Entries Tagged 'Horse Racing' ↓
March 11th, 2018 — Horse Racing, News, Winners
Well, that was a pleasant surprise! If anyone had suggested a few months ago that our Tavistock mare would win two $50,000 1200 events on successive Saturdays at Ellerslie, I would have recommended a reality check.
We had never backed her up before but she looked better yesterday than she did seven days previously, so warmest congratulations are due to the Logan – Gibbs team for their skill in managing this considerable achievement.
I’ve written before (9 December) that at the end of her first campaign I had thought that she was just a horse, but it’s nice to be proven wrong. None of our Cloughmore Racing Partnership horses have ever shown sprinting ability until now, but this mare has wheels in abundance. She has a high cruising speed but also possesses the ability to accelerate over the final stages of her races. Last weekend she ran her final 600 in a slick 33.43; yesterday she returned 33.79 over the same distance, although she was wide and had to shift sideways twice.
Although by Tavistock, RTT (no, I still am not a fan of that name) is out of a Volksraad mare and does throw to that successful speed stallion. She’s bred on the same cross as four-time Group 1 winner Volkstok’N’Barrell and has a similar action to that remarkable galloper. Her second dam is by Zabeel, and if there’s one cross that constitutes a licence to print money at the moment it’s Tavistock x Zabeel.
So where to from here? RTT does lack size, if not heart, so if she’s going to win some black type it makes sense to get her into a nice race at the minimum weight. However, racing teaches all of us not to get ahead of ourselves so let’s just enjoy the moment.
I’m off to watch the video again.
December 9th, 2017 — Horse Racing, News
Before we go any further, I need to make it very clear that I had nothing whatsoever to do with naming our daughter of Tavistock and the Volksraad mare Macinally. And I have to admit that I’m also on record as saying that if there were a competition for the worst named horse in the country, the TAB would be offering prohibitive odds on her success. That’s one of the few downsides of being a minority owner – the people with the biggest shares certainly have the biggest say in the choice of name. And that’s fair enough.
However, she’s certainly looking – if not sounding – an awful lot more attractive than she was six months ago. Her 3YO career featured a win over a weak maiden field at Whangarei followed by a couple of unimpressive efforts in R65 1600 events at the same venue. Hm, I said to myself, at least she’s a winner and she’s a Tavistock; recommending her to our racing partnership wasn’t the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever had.. But, as the Dee and Gee saga has instructed us, thoroughbreds can improve dramatically given that magic ingredient – time.
To be fair, the Logan-Gibbs training combination always had faith in her and that faith has been vindicated in RTT’s most recent two starts. Firstly, there was a facile first-up victory at Ruakaka when she was three wide all the way and then ran away from her R65 rivals over 1200. And then there was yesterday. She didn’t win easily but she fought to stave off several challenges in the last 100 metres. The 1200 distance now appears to be too short for her and I have hopes that her nomination for the $80,000 Dunstan event over 1500 on Boxing Day will prove to be realistic.
So much for names. It’s also worth commenting that two of the best named horses I’ve ever had anything to do with – Red Hot Pirate and Brief Encounter – have recently proved themselves to be entirely useless.
October 11th, 2017 — Horse Racing, News
All in all, last week didn’t go too badly, the star Cloughmore performer being Maybe Miami, the dominant victor in the Open 1400 event at Riccarton. He’s now the second equal top-rated entrant for the Group 2 Coupland’s Mile, programed for 15 November, the middle day of the Cup Carnival. On current ratings, both Nashville and La Diosa will also comfortably make the field.
Pins filly Hot Fuss fought gamely to be narrowly beaten by the impressive Fastnet Rock colt Age of Fire in the Inglewood Stud Guineas Trial. She’s now gained a 65 rating and should be able to gain a place in the $300,000 Group 1 1000 Guineas field. Although she may lack the finishing speed of some of her rivals, her front-running style will keep her in contention for a long way in the 18 November feature.
On the subject of 18 November, the next three days see a range of candidates for the Group 3 New Zealand Cup further their preparations. The highly regarded Bloodstream (92) runs in the Open 1600 event at Friday’s South Canterbury meeting. It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that he’s been very cleverly placed to minimise the risk of gaining too many more rating points. Saturday’s Egmont Cup at Hawera features Blathwayt (92), Sampson (91), Wait A Sec (91), Zentangle (89) and Gobstopper (80). The Hawera track is currently rated a Slow 9 and is notorious for being difficult to handle by otherwise highly reliable gallopers; I suspect that the form coming out of this event may not be overly reliable in terms of predicting Riccarton success, but it’s nonetheless going to be interesting to see how these Cup contenders perform.
