4 November 2020 

WHIPPING HORSES HURTS THEM - THATS WHY JOCKEYS DO IT

I love racing. But I'm not one eyed enough about the great sport to go around saying the use of the whip does not hurt horses. Of course it hurts them - they feel it - they react to it. 

In fact my horse, Quilate, winner of the Ladies Vase (G3) at Caulfield, absolutely resented the whip being used on her. And there are many horses who are of the same disposition.

We are now in the middle of a crisis for racing. The death of Anthony Van Dyck out of our greatest race, the Melbourne Cup, has turned the race into our greatest shame.

When it comes to issues such as this I have no answer - shit happens and it has happened too often in the big race.

The solutions to this are beyond me.

In the same race jockey Kerrin McEvoy copped a $50,000 fine for overuse of the whip.

This issue can be resolved. 

Ban the whip as a means of encouraging horses to maintain or increase their speed or cover the target areas of the horse to negate any affect of the whip.

The second option is my suggestion. It can be done and can be done effectively. I've designed a Saddle Cloth and Protector All-in-One.

Introduce it gradually via jump-outs, trials, picnic racing and check out the results. Refine it and improve the materials and watch racing progress. 

Do nothing and suffer the wrath of a pissed off society.

RACEHORSES 1ST

All-in-One

Protector and Saddle Cloth

Designed to protect the racehorse from pain

 by absorbing the impact of the whip

 used by jockeys in a

 thoroughbred horse race.

W.S COX PLATE DAY Gr.3 winner delights breeders and pedigree analyst

 Cheers from Western Australia on Saturday as the exciting colt Portland Sky recorded a dominant victory in one of W.S Cox Plate day's features the, $200,000 Gr.3 Red Anchor Stakes.

The Matt Laurie trained three-year-old was having just his fourth start on the back of a couple of somewhat unlucky runs at Caulfield and Flemington but this time from the inside gate the bay was able to put on display his considerable natural talent.

Not that it was all smooth sailing - Portland Sky not always having his own way in front, joined at the 500m... but always travelling well, giving a strong kick in the run home.

"He is a lovely colt," Matt Laurie enthused, "and he did a good job. He got pestered in this tough going which I don't think he actually handled - it was a good performance."

"From day dot, even when breaking him in, we felt like he was a quality horse and he has continued to improve... and I think he will keep doing that. I think we've got a really nice horse."

Music to the ears of Portland Sky's breeders - Robert & Ann Anderson of Anita Vale Stud - and to local pedigree analyst Kristen Manning who planned the mating that produced this promising young horse.

"Having already advised on the pedigrees of feature race Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup carnival winners in the past, it is a big thrill to add a W.S Cox Plate day Group winner to the list," she said.

"And I am so excited for the Andersons, lovely people and great clients who do such a wonderful job with their horses."

After cheering home Portland Sky, the Andersons popped out to the paddock to give the colt's dam Sky Rumba a celebratory carrot and an extra pat. The much loved mare is a member of a family that has been part of the Anita Vale story for generations - her first three dams all bred by the Anderson family!

Sadly, having lost sight in her right eye a couple of years ago, Sky Rumba is not a great traveller and the Andersons now keep her close to home. But fortunately she was in New South Wales when Deep Field was outlined as a perfect mate.

"Kristen's advice was invaluable," Rob Anderson said, "and it a pity that Sky Rumba lost her first Deep Field foal, he was a lovely colt also."

A half-sister to the dual stakes winner London Line, Sky Rumba continues to do a good job for her owners, her 2020 Perth Magic Millions colt by Blackfriars fetching $170,000 to the bid of Simon Miller racing... the highest priced yearling of the breed at the sale and equal third highest priced yearling overall.

"We are looking forward to seeing him on the track," Rob said.

Portland Sky is the third Matt Laurie trained Group winner bred by clients of Kristen Manning, the others being the Gr.1 South Australian Derby winner Escado and the Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner Se Sauver. For further information on professional pedigree analysis contact Kristen Manning on kristenmanning@gmail.com or 0428 563 917.

