Archive for month: March, 2017

It’s amazing what can happen in just 23 days as seen when the Rosemont bred filly Montoya’s Secret graduated from a Pakenham maiden on 2 March to winning the  Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

Having her first start in stakes company, her first run on a heavy track and first run over 2000 metres, the Leon and Troy Corstens trained filly fought strongly to the line to hold off a determined bid from the fast finishing Nurse Kitchen.

“It’s an amazing win for the farm, we did not see this coming a month ago, just unbelievable,” said Rosemont Stud principal Anthony Mithen.

“It’s so important for the farm to get these Group 1 results, to produce Group One winners, it shows we are doing something right and the Victorian breeding industry is doing something right.”

It has been a meteoric rise for Montoya’s Secret (High Chaparral), following her Pakenham win and then an easy Benchmark 64 win at Moonee Valley on March 13.

Montoya’s Secret as a yearling

“She has always been a lovely filly and it has been a great ‘Group Effort’ to get her to win that Group One,” said trainer Troy Corstens.

“She was born, bred and raised down at Rosemont Stud which is building a fantastic reputation and the winners just keep coming from the farm.

“This is no fluke of course.  A lot of planning and forethought has gone into it from nutrition to pastures to matings and the list goes on.”

Rosemont Stud brought the mare, Divine Secret, in foal with Montoya’s Secret (for a mere $70,000!).

“Divine Secret has played a big part in bolstering our broodmare band. If we get a nice filly form these well-preformed mares we will hold on to them to race ourselves.

Rosemont sold Montoya’s Secret as a yearling at the NZB Premier Sale where she was purchased by Bahen Bloodstock/Malua Bloodstock for $130,000.

“We were lucky enough to retain a share along with our great friends Ed and Libby McKeon (Palya Bloodstock),” Mithen said.

“We actually purchased the full sister to Montoya’s Secret from Coolmore at Premier last year and she won her jump out last week. Our job this morning is to name her!”

“It is really satisfying, as we are expanding and growing the stud we really need headline acts like this to keep us in the news. It’s important as an emerging stud and Victorian breeder we continue to muscle in on the publicity other big farms have had all to their own.”

Montoya’s Secret is a half-sister to Group 3 winning stayer Delago’s Secret and stakes-placed Secret Delight. Divine Secret (Thunder Gulch (USA)) is herself Group 1 placed and is a daughter of stakes-winner Prayerful. She has a yearling colt by Starspangledbanner and was covered last year by Rosemont’s resident sire Toorak Toff.

It was Group 1 success yet again for Nagambie’s Gilgai Farm, when the Ciaron Maher trained Jameka produced an outstanding performance to destroy her rivals in the BMW at Rosehill.

The win was part of the Victorian breeding industry’s monopoly of Group 1 winners at Rosehill on Saturday with the Rosemont bred Montoya’s Secret winning the Vinery Stud Stakes. They represent Group 1 wins number 12 and 13 by Victorian bred horses during this current racing season.

Any queries as to whether Jameka would handle the heavy conditions were dismissed as the Caulfield Cup winner proved she was a class above her rivals in the $1.5 million weight-for-age contest.

“She made my job easy, I just had to keep her happy, keep her in rhythm,” said winning jockey Hugh Bowman.

“Who knows what’s in store for her next, but you’ve only got to look at her to see what a magnificent specimen she is.”

The $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes in one option for the star mare but a run in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) in Hong Kong on April 30 and a trip to Europe are also being considered.

Regardless of her next move, Jameka, now a three-time Group 1 winner with earnings of  $4,872,925, has once again demonstrated the skill of Gilgai principal, Rick Jamieson, is producing a superstar.

She won the Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes as a two-year-old, the VRC Oaks at three and, as a four-year-old she already has victories Caulfield Cup, and BMW Stakes.

The rare Caulfield Cup – BMW (Tancred Stakes) double has been achieved only three times in the past by Hayai (1984), Might And Power (1998) and Ethereal (2002).

