Single-handedly, Bart Saves The Australian Stayer

This year, perhaps more than for a long time, the Melbourne Cup was a sheer lottery.

Fuelled by growing international involvement, the weeks leading up to the race and the unpredictable contest itself were charged with drama.

Conventional form was hard to spot in the outcome. If you wagered successfully in the Melbourne Cup this year it was most likely on account of your faith rather than because of logical form analysis, on account of impressions formed of horses when they were previously at their peaks and who you trusted would revert to their peaks on the day.

Winner (by a small pimple) Viewed had not filled a place in his preparation. The historical stats will show he finished last in his lead-up race just three days before.

Third placegetter C’est La Guerre (NZ) had not filled a place previously this preparation.

Fourth placegetter Master O’Reilly (NZ) had placed only once from four lead-up starts.

Only runner-up Bauer (Ire) had been meaningfully on the board, via his Geelong Cup victory at his only prior Australian start.

Coincidentally, last year’s winner Efficient (NZ) did not fill a place in any of his four lead-up races. You have to go back a long way to find the next previous example of a winner without a conventional spring form line.

Such is the nature of a 3200m handicap with 22 starters, seven of whom travelled across the globe to run. There are lots of unknowns and lots of possible permutations. The final 800m of these races can be unforgiving.

But the constant in modern Melbourne Cup history has been Bart Cummings. How ironic, given Bart's well-aired views about overseas horses competing in the race, that it should be a JBC horse which deprived yet another import of victory.

Viewed gave him an unbelievable 12th success in the race, by the width of one of Bart’s bushy eyebrow hairs. Nobody now living is likely to see a comparable record put together, and, conceivably, Bart is not finished yet. I see quite a bit of Bart around the traps and he is one sharp 80-year-old! Lee Freedman is 30 years younger than Bart and has five Melbourne Cups in the cupboard so if he lives a long and productive life Lee has a statistical chance – but his stable couldn’t field a starter this year. You need a certain type of owner prepared to go the stayer’s route and in four-time winner Dato Tan Chin Nam Bart has had such an ally for decades.

Here is an amazing fact: in the last 16 years only three Australian-breds have won the Melbourne Cup. Bart has trained all of them. Viewed this year, Rogan Josh in 1999 and Saintly (conceived in NZ but foaled in Australia) in 1996. Of his nine other winners, starting with Light Fingers (NZ) in 1965, eight were NZ-bred and one USA-bred.

Viewed will owe a lot of his stamina to his NZ family heritage and, of course, to Sir Tristram (Ire), sire of his grandam. His fourth dam is the famous polo-playing mare Wuthering Heights (by Avocat General (Ire)). She is also the sixth dam of Weekend Hussler who, perversely, has shown there are clear limits to his stamina. Interestingly, Viewed carries on the bottom side of his pedigree a line of L’Enjoleur, twice Canadian Horse Of The Year, as does G1 Epsom and Mackinnon winner Theseo.

Viewed comes from the 13th crop of now-deceased Scenic (Ire), the first son of Sadler’s Wells at stud in Australia and still easily the best. His crop of 48 foals in 1998-99 is the only one not to contain stakeswinners of which he has had 66 worldwide including 10 Group 1 winners, all in Australia. Scenic drifted in and out of fashion like bell bottom trousers and you were doing well if in any given year you could nominate correctly where he was standing. He finished his time covering at a fee of $16,500 in Western Australia, dying in early 2005 aged 19.

I haven't looked underneath to check, but if the official data is correct, Viewed is the first Australian-bred entire to win a Melbourne Cup since Rain Lover in 1969. It’s said to be the kiss-of-death for a stallion. Judge for yourself: the other entires to win since Rain Lover have been Silver Knight (NZ), Beldale Ball (USA), At Talaq (USA), Tawriffic (NZ), Kingston Rule (USA), Jeune (GB) and Delta Blues (JPN) in 2006. Of those used at stud in Australia, Jeune was given the best opportunity by breeders, averaging 95 mares a year for 10 seasons. At Talaq averaged 60, Kingston Rule 39 and Tawriffic 26 prior to his export to Ireland as a 14-year-old. Silver Knight sired four stakeswinners including, significantly, the 1984 Melbourne Cup winner Black Knight.

Yes, three Australian-bred Melbourne Cup winners in 16 years. And Bart trained them all. And who was the next Australian-bred to finish behind Viewed? Moatize, sixth. Good old Bart trains him, too. Don't ya love him!

Recession? What Recession?

Latest piece of lunacy out of the USA - 12-year-old EMPTY mare Better Than Honour sells for a world record US$14,000,000 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Sale today, to USA buyers Southern Equine Stables who were joint owners of the mare when she went into the ring. The mare, by Deputy Minister-Blush With Pride, by Blushing Groom-Best In Show, is the dam of two G1 Belmont Stakes winners: Jazil (by Seeking The Gold)and the high class filly Rags To Riches (by A P Indy), as well as current Japanese-trained USA G2 winner Casino Drive (by Mineshaft), from her first five foals. She is the most recent Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. At today's exchange rate that's Aus$21 million.

That's a lot of money for a uterus but if you're paying with 50 cent dollars it's a snip at just A$10,500,000 !

First Boozeday In November

I’ve consulted Weatherzone (see sidebar) and it tells me there’s no reason for VRC or RVL management to weak-kneedly cave in to the blackmail from certain overseas participants to doctor the track for Tuesday’s Cup.

Undignified and condescending comments reportedly attributed to overseas connections – including one supposed Australian – about what should and shouldn’t be convince me that some people still have trouble coming to grips with the fact that the Empire and Australia parted ways long ago.

There’s a likelihood of some precipitation each day including Tuesday, so no need to alter the natural status of the track. No more Makybe Divas please. Weatherzone predicts it will be quite gusty so ladies put a hatpin through your fascinators and tie your miniskirts down.

Interesting aspect of this year’s field and a sign of the times: these stables don’t have a runner: Hayes, Freedman, Waterhouse, Snowden, Hawkes, Price, Moody, Rogerson.

The weight scale is compressed, I think it’s a strongly competitive Cup field. We should see a stirring contest.

SEPTIMUS (Ire) 58.5 10 6h Sadler’s Wells-Caladira, by Darshaan Aidan O’Brien/Johnny Murtagh. You take your life in your hands bringing a Sadler’s Wells to Australia. But he’s won 5 of his 8 starts on tracks rated ‘good’ so I don’t see what their beef is. Shortest win 1408m as a 2YO maiden, longest win 3621m of the Doncaster Cup. Pertinent fact: in only two of his 12 starts has he been in a field bigger than nine. The first was at his debut when there were 12 rivals, the other was in the Epsom Derby where he finished 12th of 18 and was never closer in running. If he lands midfield I hope he doesn’t get claustrophobic or sulk. His two closest stakeswinning relations got their black type in Sweden and India.

MASTER O’REILLY (NZ) 55 6 6g O’Reilly-Without Remorse, by Bahkaroff (USA) Danny O’Brien/Vlad Duric. Last year’s favourite. I think this is the one he’s been trained for. Cox Plate run was just trackwork. Has only once carried this weight successfully, in a Class 1 race at Seymour. Must get himself handier in running. How many Melbourne Cup winners have a Golden Slipper winner in their pedigree? I have some nagging reservations.

HONOLULU (Ire) 54.5 24 5h Montjeu (Ire)-Cerulean Sky, by Darshaan Aidan O’Brien/Colm O’Donoghue. He won’t be hanging about from the draw but of course he won’t be a pacemaker. Has run more marathons than Abebe Bikila (lately, anyway). Winning range 2414m to 4369m. His rider has never ridden him in a race before – probably his work rider. Has a magnificent pedigree and some good formlines. There will be more people at Flemington than your average crowd at Roscommon or Limerick; may fire up and lose his cool in the Cup day cauldron.

C’EST LA GUERRE (NZ) 54 5 4g Shinko King (Ire)-La Magnifique, by Kampala (GB) John Sadler/Brett Prebble. This year’s NZ Derby winner. There are some heavy-hitters in this horse’s ownership including Singo and leading music industry identities, they must have paid a squillion for him so Tuesday is get-square day. If it happened to hose down his chances would magnify. His last two runs have been very good. There are no stayers in his family so he is the black NZ sheep. Dedicated back runner but he’ll be going forward when others are looking for an armchair. Real smokey.

NOM DU JEU (NZ) 54 1 4h Montjeu (Ire)-Prized Gem, by Prized (USA) Murray and Bjorn Baker/Jeff Lloyd. If he’d have been in a yearling sale, Demi O’Byrne would have bought him for a store jumper. But he’s a home-bred out of a mare who won both a Kelt and a Brisbane Cup. Noble Bijou and Mellay are mixed up in the genes. Proven class act. From his barrier position there has to be a rough hope Jeff Lloyd won’t cover too much ground and with the length of the Flemington straight won’t arrive too late. I think he’s an international-class stayer with a great chance. (pictured above)

YELLOWSTONE (Ire) 54 12 5h Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire)-Love And Affection, by Exclusive Era Jane Chapple-Hyam/John Egan. Someone should tell Jane that Daddy’s born-to-rule party aren’t in power any more and to stop being so bossy. Has won only three races from 19, and has always been distanced when in G1 company. No one in Australia would back a Rock to win a Melbourne Cup. Hasn’t raced since 13 September when 54 lengths second last behind Septimus. How can you fall into it? Would make Rebel Raider look like a favourite. Out of a three-quarter sister to high class G1 miler Zoman who proved infertile at stud. SCRATCHED

ZIPPING 54 16 7g Danehill (USA)-Social Scene (Ire), by Grand Lodge (USA) John Sadler/Danny Nikolic. Had four lead-up runs last year before his good fourth placing in the Cup, only three this year. Had seven lead-ups in 2006 when also fourth. So you can see they are fine-tuning the formula. Has been racing very well. Was $1.90 when he won his first start in a Gold Coast 2YO maiden on 31 July 2004. Will go back looking for economical run, he and stablemate C’est La Guerre may make their runs together. Live hope.