Tough History Made At Devonport

 A bit of history was made at Devonport on Sunday where four of the seven races were won by the progeny of one stallion - Armidale Stud's quiet achiever Tough Speed.

Success came early on the card with the opening event, a BM60 1009m contest, taken out by the Leanne Gaffney trained Artuso who impressed charging home down the centre of the track - overhauling the leader to win by a soft half length.

It was win number three from just 14 starts for the up-and-coming gelding whose win came despite a hefty 6kg rise in the weights.

"He has been a slow maturer both mentally and physically," Gaffney said, "but he has always shown ability and he is improving all the time. I am sure he will develop into a very handy horse."

Bred and part-owned by Montree Stud's Mandy Gunn, Artuso boasts an interesting pedigree hailing from the same family as Tough Speed's high achieving sire Miswaki.

"I have liked him since he was a foal," Gunn said, noting that Artuso has a bit of the look of her first Tough Speed, the dual stakes winner Banca Mo.

"He has the same sort of energy Banca Mo had, the good Tough Speeds seem to have that," she said, adding that she is excited about sending another mare to the in-form stallion this week.

Also bred by Gunn was Tough Speed's next winner White Hawk who, after working to get to the lead from a wide gate in the BM74 1880m event, proved a class above his rivals with a particularly tough three length victory - briefly challenged at the 200m before kicking clear.

What a grand career this fellow has had, this latest success his tenth from 47 starts. Figuring in the placings on a further 15 occasions, he has won at three Tasmanian tracks over a variety of distances from 1400m to 2150m.

It was a Tough Speed running double with favourite Street Tough flying past his rivals in the BM74 1150m, the Scott Brunton trained six-year-old doing a terrific job coming back in distance and rising in class.

Boasting a great strike rate, Street Tough has won six of his 18 starts and was also tough winning at Geelong in mid-June, sitting wide but finding plenty.

Street Tough's dam Butter Street has done a wonderful job with Armidale stallions, by Helike producing the 11 times stakes winner Hellova Street and by Savoire Vivre the Listed winner Streetwise Savoire. And there is more to come from her two Alpine Eagle colts.

The day ended brilliantly for Tough Speed with the Armidale bred Take The Sit doing just that in the Class 1 1350m, the Bill Ryan trained four-year-old travelling beautifully behind the leader before hitting the lead at the 250m.

From there he was engaged in a two horse war, showing good heart getting the upper-hand late, in doing so recording his second win in a row from just five starts. It was a fun watch for Armidale Stud who raced his dam Tula, a terrific race mare who won five races... a mare who has a lovely Alpine Eagle yearling colt coming through.

"I have been a fan of Touch Speed for years," Ryan said, "and I was saying to David (Whishaw) only last week that if Savoire Vivre had not been around he would've been the leading stallion."

"I was delighted to win two in a row with Take The Sit," he continued, "as we had to be patient with her after she had a set back after her second run. We are looking forward to seeing where she goes from here."

Into his 17th season at Armidale, Tough Speed has never served big books but he continues to do the job with five stakes winners amongst his 109 winners.

At a fee of just $2,500 he is one of the best value stallions around, a great choice for breeders wishing to produce toughness and durability.

Tough Speed's success is no surprise given his race record and pedigree, the imposing bay being by Mr Prospector's outstanding son Miswaki (Gr.1 winning Champion Sire of 95 stakes winners including 14 Gr.1 winners) out of a mare by the legendary Nijinsky II.

The most recent UK Triple Crown winner, the UK Horse Of The Year and Canadian Hall Of Fame member has well and truly made his mark on the breed with his 151 stakes winners (34 Gr.1 winners) and his 235 stakes winners (46 Gr.1 winners) as a broodmare sire.

A half-brother to the stakes winner Asyouwish, Tough Speed is a grandson of the multiple stakes winner Joy Returned, dam of the dual Gr.3 winner Stalwars and the two times Listed winner Joy Of Glory.

A four length winner at two at Doncaster, Tough Speed was a Gr.3 winner of the Park Stakes at that same track at four having sadly missed most of his three-year-old season due to illness. Thought highly enough of to contest the Gr.1 Hong Kong Mile, he would go on to perform consistently at stakes level, achieving a Timeform rating of 123 - described by that publication as "a good sort who consistently took the eye in the paddock."