Finally, we have the Winton meeting on Sunday. Top-weight in the small but select field is our homebred La Nouvelle Vague, with perennial big race contender Sureasyouwereborn also in the field. As there is likely to be a strong pace, both horses should get a good hit-out.
The excitement is building!
October 5th, 2017 — Horse Racing, News
In this article, I am trying something a little different – previewing races which are highly likely to clarify various horses’ chances for the upcoming NZ Cup Carnival at Riccarton next month. I’ll be focusing mainly on horses I have had a connection with and will include some pedigree comments that I haven’t already made elsewhere on this site.
To begin with, this Saturday’s Riccarton meeting features several horses taking the next steps in their preparation for the November Carnival.
Race 3 sees the 2YO filly Anne make her racecourse debut in the five-runner juvenile event. She’s one of my selections from this year’s Karaka yearling sale catalogue and has run promisingly in both her trials. Unfortunately both trial winners are also in the field so on the surface of it she will have a difficult task. On the bright side, she will have a heap of improvement in her. She doesn’t have her second birthday until 11 November so she’ll certainly improve with age. Her trainer tells me that she’s got a great attitude; nothing fazes her. I have to say that his is somewhat atypical for the stock of Super Easy. Another plus is that she has an impressive pedigree: she’s inbred to Danzig and is closely related to the impressive Kermadec, winner of close to A$3 million.
Race 5 is headed by Pat In Brackets, a recommended mating. I strongly suspect that this is a heartbreak horse as he seems to please himself as to when he puts in maximum effort. He’s down in grade and is ridden by the stable apprentice who has won on him before so if he feels like trying, he just might do so.
Race 6 is the Guineas Trial. The nine – horse field includes Hot Fuss, a recommended purchase from the Karaka Festival Sale a couple of years ago. As a $10,000 yearling she’s already a bargain, not least because she turned out to be a half-sister to the brilliant but ill-fated First Serve. Last start she was second in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes and it’s going to be very interesting to see how she performs on what will hopefully be a decent track. She’s bred on the same Pins- Kaapstad cross which produced the freakish Aerovelocity, so she just might turn out to be a very useful animal.
Race 7 at features both Maybe Miami and La Diosa in the Coupland’s Mile Prelude. Maybe Miami is undoubtedly one of the best 1400 sprinters in New Zealand, especially on rain-affected tracks, but he is going to have his work cut out for him on Saturday. Even with his rider’s apprentice allowance he’s going to have to concede 5.5kg to the brilliant La Diosa. Although this will be her first start for the season, she has had a couple of quiet trials and is highly likely to be too classy for what is not at all a bad field.
All in all, quite an interesting day.
Race 8 is the open stayers’ race and includes some of LNV’s likely rivals in the NZ Cup. Imperium is highly likely to win. He ran third in the Cup last year but desperately needs rating points to be sure of making this year’s field. As a son of Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal, there’s nothing wrong with his pedigre
September 23rd, 2017 — Breeding Theory, Horse Racing, News, Winners
Maybe Miami is becoming one of my all-time favourite gallopers. The son of Iffraaj and the Waikiki Star mare Miami was one of my selections for long-time client Kevin Hughes at the 2013 NZB Ready to Run Sale and I have followed his progress with more than usual interest. Yesterday’s win in the Open 1200 event at Riccarton was his ninth success from 28 starts and took his stakes winnings over the $200,000 mark. His success is also a timely reminder that you don’t have to pay a fortune at this sale to become the owner of a decent horse.
One of the things I really liked about Maybe Miami’s pedigree was the consistency throughout recent generations of his female family. When he went through the sale ring he was the eighth foal his dam had produced; six had raced and five had won. Most of the mare’s offspring had been by reasonably-performed but not top-class stallions and most of them had been multiple winners. To me, this sort of consistency indicates two things: such a mare can produce sound racehorses and these animals have at least reasonably adequate temperaments. The pedigree was nicely balanced, with duplications of Mr Prospector, Northern Dancer, Princequillo and Dr Fager; the last-named was a brilliant USA sprinter whose influence remains strong to this day. As an added bonus, Miami traced directly to the wonder mare La Troienne.
Clearly, there was potential here. My homework also told me that the brown colt had been sold by NZB at their Select Yearling sale earlier in 2013 for $31,000 and I therefore assumed that his value at the RTR sale would be in the $40,000 to $50,000 range. When Kevin called me and let me know that he had been the successful bidder on Lot 117 for a mere $20,000, I was as thrilled as he was.