MAD RUSH (USA) 53.5 4 5h Lemon Drop Kid-Revonda, by Sadler’s Wells Luca Cumani/Damien Oliver. Has raced only nine times. His Caulfield Cup finish was in keeping with his name. In his only race beyond 2400m he was beaten a short neck at Longchamp. Owner Earle Mack is a highly distinguished gentleman with a long and successful history in thoroughbreds and real estate. USA Ambassador to Finland in 2004, Chairman of the New York State Racing Commission for seven years. Mad Rush’s sire is a relation of A P Indy and his family doesn’t have a rich stamina heritage but it’s hard to poke a hole in his form. One thing’s for sure – D Oliver has so many holidays ahead of him you know he’ll be trying.

ICE CHARIOT 53 22 6g Semipalatinsk (USA)-Snow Chariot, by Chariot Ron Maund/Michael Rodd. Has not run a bad race all season and is seasoned with four starts in the last month. Finished 22nd in the 2006 Melbourne Cup and looking at his record overall I wonder if he the class to win a race like this. He has won $1.1 million without beating anything of quality. How did I make him my roughie in the Caulfield Cup? Will get back but Hot Rodd has a secret Flemington map which could help him at the finish.

VIEWED 53 9 5h Scenic (Ire)-Lover’s Knot (NZ), by Khozaam (USA) Bart Cummings/Blake Shinn. A sentimental favourite because a win would be Bart’s 12th and his 250th G1 victory. No doubt he has been trained for this and nothing else. Undistinguished in good quality company so a leap of faith is required. His sire has never left true stayers but there’s Sir Tristram (Ire) in the pedigree and he comes from the polo-playing family of Battle Heights so there’s some toughness there. I won’t jinx Bart by having my dollar on.

LITTORIO 52.5 17 4g Bellotto (USA)-Our Centasea, by Centaine Nigel Blackiston/Steven King. Has done nothing wrong and Saturday’s run of race didn’t suit him so forget it. But is he just a one-dimensional plodder? It looks a bit that way, and/or his style of racing can get him into a lot of trouble in races. There are 23 others to get around here. Not entitled on breeding to be a stayer. Two wins from 16, he’s going to have to pull finger soon to avoid the “gonna” tag.

BAUER (Ire) 52 13 6h Halling-Dali’s Grey, by Linamix Luca Cumani/Corey Brown. Winning form is good form; in Australian debut beat Moatize at Geelong and he went on to win the Saab. The Europeans don’t rate him as highly as some of the others which is understandable looking at his background. Stamina aplenty in his pedigree and all his wins have been in the 2000m – 2800m range. His sire was a late-blooming crack by the same sire as All The Good. Can take a reasonably prominent position in running and likely to be well served for jockeyship. Could be a player.

BOUNDLESS (NZ) 52 20 4m Van Nistelrooy (USA)-Nothing Less, by Star Way (GB) Stephen McKee/Greg Childs. I gave her a big hope in the Caulfield Cup but she didn’t really kick on. Flemington will definitely suit her better but the spectre of G Childs and 20 at the barrier haunts me. Bred to go five miles on the dam’s side but Van Nistelrooy?? That's a stretch. Wouldn’t surprise me altogether if she was in the firing line somewhere down the straight.

GALLOPIN (NZ) 52 21 5g Pins-Carla Rossi, by Spectacular Love (USA) Danny O’Brien/James Winks. Defies his pedigree and appears to stay well. Looking for sources of stamina, the sire of his fifth dam sired a Melbourne Cup winner and the sire of his grandam had an Auckland Cup winner. Otherwise it’s a dead-set blue collar background – this may be the best horse in the family for 60 years. Won the Moonee Valley Cup last start and prior to that raced without luck, but I can’t see that he’s ever beaten a good horse.

GUYNO (NZ) 52 8 5g O’Reilly (NZ)-River Century, by Centaine Lou Luciani/Craig Newitt. Hasn’t been far away in four starts in Melbourne but these have been second tier races. Last won 12 months ago, consistent meantime. His half-sister Legs won the Kelt and NZ Oaks. He was bought originally after his owners met the breeder in a dress shop. I reckon they’ve secretly come to Melbourne for a shopping spree again. I’m looking hard but I can’t find him; the others would have to have a collective off day.

ZARITA (NZ) 52 7 4m Pentire (GB)-Gin Player, by Defensive Play (USA) SCRATCHED

NEWPORT 51.5 15 6g Encosta de Lago-Sibelienne (GB), by Nishapour Paul Perry/Chris Symons. Just the sort of grinder who occasionally gets in the frame in a Melbourne Cup at cricket score odds. Three wins at 2400m including the Metropolitan and Brisbane Cups (erstwhile prestigious races) in which he carried 52 kgs each time – close to his weight here which might be significant. Has an Olde Worlde French staying pedigree. Encosta has done most things except sire a 3200m winner on the flat – 3000m is as close as he’s got.

PROFOUND BEAUTY (Ire) 51.5 2 5m Danehill (USA)-Diamond Trim, by Highest Honor Dermot Weld/Glen Boss. Oh my god, that combination! This horse could be the silent assassin, puts a chill of fear up your spine. Comes terribly well connected, owned by the famous Moyglare Stud of Swiss-born Walter Haefner who, if he is still alive and I think he is, is 98 years old, certainly the worlds’s oldest billionaire and in the top 200 on the planet. Has only one black-type success in 10 starts but has been all around it. Out here we don’t usually think of Danehill mares winning 3200m races but who are we to question Mr Weld? Past running pattern suggests she’s a forward-going mare so from the draw Bossy might just put her to sleep then pounce. She hasn’t raced for 11 weeks but as Mr Weld has demonstrated previously, so what? Has Sadler’s Wells, Fappiano and Graustark on her female line.

RED LORD 51.5 14 5g Redoute’s Choice-Dame Cath, by Zabeel (NZ) Anthony Cummings/Nicholas Hall. In the old days they said you had to have miles in your legs for the Melbourne Cup. Red Lord has 13,700 race metres in his, most of them run to good effect. Did finish 5th in a Sydney Cup and has won at 2800m, the extremes for a Redoute’s. Bred on the same cross as Fast ‘n’ Famous who loved 1200m – funny thing, breeding. For him, he is carrying a postage stamp weight and this just might keep him in the hunt. One to throw in your First Four multiples.

VAREVEES (GB) 51.5 23 6m Kahyasi-Danse Bretonne, by Exit To Nowhere Richard Gibson/Craig Williams. Marathon runner, triple stakeswinner. Shortest distance ever attempted is 1800m as a two-year-old! Has only raced three times in 2008 and best finish was 6th of eight. Usually races forward so from 23 at the gate C Williams will be on his bike. Is Melbourne-owned so connections are going to have a great day out. Will be an extraordinary training feat if she gets up.

PRIZE LADY (NZ) 51 18 7m Prized (USA)-Pen Bal Lady (GB), by Mummy’s Game Graeme Sanders/Mark Sweeney. Has only won four races but two of them have been the last two G1 Auckland Cups (not the race it once was) over 3200m on affected going. Also 2nd in NZ Oaks and 4th in Queensland Oaks, so a true stayer. Normally takes a handy position in these long races. Has had three lead-up runs with midfield finishes, how can one assess her? Dam was a triple G1 winner in USA but had a horrific produce record at stud. Jockey Mark Sweeney is the trainer’s son-in-law so he’ll be under strict instructions. He was a top grade apprentice a decade ago. It is four years since this mare carried a weight this light.

ALESSANDRO VOLTA (GB) 50.5 11 4h Montjeu (Ire)-Ventura Highway, by Machiavellian Aidan O’Brien/Wayne Lordan. Another from the vast O’Brien/Magnier/Tabor/Smith reservoir. Two wins in nine starts including the Lingfield Derby Trial where he led and beat four others. Sixth in the English Derby to New Approach and 4th in an average Irish Derby (led) so not a complete mug. Has never carried less than 56 kgs so he won’t even know he's got a saddle on which will allow him to roll forward, to absolutely no one’s surprise. All form on a sound surface, bred to do the business.

BARBARICUS 50.5 3 4g Lion Hunter-Light Of Erin, by Palace Music (USA) Danny O’Brien/Stephen Baster. The revelation of the last month. He will possie up and go to sleep in the trail. The first four in the running will probably be trained by an O’Brien! I guarantee they’re related (if you’ve been watching TV and listening to the ABC, it’s less than six degrees). Lots of stamina on his dam’s side and this is what he is racing to. How can you knock him on his recent form? He’s going to look a winning chance in the straight.

MOATIZE 50 19 4g Danehill Dancer (Ire)-Shezabeel (NZ), by Zabeel (NZ) Bart Cummings/Clare Lindop. The latest last-minute rabbit to sneak out of Bart’s hat. A big thrill for Cummings-aligned syndicator Veronica King to have a Cup runner. Her partner and co-owner Michael O’Keefe is executive chairman of Riversdale Mining, an ASX listed company with coal leases in Moatize, a region in Mozambique whence the horse takes it name. Mining for gold here. Amongst his 778 individual winners, Danehill Dancer has had a handful win at extreme distances. At black-type level the furthest is the 2600m G3 won by Danebar in Adelaide. Moatize shares with Anna Pavlova and Arapaho Miss success over 2500m, then it’s Lorne Dancer and Ice Queen at 2400m. But none of those has the Zabeel turbo boost. If Bart and Clare win they’ll raise the roof

Handsome Is As Handsome Does

Whobegotyou appeared not to stay the 2500m of the Victoria Derby and was comprehensively defeated by longshot Rebel Raider, with unlucky Pre Eminence third. But he’s a fine horse Whobegotyou, he's had a splendid campaign and his day will come again.