For further details on Tough Speed contact:

David Whishaw 0407 868 269 david@armidalestud.com.au

http://armidalestud.com.au/armidale_stallions/tough-speed/

 A NEW ERA FOR HISTORIC CORNWALL PARK

Just 50km or so up the Calder Freeway from Melbourne stands an historic property that has enjoyed more than one heyday, once as Gnotuk Park as part of a large pastoral estate, later as a local centre for innovation in agricultural machinery.

A large homestead, still standing with a heritage overlay due to its attractive Federation style, was built in the late 1890s and since then the farm has benefitted from a variety of uses; during and after WWII as a holiday spot for those looking to get away from the big smoke and later the following century as base for the popular annual Djerriwarrh Festival.

But to those in the horse racing world, it is best known as Cornwall Park.

Owned and operated by the Trescowthick family, Cornwall Park was home to a number of popular stallions (at a later time under the banner of the Independent Stallion Station) but its paddocks had been mostly empty in the years before the farm's sale in early 2017.

Fast forward to late May 2020 and Ballarat trainer Pat Cannon happens to pay a visit, that evening tweeting... "Cornwall Park is virtually empty... a great old stud still in excellent order, would be a great opportunity for a new breeder."

Spying that tweet was Arrowfield Stud's Stephen Irwin, friend to Peter Boyle and Lisa Gordon, a Hunter Valley based couple with a long history of involvement in the thoroughbred breeding industry. They had been on the lookout for a while for the perfect farm though it was not until their successful photography business (LMG Photography) took a Covid hit that they stepped up their search.

"Our work stopped like a freight train," Lisa said, "which forced our hand a bit. But we had both been keen to come back into thoroughbreds... it is an addiction after all!"

Reading Cannon's tweet on a Friday evening, the couple sprung into action - driving to Victoria the following day, viewing the farm on the Saturday, signing the dotted (lease) line on the Tuesday - and moving in the following weekend!

"It was a whirlwind," Lisa joked, adding that an instant rapport with Cornwall Park's current owners Alex and Nicole McIntyre helped to speed things up.

"They are the loveliest people we could ever hope to meet," Lisa said. "They had tried different things for the farm from glamping to agistment and realised what would be most perfect is for someone to restore Cornwall Park to its former glory, for it to once again become a successful thoroughbred stud... enter us!"

And so in the three hectic weeks since their move to Victoria, Peter and Lisa have been "cleaning, gardening and mowing" and are "ready to fill the paddocks with beautiful thoroughbreds again!"

"It is great to see Pete able to utilize his 25 years working at studs," Lisa said, noting that he brings to Cornwall "a wealth of experience following long term associations with such famed thoroughbred nurseries as Segenhoe Stud, Byerley Stud, Baerami Thoroughbreds and Emirates Park Stud."

Lisa also boasts an impressive equine resume having competed in a variety of disciplines from a young age, devoting years to her passion of horse photography.

"I am going to juggle photography and Cornwall Park," she said, already delighted with the response from breeders - "we have had so many people say how happy they are to see us here... and we are really keep to make our mark!"

And already a stallion has been found to launch Peter and Lisa's reincarnation of Cornwall Park with Redoute's Choice's Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes winning son Hampton Court arriving late last week, immediately settling in.

"He is such a gentleman, just so easy to work with," Peter said of the striking bay who has sired 19 runners from his first 35 runners in Australia, America, Canada, Malaysia and South America.

A $500,000 Easter graduate trained by Gai Waterhouse, Hampton Court won the Listed Dulcify Stakes and the Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (defeating First Seal) before starting favourite but ending up in the wrong part of the track in the Gr.1 VRC Derby.

A son of the imported stakes winner Roses 'N' Wine from the family of superstar mare Makybe Diva, Hampton Court is still in the early stages of his stud career with his first local crop being only three.

"He will stand at a very reasonable $2,500," Peter said, keen to support local breeders.

"Hopefully he can attract some nice mares whose owners are willing to give him a try for a small outlay," he said, also hoping to attract business to the "new" farm... "we are looking forward to creating and building our piece of thoroughbred history here in the coming years."