As you will imagine, I’m looking forward to the Group 2 Couplands Mile at the CJC’s NZ Cup meeting with more than usual interest. Apart from Maybe Miami, La Diosa and Nashville have also been entered.
I’m also looking forward to this year’s edition of the Ready to Run sale.
September 16th, 2017 — Horse Racing, News
One of the first things you learn when you get involved in thoroughbred racing and breeding is that you don’t always get it right. If it’s any consolation to anyone reading this who’s a relative newcomer to the industry, you can have over 40 years’ experience and still make decisions which hindsight shows are very dumb indeed.
Few of you will have been aware of the result of Race 2, a maiden 1600 event, at Friday’s Otago RC meeting run at Oamaru. The winner was a 4YO Darci Brahma mare named Dee and Gee who jumped well, sat outside the leader, shot away at the top of the straight and held on by a narrow margin. Fairly ho-hum, you’d have to say.
Not so much, I’d reply. Dee and Gee is one of the four yearlings our Cloughmore Racing partnership bought into at the 2015 yearling sales. She was a December foal and, in spite of being by a proven stallion out of a four-win mare from a strong family, cost just $16,000. She had four starts for us but, after showing initial promise, the decision was made that she wasn’t going to be a profitable proposition. The clincher was a dismal run on a rock-hard track at Whakatane. So, understandably, we decided to either sell or lease her. Our partnership was tempted to buy out the majority owners but were unable to agree on a price and, to be entirely honest, we also had reservations about whether she could become a paying proposition. At least we had the sense to lease her.
And here we are, just nine months later, watching that very same Dee and Gee greet the judge at her first South Island start. What irks me is that she looks like a totally different horse. No longer is she a chunky little thing with a questionable and choppy action. No longer does she need a wet track. No longer is she slow out of the barriers. And no longer does she race ungenerously.
Time. That’s what it’s all about. Her former trainer got it exactly right about what she could and couldn’t do nine months ago and gave us a fair and honest assessment of her. She may still be just a racehorse who will do well to break even. However, there’s a possibility that she will turn into what her pedigree suggests she ought to be – a decent stayer.
If that happens it will prove the point that racing success isn’t just about the facts in front of us. It’s also about patience and imagination. (Note to self).
August 5th, 2017 — Breeding Theory, Horse Racing, News
It’s always a thrill to be associated with a Group winner, but it’s a special feeling when the horse concerned can win a Group event at nine years of age, giving weight to much younger rivals.
The son of Darci Brahma and the Royal Academy mare Royal Kiss was a real enigma earlier in his career, losing several major races which he could well have won, but now he seems to be much more consistent in his approach to racing. Apprentice Kate Cowan rides him superbly and showed no signs of panic when he was well out of his ground with 800 to run.
From a pedigree point of view, it’s worth nothing that he’s bred on the same Danehill – Royal Academy cross that features in the genetic make-up of the brilliant Fastnet Rock, this being an extension of the highly successful Danzig-Nijinsky nick. When I recommended the mating which produced him, I was also well aware of the affinity between Danehill and Sharpen Up (as evidenced in Danehill Dancer).
Sure, the pedigree features inbreeding to Northern Dancer, Natalma, Native Dancer, Menow, Buckpasser and Rockefella and it could be argued by linebreeding enthusiasts that it’s these duplications which make Nashville as good as he is. Nevertheless, it’s unarguable that close relatives have a greater influence on genetic make-up than do distant ones and I’ve always been a fan of not ignoring the obvious. Darci Brahma clearly passes on what we would agree are identifiable Danehill traits. When finding a stallion to suit a mare with Royal Academy and Sharpen Up close up, why would you not start with by looking for a well-credentialed son of Danehill, given the evidence we have that the Danehill – Royal Academy – Sharpen Up blend has a good chance of success.
Yes, as you will suspect, my next article on the truth and lies in thoroughbred breeding will focus on inbreeding and some of the myths that surround it.
February 20th, 2017 — Horse Racing, News
Invercargill’s Ascot Park may have been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent years but there is no doubt that the Southland Racing Club Committee deserve great credit for fixing their distinctively-shaped piece of real estate.
It’s hard to believe that a 17.1 hand thoroughbred could navigate his way around such a tight course in record time but that’s exactly what happened on Saturday. The giant son of St Reims La Nouvelle Vague outfinished the gallant Oor Wullie by three-quarters of a length in an impressive 2:39.67, beating Sea Swift’s 1986 mark of 2:40.51 by some 0.84 seconds. It’s also worth noting that La Nouvelle Vague’s impost of 57 kg was 6kg more than the weight carried by the previous record holder.
