MORE HAPPY DAYS AT THE VALLEY

Progressive four-year-old Good Days (Artie Schiller-Vintage Rock, by Thunder Gulch) scored his second win in six weeks when he outstayed his rivals over 2200m in the Class 4 event at Happy Valley (Hong Kong) on Wednesday night (7 March).

Second choice in the betting, Good Days was given a rail-hugging ride just off the pace by ex-pat Aussie jockey Nash Rawiller. When the sprint home started in earnest from the 600m, Good Days was caught flat-footed momentarily but Rawiller cajoled him to pick up the bit and the gelding found his way between the two leaders to win with authority.

Good Days’s maiden win at Sha Tin in January (see article below) was over 2000m so he is showing a preference for middle distances, as did his dam Vintage Rock who was a close third in the 2009 Canberra Cup behind Colin Little’s $2 million earner Blutigeroo.

8 March 2018

HAPPY DAYS FOR GOOD DAYS

Good Days became the third winner produced by Burnewang North’s broodmare Vintage Rock when he opened his account at Sha Tin (Hong Kong) today.

Placed in two of his previous starts, the Artie Schiller gelding stayed resolutely to win the 2000m Russian Pearl Class 4 Handicap of HK$880,000 on turf for trainer Danny Shum.  It was his first attempt at the distance.

Good Days was sold as a yearling by Burnewang North Pastoral at the Melbourne Premier Sale to representatives of the Hong Kong Jockey Club for $130,000. His dam Vintage Rock now has a 100% winner-producing record having also produced the Flemington stakeswinner Ayers Rock (by Nicconi) and last-start winner Aphrodite Rock (by Commands). Her current yearling is a full sister to Ayers Rock and will be part of Burnewang North’s exceptionally strong draft at the VOBIS Gold Sale in Melbourne in April.

28 January 2018

MILADY CABRIOT’S DAY IN THE SUN

A win has always looked on the cards.  However, it took a while – 12 starts – but finally the well-bred Milady Cabriot (So You Think-Limoncino, by Zabeel) converted her previous six top-four placings with a clear-cut victory at Ballarat today.

The Robbie Griffiths-trained mare drew away to score by two and a half lengths over the 1400m trip, a big turnaround from her previous start when unable to handle the Heavy 8 conditions at Cranbourne.

Milady Cabriot was a $220,000 purchase by Griffiths Racing/BBA Ireland at the 2015 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, with breeders Burnewang North Pastoral and Eric Lucas retaining an interest.  She is the first foal and winner from the winning Zabeel mare Limoncino (NZ) who belongs to a strong international family numbering among its members Cable Bay (Ire), the son of Invincible Spirit who served 98 mares in his introductory season at Woodside Stud in 2017.  Limoncino’s second foal, Misscino, also promises to win soon having run four seconds and a third at her last five starts.

Limoncino is currently in-foal to Darley’s first-season son of Commands, the Group 1 winner Holler.

24 January 2018

APHRODITE, SHE ROCKS!

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred three-year-old filly Aphrodite Rock (Commands-Vintage Rock, by Thunder Gulch) came with a storming run to cause a mild upset in just her second start at Cranbourne tonight.

The Hayes-Hayes-Dabernig trainee had always shown promise in work at Euroa but has taken time to get to the races.  Introduced at Wangaratta early in December, Aphrodite Rock improved for the experience and the application of blinkers here seemed to really switch her on.  Last in the early stages of the 1200m race, she got on her bike approaching the home turn and eventually came widest of all the runners with a sustained drive to claim the prize in the last stride.

She completed a memorable daily double for Burnewang North whose only other runner, Bonney, won earlier at Yarra Valley (see below).

Aphrodite Rock is the third living foal of the former good racemare Vintage Rock.  The first two are the stakeswinner Ayers Rock and Good Days who is beginning to show form in Hong Kong where he was placed second at Sha Tin on 17 December. Vintage Rock’s current yearling is a Nicconi filly who will be a member of a very strong Burnewang North draft at the VOBIS Gold Sale in Melbourne in April.  Vintage Rock’s latest issue is a colt foal by leading sire Sebring.

Aphrodite Rock was a $180,000 purchase by the Lindsay Park team at the 2016 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale and races for a big team of owners, with Burnewang North having retained an interest.  Like her dam, she should appreciate a bit more distance, so here’s looking forward to bigger and better things with her in 2018!

22 December 2017

A BON NOEL FROM BONNEY

Fleet-footed four-year-old mare Bonney (Denman-Valour, by Exceed And Excel) provided connections with the best possible Christmas gift, a win in the last race at Yarra Valley today.

