‘A gift to the family’: Jolie Bay leaves with a legacy that will live on

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Horses have a way of becoming part of the family, and every so often one comes along who leaves an impression that extends well beyond the racetrack and breeding barn.

For Chris and Jane Barham, Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock) was one of those mares. Her passing on Friday, aged 17, following complications after delivering a Too Darn Hot (GB) filly, has left a significant void, but also a legacy that will continue through her progeny and the many people who have been part of her journey.

There has, however, been some comfort for the Barhams, with Jolie Bay’s final foal doing well after being successfully fostered onto another mare.

The dam of five-time Group 1 winner Joliestar (Zoustar), Jolie Bay was a mare the Barham's bred, raced and who became an important part of their lives.

“As a breeder of horses, there are many highs and lows, and around springtime you can often dread phone calls in the early hours of the morning or really look forward to them with potential foal news," Chris Barham said.

“We had the call on Friday that Jolie Bay had delivered a Too Darn Hot filly and were ecstatic, but only a few hours later the mare was in trouble, and it was sadly the end of the road for her, which was very sad news.”

“We have lost a family member. We are sad, Jane’s family are sad, and I have no doubt a lot of other people involved or have been, such as Peter (O’Brien), are sad with the passing of her.”

A gift to the family

There is a genuine sense of gratitude in the way Chris and Jane reflect on their time in the industry, even amid the sadness of losing a mare who meant so much to them.

Their journey has been built around a small number of special horses, with their foundation mare Legally Bay (Snippets) and her daughter Jolie Bay changing the course of their lives in ways they could hardly have imagined when they first became involved in racing.

“It’s sad, this industry builds character, but it has changed our lives. Our mares have changed our lives. Legally Bay, Jolie Bay, they have been gifts to us and our family.

“Jolie Bay has been such a gift for us. This industry gives you purpose. I'm not sure what we would be doing with our spare time apart from looking at catalogues, watching racing and looking for the next nick.”

That connection is difficult to explain to those outside the racing world, particularly when the relationship with a horse stretches across years of breeding, racing, success and shared experiences.

“There is so much sadness when things come to an end, but horses bring you so much joy. It really is so hard to explain to non-racing people.”

For Jane, the impact of the family's mares is perhaps best summed up in a simple observation:

“A mare can change a person’s life. Legally Bay and Jolie Bay have done this to us.”

It all started with Legally Bay

The Barhams' story in racing and breeding has been a remarkable journey, particularly given Jane had no family ties to the industry beyond her father's interest in racing, and Chris was similar.

Their first step was to purchase a horse who would ultimately become the foundation of their breeding operation. That mare was Legally Bay, and she proved to be a very good starting point.

Bred and raced by the Barhams, Legally Bay was a talented racemare, winning the G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes before going on to place twice at Group 1-level during her career with legendary trainer John Hawkes.

Having recognised the quality of the mare, the Barhams were determined to give her every opportunity at stud, visiting some of Australia's leading stallions in her early seasons, including Redoute’s Choice, Encosta De Lago and Lonhro and Fastnet Rock.

A recommendation to send Legally Bay to Fastnet Rock, following the emergence of his talented son Hinchinbrook, also out of a Snippets mare, would prove particularly significant.

The resulting foal was Jolie Bay, who would go on to win the G2 Roman Consul Stakes and finish runner-up in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, while also placing in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes.

Legally Bay would later produce Merchant Navy, who took the family to another level when he won the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes before establishing himself as a dual hemisphere Group 1 winner and successful stallion.

Jolie Bay carried plenty of the ability of her dam, becoming a Group 2 winner in her own right and later proving just as influential in the breeding barn.

Alongside Merchant Navy and Jolie Bay, Legally Bay’s progeny included Listed winner Setanta (Fastnet Rock) and Listed-placed Zara Bay (Fastnet Rock), the latter going on to produce Group 2-winning sprinter Airman (I Am Invincible).

Jolie Bay also made a significant contribution at stud, leaving six winners. Her first foal, God Of Thunder (More Than Ready {USA}), was a four-time winner and Group 2 and Listed-placed performer, while Emperor (I Am Invincible) was an eight-time winner and Group 3-placed as a 2-year-old.

However, it is undoubtedly Joliestar who has taken Jolie Bay's name and influence to the highest level.

The five-time Group 1 winner has established herself among the best mares in Australian racing, adding three Group 2 victories and a Group 3 success to her elite-level record. She has also placed in the G1 The Everest Stakes and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Purchased by Cambridge Stud for $950,000 from the Segenhoe Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Joliestar has become an outstanding advertisement for the family, although her dam's influence extends well beyond her most celebrated daughter.