Meanwhile Lisa is keen to expand on her equine photography business, available for stud shoots whilst also happy to open Cornwall Park to visitors - its large and well equipped auditorium suitable for functions, horse sales and conferences.

Visit us at www.cornwallpark.com.au or get in touch:

Peter: 0427 459 795 peter@cornwallpark.com.au

Lisa: 0439 000 671 lisa@cornwallpark.com.au

 BLOODSTOCKAUCTION.COM & ARROWFIELD IN EXCITING NEW PARTNERSHIP

Nothing can keep racing down and what a great job everyone in the industry has done keeping the sport going in difficult times.

Behind the scenes everyone has been working furiously to ensure everyone’s safety whilst also coming up with new ideas to continue to satisfy commercial demands… such as the best way to keep buying and selling horses!

To this end Arrowfield Stud, one of Australia’s most successful and best known thoroughbred farms, has teamed up with Bloodstockauction.com to offer 25 yearlings for unreserved sale with bidding already in full swing, the sale to take place on Tuesday May 12.

This is the first time that Arrowfield Stud (a farm that has produced 24 Gr.1 winners within the past decade… including Alabama Express, Castelvecchio, Estijaab, Maid Of Heaven, Shoals, Super Seth, Tagaloa and The Autumn Sun) has offered its yearlings on any online auction platform and Bloodstockauction.com’s Anthony Gafa is both delighted and proud to be chosen for this exciting partnership.

"We are well aware of Arrowfield’s outstanding history of producing top class performers and what a great opportunity this is for owners and trainers across the country to bid on such quality stock."

The many advantages of the Bloodstockauction.com concept have been well appreciated; the ability to arrange inspection, to bid from the comfort of home on horses who have not had the stresses involved with going to a traditional yearling sale.

Arrowfield Stud is providing comprehensive scoping and veterinary reports whilst conformation videos will give potential buyers every chance to secure just the sort of horse they are looking for.

And what a nice selection of horses it is with the progeny of such superstar stallions as Redoute’s Choice and Snitzel as well as those by such exciting international horses as Animal Kingdom, Maurice, Mikki Isle and Real Impact (who on the weekend sired his first Gr.1 winner!)… Redoute’s Choice’s promising young sons Panzer Division and Scissor Kick also represented as is the proven stallion Smart Missile.

They are from great families too with a daughter of the Gr.1 mare Clean Sweep, a son of the imported stakes winner Restless Soul and relations of the stars Danehill, Lonhro, Alinghi, Yankee Rose, Wigmore Hall and More Joyous.

https://www.bloodstockauction.com/

 

Enuff Is Enough With the completion of the 2019/2020 racing season, Woodside Park Stud’s Rich Enuff ended the season with seven individual winners, more than any other active Victorian first season sire currently standing in the state. Headlined by his stunning daughter Plutocrat, who was not only his first winner, and first stakes placed performer, but showed her outstanding ability to capture Eagle Farm’s Listed Tattersall’s Club Stakes (1400m).

12 of his first crop runners finished in the top three, with the general feeling from many that they breed will be better at three, and that was the case with Rich Enuff himself, winning three consecutive stakes races in the Spring of his 3YO season beating the likes of Brazen Beau and Wandjina before a narrow second in the G1 Caulfield Guineas to Shooting To Win, once again beating home Wandjina.

Comparisons with his very own sire Written Tycoon, highlights what a significant start to his stallion career Rich Enuff has made.

Achieving more first crop winners, and even a stakes winner – bettering Written Tycoon’s first crop, the future is very exciting for everyone who has supported him, while making note that Rich Enuff’s first crop tally equalled or bettered the likes of Brazen Beau, Pierro, Lonhro, Dubawi, Magnus, Street Boss, Manhattan Rain, Starspangledbanner and Needs Further with their Australian first crop runners.