As she has done in nearly all her starts, Bonney was quickly into the lead. Dropping back in grade from her two most recent outings (at Morphettville and Moonee Valley) when fourth each time, and benefitting from Michael Poy’s apprentice allowance, Bonney defied the others to run her down over the 1000m but she packed too many guns, holding on for a tenacious win.

Originally with now Singapore-based Lee Freedman, Bonney has made her most recent starts from the Tony McEvoy stable. Her 11 runs have now yielded two wins and eight other top-four placings so she is a model of consistency.

Bonney races for the Rochester, Victoria-based Good Grass Syndicate and sports the colours of her breeder, Burnewang North Pastoral Pty Ltd.   Her dam Valour is a winning sibling to six winners, three of them black type, including the currently progressive Sydney mare Noire.

22 December 2017

NICCATRICE BRINGS HIS BEST FORM TO TOWN

Gutsy little gelding Niccatrice (Nicconi-Egatrice, by Iglesia) achieved a career high when finishing strongly to win the TABTouch Regional Championship (1200m) on the Winterbottom Stakes Day undercard at Ascot Raceourse, Perth, today.

Always a consistent performer on the provincial and country circuits, Niccatrice brought his best form to town to win the coveted $115,200 contest.  The six-year-old was making his 50th career start and scoring his 10th win, taking his prizemoney to $185,750.

Bred by Burnewang North Pastoral and sold at the 2013 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Niccatrice is trained at Bunbury by his part-owner Mark Bairstow,  a former star player in the AFL for Geelong and a three-time All-Australian.  Despite winning both his previous starts this preparation, Niccatrice was allowed to start at better than 20-to-1.

2 December 2017

PRES DE TOI A PROMISING STAYING FILLY

Pres de Toi (Helmet-Nonchalance, by Lonhro) gained reward for a couple of game performances in strong city class when she scored a game on-pace victory over 2000m at Mornington on 22 October.  Her breakthrough came at her sixth start, having finished third three times previously.

The Ellerton-Zahra trained three-year-old filly, bred and part-owned by Burnewang North Pastoral, holds a nomination for the upcoming VRC Oaks.  She was an $80,000 purchase by her trainers at the 2016 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.

Pres de Toi is the fourth but final foal of the winning Lonhro mare Nonchalance, dam earlier of the smart black-type performer Niccolance.  Nonchalance is a half-sister to Darley-bred Group 1 winner Complacent, now at stud in New Zealand, and to Godolphin’s current season stakeswinner Ataraxia.  This is the former Woodlands Stud family which produced the likes of Group 1 winners Dracula, Masked Party and Festal.

22 October 2017

SOMETHING YOU DON’T SEE EVERYDAY

After winning at Ipswich on Wednesday 27 September (read below), Pinch Passion backed up just three clear days later to tip out the favourites in the metropolitan-rated three-year-olds’ event at Sunshine Coast on Saturday 30 September.  The Burnewang North-bred son of Denman has banked $53,000 this week for his efforts.

PINCH PASSION’S DESERVED WIN

Consistency gained reward when Burnewang North Pastoral-bred three-year-old Pinch Passion (Denman-Valentine Rose) graduated from maiden grade at Ipswich today.

Racing against mostly older horses in the 1666m event, Pinch Passion was a warm-order favourite but things looked grim for the gelding mid-race when he lost his position on the rail to the extent that he was back second-last turning into the home straight.  Jockey Ronnie Stewart waited for an inside run and Pinch Passion dug in for the fight to prevail narrowly.

Pinch Passion was coming off a second placing at Doomben at his previous start, having finished on the heels of placegetters in all his earlier races, hence a high level of optimism that he could win here.

Trained by Robert Heathcote, Pinch Passion was a $32,000 weanling in the Burnewang North draft at the 2015 Great Southern Sale and is a half-brother to the useful multiple winners All My Loving (Not A Single Doubt) and Muccino (Stryker).

27 September 2017

SEA-ING DOUBLE

• Two Sebring three-year-old fillies bred by Burnewang North Pastoral, and sold at the 2016 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, won their assignments at Newcastle today.

  The win of Seababe was notable because the three-year-old filly, hitherto a maiden, beat older age winners in her race over 1850m.

  The Gary Portelli-trainee raced once as a two-year-old, at Group 3 level, and since resuming in August has raced consistently while stepping up in distance. She is the fifth winner out of the stakes-placed Encosta de Lago mare Swinging Babe, herself a winner up to 2150m, and is a half-sister to the courageous Resistant, winner of $420,720.

  Swinging Babe is still going strong, with an I Am Invincible colt to represent her at the yearling sales in 2018.  She is due to foal to Dream Ahead and will visit Snitzel’s son Sooboog at Kitchwin Hills.