Perhaps in years to come we will be saying of Reset (pictured) what I have felt about his sire Zabeel – back them all at 2000m and beyond, and double the bet when the blinkers go on (as they did with Rebel Raider on Saturday!!). Wish I had thought about that before 3 p.m.

Talk around the traps had tagged Reset a ‘failure’ even before his first crop turned two, eighteen months ago, an opinion which dumbfounded me with its stupidity. Then I remembered I was in Australia where the smarties believe they can pick a sire in the breaker’s lungeing ring. Much the same opinion was held of Zabeel when his first crop went into training in Australia, though no one can be found who will own up to it. The feedback from the east coast was so negative that some original Zabeel shareholders bailed out prematurely, the rationale being that if that’s what the market thinks then the sooner you get your money out the better.

Reset is a long way off being an unqualified success, but his oldest crop are barely three years old in real time so what chance has he had? Reset himself had not even had a race by November of his three-year-old year, and he is by Zabeel – so I chuckle when would-be gurus of the game make these sorts of predictions.

Rebel Raider (ex G1-placed Picholine, by the emerging broodmare sire talent Dehere (USA)) was a lovely big yearling, no deprived first foal look about him. At Magic Millions 2007 I scored him a respectable 7.5, which is on my ‘buy’ line, and noted “looks a Zabeel type” – well, he sure did winning that Derby on Saturday. Rebel Raider may be the highest-rated winner doubly-bred to Sir Tristram, in his case 3m x 4m. I’ve watched doubling up to Sir Tristram with interest, it’s been tried often, especially in NZ, and the results have left me fairly cold. But now it’s getting back into the fourth remove it might be more effective, or less damaging, whichever way you want to look at it. Rebel Raider is distantly related to A Little Kiss, an amazingly tough filly trained by T J Smith who ran second in the Wakeful Stakes on this day 19 years ago.

Queensland Derby placegetter Moatize finally got his name in lights beating a second-rate bunch of handicappers in the G3 Saab Quality. Presumably he’ll be in the Cup on Tuesday and conventional wisdom would give him zero chance of getting a strong 3200m – even though Bart trains him – as he’s by Danehill Dancer (Ire). But wait, there's more – his dam’s by Zabeel! She won up to 2050m and was herself second in a Cup – at Waipukurau. Talking of Danehill Dancer, I thought one of my favourites, Kimillsy, was a good thing beaten in the Wakeful Stakes. Can she get the 2500m of the Oaks next Thursday? On physique, yes. On pedigree? Danehill Dancer sired the winner of last year’s restricted edition, Arapaho Miss, and her dam, a winner up to 2000m, is by Snippets, more regarded for speed. You wouldn’t think it's a convincing Oaks-winning formula, especially against the Zabeel factor – Samantha Miss - but funnier things have happened.

In contrast to Rebel Raider, Rocha (Encosta de Lago-Larrocha, by Danehill (USA)) was not an inspiring first foal but on pedigree alone she made $400,000 at the 2007 Sydney Easter Yearling Sale. Swettenham Stud had placed a $500,000 reserve on her but passed her in after bidding her up to $475,000. The sale was negotiated back at the boxes. She was a neat and compact filly but her legs went every which way. Her NZ owner, 64-year-old Terry Jarvis, with his agent Michael Otto, sniff around the sales for value fillies with strong pedigrees, often giving away a bit of conformation, and such was Rocha whose dam won the G1 S.A. Oaks and whose grandam Kensington Gardens (NZ) left five stakeswinners by Danehill. Jarvis was a useful right-hander for NZ when they had a pretty good team, playing 13 tests. In 1972, he and Glenn Turner made an opening stand of 387 against West Indies. Terry was also a pay-TV pioneer in NZ and a one-time stud owner (The Oaks). Hill Of Grace (NZ) is probably the best he’s raced.

It was probably only because of indifferent front leg conformation that Gai Waterhouse didn't end up training Reset. She was given to train the full brother before him, So Assertive (a raging bull until he was castrated as a late two-year-old, after which he became a good quality racehorse) and paid $1.3 million for the half-brother after him, Assertive Choice (died at three). The Graeme Rogerson/Lloyd Williams team bought the piggy-in-the-middle, Reset, for $190,000. An immature November foal, he had light bone and upright pasterns and was a bit jointy but he was very strong through the middle. Zabeel had 92 yearlings sell that year, 2002, and Reset was $10,000 under the average price. Graeme Rogerson signed for 20 of them.

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Quarter of a million bucks. Group 3 status. Just six two-year-olds. That’s all they could get for the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington. With ‘big’ owners now reluctant to expose their costly, pampered two-year-olds early, there’s a more compelling case to demote this over-rated race than any case which can be mounted to tamper with the Victoria Derby. And what about four three-year-olds lining up for 70 grand in Sydney? Between Saturday 1st and up to and including Melbourne Cup Day Tuesday 4th there are 86 race meetings in Australia. To be fair, half these ‘meetings’ have little to do with good racing opportunities, they’re just an excuse to take Tuesday off and get pissed.

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Good on you, Gai, Two G1 winners on Derby Day, Northern Meteor and Theseo, both of whom featured in this blog recently. One owned by a billionaire, the other by ten average Joes (with apologies to John McCain and the plumber).

In the excitement of the moment Gai can be forgiven in her post-race TV interview for crediting Secret Savings instead of Danewin for siring Theseo. At least she got the stud right!

I reckon few winners give Gai greater pleasure than those in Melbourne. I was with her for several of those years she had to endure a pasting from a baying Melbourne media mob (one or two cretins in particular) which reached a frenzied peak with the disgraceful treatment meted out over Platinum Scissors exactly six years ago this week. I was with her in Melbourne right through that week and was sitting next to her on the Wednesday when she first spoke to vet Percy Sykes about her concern with the colt, so I know the circumstances and the chronology. Sections of the press were determined to weave a web of conspiracy where none existed, their attitude in my opinion fuelled by pathetic sexism, the Melbourne/Sydney enmity and the long-festering Melbourne antipathy to the name Waterhouse.

So most Derby Days, Gai rubs their noses in it. I call it Gambling Man’s revenge. Give her the right horse and there is simply no better trainer in Australia, supported as she is by her proud, loyal and long-serving staff. Her figures over a long period of time prove it.

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Four classier-looking colts you wouldn’t find than those which dominated the G1 Coolmore – Northern Meteor, Fist Of Fury, All American and Von Costa de Hero – and not a drop of Danehill in sight! What a tragedy to see Wilander and Tindal come out of the race at the barrier. The contest was much the weaker for it. And keeping on the subject of good lookers, of the opposite sex, the Miss Universe of the G1 Myer Classic field, Forensics (Flying Spur-Prove It, by Dehere (USA)) was a class above them. Again, scratchings materially weakened the field, this was not a vintage G1, but take nothing away from Forensics, she has always been right at the top of the class. I love G1 form in G1 races and apart from the South African Dane Julia, Forensics was the only G1 winner in the field. And what about two G1 winners on the day for Dehere mares, coming on top of Midnight Lute’s second G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint last weekend? Dehere is young as far as broodmare sires go but he’s putting together quite a serious record, already 26 stakeswinners out of his daughters worldwide.

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By how far Wanted? Try 1.3 lengths. He looked in real trouble at the top of the straight. The penny didn’t drop until the last 100m. Nice horse.

Why Make It A Race For Plodders?

Every year as the Melbourne Cup rolls around there's rumblings about overseas visiting horses taking up places in the field which might otherwise be filled by locals. Bart, who has won the race so often it should be called the Cummings Cup by now, makes it his cause celebre. It must be a while since he's won it. Of course he and others know full well that the second-rate imports basically have our measure barring accidents.

So I ask the question, what locals are they depriving of starts?

Imagine the quality of this year's Cup field if the 8 or 9 visitors going to the post were replaced by 8 or 9 locals who thus far haven't proved good enough to get in on merit?

Thank heaven for overseas participation (and that's even without the Japanese). "Australia's greatest race" would be descending into utter mediocrity without them. Those who espouse restrictions are thinking of themselves rather than having the quality of the race at heart.

It's just a handicap. Resist any attempts to restrict free and fair access to the field. Let overseas interests cart off the lion's share of the prizemoney every year until we locals get so fed up we change the distance to 2000m. Either that or we put greater emphasis long-term into programming which positively promotes the preservation of stamina in this part of the world. There's no chance of that happening, incidentally, if commercial breeders run racing.

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Four three-year-olds compete for 70 grand at Rosehill on Saturday. Hard to believe, isn't it?

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Wanted in the two-year-old race. By how far?

Hit The Self-Destruct Button

Because I seldom get anything right I have few opportunities to say "I told you so". But if you read my blog of 15 July, Conspiracy Theories Are Generally Just That, then you won't be dismayed by the unedifying demise of the process put in place via a parliamentary bill to appoint a new Board of RacingNSW.

It was a flawed, not to mention costly, process, unlikely to succeed virtually from the start. It is an indictment that in a critical hour of need the industry couldn't negotiate an outcome without fear or favour.

So now the peak body will be run by a Board foisted upon the industry by a politician. Like it or lump it. With a serious reduction in the flow of funds to NSW racing appearing a strong likelihood, not to mention macro-economic conditions, we are in very challenging times.

Another Barrier Broken

I don’t read newspapers often enough unless I’m killing time at McDonald’s, in which case it’s the Daily Telegraph which is about as informative as the table napkin, only better illustrated. So my news may have hit the press but excuse me if I didn’t see it.

Not that it’s anywhere near as important as where Sarah Palin’s panties and bras are purchased and how much they cost, and other world-shaping events like that, but in the tiny, insignificant world of horse racing and breeding it’s important enough.

The first repatriation of horses from Macau to Australia occurred just a few weeks ago.

Quarantine protocols and plain obstinate human unhelpfulness deemed in the past that once your horse hit Macau it had arrived at the ultimate equine black hole. However, necessity has once again proven the mother of invention.