Rich Enuff (Written Tycoon x Hotnuff)

Covering an average of 120 mares in each of his initial four seasons at stud so far, the upcoming season is sure to see breeders once gain line up to support Written Tycoon’s fastest 3YO colt, and we look forward to further discussing mating plans with breeders. One such breeder who has thrown her support behind Rich Enuff, is highly respected pedigree analyst and journalist Kristen Manning. “I have been happy to recommend Rich Enuff to my clients,” stated Manning. “I am impressed not only by the horse, but also by the depth of his pedigree. He is an easy stallion to match up and I am delighted with my own colt by him, so much so that my mare is paying a return visit this spring.” Not only is the success of Rich Enuff a great result for the farm, but his sire Written Tycoon was the leading Victorian-based sire with over $10m in progeny earnings from 164 individual winners, placing him third behind Snitzel and I Am Invincible on winners. If you're still undecided as to where you will send your mare this season, Woodside Park Stud’s Tom Rowsthorn is available on 0400 553 621 to discuss our stallion roster and your 2020 mating plans.

 Big bold Barood arrives at Glen Eden Stud

What a terrific job Starspangledbanner has been doing in both hemispheres, from limited numbers well represented by 143 winners, 14 of whom have been successful at stakes level including the Group One winners The Wow Signal and Millisle.

Boasting a 65.3% winners-to-runners strike rate in the southern hemisphere, Starspangledbanner hails from one of Australia's favourite families and its fans will be happy that heading to stud this year is the dashing chestnut's full brother Barood.

Due to make his debut at Glen Eden Stud, Barood is, says the farm's Sonia O'Gorman "truly magnificent."

"He is big, strong and powerful with a gentle temperament and one staff member he has joked that he is so gorgeous that she'd swap her husband for him!"

A $450,000 graduate of the 2014 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, the imposing colt bred by Makybe Racing & Breeding made his debut for the Peter & Paul Snowden stable at Warwick Farm in November 2015, Barood had to work hard from an outside gate but his gutsy third saw him sent out an odds-on favourite a few weeks later at Canterbury.

Despite striking early interference, Barood was strong to the line saluting by a half length - impressing Peter Snowden who noted that "he is a horse of good talent who has a great turn of foot."

Quickly up in class - again finding trouble - Barood was subsequently second to the talented Sir Bacchus at Randwick.

Racing wide in a race not run to suit, Barood was game earning black type at just the second run of his second campaign, third in the Listed Queensland Day Stakes at Doomben. He would go onto to race for the Sue Murphy stable in South Australia, winning over 1050m at Morphettville in July 2017 and a couple of months later at Bendigo.

Still in form the following year, Barood won two in a row over sprinting trips at Morphettville - completing another double at that track in February 2019; proving himself to be tough and durable.

"He is my favourite horse," Murphy, who was also Barood's regular track rider, said.

"He's got a lovely temperament and he is great to ride - it is like sitting in an arm chair but you can feel the motor under you like an explosive bomb!"

All up the winner of eight races and over $310,000 in stakes, Barood is of course a son of the globe-trotting dual Group One winning sprinter Choisir, outstanding sire of 95 stakes winners including 11 Group One winners.

With progeny earnings in excess of $121 million with stakes winners in Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Italy, America, South Africa, Hong Kong, Macau, India and Turkey, Choisir is a truly international stallion.

And he is already proving himself as a sire of sires with Starspangledbanner, Olympic Glory (five stakes winners including the recent French Group One winner Watch Me; exciting winner of five of her first nine starts) and Proisir each siring stakes winners whilst the likes of Divine Prophet, The Mission, Defcon and Worthy Cause have runners to come.

Barood is one of ten winners (from 11 to race) for the terrific broodmare Gold Anthem, a stakes placed city winning daughter of Made Of Gold and the Vain mare National Song whose half-sister is the AJC Oaks winning high class broodmare Circles Of Gold.

Dam of the grand gallopers Elvstroem and Haradasun, both of whom won local and international Group One races, Circles Of Gold is also grandam of the Group One gallopers Highland Reel and Cape Of Good Hope as well as the Group winners Idaho and Noble Prize.

