81 Group Ones - The Bloke Can Ride

Winning the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (registered name the Invitation Stakes) for the sixth time, Damian Oliver recounted afterwards that the race had given him the first of his 81 G1 winners, Submariner (NZ), 19 years ago.

In my former life as general manager of Haunui Farm, I sold Submariner (Sea Anchor (Ire)-Deep Amber, by Deep Diver (Ire)) to syndicator Harry Lawton (for $25,000) at a sale which has probably been forgotten by most – the Gilt Edged Sale at Belmont Park, North Richmond. Belmont Park is the former Woodlands, now Darley, pre-training property.

I cannot remember the circumstances which gave rise to the creation of this sale, or who ran it, but it was a one-off. Doubtless some dissention in the ranks of NSW breeders; usual story. However, we brought a consignment over for it. We were marketing so many horses back then that every opportunity to spread them across the market was usually taken. We may have been the only NZ vendors.

I dispensed with the Gilt Edged Sale catalogue many years back so I don’t have reference to it any longer. I have a feeling the sale wasn’t for yearlings only, Submariner might have been a two-year-old at the time? He was foaled in 1986 but another horse I seem to recall taking to Belmont Park was a small filly subsequently named Bas Bleu (Bassenthwaite (GB)-Princess Dan, by Mr Dan) who became the dam of the good gallopers King Lotto, Lady Of Letters and Pugad Lawin. However she wasn’t foaled until 1988, so I may have my wires well and truly crossed - my mind is becoming enfeebled. Someone’s bound to know.

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Ortensia (3f Testa Rossa-Aerate’s Pick, by Picknicker) got her reward with a tactically superior victory in the G3 Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield on Saturday. Last week, from the outside barrier at the Valley, she came from last in running, this time she led all the way. Really, she should be unbeaten in all five starts. I have bought enough slow ones – who hasn’t? – but in selecting perhaps the best three-year-old filly in Melbourne as well as perhaps the best four-year-old mare (Absolut Glam) I am allowing myself some bragging rights. It’s not as if I have dozens of orders! These two cost $200,000 the pair, have already won a million and must be worth two or three times that. The people for whom I chose those fillies gave me a free hand operationally. As an agent, you appreciate that. Incidentally, Ortensia’s second cousin twice removed, the bonny little filly Romneya (Red Ransom-Mannington, by Danehill), was runner-up.

Of the black-type winners from Saturday which were auctioned as yearlings, Ortensia was the cheapest, $50,000. The others were Orange County (G1) $70,000, Weekend Hustler (G1) $80,000, My Vegas $110,000, Bhutane Dane $360,000, Fiumicino $425,000, Samantha Miss $1,500,000 and Musket $2,500,000. One for all price ranges. Surely Patinack can’t buy them all?

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There are four heats for two-year-olds being held on the course proper at the Warwick Farm barrier trials on Monday. First season sires with representation, at acceptance time, are Charge Forward, Fastnet Rock, Not A Single Doubt and Shamardal (USA) (2).