The Barhams have retained and raced Jolie Bay's 5-year-old daughter Legacy Bay (Zoustar), a dual winner who has also scored at metropolitan level. They have also retained 3-year-old Jolie Eclipse (Zoustar), who retired unraced and is in foal to Tentyris.

Cambridge Stud purchased the now 2-year-old filly Manabay (Anamoe) for $470,000 from the Segenhoe Stud draft at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, while Jolie Bay also leaves a Zoustar yearling colt.

The family is continuing to develop, with the new Too Darn Hot filly another chapter in a pedigree that has already delivered so much.

Jane was particularly proud of Jolie Bay's qualities as a mother, describing a mare whose temperament and instincts were every bit as impressive as her racetrack ability.

“Jolie Bay was a tough mare but a very good mother. She was so protective of them and showed all the characteristics of being such a good mum.

“She had the talent on the track also. She was a bit of a what-if story,” she added.

While the latest foal's arrival has been overshadowed by the loss of her dam, there has been some encouraging news, with the filly doing well after being fostered and successfully matched with another mare.

“We have kept a few fillies out of Jolie Bay, which we are very happy with. We have Legacy Bay, who is a full-sister to Joliestar. We could have retired her to stud this spring, but we will race her for another year. We love racing them," Chris said.

A standout from the moment she arrived

Joliestar's achievements have brought further recognition to Jolie Bay's influence, but the mare's best-known daughter was attracting attention long before she began collecting Group 1 trophies.

Her physical presence and quality were evident as a yearling, with both renowned judge Henry Plumptre and Segenhoe Stud's Peter O'Brien recognising something particularly special.

“One of the nicest yearlings I've ever seen,” Henry Plumptre told her owners, Cambridge Stud's Brendan and Jo Lindsay, who purchased Joliestar for $950,000.

“All quality, Nefertiti, Cleopatra – whatever you want to call her... as good a filly as I've ever seen, an absolute superstar,” enthused Peter O'Brien when she sold through his Segenhoe Stud draft.

One of the less tangible but equally important aspects of the Barhams' journey has been the friendships and connections formed through racing and breeding.

From their early days in the industry, they made a conscious effort to surround themselves with knowledgeable and passionate people, including Ron Gilbert, Peter O'Brien and John Hawkes, whose guidance helped them navigate a business that can be as challenging as it is rewarding.

“I remember John Hawkes saying early days, listen to good people but also read, do your background.”

“We were very new to the game, but we listened and I found you can learn very, very quickly in this game. A lot of people come in, make mistakes, lose money and drop out.”

They also understood the importance of maintaining a manageable operation, allowing them to access quality stallions without stretching themselves financially.

“We learnt early on not to try and get too big. We wanted to go to the best stallions at the time, the likes of Redoute's Choice, Fastnet Rock and Lonhro. So we kept on a smaller scale so we could afford it, budget properly and treat it as a business in that regard.”

The relationships have extended well beyond the sale ring and racetrack, with the Barhams forming lasting friendships with people who have shared in the highs and lows.

“We became very good friends with Colin McKenna before he passed away. He was a great example of meeting people and the connectivity that comes from owning horses and making great friendships.

“I remember Col was with us in Merchant Navy. We were in London before he raced at Royal Ascot and we were going for a walk around Tower Bridge, and said something to Jane like, 'You have come a long way for a girl from Toowoomba, aye'. Horses have opened up these opportunities.”

That sense of shared enjoyment is something the Barhams value highly, even when success comes at someone else's expense.

“We would have loved Joliestar to have won on Saturday at Flemington, but we were so happy for Janice for her mare to win in Colin’s colours. You get so much joy in this game from other people's success.”

The same sentiment extends to their relationship with Cambridge Stud, where the success of Joliestar has created another special connection.

Chris also spoke warmly of O'Brien, whose involvement with the family and their horses over many years has made Jolie Bay's passing particularly difficult.

“We have become very good friends with Peter (O’Brien), and he will be hurting also. He has had so much to do with the family during his time at Segenhoe, he knows them well.”

Jane is conscious of just how much time and effort goes into developing a successful breeding family, and the number of people who contribute along the way.

“It’s a long journey breeding these horses, we have been lucky getting some results, and the page from Legally Bay has continued to develop.

“It’s a lifetime of work from everyone involved, and we love getting right involved in it.”

There is undoubtedly sadness in saying goodbye to a mare who has been such a significant part of their lives, but there is also an enormous sense of appreciation for everything she has given them.

The Barham's have experienced the highs of breeding Group 1 winners, selling quality yearlings and watching their horses succeed on the biggest stages, but it is clear that the relationships, memories and personal connections mean just as much.