  A Sydney winner as a two-year-old, Seaglass was presented in forward condition for her 1200m resumption by Peter and Paul Snowden and in the end won cosily. It was her first race since May and she has now won two of her three starts.  She races for the Kentucky-based Stonestreet Stables, one of the USA’s most prominent breeding and racing operations.

  Seaglass is the second foal of Metonymy, a smart Group-placed two-year-old filly trained by Peter Moody which also finished fourth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes. The mare is represented by a two-year-old colt by I Am Invincible in Mick Price’s stable but luck has deserted her since, missing to her covers in the last two seasons.

  Yet another couple of winners for Sebring, one of Australia’s best sires in which Burnewang North Pastoral is fortunate to own a share.

  16 September 2017

THIS BONNEY FLIES, TOO

Making her first start for trainer Tony McEvoy, the consistent Bonney (Denman-Valour, by Exceed And Excel) broke through for her maiden success at Swan Hill today.

Formerly with the Freedman brothers, Lee having recently relocated to Singapore, Bonney led all the way winning by one and three-quarters lengths without having to come off the bridle for jockey Linda Meech.   A medium-sized now four-year-old, Bonney had been placed at four of her previous six starts, always leading or closely attending the speed.

Bred by Burnewang North Pastoral, Bonney is the second foal and second winner out of the Sydney winning Exceed And Excel mare Valour, a member of the family which produced Media and Timbourina.   She is raced by Good Grass Syndicate, the ‘nom-de-course’ of Burnewang North, staff and friends from the Rochester area, Victoria, where the Burnewang property, renowned for its good grass, is situated. Their previous venture was another winning filly, Rochie Rosie, now retired to stud.

If it looked like Bonney was ‘low flying’ at Swan Hill, it’s because she had something to live up to.  She was named in honour of the pioneering Australian aviatrix Maude ‘Lores’ Bonney whose epic feats in the 1930s included being the first woman to fly from Australia to England, the first to circumnavigate the continent of Australia by air, and the first to fly Australia to South Africa. Trophies in her name for female pilots are still awarded in Australia and Great Britain.

Bonney’s dam Valour has a yearling colt by Sebring and is due to foal to So You Think.

15 September 2017

RIGHT TIME OF YEAR FOR A ‘KINGSTON’ TO BE WINNING

The W.S. Cox Plate is just over a month away and every year it revives memories of the champion Kingston Town whose record of winning the race three times is being challenged this year by another champion, the wonderful mare Winx.

A long way from Moonee Valley but scoring a good win nonetheless  at Grafton at just her second race start was the four-year-old mare Queen Of Kingston (Nicconi-Chloe Rose, by Starcraft).   Not from the same family as Kingston Town, Queen Of Kingston has the same Hains family Kingston Park Stud heritage, her grandam being the high quality Seattle Slew Group winner Rose Of Portland, a half-sister to Melbourne Cup winner Kingston Rule and daughter of Horse Of The Year Rose Of Kingston.

Despite her regal bloodlines, Queen Of Kingston, bred by Burnewang North Pastoral, was a mere $5,000 buy from the 2015 Great Southern Weanling Sale in Melbourne.  She finished second on debut and scored here carrying topweight after a short let-up for trainer Daniel Bowen.

14 September 2017

IT’S A LONG ROAD THAT HAS NO TURNING – NATIONAL VELVET

The twin virtues of patience and skill were rewarded on Thursday night at Pakenham when the Burnewang North Pastoral bred and part-owned mare National Velvet (Commands-Nonchalance, by Lonhro) returned successfully to racing after a long layoff.

Always a big filly needing time to mature, National Velvet began her career as a late three-year-old and in two starts showed she was heading in the right direction.  Unfortunately she suffered a suspensory ligament strain last August which put a stop to her progress.

Trainers Leon and Troy Corstens were confident she was a mare worth persevering with so the decision was made to give her that opportunity.  National Velvet returned to Burnewang North where she was rested and rehabilitated for six months before going back into work.   Nurtured carefully by her trainers, National Velvet returned to fitness and following a smooth performance in a Flemington jumpout the previous week was installed as favourite at Pakenham after nine months away from the track.  Stalking the pace in the 1100m event, she asserted herself in the straight under apprentice Ben Thompson, reporting home by one length.

National Velvet was the first foal bred by Burnewang North Pastoral out of Nonchalance, a half-sister to four stakes horses including Godolphin’s Group 1 winner Complacent, now at stud in New Zealand.  The next foal was the impressive stakes-placed colt Niccolance, earner to date of $251,660, then followed a now two-year-old filly by Helmet named Pres de Toi in training with the Ellerton-Zahra partnership at Flemington.  That filly was to be Nonchalance’s last foal as the mare died in November 2015, another example of ‘only the good die young’.