A Victorian breeder was persuaded some years ago to allow her useful racemare to go to Macau for easier racing opportunities. Coming off fair Sydney form, the mare unfortunately proved legless in eight starts up there, not adjusting to the conditions. In the cause of animal compassion, attempts to bring the mare back to a good home in Australia proved fruitless for two years.

The cause became even more worthy when, all of a sudden, said mare became a half-sister to a sexy young G1 winner, now standing its first season at stud in Australia.

With some introductions to the right people etc etc etc ... get the picture? ... some shoulder was applied to the wheel during winter and, wouldn’t you know it, a way was found to accommodate the will. A pallet was put together to bring the mare and two others back home, at much expense let it be said. The mare is now visiting Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire).

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A breeder colleague became a proud ‘father’ a couple of days ago (a colt foal) and exercised his bragging rights by emailing me a 55 second video of the newlyborn, asking for my comments. The captioned and musically enhanced video is part of client service provided by Eliza Park and I think it’s an impressive touch, using today’s technology to good advantage.

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The results from the Inglis Breeze Up & Racehorse Sale in Melbourne look a bit chilling. But the real test will come at the Gold Coast this week. There are some big numbers trying to be recouped up there. Hold your breath.

Northern Dancer Done And Dusted

The expanded two-day Breeders’ Cup extravaganza at Santa Anita has come and gone.

There was controversy over the synthetic Pro-Ride track surface which Curlin’s trainer asserted was tantamount to turf and contributed to his champion's disappointing, modest fourth in the Classic. And there was a very positive showing by the European based runners.

The two Breeders’ Cup championship days now embrace 14 events worth US$25.5 million, broken down into just about every division imaginable; silly really. It’s no more a world championship than I am Harry Houdini but John Gaines’s brainchild has stood the test of time for a quarter-century as a showcase of many of the greatest horses of our era.

The most dramatic outcome of the meeting this year was the obliteration of the Northern Dancer male line from the winners’ circle.

It was responsible for just two of the 14 winners. The Mr Prospector line, on the other hand, came up with eight.

Is this the beginning of the end up north?

The remaining four winners came from the Mill Reef, Tudor Minstrel, Seattle Slew and Ribot male lines.

Here’s a brief summary:.

Breeders’ Cup Classic, 2000m: Raven’s Pass, English-based 3c by Elusive Quality (USA) out of a Lord At War mare. Darley’s shuttler Elusive Quality has been an expensive failure in Australia so far. Three stakeswinners in his first local crop (now 4YO), total progeny earnings just under $2 million, or equivalent to about 20 of his first year service fees. Still has time to redeem himself, perhaps; may be just a dirt sire or too old when he first got here. They asked US$75,000 for him this year at Darley Kentucky and probably got it; hands up if you're paying $82,500 at Darley Aberdeen this season. I can't see any hands.

Breeders’ Cup Turf, 2400m: Conduit, English-based 3c by Dalakhani out of a Sadler’s Wells mare. The high quality English St Leger winner transferred his form to the USA. From the first crop of his Aga Khan bred and owned sire, a champion by Darshaan (Shirley Heights-Mill Reef). This sire looks highly promising; he also has an Oaks winner in his first crop. I've written about him previously on the blog.

Breeders’ Cup Mile, 1600m: French-based Goldikova, 3f by Anabaa (USA) out of a Blushing Groom mare. One-time wobbler and champion sprinter, ageing Anabaa finished his shuttle run to Widden last year but he has been one of the more consistent successes in the role with 19 Australian-bred stakeswinners so far and a 70% winners-to-runners strike. None of the stakeswinners are out of Blushing Groom-line mares. Seeing out his days in France after strangely doing a season in the USA.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, 1600m: Midshipman, 2c by Unbridled’s Song (USA) out of an Avenue Of Flags (Seattle Slew) mare. Winner of this race himself after famously failing the yearling sale x-rays, Unbridled’s Song, a big son of Unbridled, shuttled to Arrowfield for three seasons up to 1999, serving an average book of 75 mares. Got a passable 10 stakeswinners from those crops and 78% winners-to-runners, but not a lot of class amongst them. Being a big, strong grey, there should be some nice clerks-of-the-course horses by him. Stood for US$150,000 in 2008.

Breeders’ Cup Sprint, 1200m: Midnight Lute, 4h by Real Quiet (USA) (pictured above) out of a Dehere (USA) mare. The first back-to-back winner of this race. Another to shuttle for three seasons, to Vinery, Real Quiet was a fabulous racehorse but a poor specimen – he wasn’t called ‘The Fish’ for nothing. Look at him front-on. Under 50% winners-to-runners and three little stakeswinners, he was despised by Australian breeders, his biggest book being 70 mares. These days you find him in Pennsylvania at US$10,000, where he has some cred. His main Australian earner Tommifrancs is his ninth highest earner worldwide. Well named.

Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic, 1800m: Zenyatta, 4m by Street Cry (USA) out of a Kris S. mare. An unbeaten champion mare, perhaps as good as any horse in North America. Sire Street Cry shuttled for four years to Darley but hasn’t returned since 2006. His plainish stock looked like horses which would take time (and they do) and although he averaged just over 100 mares a season whilst here the declining local enthusiasm level versus the northern hemisphere demand saw him stay stateside where he stood for US$100,000 in 2008. Has a growing list of truly superior horses and obviously is a serious sire. Had an unlikely background himself for a dirt performer and was possibly being stigmatised as “another dirt sire” at the end of his shuttle duty here. I’ve always maintained Machiavellian would make a big contribution eventually. (Street Cry's fee raised to US$150,000 for 2009).

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, 1300m: Desert Code, 4h by E Dubai (USA) from a Lost Code mare. Ye gods! E Dubai! Another who came on a Darley shuttle: not a single stakesplacegetter in Australia so far in his first two crops (oldest 4YO) and only one horse which has earned more than $30,000 - his progeny may have been held up by EI?. Served an average of 85 mares a season (which seems regrettable at this point) but was a lost cause and not foisted upon us again this season. US$15,000 at Darley, Kentucky.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, 1600m: Donativum, 2g by Cadeaux Genereux from a Warning mare. An English invader by a never-shuttled old timer who got this gelding when he was 20 years old. Represents a dying branch of the Tudor Minstrel line of Hyperion. Cadeaux Genereux has had 58 stakeswinners.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, 1700m: Stardom Bound, 2f by Tapit (grandson of A P Indy, out of an Unbridled three-quarter sister to the disappointing sire Rubiano). Stardom Bound’s dam is by the very obscure Tarr Road, by Grey Dawn II. A G1 winner at three, Tapit is quite an attractive-looking grey son of Pulpit standing for US$12,500 at Gainesway and Stardom Bound belongs to his first crop. Another of his fillies was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Maybe one to watch.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, 1600m: Maram, 2f by Sahm (Mr Prospector-Salsabil) out of a mare by Quest For Fame (GB). Sahm stood at Shadwell Farm in Kentucky. He was a US$5,000 fee stallion in 2007 but died in March of that year aged 13. Modestly patronized, he has sired 13 stakeswinners to this point.

Breeders’ Cup Marathon, 2400m: Muhannak, 4g by Chester House out of a Forzando mare.
Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares Sprint, 1400m: Ventura, 4m by Chester House out of a Be My Guest mare.
A feature double for this prematurely deceased son of Mr Prospector-Toussaud, by El Gran Senor, thus a half-brother to Empire Maker. Muhannak was bred in Ireland and is raced by Australian Richard Pegum. Ventura is American-bred. The majority of Chester House’s progeny raced in North America with reasonably good turf aptitude; he left 25 stakeswinners in three crops so his early demise is shaping as quite a blow.

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, 1600m: Albertus Maximus, 4h by Albert The Great, the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup winning son of Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin, out of a mare by Forty Niner. Albert The Great stands in Pennsylvania at just US$4,000 but that may be on the way north as he is also responsible for one other very capable horse in Nobiz Like Shobiz, winner of $1.5 million. Albert The Great is 11 years old and represents the declining Ribot male line through His Majesty.

Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares Turf, 2000m: Forever Together, 4m by Belong To Me (USA) from a Relaunch mare. Now 19, Belong To Me rose from humble New York origins to do a steady but unspectacular job on both sides of the equator. He shuttled to Widden for seven seasons (missed 1999) but was never screamingly popular, averaging around 75 mares a season. He has left 10 stakeswinners from his Australian seasons, the best of them Bon Hoffa, Beauty Watch, Proprietor and Bulla Borghese. He’s seeing out his days at Lane’s End in Kentucky, currently standing at US$12,500.

The Breeders' Cup Inc. is not an organisation which lets the grass grow under its feet. On its website already it has a clock widget counting down the days, hours and minutes to the 2009 Breeders' Cup meeting at Santa Anita (6 & 7 November).

A Few Moments Of Fame

Though he’s not a big wheez in the sire business, Quest For Fame (GB) nevertheless notched a significant achievement on Saturday.

He is the sire of Sea Battle (pictured), winner of the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley, damsire of Hollows (by Thorn Park), winner of NZ’s first two-year-old stakes of the season, the Wellesley Stakes, and damsire of Maram (by Sahm, son of Mr Prospector), winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

The one-time Juddmonte/Woodlands shuttler, now Darley senior citizen at their Cootamundra property, 21-year-old Quest For Fame has sired 38 stakeswinners worldwide, 31 of them in Australia. As a broodmare sire his figures are promising if not extraordinary, with 14 stakeswinners out of his daughters, representing 3.7% of starters to date. The horse is these days a tiny cog in the massive Dubai machine which experienced a few moments to savour at the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Santa Anita over the weekend. I wonder if Sheikh Mohammed knows he owns him?