What a family this is with Gold Anthem's stakes placed daughter Gold Chant producing the 1000 Guineas winner Amicus and the Listed winner Cheer Leader whilst other quality performers amongst Barood's relations include the Group one winners Bit Of A Skite (All-Aged Stakes, George Adams Stakes) and Polar Success (Golden Slipper Stakes), the Group winners Marcado, Gold Wells, Ariante and Bring Me The Maid and the Listed winners Tagine, Shagolvin, Yankee Gold, Joan's Best, Zupacool, Sarsarun, Beamer and Ain't Seen Nothin'.

This is a family - one that descends from the acclaimed matriach Eulogy, also ancestress of such high class gallopers as Vo Rogue, Unpainted, Plush, Regal Praise, Fury's Order, Kingdom Bay, Challen, Liebestraum, Nizam's Ring, Rink, Elounda Bay, Red Handed, Gay Saba, Jolly Jake, Red Tempo, Show Gate, Zephyr Bay, Il Tempo, Channel Rise, Honour, Sublime, Burletta, Private Steer, Rubiscent, Lowland, All Silent, Tell A Tale, Platelet, Hawkspur, Ambitious Dragon, Sacred Kingdom and Bonecrusher.

Visit Glen Eden at: https://www.gleneden.com.au/

OR: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3163593427034794/

Or contact Sonia O’Gorman for further details: 0407 811 411

20 August 2020 

Respecting Racehorses

 for the

 Athletes

 that they are

You don't play cricket with a tennis ball; you don't wear thongs to kick a football; you don't start a boxing match without a mouth guard and you don't drive a car without putting on a seatbelt.

Same with horses, our equine athletes - we don't race them without proper shoes to protect their feet or pads to save them from the saddle.

But what about the whip - what do we do to save them from the effects of being hit by the whip?

Nothing.

Sitting on my couch day after day during lockdown watching racing on the telly I can see how racing might worry some people.

The whips flail frantically as riders try to extract every last ounce of effort from their mounts in the quest to win. Us oldies expect them to do that - we've grown up with it. But my 8 year old boy looks at it and says "why are they hitting the horses"? 

Hmmm. 

Well, it's obvious the horse that gets hit the most or hardest doesn't always win. Maybe the jockey is trying to please some unknown punter out there with me in tv land who has bet his last $2 on a nag that is only going to run a battling 6th.

If you follow racing like me then you know the ''fors'' and ''againsts'' about the whip - we've heard them all before.

The main issue now is that the prospect of not having the whip at all is quite real.

That seems absurd for the jockeys who risk their lives riding the animals at frightening speeds and those of us who've grown up with riders throwing everything, including the kitchen sink, at the horses in order to win. 

So, from the comfort of my chair I think I can propose a solution to this controversial dilemma.

I have an old sheet upstrairs and I'll go get it.

 I live near a Clark Rubber store - I'll click and collect a few metres of foam - and also handy to me is a Spotlight store - I'll get a cheap sewing machine.

 Oh, and across the road is a Paint Spot store -  I'll make use of their lifesize white horse which stands guard outside the shop.

Putting all that together with my ten thumbs and general lack of dexterity I've come up with this:

The world's first All-in-One Saddle Cloth and Protector for Racehorses - ta daaaa!

So here it is. 

A little longer than a normal saddle cloth but 2 layers thick encasing a piece of 25 millimetre thick foam that extends somewhere near the horses flanks.

This is the mouth guard, the box, the pads, the proper footwear,the seatbelt, the helmet for horses.

If you think I'm wrong then go and grab a wooden spoon from the kitchen and give yourself a good thwack on the backside. 

It'll hurt. 

Now stuff a good piece of 25mm foam down your undies and do the same thing - harder if you like.

 You won't feel a thing. You'll hear something but won't feel anything likely to cause the smallest yelp.

The foam absorbs all the power of the whip negating any glimmer of cruelty. A rider could hit 'til blue in the face - the horse wouldn't care one jot.

And with that disapperars all the controversy, the counting of whip strikes, breaking of Rules, animal cruelty. 

Vanished.

Now, if this were to become the norm my boy could ask the question again and I could answer him confidently - 

"they hit the horses because it looks like they're 'doing something'."

Perception is 99% of the rule.