Nonchalance’s first three dams each produced Group 1 winners when the family was in the hands of Woodlands Stud and Darley.  Bred 3 x 4 to Eight Carat, National Velvet will hopefully extend the record when she takes her place eventually at stud.  She is named after Elizabeth Taylor’s character in the eponymous classic film of the 1940s; but we can assure you that this Velvet will never be in a Grand National!

12 May 2017

SEAGLASS ALL CLASS

After a solid fifth on debut on Anzac Day, Burnewang North Pastoral-bred two-year-old filly Seaglass (Sebring-Metonymy, by Hotel Grand) made the required improvement to graduate victorious at Canterbury (Sydney) today, continuing the unstoppable run in recent weeks by the progeny of Sebring.

Her powerful connections of trainers Peter and Paul Snowden and champion rider Hugh Bowman ensured that the punters didn’t miss her, Seaglass going to post as equal favourite.  Travelling keenly in the trail, Seaglass came across heels at the top of the straight and engaged in a last 200m battle which saw her prevail.

The good-looking filly is the first winner for her dam Metonymy and at $470,000 at the 2016 Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale is the second highest-priced yearling sold by Burnewang North.  American agent John Moynihan signed for Kentucky-based Stonestreet Stables, one of the major players on the North American thoroughbred scene headed up by Barbara Banke, widow of Stonestreet’s late founder Jess Jackson.  Other fillies the Snowdens have trained with success for Stonestreet include Group 1 winner Miracles Of Life and Group 2-placed Kangarilla Joy.

Seaglass’ dam Metonymy was trained by Peter Moody and was particularly useful herself at two, winning at Moonee Valley and being three times stakes-placed.  She was also fourth to the Snowdens’ Sepoy in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.  After Seaglass, Metonymy foaled at colt by I Am Invincible sold at this year’s Magic Millions for $220,000 to Luke Wilkinson and the Mick Price stable but since then luck has deserted her, being empty in the last two seasons. Metonymy is one of only 15 broodmares currently in the Stud Book by Group 1 winner Hotel Grand (by Grand Lodge) who died in 2012.

                                                                                                                                10 May 2017

CHARMED I’M SURE

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Northern Charm (Northern Meteor-Lil Onassis) continued her fine vein of form since resuming from a long layoff when successful over 1600m at Pakenham tonight.

Her four starts the preparation have been near-perfect: three wins and a o.1 length second.  On this occasion, the mare took a sit behind the leader, crossed its heels on straightening and responded for 2 kg apprentice Jordan Grob to put her head in front.  She might be the smallest horse in her races but she’s shown there’s nothing wrong with the size of her heart.

See below for more background on Northern Charm.

13 April 2017

NORTHERN CHARM LOVES THE NIGHT LIGHTS

Patience is starting to reap its rewards for connections of Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Northern Charm (Northern Meteor-Lil Onassis, by Dehere).

The four-year-old mare, from the family of Alinghi, has taken her time to get her act together.  Placed at one of her three starts last autumn,  Northern Charm returned to the track after a nine months hiatus and has proved a minor revelation: her three starts have yielded two wins (firstly at Tatura in February then most recently under lights tonight at Pakenham over 1600m) with a 0.1 lengths defeat sandwiched in between – just a hop away from a perfect score.  In each of her races she has taken the lead and kept going resolutely.

Purchased from Burnewang North at the 2014 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale by Peter Creighton’s United Syndications, Northern Charm is trained by Mick Price.  This late bloomer has now raced six times for two wins, one second and one third. She is one of only two live foals to date from her dam; the second is a two-year-old filly by Street Boss named Genovese who is with Rod Symons at Bendigo.

Northern Charm was the day’s second success for Burnewang North-breds, following the victory of Separee at Seymour.

23 March 2017

SEPAREE TAKES THE NEXT STEP

Mark Twain’s old adage “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog” was well and truly borne out at Seymour today when Separee (Sepoy-Maree Basse [Ire], by Royal Applause) defied the challenges to win her Benchmark 64 event over 1100m.

The little filly eyeballed the leader from the start and edged ahead turning into the straight, only to be hotly pursued from the 200m by Belsapphire.  Separee wouldn’t let the bigger filly go by and stuck her head out on the line to score in a close photo.

Burnewang North-bred Separee has now won two of her last three starts and is the second winner from her French stakes-placed dam Maree Basse. Her pedigree features a cross of Danehill, 3f x 3f.