Jameka was purchased from the Gilgai Farm draft for $130,000 at the 2014 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale by her trainer.

She is a half-sister to Magic Millions 2yo Classic runner-up Nikitas (Snitzel) and is one of three winners from as many foals to reach the track for General Nediym mare Mine Game, a winning half-sister to Group 1 STC Canterbury Guineas winner Jymcarew.

Mine Game has a yearling filly by Shamus Award and returned to Myboycharlie (Ire) at Vinery Stud last spring.

Woodside Park Stud is home to champion stallion Written Tycoon, as well as dual Group One winner Zoustar and they are looking forward to showing off their homebred progeny at this year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Matt Tillett, Woodside Park Stud’s Bloodstock and Sales Manager, is proud of the select group of yearlings they are presenting as part of their debut draft at the prestigious Easter sale.

“The five yearlings we have selected are a true representation of the attributes our stallions produce, and we have a filly and a colt from both Written Tycoon and Zoustar in our draft to demonstrate this,” he said.

“Over recent years, we have purchased several high quality European mares brought overseas to send to our colonial bred sprinting sires.

“I think these crosses over our commercial stallions will provide an interesting mix that will appeal to the international buying group you find at the Inglis Easter sale.”

Lot 186 – Written Tycoon chestnut filly from the imported Zamindar mare, Invested Capital (GB)

“This filly is from a mare we purchased at Tattersalls sale in the UK. This is a yearling that just keeps improving and Woodside has no doubt she will attract a very good home. Her dam is a three quarter sister to Gainful, a half sister to Index Linked and Fully Funded, from the running family of Multiplex and Memorise.”

Lot 222 – Written Tycoon bay colt from the Stratum mare Manzanilla.

“A proven cross with a stakes winning two-year-old, Manzanilla is half sister to Viking Hero and a winner at Caulfield in the MRC Joe Brown Handicap. Her fourth foal, this is a quality city winning family.”

Lot 324 – Zoustar chestnut colt from the Storm Cat mare Ryzhkina.

“Her third foal, her dam is the Group 3 winning mare Lucky, a sister to King of Kings, Amethyst and half sister to General Monash.”

Lot 352 – Zoustar bay filly by from the Kingdom Bay mare Simply the Best (NZ)

“An up and running family, Simply the Best is stakes placed. Half sister to Shaquille and dam of Best Yet To Come, a Listed winner in the BRC Princess Stakes, and Simply Put a four-time winner with a second in the Group 3 MRC Mannerism Stakes.

The first lot to go under the hammer at Inglis’ Newmarket complex for Woodside is lot 18, a bay colt by Lope De Vega from the Rock of Gibraltar mare Zarzuela (Ire) who is a half sister to Glass Harmonium.

What Tyabb’s Eldon Park lacks in size and profile is made up for in quality.

And that quality will be reflected at next week’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale with a farm bred Written Tycoon colt set to raise eyebrows at the historic Newmarket sales complex.

Offered through the Milburn Creek draft, Lot 338 is a stunning chestnut colt by the champion sire Written Tycoon from the Elusive Quality (USA) mare Shabtis.

This is just the second foal of Shabtis, with her first foal, the filly Take Pride (Reward for Effort) winning the Group 3 MVRC Champagne Stakes.

Take Pride returns to winners stall at Moonee Valley

The dam herself was a handy horse winning over 1000 metres and comes from a sparkling family. Shabtis is a half sister  to five-time Group 1 winner Mummify and the black-type performer Medusa’s Miss. She is also a sister to Byzantine, the dam of group 3 winner Ottoman and stakes placed Nemrud.

Eldon Park’s Donald Byrne sold the outstanding colt from the paddock a few months ago.

“He was just a beautiful, athletic type, well grown, a lovely looking horse. He has had a healthy, injury free upbringing.

“Unfortunately, being older, I sell when I can now, but he is sure to make a good price, the Written Tycoon’s can do no wrong.