RACEHORSES 1ST

All-in-One

Protector and Saddle Cloth

Designed to protect the racehorse from pain

 by absorbing the impact of the whip

 used by jockeys in a

 thoroughbred horse race.

Oh, and a few points: 

a normal saddle cloth is composed of about 1 square metre of material - the one above about 2 sq m and a bit.

it contains 2 rectangular foam inserts about 350 mm wide and as long as the cloth;

in many instances sponsors pay for cloths - with more advertising space available these would be easy to find!

wouldn't it be nice to lead the world with something innovative and widely appreciated?

Cheers,

Vin Lowe

ALPINE EAGLE'S WEANLINGS SET TO SOAR AT INGLIS

There was plenty of excitement at Armidale Stud last spring with the arrival of the first foals for the well credentialled young stallion Alpine Eagle, a particularly good looking and highly talented son of the late, great High Chaparral.

Fast forward to this month and six members of Alpine Eagle's debut crop are being prepared to make their way through the ring at the annual Inglis Great Southern Sale at Oaklands Junction on June 16 & 17.

Armidale's David Whishaw is full of anticipation as the sale draws closer, confident that buyers will see the same qualities as he does in the progeny of the so far bay dominant Alpine Eagle.

"His foals are beautifully balanced with gorgeous heads. They are strong and athletic individuals and it doesn’t matter what type of mare people have put to him, they all seem to have come out with his stunning good looks and that great High Chaparral walk."

"All the good judges have been blown away with the quality he is stamping on his foals," Whishaw continued.

"They have been stamped with good limbs and well-muscled, strong hindquarters. They have inherited their sire's exceptional good looks, fantastic temperaments and athleticism. We can't wait until they get to the track!"

Three of the five Alpine Eagles for sale are members of the Armidale draft - kicking off with lot 173, a lovely filly out of the three times city winning Perugino mare Grisbi who has already produced three winners including the smart Tasmanian Havana Stash and the Victorian metropolitan grade winner Grisbi's Run. Boasting crosses of the wonderful mares Fairy Bridge and Special, she is closely related to the durable stakes winners Back On Target and Fast Talker.

"She is a well-made filly, a precocious type who floats along the ground, Whishaw sad.

"She has it all - athleticism , intelligence and exceptional looks... we can’t wait to see her on the track!"

Another imposing youngster is lot 428, half-brother to the multiple winners Sudden Blitz and Bold Street Cat out of an Encosta de Lago (dam sire of three stakes winners by High Chaparral) half-sister to the Gr.2 winner Champagne Harmony. Hailing from the high class family of big race winners St Reims, Champagne, Charmont and Bonneval, he carries a 3 X 3 cross of the great Zabeel.

"He is a gorgeous, scopey, well balanced, good looking colt who is exceptionally correct with a seriously athletic walk."

Lot 453 also has an interesting pedigree, a colt of the two-year-old winning Hold That Tiger mare Tasmanian Tiger who hails from the prolific Aloe family (the branch which produced the Gr.1 winners Bel Sprinter, Always Aloof Leading Light and Tolylsome) of which Alpine Eagle boasts multiple strains. He is a half-brother to the two times stakes placed Zatacla and the smart Galeocerdo; durable winners of eight races each.

"Without a doubt has unfaultable conformation. Size, balance, scope, bone and movement... he is unquestionably exceptional!"

Whishaw is also looking forward to seeing a couple of Alpine Eagles bred by clients at the sale... lot 176 presented by Rothwell Park being a son of the Gr.2 placed seven times winner Gwynethanne and lot 477, Phoenix Broodmare Farm's colt from the immediate family of Gr.1 winner Montoya's Secret.

A brilliant winner of four of his 12 starts including the Gr.2 Autumn Classic (and a gallant fast-finishing second in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas), Alpine Eagle has been well supported in his first two years at stud and amongst his other youngsters are half-brothers and sisters to the stakes winners Hellova Street and Streetwise Savoire, Pateena Arena and Ammirata and sons and daughters of the stakes winning mares Gehenna, I'm A Hussy, Petite Oiseau, Rose Ceremony and Swooper.

