EVERYONE LOVES JACK

Super performance by horse and trainer last Friday when Kate Loves Jack took out the Custodian Travel Handicap (2200m) at Geelong.
Trained at Eliza Park by Sue Ellis (who also trained Kate Loves Jack’s great granddam, Daria’s Fun – winner of the 1988 Welllington Cup-G1 and four other stakes races), Kate Loves Jack was having only his third run back from an 18 month layoff.
Sue has shown the patience of Job with the 6YO who has now raced on just nine occasions for two wins and a second.

SYNDICATE BUYS INTO ASTRONOMER ROYAL

A syndicate of breeders has purchased a significant interest in ASTRONOMER ROYAL and, as a result, the Classic winning son of Danzig will be re-located to Eliza Park this spring.
“The syndicate has been searching for a well credentialled son of Danzig for some time and with Astronomer Royal’s weanlings selling so well this year, they’re convinced they’ve found the right horse,” Eliza Park CEO Cameron Croucher explained.
At the Easter Broodmare Sale last year, mares in foal to Astronomer Royal sold for $240,000 and $200,000 and buyers have clearly liked the result with weanlings fetching as high as $90,000 – over 10 times service fee – in 2011.
Astronomer Royal has certainly set the tongues wagging with leading agent Paul Guy declaring: “they’re just lovely horses and he’s a really exciting horse for Victoria.”
Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock concurs: “I’m very impressed by the Astronomer Royal’s overall … they are a lovely bunch.”
Mark Player, who purchased the $90,000 colt from Chelsey Cry at the recent Great Southern, was equally enthusiastic: “I thought he was the best colt on the ground. A very attractive colt with very good presence.”
The Champion 3YO Male Miler of France, Astronomer Royal won the Longchamp Poule d’Essai des Poulains-G1 (French 2000 Guineas), a distinction he shares with a vast array of influential sires, including – in recent years –  Shamardal.
Also, Astronomer Royal finished close up in the time honoured St James’ Palace Stakes-G1 behind Excellent Art and Duke of Marmalade and ran Europe’s best sprinters to less than a length (after being held up at a vital stage) in the July Cup (1200m).
Out of the stakes winning Easy Goer mare, Sheepscot (who has also produced the Group Two winner Navesink River), Astronomer Royal boasts a tremendous black type family, as would befit a son of the legendary Danzig (197 stakes winners).
“We are very excited to be standing Astronomer Royal which brings our roster to 12 for the 2011 season,” Croucher adds. “Naturally he will be applicable for Eliza Park’s best terms – transferrable free return and no payment of service fee until 31 March 2012 – but due to the late announcement, package deals will also be available.”
Astronomer Royal will stand the 2011 season at a fee of $8,800 and for further information phone David Somers (0428 440 330), Mark Lindsay (0416 334 338) or Phil Marshall (0407 853 782).

DOZEN FOR STATUE

OK, you might not have heard of Lennart Jr Reuterskiold and wouldn’t have a clue as to the turn off to Taby, but Statue of Liberty appears to have a very classy performer in Sweden by the name of Uppercut Action.
Now the winner of eight of his 10 starts, the 3YO colt became Statue of Liberty’s 12th stakes winner on Saturday with an emphatic victory in the Jockeyklubbens Jubileumslopning (try saying that three times quickly with a few Heinekens under your belt!) over 1600m.
Trained by the aforementioned Reuterskiold, Uppercut Action is out of the Diaghlyphard (by Lyphard) mare Pep ‘n Chilli, who boasts a solid European black type family with Group winners in France, Ireland and England.

As for the turn off to Taby, you take the E18 out of Stockholm, turn right into Centralvägen, right onto Grindtorpsvägen, a slight right into Attundavägen, then the first right into Stora Marknadsvägen.

201 WORLD WIDE FOR BEL

Registering yet another double with the victories today of Laudit and Farasi, Bel Esprit statistician, Brian Donohoe, reports that Victoria’s Champion Sire has now posted 201 winners for the season world-wide.
You’d be forgiven for assuming that Black Caviar’s eight wins for 2010/11 would put her at the head of the pack, but this time she’s got to share the accolades with Big Daddy’s Dream who has notched up eight in the Philippines.
Bel Esprit’s wins have been registered in Australia (175 wins, 104 winners), Singapore (6 wins, 3 winners), Hong Kong (1 win), Malaysia (6 wins, 5 winners), Philippines (12 wins, 3 winners) and Macau (1 win).

BEL’S MISS HEADING FOR GUINEAS?