23 March 2017

HOME RUN AT FIRST ATTEMPT

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Strykethree (Stryker-Iresistabeel, by Zabeel) began her racing career in the best possible style with success in the maiden at Bunbury (W.A.) today.

The three-year-old filly is the fourth winner from five foals bred from the Zabeel mare Iresistabeel and was a $6,500 weanling from Burnewang North’s draft at the 2014 Great Southern Sale.  Iresistabeel has since transferred to the Chatswood Stud where a number of ex-Burnewang North broodmares have continued to supply good results.

1 March 2017

SEPAREE TAKES THE HONOURS AT KYNETON

Three-year-old filly Separee (Sepoy-Maree Basse [Ire], by Royal Applause) earned her diploma in style in today’s SuperVobis 3YO Fillies’ Maiden over 1100m at Kyneton.

The $100,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduate, third-up this preparation, appreciated the firmer track conditions and was strong on the line after enjoying a perfect trip under Jye McNeil.

The Robbie Griffiths trainee is the third foal and second winner for Maree Basse (Ire),  a stakes-placed three-time winner in France from the exalted family of Kingmambo and Miesque.  Maree Basse’s Pierro filly was passed in at this year’s Magic Millions. The mare’s current foal is a colt by Dissident then she went back to Pierro.

20 February 2017

LOST CAUSE COMES GOOD

It wasn’t looking good for Tall Tale.

The four-year-old had been to the races five times, had finished in front of only 11 of his 47 rivals and been beaten an average of eight lengths each time.

But a change of scene since his last racecourse appearance in mid-January brought immediate results when the Burnewang North-bred gelding landed a good old ‘plonk’ at Sale today, coming around the field from last position to get the chocolates.

One of the biggest horses racing, stretching the tape beyond 17 hands, Tall Tale (Sebring-Port Isabel, by Encosta de Lago) was a $35,000 purchase by trainer Frankie Stockdale at the 2014 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale (June).  He got to the races three times as a gangly autumn two-year-old but wasn’t competitive. One start 12 months later produced no better, and neither did his next fresh attempt, in January, seven months later.

Tall Tale just wasn’t delivering on the promise he was showing in the mornings so Stockdale decided something had to give.  Tall Tale went over to Cranbourne trainer Shawn Mathrick who conjured up the turnaround at Sale.

“He’s a big horse with a lovely action,” Mathrick said after the win.  After a good workout a week earlier, Mathrick and his jockey Jackie Beriman went into today’s race with some quiet confidence.

Shawn Mathrick has previously had success with Burnewang North-bred stakeswinner Ayers Rock (Nicconi-Vintage Rock).

5 February 2017

MAGIC RESULT FOR PARTNERSHIP

The TAB Highway races, staged in Sydney but restricted to country-trained horses, have been a big success.  The latest iteration at Rosehill today marked a milestone for the relatively new training partnership of Keith Dryden (based in Canberra) and Scott Collings (based in Goulburn).

The partnership registered their first win on a metropolitan track per medium of the Burnewang North-bred four-year-old gelding Force Of Magic (Magnus-Iresistabeel, by Zabeel) who ground out a tough long-odds win in the 1500m event.

This was Force Of Magic’s first look at a city track, too. His previous 14 starts have been exclusively on country circuits where has won at Moruya and Queanbeyan, as well as placing six times.  With the healthy prizemoney attached to the TAB Highway races, Force Of Magic has now banked $69,550 for owner Gary Mcallister who paid $10,000 for the then very sizeable yearling colt at Session 2 of the 2014 Melbourne Yearling Sale.

Force Of Magic is one of three winners from the winning Zabeel mare Iresistabeel (NZ), these days continuing her breeding career at Victoria’s Chatswood Stud.

24 December 2016

AT LAST: POINTS FOR ATTENDANCE

One thing Capital City does well is turn up.

The little four-year-old mare (Wanted-Elleandee, by Snippets) turned up again at Lismore today for her 23^rd start since 30 March at Bendigo and led all the way to give her now trainer and part-owner Kelvin Hickmott of Beaudesert a lovely Christmas present – victory at 26-to-1 on the NSW TAB.

Capital City has raced every one of the nine months since Bendigo during which time she underwent a change of ownership, state and stable.  Among the 23 starts, from Geelong to Caloundra to Roma to Lismore and points in between, are two wins and eight placings worth $48,125.  Phil Bull’s old Timeform would describe her as “a good ride for an apprentice”, given that she has been helping these young riders hone their skills in 16 of her last 18 races.  Minehiko Shimodaira, with a 3 kgs claim, cajoled her to victory at Lismore.

Burnewang North-bred Capital City was a graduate of the 2014 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. This tough little cookie has an interesting pedigree, carrying Snippets 3f x 2f.

