Special Win

Well I Am Special (Live Or Die - Kelty Star) did lead and did win the Group Three WASBA Breeders Stakes.

It is always a big thrill to breed a Group winner but when it is owned by such nice people as the Fosters it makes it even more special.

Mrs Foster and her son Leigh are wonderful people and they deserve this big win!

I Am a WASBA Breeders Stakes Winner?

I am hoping after tonight that we can call I Am Special (Live Or Die - Kelty Star) a WASBA Breeders Stakes winner.

If ever she was going to win a big race this would have to be it. Sprint Journey, good barrier draw - it all adds up for to win.

Fingers Crossed.

Half a New Mare

Suri (pedigree) was a mare we liked from the minute we saw the catalogue for the PGG Wrightson Mixed Sales in NZ.

Obviously we knew she would go for a lot of money, but she is worth it. A Christian Cullen daughter of a Group One winning Falcon Seelster from the best family in the Southern Hemisphere, and in foal to Bettors Delight! It doesn't get a lot better.

Anyway on Sunday just gone we bid to $45,000 but Gareth Dixon bid to $46,000. $45k was our limit so that was that.

However I knew Dixon wouldn't be spending that sought of money on a broodmare and I had a fair idea who he was buying her for - Harvey Kaplan.

I've got to know Harvey well through an email list originally, and he is a top guy. Very passionate and knowledgeable about breeding, but more importantly just a good guy.

So I gave Harvey a call and sure enough he did buy. When I explained that we were the underbidders he said "why don't you buy half the mare with me". This was a very generous offer which we accepted.

So now we own half of Suri and we eagerly await her Bettors Delight foal which will be due in the latter half of November. 

Suri will be based at Alabar NZ, so this will be the first time we have had a really commercial mare based in NZ. It will be very exciting.

Breeders Crown

It is great to hear that the connections of Sheer Royalty and David Hercules are giving strong consideration to taking their steeds across to the Breeders Crown this season.

To see these type of horses go across to the eastern seaboard and demonstrate their ability is great for the industry in WA. We need more of it.

Just out of interest who was the only WA Bred horse to finish in the placings in a Breeders Crown Final last year?

Ghadasbest finished third in the 2yo Final and he just so happened to be bred by Patrician Park!

Future Love

I thought Living On Love (Village Jasper - Inamorato) ran a real nice race for third in the WA Oaks consolation. On a night when the GP leader bias was really strong, she ran on well from back in the field.

On that run surely a win is not too far away.

Just on the Oaks how good was the run of Sheer Royalty? I had under estimated this filly previously (always thought she was very good amongst not a great crop of 3yo fillies), however her run on Friday night was as good as you will see in a WA Oaks.

Priscilla Rocks Retired

Got the news today that Priscilla Rocks (Pictured Left: Photo Credit Bill Crabb) has been retired. Not the news we hoped for as I used to love watching her go around, however it is also exciting as it is not everyday you get the chance to welcome such a mare into you breeding operation.

A big thanks goes to John and Tracey for retiring her before she broke down. Also I hope Ollie got a great thrill out of racing her.

So as it stands she will retire with $115,710 in the bank and a fastest time of 1:58.9. She was twice placed at the highest level in the Golden Slipper at 2 and the WA Oaks at 3. She also won a prelude of the Oaks, a heat and consolation of the Australasian Breeders Crown and finished third in the Daintys Daughter Classic.

Now just to decide what to breed her to, we are always open to suggestions. She is not a big mare, although her mother Graceland is. Graceland had very little point to point speed and while Priscilla had more, she could still use some extra speed injected into her foals.

Good Day at Trials

I know it was only trials but a couple of 2yo's we bred won trials at Pinjarra quite impressively yesterday.

Hesaveightmate (Northern Luck - Kelty Star NZ), pictured as a yearling left, won his educational trial by 30 metres (there was only one other horse in the trial), rating 2:01.1 and coming home in 59.3.

Peppi La Rue (Live Or Die - Kefallonia) got home by 10 metres in 2:03.3 with a last quarter in 29.1.

Both colts were not expensive yearling purchases with
Hesaveightmate making $12,000, while Peppi La Rue made $9,500. So fingers crossed both will earn their purchase price back pretty soon for their connections.

Also on Sunday, up at Kellerberrin, Kyamba Dream (Modern Art - Bayliner NZ) qualified as well. Kyamba Dream is actually Peppi La Rue's aunty which is interesting.

No Joy at GP

Well the Oaks heats didn't go to plan. Living On Love copped a pretty big check inside the first 200 metres and that was her chance over and Go Some More was probably a touch disappointing.

Go Some More did start from out wide and had to do some work to lead, however once in front her times weren't super quick. However I suppose it was only her second run back and she only benefit fitness wise from the run.

Anyway I still think she is a place chance in the Oaks and as is always the case at Gloucester Park barriers will play a big part.