Wednesday, January 30, 2013

STUD BOOK STATS

The Australian Stud Book has recently released statistics from the 2012 season, revealing that Eliza Park had two of the busiest stallions in Victoria last spring in Wanted (180 mares - 7th in Australia) and Moshe (175 mares).
The Deputy Keeper of the Australian Stud Book, Jacqueline Stewart, revealed that while Thoroughbred mating figures for the 2012 season are showing a decline compared to the 2011 season, there is still plenty of reasons to be upbeat.
To date, 20,634 mares have recorded coverings by 622 stallions, a decrease of 8% on last year's 22,510 coverings. However, Ms Stewart expects the gap to be narrowed to 5% after late lodgments and paddock serving stallion reports are received for a total of 21,300 by 640 stallions. 

While the breeding industry in Australia has withstood the global economic crisis more than most countries, and the preceding outbreak of Equine Influenza which saw the beginning of a downward trend in the number of foals produced annually, Ms Stewart said that “there is still a sufficient number of foals produced each season for racing purposes. Increased prices at recent yearling sales, both here and overseas, also indicates that confidence in the breeding and racing industry is rising”. 

Some interesting facts: 
  • 36 shuttle stallions covered 3,466 mares or 17% of the 20,634 reported coverings compared with 4,333 (19%) in 2011;
  • 441 or 71% were Australian­ bred stallions compared with 67% in 1992 when 2,106 stallions covered 29,621 mares; 
  • 16 of the top 22 covering stallions were Australian bred, which displays the faith breeders place in our world­class Australian bred stallions; 
  • There were 65 stallions with more than 100 matings in 2012 compared to 69 in 2011 and 264 stallions which covered less than 10 mares compared to 308 in the 2011 season; 
  • 46% of mares were covered in New South Wales, 25% in Victoria (up 1%), 16% in Queensland, 9% in Western Australia, 3% in South Australia and 1% in Tasmania. 


DANEHILL DESCENDANTS COVER 40% OF THOROUGHBRED MARES FOR 2012
  • On the sireline side of the stallions covering Thoroughbred mares in 2012: 
  • 74 sons of Danehill covered 2,204 mares, headed by Fastnet Rock with 208 coverings and Western Australian Blackfriars with 178; 
  • 109 grandsons of Danehill covered 5,163 mares, headed by the stallion which was most in demand; 
  • 7 great­grandsons of Danehill covered 137 mares. On the damline side of the stallions covering Thoroughbred mares in 2012: 
  • daughters of Danehill were the dams of 12 stallions which covered 341 mares; 
  • granddaughters of Danehill were the dams of 2 stallions which covered 360 mares in total;
  • With two other stallions in other lines covering another 24 mares, the descendants of Danehill covered a total of 8,229 Thoroughbred mares, which is 40% of all mares covered, compared to 36% in 2011.
Busy boy ... Wanted

Monday, January 28, 2013

ARCHITECT BUILDS ON REPUTATION


5 winners for Bel Esprit on Saturday & Sunday

Bel Esprit has cleared out to a handy lead in the Australian Leading Sires by winners premiership, with a margin of 7 as of Sunday night.
And while Diamond Glow might have put paid to any chance of a win in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield on Saturday following a tardy start, the Peter Moody trained filly still grabbed second and could still figure prominently in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes next month.
But if most eyes were on Diamond Glow, Bel Esprit had another to carry the 2YO flag in Architect, who ran away with the Hot 91.1 QTIS 2YO Handicap on the Sunshine Coast – a fitting follow up to his midfield performance in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic on 12 January.
The David Lawlor trained youngster (from the Nashwan mare Rozanee) resumed in December with a second at Eagle Farm before his third in the Group Three McLachlan Stakes at Doomben on 29 December.
Architect was one of three winners for Bel Esprit on Saturday, kicking off with – we here tell – the very first winner in Australia on Australia Day when Talbanga won over 1000m at Wagga.
Out of the Dr Grace mare, Let’s Say Grace, Talbanga was having his first start for Vincent Nolan and couldn’t have been more impressive, clearing out by 4.3 lengths as a $1.80 favourite.
However, the run of the day was that of Mick Price’s Loveyamadly (below) who stalked the leader throughout before taking out the City of Glen Eira Handicap at Caulfield in fine fashion and lifting her earnings to over $130k.
It was some effort (deemed ‘arrogant’ by jockey Dale Smith) and the mare – from the Danehill Dancer matron Beauty World – has now won four from six with two placings and appears poised to take on peers at the elite level.
Meanwhile, Bel Esprit was at it again on Sunday with a running double at Werribee: with Darwin taking out the Better Solar Handicap, followed by Sound of Victory in the TAB Handicap.
Darwin (ex. Lady Acumen by Sound Reason) has now won over $100k in stakes from five victories, while Sound of Victory (ex. My Jaspa by Heroicity) picked up his second win for the Ellerton/Zahra combo.


