrier, and the partnership executed the plan perfectly.

“We gave Jordan (Childs) a license to do what he had to do. He judged it well, he drew the ideal gate where he had options, he got where he wanted to and got the right bit of luck, thankfully we got the luck when it counted in a Group 1.”

For Begg, the victory carried extra significance, adding another success in one of Queensland's feature races.

“She's been a beauty, this horse. Since we got her to train, she's been outstanding. She's all heart, she just goes out and goes to war for you.”

A French-bred mare that continues to rise

Splash Back was purchased for €100,000 (AU$165,000) at the 2021 Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale by Arthur Hoyeau and John Foote on behalf of Sandy McGregor, of which she wears his well-known colours. Splash Back arrived in Australia unraced before steadily developing into one of the country's premier mares.

While her pedigree may not have been immediately familiar to Australian breeders, it carries considerable depth.

She is the eighth foal of G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner Tamazirte (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who has also produced G3 Prix de Guiche winner Chachnak (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) and Listed winner Into The Mystic (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who in turn has left Group 2 winner Nakheel (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Listed winner Morshdi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Her sire, Le Havre (Ire), by Noverre (USA), won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club before retiring from stud due to health issues in 2022. He has sired 74 stakes winners worldwide, with Splash Back becoming his eighth Group 1 winner.

Her racing career has also reflected steady progression, after originally starting her career with Andrew Bobbin, making eight starts for three wins and a placing before transferring to Grahame Begg's stable.

Since joining Begg, she has had 15 starts for six wins and three placings, highlighted by victories in the G1 Tattersall's Tiara, the G2 Victory Stakes and the G2 WH Stocks Stakes.

Begg said the mare's raw ability was evident and clear to see from as soon as she entered his stable.

“Before she came to us she had shown good talent in another stable, we had a good look at her and her record to try and identify things that we thought were probably achievable for her as far as, you know, racing pattern, the way she goes about things, what she liked and what she didn't like.

“Once we got her to train we use the E-tracker blankets on our horses and her data straight away was exceptional as far as speed and the way she went about things, recovery, heart data and all of that.”

The data only reinforced what the stable believed they had inherited.

“So, we knew we had a very nice horse, it's just a matter of tailing everything around and stripping it back as far as distance range, that's the end result.”

“She also has the two Group 2 victories so she has built a great record and the Group 1 really is the icing on the cake.”

Begg believes patience has also played a significant role in the mare's progression, particularly given her European background.

“I think one of the biggest things is you have to give the European bred horses a fair bit of time, she's obviously always been six months behind, so fortunately she hadn't had a lot of racing when I got her.

“She was very well educated, she had been to the races, she had been a winner, but the fact is that, you know, she was going to get better as she got older by pedigree and by the type of mare she is.”

Time, patience and the rewards

Begg believes Splash Back's rise is another example of why patience with quality mares can be richly rewarded, particularly those with European pedigrees that often continue to improve with maturity.

While the temptation can be to send valuable mares to stud early, he feels modern racing continues to prove there is plenty to gain by allowing the right horses to race on.

“Mares that are given time can prosper and be rewarded. You look at some of the best mares in the country in the last few years, the Bella Nipotina’s, the Pride Of Jenni's, they keep improving with age if you give them time. It's a long time in the breeding barn.”

The trend is hardly a new one. Some of Australia's greatest mares have reached their peak as much older horses, with the likes of Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert Sun {GB}), Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) all showcasing remarkable longevity at the elite level and at the highest level.

Gallery: Some of Australia's greatest mares who have reached their peak as older horses

Begg believes the strength of modern Australian racing also provides owners with every reason to continue campaigning high-class mares.

“The prizemoney around is fantastic all over the country, and while racing you can make a lot of money and target plenty of different races at the top level and just below.”

With a Group 1 now secured, Splash Back's value as a broodmare has risen significantly, but for now her racing career remains the priority. The mare will now enjoy a well-earned freshen-up before attention turns towards a spring campaign, with Begg optimistic there is still more to come.

“She'll have a little bit of downtime, and then at this stage she'll come back in and we'll get her ready to run over to spring. Yeah, I think she'll have a pretty bright spring.”

Her winter campaign is not expected to leave any lasting effects, with Begg confident the preparation has positioned her well for the months ahead.

“Horses have done well in the spring that have raced into the winter and she should hold good residual fitness that she holds onto.”

Rather than remaining solely in Melbourne, Begg is already leaning towards another interstate campaign, with one race in particular catching his eye.

“I think she'll probably more than likely campaign in Sydney. She may have one run in Victoria or something like that, but there's a race that I like in Sydney, The Invitation, I think it’s worth about $1 million to the winner.”

Now that Splash Back has earned her Group 1 credentials, the placement becomes more about finding the races that best suit her profile than chasing further black type.

“It’s not a black type race but she now has Group 1 to her name, so it seems a logical target for her, also at that sweet spot of 1400 metres for her.”

A Queensland campaign rewarded

Splash Back's Tattersall's Tiara success also provided the perfect conclusion to what had been a carefully planned Queensland Winter Carnival for Begg and his stable.

The Cranbourne horseman took a team of seven north this winter, comprising Splash Back, Niance (NZ) (Swiss Ace), She's A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High), Parvenu (NZ) (Ardrossan), Chillies (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Bonus Season (Written Tycoon) and King Zephyr (Hallowed Crown).

Every runner had been placed with a purpose and, despite a carnival often affected by wet tracks, Begg was pleased with the way the team performed throughout the campaign.

One mare already being aimed towards another major spring target is She's A Hustler.

“She’s A Hustler had the one run in Sydney and then Queensland where she ran well, and it was all about her building up and getting back to Handicaps in the Spring, her target will be the Caulfield Cup and she will likely only get 51kg maybe 51.5kg and that looks her kind of go.

“She wasn't really suited to the puggy wet ground in a couple of the runs, but the races she has competed in, will set her up nicely for the Spring.”

Persistent rain throughout much of the carnival created challenges for many trainers, but Begg felt his team consistently performed despite often racing under less-than-ideal conditions.

“All the horses have run really well, we have been plagued by wet tracks, it's obviously been very frustrating with tracks when they don't come up the way you want, but it is the luck of the draw and you just have to get on with it.”

When conditions finally improved on Tattersall's Tiara day, everything fell into place.

Begg was also full of praise for the work done by the Brisbane Racing Club and the wider Queensland racing industry throughout the carnival.

“They've absolutely looked after us a treat. We've had a good number of horses here and it's just great.”

For Begg, the Group 1 victory was a fitting reward not only for Splash Back's consistency, but also for the staff behind the scenes who had travelled with the stable's Queensland team over the past several weeks.

“But the horses have run well, the team that have travelled with these horses have done a fantastic job, it was amazing to get the result on Saturday.”