What’s really remarkable is that I can find no record of any other thoroughbred in Australia or New Zealand breaking the 2:40 barrier. The distance is not uncommon at Randwick in Sydney; the record there was set by Balciano in the Group 1 Metropolitan H. in 1987 when he carried 50.5 kg to finish in 2:40.8.
La Nouvelle Vague doesn’t look very fast but he has a huge stride and considerable reserves of stamina. He also has that wonderful quality in a racehorse – an aversion to getting beaten. Leah Hemi again rode him superbly, ensuring that he never lost momentum and getting him into a position to win the $40,000 feature. The grandson of Zabeel has not always been the easiest horse to train but Graham and Michael Eade must be well pleased that their efforts have been well rewarded over the last fortnight.
Now we have a problem which many owners would envy. What do we aim at now? Do we chase the New Zealand two-mile Cups or do we have a crack over the Tasman?
February 4th, 2017 — Horse Racing, News
Just occasionally in racing all those dear little ducklings assemble in a beautiful straight line. We had just enough rating points to make the field in the $50,000 Listed event, trainers Graham and Michael Eade had our son of St Reims in the form of his life, and Leah Hemi rode him to perfection. However, behind that deceptively simple summary lies a complex narrative.
Bred by our father and son combination, officially known as PD and PD Jeffreys, the son of Danelove mare Balladane did not distinguish himself early in life. He was capable of displays of bad temper and was never Highden Park’s Libby Bleakley’s favourite yearling, We sent him down to Invercargill to be broken in after our attempts to sell him in the paddock proved fruitless; after two people spent some time in hospital during the breaking-in process he entered the Riverton stable of Graham Eade where, at times, he proved to be less than co-operative.
In his first preparation, he got up to the stage of a gentle canter and showed an utter lack of co-ordination and a complete inability to move in a straight line. Several months later we tried again. Before we could assess his improvement he began suffering from cellulitis. More lengthy paddock rest. As a late 4YO he eventually got to the races. Graham warned father and son that we shouldn’t expect too much of him at his first start but that he did have some level of ability. Not for the first time, Graham was right on both counts. LNV’s debut in a maiden 1600 at Winton was memorable only for the distance by which he got beaten but just seven days later he turned a 17-length hiding into a comprehensive 4-length victory over 2147 at Riverton.
Before this victory we had taken long-term associates Vaughan Cronin and Fred Gianone into our racing partnership and it was then decided to widen our ownership base (code for let’s reduce the outgoings). We were joined by the White Flash Syndicate and the Savoy Syndicate. Racing our horse with these enthusiasts has been a lot of fun. Long may it continue.
October 15th, 2016 — Horse Racing, News, Winners
It’s been quite a week for Cloughmore Pedigrees. The promising Jimmy Choux filly Chambon won at Whangarei on Wednesday and the durable All In Luck was too strong for his Woodville opponents the following day. Two winners in a week has to be good news but for two exciting horses to win strong races just two days later really makes this a week to remember.
Today’s Ashburton meeting was very much a trial outing for many horses targeting the significant stakemoney offered at the forthcoming NZ Cup carnival. The Ashburton Cup featured southern sensation Stoker’s Rock and a number of other handy milers, including the progressive Iffraaj gelding Maybe Miami – the latter carrying topweight of 6Okg. Stoker’s Rock set the pace but could not hold out the finishing burst of the Kevin Hughes trained Maybe Miami, expertly ridden by Chris Johnson. Provided that the track is not rock hard, Maybe Miami seems to have a real chance of taking out the Couplands Mile.
However, the star of today’s show was undoubtedly the brilliant La Diosa. The imposing daughter of So You Think and the Group 2 winning Star Way mare Star Affair was just too good for an impressive lineup of 1000 and 2000 Guineas hopefuls. La Diosa jumped well but was restrained early as the leaders set a strong pace. Ashburton is a track which has historically favoured on-pace runners but La Diosa made a nonsense of this by coming from last to mow down the classy Heroic Valour and win easing down. It’s no surprise that she is now favourite for the 1000 Guineas and let’s hope she gets reasonable luck on the day to show what she can do over the 1600 trip.
Cloughmore client Terry Archer has an outstanding filly on his hands. He’s also shared our stellar week by breeding Chambon out of his Galileo mare Glam Girl. You have to wonder what the odds are of both fillies making the field for the New Zealand Oaks later in the season.
