Monday, August 19, 2013

SPOTLIGHT ON SQUAMOSA

Exciting addition to Eliza Park International’s stallion ranks, Squamosa, is the feature horse in Breednet’s Breeding Spotlight. Tara Madgwick takes a close look at the Star Thoroughbreds/Gai Waterhouse speed machine.

The Victorian breeding industry is set to be boosted by a number of new stallions this season, but only one of them has the serious speed credentials of this stunning grand-son of champion sire Redoute’s Choice.
The purple and white stars of Star Thoroughbreds are synonymous with winning at the highest level and while Golden Slipper winner and exciting young sire Sebring is the flagbearer for Denise Martin’s syndication business, another of their success stories is Eliza Park International’s new recruit Squamosa.
Bred by Arrowfield Stud, Squamosa was consigned to the Magic Millions where he immediately caught the eye of Gai Waterhouse and her selection team.
By Not a Single Doubt from stakes-winning juvenile Class Success, Squamosa was a strong, attractive athletic individual that was snapped up by Star Thoroughbreds for $140,000 making him the most expensive yearling by his sire sold in that year.
He soon showed ability to match his good looks reeling off two brilliant wins at his first two starts as a winter juvenile, before proving his talent in better company when taking out the Group III STC Run to the Rose over 1300 metres.
Set a considerable task when he drew gate 14 in a field of 15 for the $1million Group I STC Golden Rose, Squamosa used his speed to advantage to cross and lead for Nash Rawiller before being run down late and beaten a half neck by Toorak Toff on the line.
Sidelined through injury after that performance for a lengthy spell, Squamosa returned to take the Listed AJC June Stakes over 1100 metres with an explosive display that saw him career away to win by nearly five lengths.
Veteran jockey Jim Cassidy was aboard Squamosa that day and was quick to declare, “He’s a Group One sprinter without a doubt - he was explosive today ... he’s not right yet so he’s going to be pretty frightening when they get him fit.”
Sadly for his owners, Squamosa had just two more runs before retiring after just seven starts in total, his true potential never quite fulfilled.
“Squamosa was an Exceptionally fast racehorse. He possessed world class speed… he was electric,” said Gai Waterhouse.
Like his sire Not a Single Doubt, Squamosa goes to stud without a Group I win on the resume.
A well bred son of Redoute’s Choice, Not a Single Doubt was given his chance at stud by Arrowfield, despite never having won at a level higher than Listed and never having placed in Group I company.
Priced at $13,750 for his first six seasons at stud, Not a Single Doubt has had to make his own way and he’s done it in exemplary fashion.
Now the sire of 17 stakes-winners with progeny earnings topping $19million, Not a Single Doubt put the icing on the cake earlier in the year when his flying daughter Miracles of Life captured the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes.
This year his yearlings have sold for up to $300,000 and his service fee has been increased to $33,000, so Not a Single Doubt has truly arrived as a serious commercial sire, despite his humble beginnings.
Squamosa offers Victorian breeders a similar chance to get in on the ground floor of a young well-bred speed sire at a modest fee with considerable potential for future upside if his progeny run true to type.


And here’s a closer look at just what a brilliant performer he was …


THE JOCKEY

This has nothing to do with breeding per se … unless of course you want to take into account the efforts of Mr and Mrs Baze, but it’s a tremendous feature nevertheless about the winningest jockey in America.
Full marks to the New York Times for publishing a masterly mix of prose and visuals that make you believe it’s what the web was invented for.

http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/the-jockey/?_r=2&#/?chapt=introduction


NOTHING COMICAL ABOUT MAGNETO WIN

Well, there’s a turnaround! Just over two weeks ago, Magnus first starter, Magneto, slipped over in the mounting yard, was passed fit to run, jumped awkwardly, never stretched out, suffered minor abrasions and pulled up sore.
Needless to say, he didn’t win.
Fast forward to Monday 19 August and it’s a different story. Despite being sent out on the second last line of betting, the Danny Laws trained 4YO produced a (metaphoric) 360 and raced away to score by two lengths over the 1400m at Echuca.
Clearly a horse with a lot more ability than his debut had indicated. Bred in South Australia by the Toole family, this son of Magnus is out of the Kenmare mare, Elegant Court, a half sister to Flemington stakes winner.

X-Men fans would be well familiar with the exploits of Magneto who, evidently, hails from the House of Magnus.


BEL’S HLUDOWIG IN TUNE

Been meaning to ask this question for a while now. How did Hludowig get his name?
Before last Wednesday, the Bel Esprit speedster had compiled a tidy CV of wins and placings in Victoria, kicking off with a 2YO win back in May 2011 for Greg Eurell.
Now with Andrew Williamson and a new set of owners, Hludowig – which is evidently the Germanic form of Ludwig – won in sensational fashion at Eagle Farm last Wednesday, coming from near last turning for home. A very impressive performance and with two wins and a Doomben fourth since heading north, the Queensland sunshine is evidently suiting the now 5YO right down to the ground.
But that doesn’t help me with the origin of the name. By Bel Esprit out of Spartica (by Spartacus). The only Ludwig that springs to mind is Beethoven but a scan of the family hasn’t a symphony in sight?

Sure, I could ring the owners but where is the fun in that? And as if they care … as long as he keeps making music on race day, his name matters not a jot.

Photo by Graham Potter




NO HK FOR BEL’S SPRINTER

A tilt at Hong Kong’s big international meet in December is now off the cards for Bel Esprit’s Group One winner, Bel Sprinter, according to ANZ Bloodstock News.

Trainer Jason Warren will not be taking Bel Sprinter (Bel Esprit) to Hong Kong in December and the six-year-old will instead be aimed at a spring and autumn campaign in Australia. Bel Sprinter, the winner of The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m) last season, is due to resume in the Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Moonee Valley on 27 September and will be targeted at the Winterbottom Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) after the spring carnival. Quarantine restrictions and the December timing of the Hong Kong International Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) would rule out Bel Sprinter running during the autumn.