The English Derby winner of 1990 and twice Breeders’ Cup Turf third placegetter, Quest For Fame has never been the height of fashion. His stout turf form on top of a dodgy set of front legs saw him enter stud in 1993 at a face value generous fee of $10,000. No one in Australia, of course, really wanted to breed to a marathon runner who mightn’t produce picture-perfect sale yearlings. His career peak fee grew to around $30,000 and he’s back down to $10,000 today for those who are interested.

In his first three seasons at Woodlands QFF served 67, 44 and 49. Ouch. Then when his first results started to roll, out came the risk-averse breeders, solidly backed by Woodlands’s numbers, giving the horse between 100 to 130 mares for the next seven seasons. Over that mid-career hump, his support in the last five years has dwindled to the point where he got only 22 in 2007 (possibly affected by EI restrictions).

I’ve always considered Quest For Fame a prepotent influence for poor front leg conformation, frequently light of bone and offset. There’s even a noticeable incidence in his second generation stock. This goes to explain his relatively modest career yearling sale average of about $55,000. By far and away the highest price ever paid for a QFF yearling was NZ$750,000 at Karaka in 2004, generated by the Pencarrow Stud/vendor – Rob McAnulty/purchaser combination, the horse in question becoming De Beers, winner of two from 21 including the G1 Rosehill Guineas.

As he went through a two-year-old sale which I did not attend, for just $15,000, Sea Battle doesn’t read like a sale ring standout. He was catalogued in Melbourne Premier as a yearling but didn’t make it. He is one of six stakeswinners bred on the QFF/Danehill cross, the first and most fondly remembered being the G1 filly Unworldly. The first half of Sea Battle’s career was spent in Sydney with Guy Walter but as he has matured he has grown a leg with Mark Kavanagh. Significantly, he is still an entire so somewhere, sometime a stud career beckons.

Sea Battle’s part-owner Peter Parker, an Australian, was a near-neighbour of mine in Matamata during the ‘80s but he is back on this side of the ditch these days. His involvement in breeding in NZ was not without controversy. He has raced some good horses in the past – Saxon Slew and Runyon are two I seem to recall.

All Over In The Blinkering Of An Eye

Take your pick, call it yin and yang, feng shui, karma or just plain coincidence. There are some strong connecting lines between the main players in today’s W S Cox Plate result.

Maldivian (NZ) and his connections reaped sweet reward for the cruel circumstances which forced his withdrawal at the barrier in the 2007 Caulfield Cup for which he was a raging hot favourite.

After his second start this preparation, I wrote in my blog of 13 September: I can’t help being impressed also by Maldivian (6g Zabeel-Shynzi, by Danzig). I’m aware he was only fourth as an odds-on favourite but he has raced with plenty of vim and vigour. Fact remains that at distances of 2000m and further, Big Mal has raced five times, winning four and being defeated a half-neck in the other. I wish, at the start of his siring career, I had thought of the betting system of backing every Zabeel in every race of 2000m and longer … a licence to print money. But I wasn’t that clever or born that lucky. Zabeel himself raced five times at 2000m or further and only won once, and even then by a mere half a head.

I should have added, “and when they put blinkers on a Zabeel, double your money”.

I lost some faith after Maldivian’s so-so run in the Caulfield Cup on 18 October, but on went the shades and out popped the real horse at Moonee Valley. Zabeels have always had a love affair with blinkers and with their help, at start number 26, Maldivian achieves his enduring place in history.

And as per my system I should have backed Maldivian – he's the only Zabeel in the race, and it’s over 2040m.

Maldivian is Zabeel’s fourth Cox Plate winner, after Savabeel, Might And Power and Octagonal. This surely won’t be the final chapter in the Zabeel saga, even though he’s now 22 years old – there are lots of little Zabeels going through the maturing process, waiting to write their own page in history. How much will we miss him when he’s gone! And what will replace him as the most reliable progenitor of class stamina in the southern hemisphere? Probably bloody nothing.

Zabeel himself ran in the Cox Plate of 1989, as it happens as three-year-old. He ran 28.3 lengths last behind the import Almaraad (GB). So here’s a little coincidence: his grand-daughter Samantha Miss endeavoured to be only the second three-year-old filly to win the Cox Plate. With her excellent third placing, she did much better than granddad. Zabeel has stood his career at Cambridge Stud whose proprietors Sir Patrick and Justine, Lady Hogan, bred Maldivian. And the only three-year-old filly to win the Cox Plate: Surround (by Sovereign Edition (Ire)). And who was the co-breeder and owner of Surround? Patrick Hogan.

Now consider Lloyd Williams. For the last decade Australia’s best unlicensed trainer has single-mindedly collected yearlings by Zabeel in his quest to win major Australian staying races. There was a huge payoff in 2007 when Efficient (NZ) won the Melbourne Cup. In 2008, Efficient again looks one of the few capable of footing it with the visitors.

Lloyd’s own horse Zipping (by Danehill (USA)) finishes second in the Cox Plate, looking up the backside of Maldivian, a Zabeel which slipped through Lloyd’s net, but only just.

The year before Maldivian went through the yearling sales ($195,000), Lloyd had bought his full brother ($200,000). Named Briefing (NZ), this horse won a maiden at the Gold Coast and a Class 1 at Bendigo in five starts before Lloyd culled him at a Melbourne auction, the then four-year-old gelding fetching $72,500. For the Zapellis at Colac, Briefing has raced 14 times for wins at Geelong and Hamilton (Victoria). He won his last start on 18 October and will take his celebrity pedigree to the Terang meeting on Sunday for an assault on the 1850m Ratings 68 handicap. After the Cox Plate, he may touch false odds!

The Lloyd Williams-Cambridge Stud connection was further played out at Moonee Valley via Millbank (NZ), winner of the Gr 3 1200m for three-year-olds, his third win in four starts.

Lloyd raced Millbank’s sire Keeper (by Danehill (USA)) who went to stud at Cambridge. Via his one-time trainer Graeme Rogerson, he acquired Millbank for NZ$64,000 at the select session of the Karaka yearling sales in 2007. He seems to have gone perilously close to quitting him because Millbank was catalogued for sale as a two-year-old in Melbourne just last autumn, only to be withdrawn. He must have put in a good gallop and saved his bacon!

Keeper is no Zabeel but he’s not a complete disaster, either. Millbank is his seventh individual stakeswinner in three mature crops. Keeper was placed in useful company as a two-year-old but went on to win seven of his 10 starts at three including Adelaide’s Gr 1 Goodwood Handicap over 1200m. Unusually distinguished by a pedigree containing His Majesty 3f x 3m, Keeper doesn’t get much precocity considering he’s a sprinting son of Danehill, but that’s likely due to his maternal grandsire Pleasant Colony, and probably explains why Australians haven’t been scrambling to buy his stock.

Another thread linking the Cox Plate principals is John Messara and Arrowfield Stud. Zabeel (bred by the late Robert Sangster) carries the Arrowfield brand slapped on him at Auckland's Ra Ora Stud when Arrowfield was in control of that nursery in the ‘80s. John Messara imported Zipping’s sire Danehill and stood him at the ‘original’ Arrowfield (now Coolmore) before the famous bust-up. And, of course, the ‘new’ Arrowfield is the home of Samantha Miss’ sire Redoute’s Choice, thus completing the trifecta.

This result proves stockbrokers can still make a positive contribution to humanity.

Maldivian’s dam Shynzi (USA) is an unraced daughter of Danzig and the very good Californian racemare Shywing, by Wing Out. After producing a foal in Ireland, she was imported to NZ by a partnership which included auctioneer and now NZ Bloodstock Ltd chairman Joe Walls. One year later (after producing a Last Tycoon (Ire) colt which must have been a spastic - it sold for NZ$1,250 as a two-year-old) Shynzi went through the ring at Karaka where Sir Patrick paid $250,000 for her, in foal to Tale Of The Cat (USA). The wheels fell off after Maldivian was foaled in 2002. The next four seasons saw two dead foals and two not serveds so she officially exited the Cambridge Stud fold and transferred to Rogie’s Dormello Stud where she got back on track in 2007 with a colt by Duelled.

The recent family form is almost exclusively West Coast USA, with a smattering of New Mexico thrown in for good measure. But dig deeper and there’s real gold – his eighth dam is Myrtlewood (Blue Larkspur-Frizeur), through her champion two-year-old daughter Durazna (by Bull Lea). Such luminaries as Seattle Slew, Mr Prospector and Typecast are amongst Myrtlewood’s descendants.

Myrtlewood was a distaff champion, winning 15 of her 22 races. Edward L Bowen wrote in his book Matriarchs that Myrtlewood “thrilled her fans with front-running flash”.

Does that have a familiar ring to it?

(Maldivian photo credit: John Donegan, The Age)

Where Is Lion Hunter When We Need Him?

Saturday’s Caulfield Cup continued the inexorable decline of the Australian-bred stayer, soon to be as commonplace as the mammoth.

We were routed by barely G3 standard Europeans and a good Kiwi. The best Aussie-bred was despised outsider Barbaricus – and I take nothing away from his gallant performance – by Danehill’s deceased sprinting son Lion Hunter (pictured). Only 12 of Lion Hunter’s 369 individual winners (3.25%) have won a race of any description beyond 1600m. Naturally enough, Barbaricus has some stamina on his female side and in fact belongs to the same extended family as Holy Orders (Ire) whose one unplaced run in Australia was 17th of 23 in the Melbourne Cup of 2003, the first of Makybe Diva’s three-peat.

In the 28 years since Ming Dynasty’s victory in 1980, only 10 Australian-breds have won the Caulfield Cup, and one of those was by default – Railings (by Zabeel) arrived here in utero.

It’s even worse, of course, in the Melbourne Cup. Just five Australian-breds have won in the same time period, the most recent being Bart’s last winner, Rogan Josh, in 1999.

For how long will Australian racing and breeding interests be content to see the lion’s share of $8 million worth of prizemoney go offshore annually, basically unchallenged.