A $240,000 graduate of the 2013 Karaka Premier, Alpine Eagle caught the eye from the word go, showing so much early ability that he was sent out a hot odds-on favourite at his juvenile debut, treating his rivals to a 4 1/2 length galloping lesson.

Whilst injury curtailed his career, what we saw of Alpine Eagle was enough to suggest that he had the natural talent to take his place alongside High Chaparral's 23 Gr.1 winners - several of whom, such as Dundeel, So You Think and Toronado - are already proving themselves a stud.

Described by trainer Tony McEvoy as a "magnificent, athletic horse with a powerful finish," Alpine Eagle stands for $7700 alongside Mystic Journey's sire Needs Further and fellow proven stallion Tough Speed.

For further information on Alpine Eagle contact David Whishaw on 0407 868 269 or Robyn Whishaw on 0419 100 634. Watch him at:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HrU9WWZKgBk

http://armidalestud.com.au/

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Bon Aurum Joins the Riverbank Line-Up

"A wonderful addition to the Riverbank roster" is how Dr Caroline Duddy describes the Group One galloper Bon Aurum who takes residence at the Benalla stud this spring; standing alongside Redente, Boulder City, Von Costa de Hero, Skilled, Wayed Zain and Anacheeva.

"We are very excited to welcome him to Riverbank," Dr Duddy continued, adding that "as a Group One son of the popular and consistent Bon Hoffa he offers exceptional value with the added bonus of having vet fees included if your mare stays with us."

Remaining at the $5,500 fee he stood for during his debut season last spring, Bon Aurum served a quality book of mares including the stakes winners Hello Pamela and Tango Amigo's, the dams of stakes winners Bons Away and Riziz as well as daughters of More Than Ready, Flying Spur, Commands, Red Ransom, Grand Lodge, Magnus, Bernardini, Rubiton, Hussonet, Street Sense and Lonhro.

Described by trainer Ciaron Maher as "a tough horse, an exceptional athlete and a beautiful type," Bon Aurum was bred and raced by Ken King who also raced Bon Hoffa who he said "has been a great stallion for owner breeders."

"And we are confident that his Group One winning son can emulate and even better his deeds."

Both horses impressed claiming the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (a race also won by successful stallions Encosta de Lago, Testa Rossa and Exceed And Excel) - Bon Hoffa in 2007 with Bon Aurum saluting nine years later.

The striking Bon Aurum is one of 151 winners sired by the popular Bon Hoffa, nine times winning reliable stallion whose progeny rarely go a week without a win - his sons and daughters this season winning 65 races.

A son of the highly  successful Danzig stallion Belong To Me (72 stakes winners including ten Group One winners), Bon Hoffa boasts progeny earnings in excess of $12.2 million and is also sire of the tough stakes winners Bons Away and Deiheros.

Other impressive runners for Bon Hoffa include the exciting last start Country Championship winner Noble Boy (winner of six of his first seven starts), the in-form sprinter Bon Amis (winner of seven of his 15 starts including three of his last four) and the recent Adelaide Magic Millions 2Y0 Classic winner Done By Me... whilst on Sunday he was represented by a treble.

But Bon Aurum, winner of nearly $600,000 in stakes, is his best.

Not taking long to strike form, the good looking chestnut at just his second start raced at two raced away with a Geelong maiden. Rising quickly in class, he was in the placings at Flemington and Sandown before taking out the Listed Exford Plate at Flemington.

A Group Three Caulfield Guineas Prelude win was next for Bon Aurum who was caught wide from an outside gate in the Group One Caulfield Guineas won by Press Statement. Not having much go right during a short autumn campaign, he was nevertheless soon into form in the 2016 spring, second up claiming the Listed Tontonan Stakes before his Sir Rupert Clarke success over Voodoo Lad.

Hailing from a strong European family, Bon Aurum can boast amongst his relations the Group One gallopers Court Masterpiece (Sussex Stakes, Prix de la Foret) and Classic Park (Irish 1000 Guineas) and fellow Group winners Double First, Young Runaway, Recupere, Wolverton, Maybe Forever, Soon and Rumpipumpy.

For further information contact Riverbank's Russell Osborne on 0423 768 155.

www.riverbankfarm.com.au