Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
A phone call from Yarraman Park Stud’s Harry Mitchell to Morning Rise Stud’s Robert McClure set in motion a chain of events that would eventually produce Saturday’s G1 Champions Sprint winner, Point Barrow (Blue Point {Ire}).
The subject was Take Pride (Reward For Effort), a $550,000 broodmare whose breeding career had been plagued by setbacks. After slipping her first foal and also subsequently missing several seasons, Mitchell decided a change of scenery might bring a change of fortune.
“She then had a bit of bad luck with missing the next couple of seasons and Harry gave me a ring and said we need a change of luck; I’m sending her down your way,” McClure recalled.
The mare travelled south to Morning Rise Stud in Victoria, where farm manager Meaghan Strickland-Wood and veterinarian Jacqui McGregor worked to get her back in foal.
McClure selected Darley shuttle stallion Blue Point, then standing in Victoria, as her next mating.
Take Pride conceived straight away.
The resulting filly was Point Barrow, who would sell for $400,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale before going on to win four Group 3 races.
On Saturday at Flemington, she added the Group 1 victory her connections had long believed she deserved.
“She’s a jet and she got the Group 1 she deserved,” McClure told The Thoroughbred Report.
McClure, who co-bred Point Barrow with Yarraman Park and retained a share in her after the yearling sale, had plenty of reasons to celebrate.
Robert McClure | Image courtesy of Coolmore
A race that was always the plan
There was little doubt about the target for Point Barrow heading into the Flemington carnival, with co-trainer Sam Freedman having the straight-track Group 1 firmly in his sights.
McClure said the confidence within the stable had been building for some time, with the decision to tackle the race never a last-minute consideration.
“Sam’s plan all along was to go for this race, knowing it was down the straight and the whole time he has been very confident and positive with the mare and it was always on the agenda.”
“Sam’s plan all along was to go for this race, knowing it was down the straight and the whole time he has been very confident and positive with the mare and it was always on the agenda.” - Robert McClure
The prospect of facing a strong rival in Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) after her G1 The Everest success naturally added another dimension to the challenge, although McClure remained encouraged by Point Barrow’s preparation.
“A little bit of that positivity came out when we heard Tempted was going in the race, but the mare has been flying so we went in hopeful.”
Point Barrow after winning the G1 Champions Sprint | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Having kept the mare fresh for the assignment, the connections were rewarded with the performance they had hoped for.
“It wasn’t a last minute call to go in the race, we went in fresh and she did it, so it was a well executed plan from Sam and Anthony.”
The result also had the trainer’s confidence behind it, with Sam Freedman acknowledging the work that had gone into producing Point Barrow at her peak.
“It’s been a long week and the team turned her out in great shape,” said Sam Freedman after the win, adding that he had the confidence going into the race that the mare could hold her own against Tempted.
“She’s (Point Barrow) been a bloody good mare for a while and it’s been a long time coming. I’m glad she’s got the win at the top level.”
Sam Freedman and Mark Zahra after winning the G1 Champions Sprint | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
With the Flemington straight clearly suiting her racing style, there is plenty to look forward to, although McClure is conscious of taking things one step at a time.
“Naturally I think she will go down the Lightning and Newmarket path as she loves the straight at Flemington and they are big Group 1 races. But naturally we can start dreaming about Royal Ascot, she loves straight racing and there are the right races for her there, so you never know.”
A broodmare purchase that required patience
Morning Rise Stud and Yarraman Park Stud joined forces to secure Take Pride as a broodmare prospect at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, paying $550,000 through James Bester Bloodstock, who acts as a bloodstock consultant for Morning Rise.
A G3 Champagne Stakes winner at Moonee Valley, Take Pride had demonstrated considerable ability on the track, while her pedigree offered plenty of appeal, being out of a half-sister to five-time Group 1 winner Mummify (Jeune {GB}).
The latter enjoyed a distinguished career, winning the G1 Caulfield Cup, G1 Yalumba Stakes, G1 Underwood Stakes, G1 South Australian Derby and G1 Singapore International Cup among his nine victories.
Take Pride | Image courtesy of Sportpix
McClure said Bester had been particularly taken with Take Pride’s racing ability and pedigree, making her an appealing prospect for the partnership.
“We purchased Take Pride in 2017 in partnership with Yarraman Park, James Bester who is a great judge and works as a consultant for us really liked her, so we joined forces with the Mitchells and purchased her.
“She had brilliance on the track and was fast and is from a really good family with Mummify featuring and James (Bester) was very keen on her.”
Take Pride slipped to I Am Invincible in her first season, before producing a colt by the same sire who went on to win a couple of races before heading to Hong Kong.
Several missed breeding seasons followed, prompting Mitchell’s decision to send the mare south.
The move proved successful, with Take Pride getting in foal to Blue Point at her first opportunity in Victoria.