Bring the races back to a mile!!

The Melbourne Cup 3200m record of 3:16.3 was set way back in 1990 by American-bred Kingston Rule and only Media Puzzle (USA) has remotely threatened the time since and nothing probably ever will now we are in the era of doctored tracks.

I got the shock of my life when talking this morning to Nom du Jeu’s trainer Murray Baker, already back home in NZ.

He tells me that an edict has recently been brought in over there whereby no barrier trial in future will be longer than 1200m.

So that’s what happens when the CEO of NZ Racing and the Chief Steward are both Australian!

They’re losing the plot over there – they may as well bring all their horses over to Sydney where the racing is becoming so homogeneous (especially with the one-way fast lane at Randwick on Saturday) that the city tracks bear an uncanny resemblance to Ruidoso Downs.

Longer barrier trials – some for jumpers as long as 2200m – have been available in NZ on a fairly regular basis for as long as I can remember and I’ve bemoaned the fact that there is never one in Sydney. As Murray said to me, what assistance and encouragement is there in the training of a stayer, where teaching horses to relax and breathe properly is paramount?

Murray Baker, now training in partnership with his son Bjorn (whose mother is Swedish), understands the calibre of horse required to compete in Australia and when he occasionally finds one in his care he’s not frightened to have a go. Over the years he’s been noticeably successful and in Nom du Jeu he has a top class staying colt who is one of the few with any chance of stemming the import tide in the Melbourne Cup. His Caulfield performance was fantastic. Frighteningly, Murray says Nom du Jeu will be better next year. He might be one stayer worthy of taking on a wider international jaunt, getting back to the days when Balmerino, Strawberry Road, Ring The Bell, Sir Silver Lad etc. strutted their stuff in Europe.

Around 1979-80, I had an interest in a filly which the partners placed in training with Murray. He hadn’t been training very long at that stage and his stables were in godforsaken Woodville, a damp place God never wanted anyone to make into a training centre as you had to wind your way through a tortuous gorge from Palmerston North just to find it. The filly was by an evil sire named Barcas (USA), son of Sailor. She was a dud.

Maybe the only Australians pleased about All The Good’s Caulfield Cup win, apart from bookmakers and the McEvoy family, were the crew at Blue Gum Farm in Victoria. Their first season sire Strategic Prince (GB) (by Dansili) is out of a three-quarter sister to All The Good. I wouldn’t mind betting Blue Gum will be sending out all-points bulletins reminding people that, unlike All The Good, Strategic Prince isn’t tainted with so much as an ounce of stamina in his body, that seven furlongs (1400m) was as far as he liked to go. Which is a surprise: his sire was a miler, his dam won an Oaks Trial and her sister won the English, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks and was second in the St Leger.

Like a Lion Hunter in the Caulfield Cup, you never can tell with breeding. That’s what keeps sucking us in.

Done Enough Already

Right now, the Encosta de Lago three-year-old Northern Meteor (pictured) must be the most serious stallion prospect in Australia. Ahead of even the likes of Sebring, Von Costa de Hero, Time Thief et al.

How many good horses down the years have trodden the turf at Randwick over 1200m and at Canterbury over 1250m? Northern Meteor has now run faster than any of them in what is essentially a two start career since he got on top of the ground and had blinkers applied.

He has beaten no champions on either occasion, that's for sure (my little buy Geared Up was best of the others today at Randwick) but the times are in the book.

His career could stop right now and that would scarcely lessen his credentials (Danzig and Red Ransom (USA) only had three starts each, winning five of the six). His speed should be bottled.

He’s a big, imposing individual as you might expect from a horse bred on his cross. Oozes power and masculinity. And what about the pedigree? First two dams by Fappiano and Forli, the grandam Scuff being a blood sister to Special (think Nureyev, Sadler’s Wells etc), the colt being linebred to these genetic siblings. Hard to knock that package, I’d take a chance with him!

Andrew Baddock’s phone at Gooree Park Stud will be ringing off the wall.

I draw some similarities with O’Reilly (NZ) who had just a six-start career. Like Northern Meteor unraced at two, he won his first four straight including 1000m in 56.32 secs, a G1 3YO 1600m at his third start and a G1 all-age 1200m at his fourth start in 1:07.36, by 2.8 lengths. A month later he was at Flemington where he finished second to Mouawad in the G1 Australian Guineas (Gooree Stud-bred King Ivor was fourth) then he broke down and failed to finish as favourite in the G1 Newmarket Handicap.

P.S. In a small touch of irony, it was a John Hawkes trainee Ab Initio (by Spectacular Spy) whose name Northern Meteor erased from the Randwick record book. John trained Northern Meteor for his first two starts before his transfer, along with all the Gooree horses, to Gai Waterhouse.

You Asked For It

It’s never been the intention to turn the blog into a form guide but to requests from my readers in Tashkent, Hanoi, Madrid, Dusseldorf and Johnstown, Pennsylvania, I give my impressions of this Saturday's Caulfield Cup (this post will be removed after the running of the race so that I am not embarrassed in perpetuity) –

Weekend Hussler (by Hussonet): love him as we do, but still hard for me to come into him after a six lengths tiring defeat at WFA at his most recent start. Can get the trip on his dam’s side and if he is a champion he will overcome the Hussonet distance limitation and the weight turnaround. The moderate pace may help him but he doesn’t give me any confidence.

Maldivian (NZ) (by Zabeel): the golden rule is ‘back every Zabeel in races 2000m and longer’, so on that basis alone you can’t dismiss him. He hasn’t found the line in any of his five races this preparation and a couple of gear changes have been made to help him – or in desperation. In last year’s EI Group 1-Restricted Caulfield Cup he went to the barrier almost even money and we shouldn’t forget that. He’s not going as well, and his wide gate forces his hand tactically, but I think at Caulfield his running style puts him in the picture and he will beat more than beat him.

Master O’Reilly (NZ) (by O’Reilly) (pictured): The key fact is his near-perfect record at the 2400m+ distance range. Won the race last year with 1 kg above the minimum, this year he carries 5 kgs above, and let's face it, last year's edition was a total farce. His preparation has a sense of timing about it, he’s third-up here and this breed is happiest when their racing diet is light. Hard to imagine him out of the frame, wieght and all.

Fiumicino (NZ) (by Zabeel): being by Zabeel he goes into the multiples automatically but other than that there isn’t a form reference to recommend him. Doesn’t look particularly well weighted. Has a fine ‘Cups’ heritage but I have to risk him.

Kibbutz (NZ) (by Golan): scratched

Nom du Jeu (NZ) (by Montjeu): High class animal having to contend with gate 20 minus scratchings. Appears to have come back well at four though reportedly knocked by the effects of vaccination en route to Melbourne. Stays every step of the distance. Will go back and be ridden for luck, a bit harder to get at Caulfield than at Randwick. I feel he has a class edge on most of these and I will be keeping him very safe.

Mad Rush (USA) (by Lemon Drop Kid): How do you measure these horses? By the sex appeal of their assistant trainers? Other than the professional respect his connections undoubtedly deserve, it’s hard to make a cogent case for him other than D Oliver has climbed aboard, he comes down in weight, and in the past some pretty moderate imports have stood up in these races. I don’t know why the Caulfield Cup has to be his first stakes win, so I have to let him run against me.

All The Good (Ire) (by Diesis): most of my comments from the above apply. His win in the modified Ebor Handicap (the Newburgh run over 2700m this year at Newbury) suggests Melbourne Cup to me. As a three-quarter brother to triple Oaks champion Ramruma he has the pedigree, but what Godolphin horse hasn’t?

Douro Valley (by Encosta de Lago): Fit, in form, well drawn and second last year. Persuasive factors. He also carries considerably less weight than in any of his past five starts. Undoubtedly, he will be the horse pouring on the pressure from the 800m trying to put his rivals to the sword. He is a terrific example of all-too-rare durability and longevity and there’s little between him and Maldivian on form. My only wish is that the Caulfield Cup isn’t won by a horse having its 49th start with just eight wins but I don’t know how you can keep him out of the dogfight.

Ice Chariot (by Chariot): This is a very good horse, just unfashionable. His lead-up form has been fine; in fact his third placing in the Shannon Quality two starts back saw him return one of the highest ratings of his career. His last win was on this track 13 months ago but he is probably best remembered for his complete no-shows in the Caulfield Cup-Saab-Melbourne Cup races of 2006. A horse that cannot make its own luck but nonetheless he is entitled to much better than a bolter’s chance on a good track; he’s stout-hearted.

Viewed (by Scenic): Goes in with just two runs under his belt. Routed his rivals in the G2 Brisbane Cup on a heavy track back in June, but Fulmonti, Sky Biscuit and Scenic Shot were the ones chasing him home. I’m aware he has a certain aura about him and he has looked good in lower grades but I’m not in his corner.

Littorio (by Bellotto): The reasons he has won only 2 of his 14 starts are that he has to lump around his maturing 17.2 hands frame and cannot make any of his own luck in running. But he’s a terrific grinding stayer with the right form lines. Has to weigh in somewhere.

Red Ruler (NZ) (by Viking Ruler): Good class four-year-old whose second placings in the AJC Derby and Kelt Capital Stakes (two weeks ago) give him legitimate credentials. Some contention that the 1 gate won’t suit him but Corey Brown is at the top of his game and he’ll be looking for an out early in the piece. As long as the track is in the good-dead range he can act effectively. May have traffic issues but good enough to run into it.

Boundless (NZ) (by Van Nistelrooy): Figures to get the perfect run and is fourth-up. Nom du Jeu and Red Ruler ran her down narrowly in the Kelt but she is good at this trip, Caulfield suits, and this team know how to travel a winner. To think a Van Nistelrooy could win a Caulfield Cup you’d have to have rocks in your head but she gets everything from her mother’s side – Star Way, Sir Tristram, Zamazaan. Historical oddity: shares the same name as the Group-winning full brother to the outstanding NZ-bred Cadiz (Targui-Infinity) winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup in 1963. The former Boundless’ best win came at 2400m.