23 December 2016

TWO-STATE DOUBLE FOR BURNEWANG NORTH PAIR

Kirchner (King Of Roses-Presidential Suite) rocked the ring at her home track Gawler (SA) on 14 December when leading all the way, returning an official starting price of $151.00.

The mare has seen a lot of Australia under several trainers in her career and the fact that she hadn’t won since Lismore (NSW) in May 2015 gave rise to the massive odds. In achieving this success, her third, she set up a strong pace, leading by almost six lengths at the 400m and gripping on for a half-length victory.

In contrast, ultra-consistent Niccatrice (Nicconi-Egatrice) got up in just the last stride at WA’s provincial track, Mt Barker, on 15 December. It had been only 46 days since his prior success, at the same venue. The little gelding has been a real fun horse for connections, winning seven times and placing nine in his career to date.

15 December 2016

FROM BURNEWANG TO ADELAIDE, VIA TASMANIA

One of the most impressive newcomers seen winning today was the Burnewang North Pastoral-bred three-year-old Vikings Reward who took the honours at Morphettville in Adelaide.

The big gelding was virtually last to the home turn in the 1000m dash then shifted into top gear, slicing through the field in the final 200m to win going away by two lengths and defying his long odds which varied from 25s to 50s across Australia.

On pedigree at least, he might have been an odds-on pop! Vikings Reward is the last foal of the venerable Kingston Park Stud matriarch Rose Of Portland, bred in the USA by Seattle Slew from 1982 Australian Horse Of The Year Rose Of Kingston and a half-sister to Melbourne Cup record-holder Kingston Rule.

A Group 3 winner herself at Flemington, Rose Of Portland had 10 foals, six of which were winners, before delivering Vikings Reward (by Chatswood Stud’s Reward For Effort), in her 17^th season at stud. Three are now broodmares endeavouring to extend this illustrious line.

Burnewang North sold Vikings Reward as a weanling at the 2014 Great Southern Sale in Melbourne. He reappeared in Robyn Whishaw’s Armidale Stud draft at the 2015 Tasmanian Yearling Sale where he caught the eye of his now-trainer John Hyam, who gave $37,000 for him.  If Vikings Reward has half the talent of his close relatives, the stable will have a lot of fun with him.

Rose Of Portland was retired from breeding after foaling Vikings Reward.  Now rising 25 years of age, she still enjoys the good life performing nanny duties to the aspiring youngsters in the Burnewang North paddocks.

3 December 2016

ANOTHER CLASS RECORD TO NICCOLANCE AT ROYAL RANDWICK

Saturday class has proved no barrier for the handsome Burnewang North Pastoral-bred three-year-old colt Niccolance (Nicconi-Nonchalance, by Lonhro).

Leading from the jump, Niccolance was virtually in cruise control all the way over 1400m – the longest trip he has tried in his six-start career – reporting in 1.8 lengths ahead.  He inscribed his name into the Randwick racebook with a new class record of 1:21.48 (last 600m 33.55), to add to the class record he set at Rosehill at his previous start (see story below).

“It wasn’t a fluke the other day (at Rosehill) and he was quite impressive going from 1100m to 1400m,” said co-trainer Paul Snowden. “Wet tracks were just killing him early on in the winter”.

See how our graduate of the 2015 Magic Millions Sale did it at Royal Randwick.  Click here.

Niccolance has now won $251,660 including those juicy BOBS bonuses.   A stylish, free-going galloper, he looks a most progressive type and is a fine advertisement for his under-rated sire Nicconi who was also represented today by Group winner Hear The Chant at Caulfield and Beauty Master in Hong Kong.

8 October 2016

FIRM TRACK SEES NICCOLANCE GRADUATE IN STYLE

Niccolance (Nicconi-Nonchalance, by Lonhro), bred by Burnewang North Pastoral, was a very clear-cut winner at Rosehill today when finally encountering a dry track.  The handsome colt, sold for $125,000 to former trainer Kevin Moses at the 2015 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, broke the class record which had stood for nearly four years, reeling off the final 600m from the front of the field in a searing 33.1 seconds.

Four placed runs as a two-year-old, including a fourth in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, had earned connections $144,635.  Today’s break-through win, including the BOBS Bonus, adds $33,025 to the kitty.

Here’s Tom Walter’s report of the race, first published on Racenet:

Peter and Paul Snowden’s three-year-old colt Niccolance brought form around the likes of Astern and Capitalist into Wednesday’s Independent Education Union Plate (1100m) at Rosehill and scored an overdue win.

Niccolance had finished runner-up to Astern and Capitalist in his first two outings as a two-year-old and both of those winners currently occupy the top two places in betting on Saturday’s Group II Roman Consul (1200m) at Randwick.