McClure credited Morning Rise Stud farm manager Meaghan Strickland-Wood and local veterinarian Jacqui McGregor for their work with the mare.
“So she came to Victoria for a bit of change of luck and she got in foal to Blue Point straight away, our farm manager Meaghan Strickland-Wood and our local vet Jacqui McGregor did a a fantastic job getting her right in foal, a lot of hard work and it’s really paid off now hasn’t it.”
Blue Point the right fit
The decision to send Take Pride to Blue Point was driven by the opportunity to access a proven sprinting influence in Victoria, with McClure believing the Darley stallion offered the right fit for the mare.
Point Barrow has since become the seventh Group 1 winner globally for Blue Point, adding another significant result to the stallion’s record.
Asked how the mating came about, McClure was quick to credit the circumstances surrounding Take Pride’s move south and the options available at the time.
“When Harry (Mitchell) sent her down here I really had to have a look at what best suited in Victoria, and Blue Point was a very good sprinter overseas and he was the best sprinting option we had here, so he got the job.”
“When Harry (Mitchell) sent her down here I really had to have a look at what best suited in Victoria, and Blue Point was a very good sprinter overseas and he was the best sprinting option we had here, so he got the job.” - Robert McClure
Harry Mitchell | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Following Point Barrow’s arrival, Take Pride returned to Yarraman Park, where she has continued to produce for the partnership.
Her subsequent progeny include a colt by Home Affairs, which was moved on due to concerns with his legs, and a yearling colt by Hellbent, who is being prepared for next year’s Magic Millions sale.
McClure said the mare’s breeding record had not been without its setbacks, making Point Barrow’s achievement all the more satisfying.
“The mare then went back to Yarraman and she has produced a Home Affairs colt that didn’t have great legs so we moved him on, but she has a lovely Hellbent yearling that is heading to Magic Millions, so that is exciting and he is in similar style to Point Barrow and the mare is now in foal to Shinzo.
“So she has had some bad luck that is for sure, but she is now a Group 1 producing mare, she’s turned the corner from being sent down here anyway.”
The family has continued to produce quality performers, with Group 3-winning 2-year-old Ottoman (Exceed And Excel) and dual Listed winner Isaurian (Exceed And Excel) also featuring in the pedigree.
Retaining a share brings its rewards
Another decision that has worked out particularly well for McClure was retaining an interest in Point Barrow after her yearling sale.
The filly was sold for $400,000 to Anthony Freedman Racing from the Yarraman Park Stud draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, but McClure elected to maintain a share in the youngster rather than completely relinquish his involvement.
He now races the mare in partnership in the Halo Racing colours of the late Colin McKenna and Janice McKenna, alongside Mitch Cunningham’s Ridgmont, with whom he has enjoyed previous success through Storm Boy.
Mitch Cunningham | Image courtesy of Ridgmont
The relationship has developed into a strong racing partnership, with McClure valuing both the friendships and the results achieved along the way.
“It’s a great partnership, we are great friends and we have had a lot of luck together. We raced Storm Boy with Mitch (Cunningham) and we made a lot of money out of that deal and also he is doing very well at the moment with Warwoven.”
“It’s a great partnership, we are great friends and we have had a lot of luck together.” - Robert McClure
For McClure, retaining a share in the filly meant he could enjoy the Group 1 success as both breeder and owner.
Morning Rise Stud focused on quality
Point Barrow’s success is another notable result for Morning Rise Stud, which has enjoyed a productive period through both its breeding graduates and horses racing in its colours.
Among the recent performers associated with the operation are G2 Callander-Presnell winner Central Europe (Frankel {GB}), Storm Boy, now standing at Coolmore Stud, as well as Mumbai Muse (Zoustar), Mumbai Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Mumbai Jewel (I Am Invincible).
Based in Victoria, Morning Rise operates with a relatively measured approach to its broodmare band, preferring to concentrate on quality rather than numbers.
McClure said the farm generally keeps between 10 and 12 mares in Victoria, with its own yearlings primarily targeted towards the Inglis Premier Sale.
Mare and foal at Morningrise Stud | Image courtesy of Morningrise Stud
The operation also has around 15 mares in partnership with Coolmore Stud and several other partners, with those resulting yearlings generally aimed at the Gold Coast or the Easter sales.
“We keep about 10-12 mares down here and we like to target the Inglis Premier Sale, then we have about 15 mares in partnership with Coolmore Stud and a few others, but mainly Coolmore Stud.”
“Those yearlings are generally targeted towards the Gold Coast or Easter, and we like to keep that quality high.”
McClure is happy with the size of the operation and has no immediate plans to change it.
“Those numbers work for us, we are going well and having success, so we will keep doing what we are doing.”
“Those numbers work for us, we are going well and having success, so we will keep doing what we are doing.” - Robert McClure
With Point Barrow now a Group 1 winner, there is plenty more to look forward to, both on the racetrack and through her dam’s future progeny.