Dolphin Jo (by Dolphin Street): Breeding oddity inasmuch as his five wins have been from 2200m to 2800m, yet he is by a sprinter-miler out of a grand-daughter of Without Fear. But he has Sobig and Better Boy lurking in the depths of his pedigree and shares the same fourth dam as Miss Badoura who upset the applecart at Caulfield last week. An admirable campaigner in career-best form but just misses out on a class basis.

Riva San (by Any Given Sunday): Last season’s Queensland Oaks and Derby winner who also won twice as a two-year-old. One of those horses that pops out of nowhere – by an unraced son of Sunday Silence and she’s the only stakes performer in the first four removes of her family – commercial breeders just love those G1 winners but they would tell you that as it’s over 2400m it doesn’t matter anyway, unless it's one of theirs! Should have won her last start at Randwick over 2000m and looks to be peaking. I have great respect for this yard.

Zagreb (by Zabeel): By Zabeel, so include. Glen Boss, so include. David Hayes, so include. Young stayer on his way to something really significant and there’s been money to suggest this could be the start of it, though he didn’t fire in the Turnbull. May need some luck in running but has a miracle-worker on board whose lust for G1 wins is legendary. People aren’t buying so many flatscreen TVs these days so Gerry needs the money and it wouldn’t surprise me if he gets some here.

Guillotine (NZ) (by Montjeu): Four-year-old half-brother to Melbourne Cup winner Efficient and highly capable in his own right though he’s got the Montjeu fizziness which needs harnessing and he’s yet to win beyond 1900m. I thought his win over 1600m three starts back was absolutely outstanding. The horse was always going to mature into something which has been fortuitous for David Hayes who has had him for just this preparation. The big question is, where will he be in the run from his outside gate? I just question whether he’s got the mental tractability for a race of this pressure; he has the physical ability.

Barbaricus (by Lion Hunter): If he wins, they should make the race Group 3. Can’t think of any reason why he should.

Newport (by Encosta de Lago): As a Brisbane Cup and Metropolitan winner he looks unlucky not to have made the field. Has an excellent record at 2400m but needs a scratching to get in.

Red Lord (by Redoute’s Choice): Has gone like a bomb in Sydney this spring but this is a big step up in class even if he did get a start.

My selections:

1. Boundless (NZ)
2. Master O’Reilly (NZ)
3. Nom du Jeu (NZ)
4. Douro Valley

Best bolter: Ice Chariot.

There’s no bias evident, is there?

A Breeding Machine

Might this be some sort of record?

Club Liquid, winner of the Listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup in South Australia yesterday, is the 17th foal of his dam Dame Ivor (USA).

Now, the Murray Bridge Gold Cup is not exactly the Caulfield Cup, but has there ever been a stakeswinner in this part of the world who was a 17th foal?

I recall Malcolm (Snippets-Finneto) was a 15th foal? But a 17th foal? Credit must go to his breeder, Mr J Lejejs of South Australia.

Club Liquid, a five-year-old gelding by Fasliyev (USA), also won the Darwin Cup earlier in the season.

He has a pedigree deeper than the Mariana Trench. His unraced dam Dame Ivor (USA) bred two stakeswinners prior to her arrival in Australia in 1996. She is a three-quarter sister to Bates Motel, Optimistic Gal and Super Asset as well as a half-sister to four stakeswinners. Contemporary international members of the family include Magna Graduate (US$2.5 million earner, pictured above), Exciting Story (G1), Aries Diamond (G1) and Our Faye (G3 in 2008).

Dame Ivor (USA) was retired as a 23-year-old after producing Club Liquid in 2003. She produced her first 15 foals without missing a year.

A House Of Cards

A cheeky little email received the other day from Emma Candy in England gave me cause to notice that her trainer father, Henry, has another smart galloper on his hands in the form of Amour Propre (2c Paris House (GB)-Miss Prim, by Case Law).

Just to set the scene for those of you who may be unfamiliar, Emma Candy came out from England to be Gai Waterhouse’s assistant trainer for two years, prior to the incumbent Tania Rouse. Like most guys who cross her path, I’m in love with Emma, so let's get that off my chest here and now and move on with the rest of the story.

Henry Candy has been training for decades and I can’t catalogue all the good horses he might have had, but the outstanding mare Time Charter (the only good horse sired by Saritamer) was a wonderful performer in the first half of the ‘80s, earning a 131 Timeform. This decade, he has sent out the brilliant filly Airwave (Choisir’s rival by little-remembered shuttler Air Express (Ire), sire of the dam of recent Breeders’ Plate winner Real Saga) and the G1 sprinter Kyllachy (by Pivotal) who has made a good start at stud in England.

When Emma’s time was up at Gai’s she returned to England and for a time assisted her father but then moved to the Newmarket yard of James Fanshawe where she has put the polish on many a good one.

While on holiday in England a few years ago I was kindly invited to visit the Candy stables near the market town of Wantage (pictured) in bucolic Oxfordshire. With a population of about 10,000, Wantage is just down the road from the famous White Horse of the Vale and is claimed as the birthplace of King Alfred The Great and is also where Lester Piggott did his schooling. It’s horse country supreme. The Candy gallops appeared to be set in about 4,000 acres of farmland, much of it used for cropping. The gallops seemed to begin over the horizon then the horses would appear as dots about five furlongs in the distance and gallop straight towards us as we stood at the top of the gallop. A lasting memory is the sight of Henry Candy on a clear English summer’s morning, surrounded by his five magnificent, doting black Labradors, clocking his gallopers in at this majestic spot. Oh, Emma was there, too.

Back to Amour Propre, the two-year-old which has won three of his four career starts including the G3 Ascot Cornwallis Stakes at his most recent start, 11 October. Incredibly, Henry Candy plucked him out of a Doncaster yearling sale in 2007 for just 1,500 guineas. There were only four yearlings by his sire sold last year, and the dearest was 2,200 guineas! Amour Propre has a reasonably close relationship to the top flight sprinter Cape Of Good Hope (GB) who won the G1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on one of his three visits to Australia.

Amour Propre is by Paris House (GB), foaled in 1989, who I thought I’d never hear of again and I really don’t know whether he’s still alive. But I have to take the brunt of the blame for shuttling him to NZ for three seasons, 1994 to 1996, at Haunui Farm; it was basically my idea. Because he had an offbeat pedigree, the sireline especially, he was never popular, leaving just 134 live foals from those three seasons.

Just as well he wasn’t more popular as he turned out to be a poor sire and we don’t need them watering down the breed. Although 55 of his 87 starters won, there was just one stakeswinner and one stakes-placegetter amongst them. Only four of his progeny won $50,000 or more. A disaster.

Oddly, he has performed much better as a broodmare sire which is hard to fathom because he’s not even a well-bred failure. His NZ daughters have left six stakeswinners including Paris Petard, Moodometer, Ticklish and Solvini.

Named for a famous restaurant in Woburn Park in Bedfordshire, the grey Paris House (GB) was a slick 1000-1200m performer which is what he has almost exclusively sired in Europe, albeit with not much class amongst them. The most ever paid for one of his yearlings was 32,400 guineas and that was by red-shirted Jack Berry who trained him – obviously a sentimentalist – way back in 1996.

A multiple Group winner from two to four years and twice second (once as a two-year-old) in the G1 Nunthorpe, Paris House (GB) raced when there were some super sprinters in England, holding his own against the likes of Lochsong, Elbio, Sheikh Albadou and Wolfhound. His sprinting class more than justified a chance at stud and shuttling him from Sean Collins’s Corbally Stud in Ireland on an NZ$8,500 fee, he looked a gimmee to be popular.

But breeders had misgivings about his male line, and they were right. His sire Petong was a cheap speed sire with seven lifetime stakeswinners and he was a son of a Listed winner, Mansingh who actually ran second in the Cornwallis Stakes which his great-grandson Amour Propre has just won. Mansingh was American-bred, by Nasrullah’s son Jaipur. Hardly a threat to Northern Dancer.

Wanted. You Can Say That Again.

There may only have been 17 two-year-olds who trialled at Rosehill this morning but there were a few good ones amongst them.

My interest in particular was in Wanted (2c Fastnet Rock-Fragmentation, by Snippets) which won the first of the heats.

Wanted is rather a prophetic name for the colt. I had the displeasure of being the underbidder on him at the Easter Sale last April.

He went for $800,000. Little doubt in my mind that he was the most imposing colt in the sale. Got knocked off by John Hawkes who it turns out bought him for the quixotic Eddie Hayson. Well done, Eddie, at last you’ve got yourself a proper horse. He trialled like a machine.

Wanted was bred by Ron and Deb Gilbert at Highgrove on the Darling Downs. Ron builds houses but he also builds beautiful horses (only one letter different). The previous Easter I thought his Falbrav colt was the standout horse on offer and said so in this blog, before he raced as Fravashi (see The Long Distance Curse, April 6).

If you’ve been looking at my sidebar photos, you’ll see I bought another Fastnet Rock colt for $800,000, out of Rare Insight (NZ), (by O’Reilly (NZ)), the equal top priced yearling by the sire along with Wanted. I had to knock off John Hawkes to get him.

If you’d have asked me before the sale if I was going to be all over Fastnet Rock (pictured above) I would have scoffed at you. I don’t get hung up on stallions, especially unproven ones. But that was the way things worked out. Whilst he had some clunkers, I was vastly impressed with the best of them. Their temperaments were superb.

I’ve written before that after inspecting the offerings I could usually forecast which horses Woodlands were going to buy when J Hawkes was in the chair. John wanted to buy both these colts, just as my client and I did.

Instead of opening our shoulders, shutting our eyes and bidding until there was no tomorrow on the Fragmentation colt (Wanted), we were doing mental gymnastics about how much to buy the pair etc, instead of concentrating on getting the first job done.