“I have his full sister weanling in the paddock, and will look at selling her at the Inglis Great Southern Sale. Shabtis is back in foal to Chatswood’s Reward For Effort.”

The colt has shared Eldon Park’s quality pasture with Byrne’s small select group of mares.

Eldon Park also provides agistment to Christoph Bruechert’s Bombora Downs operation and Robert Crabtree’s Dorrington Farm.

She Will Reign’s victory in the Golden Slipper could not have been more perfect for Blue Gum Farm and is a massive fillip for the broader Victorian breeding industry.

The Euroa operation announced in February that the now Slipper winner’s sire, Manhattan Rain, will relocate south to stand on the Blue Gum roster starting in 2017.

It means the sires of the past two Golden Slippers, Manhattan Rain and Written Tycoon (with Capitalist), are now both based in Victoria.

Renowned racing scribe and breeding student Danny Power tweeted on the weekend that this hadn’t occurred since the days of Showdown and Century in the 1970s.

Blue Gum Farm’s Phillip Campbell said the impressive Manhattan Rain has been at the farm now for a month and has settled in beautifully.

“His bookings were already very strong before the result on Saturday, but they are exaggerated further now after She Will Reign’s success,” Campbell said.

“With already four crops of racing age, two Group 1 winners and only being eleven years old, he has a very big future ahead of him.

“I remember as soon as Rubiton left New South Wales his stock just continued to rise and we are confident that Manhattan Rain is headed in the same direction.”

Manhattan Rain is a Group 1 winning half-brother to three-time Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice.

His champion sire, Encosta De Lago made, made his name at Blue Gum before moving to Coolmore Stud in the Hunter Valley.

“I remember the day I was told he (Encosta De Lago) was leaving vividly. It was a very sad day, but it is funny how things work out and having Manhattan Rain at the farm goes a long way to making up for it.”

Manhattan Rain has already sired the winners of more than $10 million in prizemoney and that figure is growing rapidly. Among his sire successes have been numerous Group and/or Stakes winners.

As well as the Golden Slipper winner, he has sired the Group 2 winning two year old Scarlet Rain and Group 2 winning mare Wild Rain.

And, in January, Whisky Baron became his sire’s first Group 1 winner when taking out South Africa’s most prestigious race, the Kenilworth Sun Met.

“We always rated him highly then and we rate him even more highly now. I believe that he is a fantastic fit for the Victorian breeding industry now as there is simply no guess work involved,” Campbell said.

“He is already a proven and consistent source of quality group performers and his yearlings continue to be in high demand with a top price of $360,000 already attained at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale in January.”

“Manahattan Rains is certainly a very handy addition to Victoria’s stallion ranks and, after consultation with the owners, we’ll be announcing his fee for 2017 over the next few days.”

Dual Group 1 winning stallion and future Victorian stallion added the Group 2 Blamey Stakes to his resume with an outstanding win at over the mile Flemingotn on Saturday.

The gorgeous son of Teofilo annihilated his opposition winning by over three lengths with Mark Zahra in the saddle.

“He is one of my favourites for sure, I have ridden two Group 1s on him and a Group 2 now,” said Zahra.

“He was explosive and raced like he could have beaten anything today.”

The mile at Flemington has been a happy hunting ground for the imposing chestnut – having won the Group 1 Australian Guineas at three-years-old last year and the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at four over the same track and distance in the Spring.

Reigning Champion Victorian trainer Darren Weir is convinced his million-dollar-plus earner has what it takes to make it as a sire.

“He was brilliant today and he is going to make it as a very good stallion,” said Weir.

David Grant, Operations Manager at Sun Stud certainly agrees with Weir.

‘Being a Flemington track specialist over a mile, it was his perfect distance and he won very well.

“A lot of good breeders and judges rate the mile as the best distance for a future stallion as it gives more flexibility to the mares they send.