Wet tracks forced the Snowdens to wait the best part of a month to get Niccolance back to the races after finishing second in a barrier trial at Rosehill on August 30.

A wide barrier in the midweek maiden was negated by jockey Blake Shinn who crossed to lead on the son of Nicconi ($3.10 fav) before the pair established a winning break in the home straight.

The Hawkes Racing-trained Palladian ($5.50) finished two lengths away in second while Gerald Ryan’s Star Of Monsoon ($6) was another neck away in third.

“It’s been frustrating, we had him nominated about four of five times and I kept telling the owners to just hang on until we get a good track because he’s just a duffer on wet ground.,” co-trainer Peter Snowden said.

“He got good firm footing today and travelled nicely. It was a nice confidence boosting win.

“I gave Blake (Shinn) an open book. He was going to be three or four deep on the first corner and he gave him a squeeze to get across which was the right thing to do on the day.

“Hopefully he goes on with it now. He’s always shown us a fair bit.”

Unfortunately Nonchalance, the dam of Niccolance and a half-sister to G1 winner Complacent, died in November 2015 after producing just four foals.  Burnewang North retains part-ownership of her Commands daughter National Velvet who has shown promise in two starts to date.

28 September 2016

ANOTHER STEP UP THE LADDER FOR APOLOBOOM

Caulfield trainer Henry Dwyer is finding the right spots for Burnewang North-bred Apoloboom (Kaphero-Apologies) since taking over the training of the gelding for this latest preparation.

Apoloboom’s win at Geelong today was his second in three starts for Dwyer, with a second placing, beaten just 0.2 lengths, sandwiched in between them. Today’s win was hard-earned as Apoloboom was never closer than three off the fence.  He accelerated clear at the top of the straight then dug in to stave off the challenges.

Now with three wins in 11 starts, Apoloboom has earned $76,450, an encouraging return on the $15,000 paid for him at the 2014 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale (Session 2).  A very big horse, Apoloboom always figured to get better as he grew into himself.  Apologies (by Giant’s Causeway) produced two nice colts after Apoloboom, by Hard Spun ($90,000 yearling, exported to China) and Americain ($60,000 weanling/$130,000 yearling) before being on-sold.

22 July 2016

DAWN’S FIGHT WINS THE BATTLE

Wangaratta trainers John and Chris Ledger have been valued supporters of Burnewang North so their win at Wodonga today with Dawn’s Fight (Domesday-Grant’s Moon) was especially welcome, and timely.

As a yearling, Dawn’s Fight wasn’t able to take his place at the sales but subsequently he found his way into the Ledger yard.  Among his owners are Tony and Dawn Tabor who John Ledger relates have been racing horses with his family for more than 35 years.  He added, “Dawn’s health hasn’t been the best, they would have enjoyed today’s win,” he said.

Dawn’s Fight showed lots of determination up the straight in his 1400m assignment and prevailed in a close finish.  Of the big gelding John Ledger says, “We have always known he could gallop and winning at only his fourth start was good as he will be a nice 2000m horse going forward”.

The rising four-year-old gelding is the first foal to race out of the smart USA-bred Grant’s Moon, one of the first stakeswinners sired by the now highly successful Spendthrift Farm sire Malibu Moon.  Grant’s Moon has a top quality pedigree being from the same family as Singspiel, Rahy, Devil’s Bag and Saint Ballado, out of mares successively by Nureyev, Halo and Alleged.

But if proof were needed that pedigree doesn’t count for everything in the breeding business, Grant’s Moon has been a total frustration since her importation from the USA in 2008. Dawn’s Fight was her first living foal – after four years at stud.  The mare is now 15 years old and has produced three further foals.  A rising three-year-old filly named Divine Way ($85,000 Melbourne Premier yearling, by Helmet) is also in the Ledger stable. “She is in work and showing plenty and will step out in September,” says John.  There is a More Than Ready rising two-year-old filly retained by Burnewang North for breeding and a Helmet filly slated for next year’s yearling sales while Grant’s Moon is once again empty.

17 July 2016

MILLENIUM’S RULE GRADUATES IN SINGAPORE

Showing a lot of promise in Singapore is the Burnewang North Pastoral-bred three-year-old Millenium’s Rule.

After an eye-catching second on debut, the gelding scored convincingly as a warm favourite in a $75,000 maiden at Kranji on Friday, 3 June.

Millenium’s Rule is by Lonhro-Maree Basse (Ire), by Royal Applause and was bought at the 2014 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for $150,000 by ex-pat New Zealand trainer Stephen Gray who has been based in Singapore for some years.  Gray sent the yearling to New Zealand to get his education and early conditioning before transferring him, unraced, to Singapore.