Bolisimo Miss showcased her ability with a dominant win in yesterday’s Eugene Gorman Handicap over 1000m at Flemington.
Bolisimo Miss ran unplaced on debut in January but finished shinsore. A comfortable winner of her maiden at Cranbourne over 1000m earlier this month, the daughter of Bel Esprit came with a telling turn of foot to sprint past her rivals 200m out before going clear to defeat Delegance (Delzao) by a widening two and a quarter lengths.
“She was shin-sore on debut, she lost her head. Nothing went right,” co-trainer Matthew Ellerton said later. “She had six weeks in the paddock and she really thickened. She is not a big filly but she is certainly a compact, powerful girl now. The break did her the world of good.”
“Once she got into clear room, she just quickened like a really
nice filly,” fellow co-trainer Simon Zahra said. “The breaker said she was a Group horse when he broke her in. He might be right. She has to go to the paddock now. She might be a nice Thousand Guineas horse.”
- ANZ Bloodstock News

ELIZA PARK HEADS NORTH(WOOD)

The continued expansion of Eliza Park took another leap forward with the today’s announcement that the stud had added a fifth Victorian property to its portfolio.
The latest acquisition – a dedicated foaling down facility and walk in farm – is based in Northwood Road, Seymour and was formerly known as Newlands Thoroughbreds/Wadham Park.
The new farm will now be known as Eliza Park Northwood and encompasses 470 acres of prime North Eastern Victoria real estate and boasts world class facilities.
“We’re very excited at the opportunity to shift our foaling unit to Eliza Park Northwood as we again expect to foal down some 250 of our clients mares this spring,” Eliza Park CEO Cameron Croucher enthused. “The facilities are ideal and there will be little to no disruption in making the transition.
“Eliza Park Northwood’s close proximity to all the major stud farms will also allow us to walk on clients mares on their behalf and, naturally, we’ll be using our fleet to transport mares to the Kerrie property as well.”
Eliza Park Kerrie will continue to be the hub for stallions, nominations, marketing, administration and a flourishing racing division, while the adjacent property – Eliza Park Nardoo – houses the dry mares and spelling racehorses.
Eliza Park also has two other properties in the North East – Eliza Park Nagambie, dedicated to rearing young horses, and Eliza Park Smithfield, a purpose built farm to house yearlings and weanlings for the operation’s burgeoning sales arm.
“Eliza Park Northwood is an outstanding farm with much of the infrastructure already in place,” Croucher points out. “The manner and speed at which each facet of the organisation is growing, necessitated the move.
“It’s amazing to think that just on a decade ago our stallions covered just 187 mares … 70 of them owned by Eliza Park’s principal, Lee Fleming.
“Last year, our stallions covered 1100 mares.
“The important thing to remember is that Eliza Park’s expansion is purely client driven. It’s paramount that we offer clients a professional and dedicated service for all thoroughbred requirements: adding this property to our portfolio allows specialist facilities for each component of the thoroughbred breeding business.”

BREEDING’S NEW TYCOON

Eliza Park principal, Lee Fleming, is over the moon at the success of two of the leading guns at his Victorian nursery - soon to be Champion First Season Sire Written Tycoon and perennial champ Bel Esprit.
“Written Tycoon (pictured) is doing an outstanding job,” according to Fleming. “He kicked further ahead on the First Season chart last Saturday when Tykook won at Morphettville and Anelene won her second straight at Launceston last week. What’s more, his filly Prestigious Miss – bred by Eliza Park – won easily in New Zealand yesterday.
(For a replay of the Tykook win at Morphettville, click here)
“It’s worth remembering that Written Tycoon is not an expensive horse, standing for just $6,600 the last two seasons and has only been upped to $11,000 for this spring. I doubt there would be too many Champion First Season Sires of the past who have stood so cheaply!
“Maybe he hasn’t got the brand recognition of some of his peers, but he’s a real look and book stallion AND he’s got the ability to upgrade his mares.
“The stallion is an ideal outcross as there is no Danehill or Danzig in him and that’s one of the reasons why we decided to stand him … that and the fact he’s got Vain and Marscay on his female side and was a very fast 2YO.
“This is a great result for Victorian breeding … the last stallion standing in Victoria to take out a national First Season Sires’ title was over 10 years ago.”
Fleming was also keen to point out the great strides two of Eliza Park’s other stallions are making.
“We’re immensely proud to stand horses like Bel Esprit and Statue of Liberty,” Fleming enthuses. “Bel Esprit is obviously lauded as the sire of the world’s best sprinter in Black Caviar, but it should also be remembered that he’s produced over 100 individual winners this season and has huge numbers coming through the ranks. With only five crops of racing age, he’s about to win his fourth straight Victorian Sires’ title.
“As for Statue of Liberty … well, Hay List is arguably the best male sprinter in the world and in any other era, he’s Horse of the Year for sure!
“We must be doing something right …”