“If their mare has speed then Palentino can give her distance to stretch over 1200 metres or 1400 metres and if the mare can stay, he will inject some speed into her.

“He will be the only stallion to win both the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (formerly the Craiglee Stakes) and the Group 1 Australian Guineas since the immortal champion sire Zabeel.

“He is free of Danehill, being by Teofilo out Palantine Hill, a Palace Music mare, so there are many different mating and pedigree options that will suit breeders, and give Danehill mares an outcross.”

“A flashy, impressive type he topped his sale as a yearling so those looks will certainly appeal to breeders. He has also been very sound all the way through, an underrated quality I believe and he has trained on very well. Every preparation he has won a group race.”  Grant said.

Palentino now has a few options to consider with either a trip to Sydney for the prestigious Doncaster Mile before heading to stud or racing on for another year.

Sun Stud’s Managing Director, Danielle Cheng, said an international target was also not ruled out.

“There are a lot of reasons to send Palentino to stud this year but equally, some compelling reasons to keep him racing,” Cheng said.

“There’s even a chance he might race overseas … Sun Stud is a global operation and Palentino could be a real hit in Europe. He really is a striking individual and his sire, Teofilo, has an excellent record in the northern hemisphere.”

The Blamey Stakes victory will no doubt elevate Palentino back to the top of the four-year-old Timeform Ratings in Australia. Among all aged horses, he may be only bettered by superstars Winx and Hartnell.

It was double rewards came for Victoria’s Rosemont Stud at the Hong Kong Derby race meeting on Sunday.

It kicked off with the win of farm bred three year old Strathclyde in race four. Not only was he was bred by Rosemont, the gelding is by resident sire Toorak Toff.

Strathclyde as a foal

And then Rapper Dragon won the Hong Kong Derby which was a residual bonanza for the Geelong region stud. Anthony Mithen and the team at Gnarwarre purchased, in 2015, two mares very closely related to the Derby winner.

These two are Amanpour (Northern Meteor), a Group 1 winning half sister to the dam of Rapper Dragon; and Swing Sensation (Northern Meteor), a half sister to the Derby winner. It certainly adds to the attraction of future Rosemont sales drafts

Strathclyde was a timely winner for Rosemont having been a graduate of their Inglis Easter draft of 2015. This year’s Rosemont Easter draft of nine yearlings is in the final stages of sale preparation before making the journey north.

Sunday’s winner is also the highest priced yearling by Toorak Toff having been bought by his Hong Kong trainer Tony Millard for $300,000.

Mithen said the Strathclyde was extremely well received at the 2015 sale being a sibling to the Rosemont bred Group 1 winner Alboran Sea (Rock of Gibraltar).

“I remember being quite emotional after he was sold at such a good price. This was after all a yearling out of our own mare and by our own stallion.

“Tony Millard was quite enamoured with the yearling before the sale, but really didn’t know much about the sire who was presenting just his first crop of yearlings that sales season.

Strathclyde as a yearling

“But Tony has been a regular inspector of Rosemont’s drafts ever since!

“Tony was over for the Premier Sale a few weeks ago and indicated he was confused with Strathclyde.

“He was showing enormous ability and trialing extremely well but just couldn’t put it all together raceday.

“He certainly made up for it yesterday!”

Rosemont bought the American bred dam Lady’s Light (Toolighttoquit) for just $20,000 in 2011.

“She has been a ripper for me helping to grow the profile of our broodmare band and her progeny grossing $1 million in yearling sales.”

On the subject of the upcoming Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Mithen is brimming with excitement and expectation.

“It is the nicest bunch of horses I have taken to any sale,” he said.

Strathclyde in Inglis Easter Yearling sale ring

“It has all the hallmarks of a high end, boutique draft of high quality horses with a broad range of sires and pedigrees.

“I think our wow factor yearling is our Redoute’s Choice colt out Catshaan. He is actually the only yearling in the sale with two Australian Group 1 winning siblings (Abbey Marie and Absolutely).