The Fragmentation and Rare Insight colts were quite different types of horses. They were with different vendors but were in the same little alleyway at the sales. Anyway, we determined we weren’t going to miss him, and didn’t. He’s grown about three inches in the last few months. He has a lot of the characteristics of his female line, plenty of quality and scope, but a later-maturing type than Wanted who is very ready-made which is the type of horse my client usually likes to buy. Such a horse was Fist Of Fury (Hussonet (USA)-Venticello, by Chimes Square) at the 2007 Magic Millions. Beautifully balanced and developed, he scored an 8.5 with me which means he’s an honourary member of the Holy Trinity, and, presciently, as a kind of wish-list, I even wrote my client’s name on the catalogue page. However, he was overseas at the time and didn’t take part but I doubt I would have been brave enough to top the $470,000 that was given for the colt. That looked serious money. Telepathic that my client should ask me about him later.

The other two-year-old which trialled at Rosehill with plenty in reserve was Little Surfer Girl (2f Encosta de Lago-Special Harmony, by Spinning World (USA)) which we have seen go around on a previous occasion. She may be one of the first of the new wave to wear cerise on raceday. She was second in her trial which was slowly run but she was barely out of idle. You don’t have to be a genius to buy a filly like her at the sales ($1.5 million), being by a champion sire out of such a terrific racemare, but it helps if you are a rich genius. Significantly she looked every bit as good as her page; she was another 8.5.

It may seem somewhat naive to be ramping up a couple of very expensive two-year-olds, especially after less than twenty-grander Whobegotyou has thumped the three-year-olds. But you can’t blame horses for the prices humans decide to pay for them and it just so happens that Wanted and Little Surfer Girl look the part – not just cosmetically but mechanically and athletically - cost heaps, and can run, evidently. Like Fist Of Fury, Samantha Miss, Time Thief, Wilander and a growing list of others of late. Sometimes you just get it right.

Let 'Em Eat Cake

The goings-on, or not goings-on, at RacingNSW re the appointment of the new Board have a depressingly familiar ring about them. I won't say I told you so. Refer Conspiracy Theories Are Generally Just That, July 15. The whole world is falling down around our ears so you would think there would be a sense of urgency to get one's house in order.

Whogeldedyou

Darley were all over the Caulfield Guineas result like a rash.

Their two colour-bearers Time Thief (Redoute’s Choice-Procrastinate) and Von Costa de Hero (Encosta de Lago-Piavonic) who cost something like $7 million between them were trounced by Whobegotyou. But Darley will still be the big winners out of the race as their two colts will eventually take their imposing physiques, pedigrees and race records to stud and return the investment many times over.

But, ironically, Darley is also 100% responsible for Whobegotyou, the unwanted yearling who, now gelded, is the Weekend Hussler of the 2008 three-year-olds and next-door-to-a-certainty for the G1 VRC Derby.

Way back on June 22 in this blog (It’s All Over Folks – Resume Normal Sleep Pattern) I looked at the intricate pedigree of Whobegotyou and wondered out loud whether he might be the horse everyone has been waiting for to give antipodean cred to his otherwise outstanding sire, the former shuttler Street Cry (Ire). (pictured). He sure is. Simultaneous with his emergence has been the rise of another Street Cry in Sydney, Predatory Pricer, Takeover Target’s good-looking and very capable half-brother.

Sheikh Mohammed/Godolphin/Darley – call it what you like – did the mating which produced Whobegotyou. They owned his sire and his dam Temple Of Peace, the Japanese-bred, French stakes-placed daughter of Carnegie (Ire), a horse Sheikh Moh won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with then sent to stud in Japan, shuttling him initially to New Zealand then to Australia when he ‘got good’.

For some reason, Darley decided to ditch Temple Of Peace after she produced two foals, by the failures Fantastic Light (USA) and King’s Best (USA), but before either of them were old enough to have proven themselves. They must have been skunks. In the autumn of 2005, the mare went up to auction carrying Whobegotyou and changed hands for $36,000 on the bid of Louis Mihalyka’s Laurel Oak Bloodstock acting for Canberra clients.

Whatever qualities Mark Kavanagh saw in Whobegotyou as a yearling he was in a minority of one, as bidding at the Classic Sale stopped at $17,500, shy of the $25,000 reserve. Mark negotiated a sale afterwards at a point between the two figures.

The next foal out of the mare is a now two-year-old colt by Octagonal and the mare’s new owners fared no better with him – they got $16,000 at the Classic Sale this year. So they weren’t even close to square after marketing two of her progeny. The next foal died. The folks in Canberra must have thrown their hands up in surrender, made some bad jokes about the Japanese, cursed the day they ever bought her and proceeded to get rid of this good-for-nothing ten-year-old mare at the Gold Coast sale back on 2 June. The price: a paltry $5,250, rotten to the end. However, there was a produce record update – the mare’s two-year-old named Whobegotyou had won his debut at Geelong on the ThoroughTrack just 12 days previously, on 21 May. The lucky purchaser: Bill Benson of Emerald Thoroughbreds who has been known to sweep through a broodmare sale like a vacuum cleaner and come up with some real bargains. He’s done it again.

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Alamosa (NZ) (4h O’Reilly (NZ)-Lodore Mystic, by Centaine) got the required Australian Group 1 result with a strong win in the G1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield, Saturday. The Kiwi syndicate who will put him to stud at Wellfield next year will be chuffed. He’s a very good horse, it’s just important that Australians know that.

Watching Alamosa come up through the ranks, in 2007 I bought, pretty cheaply, a maiden three-quarter sister to his dam in a Melbourne sale. My client decided to do the obvious thing and send her to New Zealand, to O’Reilly who was standing at the ludicrous fee of NZ$20,000 (stallions half as good were standing for three times as much in the Hunter Valley) and has been rewarded with a colt foal, a three-quarter brother in blood to Alamosa.

Second in the Toorak to Alamosa was the baby of the field, Rockwood (4g Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire)-Foxwood (NZ), by Centaine), a horse I tipped my clients into after Gai had bought him as a yearling, one of the nicest yearlings at Sydney Easter that year. People were already starting to bag his dam who was a brilliant filly in New Zealand but never brought the same form to Australia where she had the last six starts of her career, including a 12th placing behind Sunline in the G1 Doncaster. But Rockwood was only her fourth foal and as the Toorak showed yet again, you dismiss a Centaine mare at your peril.

I recall visiting Garry Chittick in Palmerston North (his Thornton Park Stud was at Longburn on the outskirts of town) on the night he tied up the deal to buy Centaine. The races had been at nearby Awapuni that day. It was a life-changing moment for him as a breeder, acquiring this son of Century who Australians thought had missed the big time and, patronisingly as usual, “would be ideal for New Zealand”. When you look back on his form and translate it to today with our heightened appreciation of the Group race system and all it stands for, he was a most competitive colt. As a three-year-old, with wins behind him at 1000m and 1200m, he was taken all the way through to the VRC Derby (2500m, 5th behind Bounty Hawk) via the Caulfield Guineas (5th to Beechcraft) and The Herald Vase (1st). Yet when he came back after a brief layoff, he was kept exclusively to sprints, winning the Autumn Stakes at Sandown and placing or racing with credit in such races as the Futurity (3rd), Newmarket (8th of 24), George Ryder (3rd), Manikato (2nd), Bobbie Lewis (2nd) and Marlboro Cup (4th), his last start.

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Oratorio. He’s at stud in Western Australia and sired Gold Rocks, winner of the two-year-old race at Belmont Park, Perth, on Saturday.

Oratorio. She produced a pretty smart horse named Agamemnon who won the Listed Matamata Cup in New Zealand on Saturday.

Oratorio. He stands at Coolmore.

Say a prayer for pedigree nuts.

NB: When G1 winner Crest Of The Wave (USA)(born 1976) was imported for stud duty in New Zealand, there had already been a Crest Of The Wave (GB) (born 1961) before him. The much later arrival was required to change his name to Crested Wave (USA). Somehow I don't think we'll see that happen in Australia, because you-know-who owns you-know-who. But it probably should.

NBB: Ironically, the Oratorio standing in WA, the son of Stravinsky (USA), wears the big C brand of Coolmore.
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Movie’s win in the two-year-old event at Rosehill, Saturday, brings to mind her dam, Strawberry Storm (Thunder Gulch (USA)-Wheatland Lady (USA), by Strawberry Road).

This Singo-bred and owned filly started her career in Gai’s stable and raced twice for a seventh and second placing in the days leading up to the start of the Magic Millions Sale.

Just after the sale she was pulled from the stable. The school of thought was, shall we say, that Singo was unimpressed which vendors had either been, or not been, favoured with Gai’s buying power at the sale.

Strawberry Storm crossed the road to Rogie from whose stable after a short let up the filly won at Canterbury then the Listed Keith MacKay Quality at Randwick. Singo later sold Strawberry Storm to John Cornish’s Torrryburn Stud, for $180,000. Movie (by Red Ransom (USA)) is her first foal but unfortunately she died last year almost two months after producing a full brother.

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I was underbidder on upset Caulfield winner Bonded (Danewin-Betta Fortune, by Luskin Star) at the 2006 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. I’d been trying to buy a filly for a Melbourne client. Late in the sale, Bonded was my last throw of the dice. I had been outbid on the earlier two I had selected which turned out to be Diana’s Secret (stakes-placed winner of two) and Mimi Lebrock (winner of $911,095)! But the $175,000 given by Melbourne’s Shannon brothers for Bonded was one bid too many for me.

After the Magic Millions I went on to Karaka and managed finally to buy a filly for the client. It’s four years old, and still unraced, but there’s hope yet it will make the track. Sometime next year.

This can be an unkind business at times! Like watching the fillies in Melbourne since Ortensia went out with her injury. I've little doubt she would have handled them.