ANGELIC PERFORMANCE


Clearly showing promise is the God’s Own filly, We Own An Angel, who fought on solidly for a cosy win at Mornington today.
Trained by Robbie Griffiths, We Own An Angel was having only her second outing after being beaten a lip at Seymour on debut back in September, having cost herself the win by racing greenly.
But it was all business at Mornington, sitting just off the pace before unleashing in the final furlong to win by nearly two lengths.
Bred by Christie Woodard (below), We Own An Angel is out of the Spectrum mare, Prism Lass, who is also the dam of Testa Rossa stakes horse, Cristallo, and closely related to Dr Grace.


BEL HALF WINS IN SOUTH AFRICA


Breednet’s Tara Madgwick reports Australian bred filly Essenelles broke through to score her first win at Turffontein in South Africa on Saturday, the win of some interest as she is a half-sister to leading sire Bel Esprit.
Trained by Lucky Houdalakis, Essenelles took the 1200m maiden by half a length. A $250,000 Magic Millions purchase for World Wide Bloodstock from the Coolmore draft, Essenelles is a half-brother to dual Group I winner Bel Esprit (below), who is of course known as the sire of champion sprinter Black Caviar.
 
She is the eighth winner for Vain mare Bespoken, a half-sister to Group I VATC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Mahaasin.

 Bespoken died in 2009 at age 19 after the birth of Essenelles, who is her last foal.


WILL SHE REACH 30?


Who said no news is good news? This is what we’ve been waiting to hear and wethinks Matt Stewart had a bit of spring in his stride when he penned this for today’s Herald Sun …
Black Caviar may race for at least another year, and trainer Peter Moody predicts the six-year-old’s unbeaten string of wins could stretch to 30.
Moody said Black Caviar was in the best shape of her career and probably only now had reached full physical maturity.
“Why can’t she push up to 26 or 27 wins if she’s still got a smile on her face?” Moody said.
After her brave but narrow win in front of the Queen at Royal Ascot last June – her 22nd win in a row – Moody considered retirement.
A first-up comeback crack at next month’s Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington was regarded as a cautious cameo, at best, but yesterday Moody released the shackles.
He said Black Caviar was “niggle” free for the first time in almost three years.
“The vet’s happy, the chiropractor’s happy, the jockey’s happy, the trainer’s happy,” he said. “Hopefully this all leads to a lot more success.”


Friday, January 25, 2013

VALE PRESSDAY


Eliza Park has announced that Group One winning 2YO, Pressday, was euthanized earlier today because of a tumor on his spleen.
Winner of Brisbane’s juvenile Triple Crown, Pressday was retired to stud in 2012.
Pressday was part of the foundation group of stallions for Eliza Park’s Queensland operation.


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

SUPER SUNDAY


Magnus has established a handy lead on the Australian Second Season Sires’ chart (by winners) with a ‘clean sheet’ on Sunday … 4 winners from just 4 runners.
The Eliza Park bred, Prettyhappyaboutit (ex. Call Me Pretty by Peaks And Valleys) continued her unbeaten run with a convincing win – as favourite – over 1000m at Ballarat, while at Pakenham, a first starter in the shape of Mightiest (ex. Fantagonal by Octagonal) scored by almost two lengths after racing wide without cover.
Bred by Parador Park and related to 4-time Group One winner, Dr Grace, Mightiest is trained by Wendy Kelly.
However, perhaps the pick of the Magnus’s was another of his debutantes in Greg Bennett’s Magna Amica (ex. Kenny’s Princess by Kenny’s Best Pal) who notched up a class record when winning over 1200m at Tamworth.
Bred by Iroquois Bloodstock and G Nicholson, Magna Amica was sold at the 2011 Inglis Sydney Classic and clearly has a bright future ahead of her.
Not to be outdone though, Magnus finished the day with a winner in Singapore via the promising 3YO, Mr Magnus (ex. Gamelan by Timber Country) who was bred by Erinvale Thoroughbreds before heading north.
As Michael Lee of the Singapore Turf Club reports, owners are bound to have quite a bit of fun with their Magnus youngster:
Trainer Stephen Gray could not have been more complimentary of his new find, Mr Magnus (below), when he put him in the same league as former favourite Goldschatz after he scored his maiden win on Sunday.
The three-year-old by 2008 KrisFlyer International Sprint runner-up Magnus certainly caught the eye when he stepped up on his second-up second placing to go one better in the $65,000 Restricted Maiden (2&3YO) race over 1200m on turf, immediately prompting Gray to declare him as a Singapore Guineas prospect.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had a good one in the stable. We’ve been rebuilding the stable for a while and I think we’ve got a couple of good ones this year,” said the Kiwi conditioner.
“It’s hard to replace horses like Goldschatz, but this bloke is certainly above-average and could be a nice Guineas horse, too.
“He is owned by a bunch of good people – and that’s what racing is all about.”
The Group One Singapore Guineas (1600m) is the third Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge and will be run on May 17.

Hoofnote: Magnus’ 2YO stakes winner, Platinum Kingdom, appears to be again nearing her peak with a resounding third in the Gore Guineas-LR on Saturday … a good thing beaten. Winner of the Champagne Stakes-LR last season, Platinum Kingdom had to do the most work in the race and was hitting the line hard, auguring well for another black type victory.