Millenium’s Rule is the second foal of Maree Basse, a stakes-placed multiple winner in France. Her dam is a Danehill mare from the exalted family of Miesque and Kingmambo.  Since producing this Lonhro colt, Maree Basse has a Sepoy two-year-old filly Separee, an as yet unraced official trial winner trained by Robbie Griffiths, and a Pierro weanling filly foal and is in foal to HOTY Dissident.

4th June 2016

RICH RIVER STILL FLOWING

Rich River (Choisir-Galleta, by Zabeel) may have had only five opponents in his 2400m assignment at Morphettville today, but he needed an impressive turn of foot to land the prize.

Blocked behind a line of three as the field came down the straight, Rich River angled across heels then jockey Harry Coffey said ‘go’.  The big stayer immediately lengthened stride and put the race away, winning by 2.8 lengths.  He ran close to 34 seconds for his last 600m, a sharp sectional at the end of 2400m.

Rich River, bred and sold by Burnewang North Pastoral, is a tough and genuine racehorse. Today’s race was his ninth since New Year.  It’s definitely the Zabeel side of the family that Rich River resembles and like a lot of that breed his powers have increased as he’s matured.  A veteran of five wins and 10 placings from 26 starts, Rich River has now won in excess of $180,000.

30 April 2016

RECKLESS ABANDON MAKING IT A HABIT

Burnewang North-bred Reckless Abandon stretched his winning skein to three with a comfortable score in the Class 6 at Doomben today.

The progressive four-year-old gelding, by Nicconi-Apologies, by Giant’s Causeway, began his picket fence at Doomben on 16 March then stepped up to win a Saturday race on 26 March.  In today’s race over 1640 metres, he defeated Tan Tat Diamond who himself was attempting to complete a hat-trick.

Reckless Abandon was a $150,000 purchase for trainer Liam Birchley at the 2013 Gold Coast Magic Millions and has now won five races in all.  There is a large cast involved in the ownership including a group put together by experienced Melbourne racing and art identity Tony Cavanagh who took a shine to the (then) colt at the sale.

9 April 2016

TWO-IN-A-ROW FOR RECKLESS ABANDON

Well done to those who took the tip contained in the news clip below [Reckless Abandon Regains Winning Feeling].

It didn’t take long for Reckless Abandon to prove himself in Saturday class – next start 10 days later, to be precise – which he did at Doomben today with Jim Byrne again in the saddle.  The Nicconi gelding prevailed courageously in a tight finish, the 1615m being his longest winning distance to date.

The Burnewang North-bred’s earnings are now approaching $100,000.

26 March 2016

VON GALLETA EASILY AT BALLARAT

Three-year-old filly Von Galleta (Von Costa de Hero-Galleta) waved goodbye to maiden ranks in emphatic style with a three-lengths romp at Ballarat today.

Signalling promise in three previous starts, the Burnewang North Pastoral-bred filly was stretched out to 1600m for the first time.  Leading initially then sitting outside the leader, Von Galleta sprinted away mid-straight to gap her opposition.

She is the third winner from the Melbourne-winning Zabeel mare Galleta.  Von Galleta shares common ownership with her older half-brother Rich River (by Choisir), beaten a nose at Moonee Valley just four days ago.  Both are trained by Darren Weir.

Von Galleta was a modest $15,000 purchase and is the third winner sold from Burnewang North Pastoral’s small draft at the 2014 VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale.

22 March 2016

RECKLESS ABANDON REGAINS WINNING FEELING

Burnewang North-bred Reckless Abandon, a beautiful big chestnut son of Nicconi and Apologies, returned to winning form impressively at  Doomben today.

It was just his third win, and his first for 15 months, but luck hasn’t always been on his side.  An imposing individual ($150,000 yearling, 2013 Magic Millions), Reckless Abandon looks stronger and more racewise as a four-year-old and, though his winning margin was narrow, the long-strider looked to have the race under control throughout.  Post-race, winning jockey Jim Byrne assured the TV audience that Reckless Abandon was well up to Saturday class in future.

Congratulations to trainer Liam Birchley and his big team of owners.

16 March 2016

WINTONIA: VALUE FROM THE VOBIS SALE

Though Burnewang North Pastoral doesn’t have a draft in this year’s sale, we were served a reminder of the opportunities available at the Melbourne Vobis Gold Yearling Sale (17/18 April) when Wintonia gained her maiden success at Racing.com Park (Pakenham) today.

The Domesday-Coupe filly headed a Pat Carey stable quinella in the 2000m event, winning by more than two lengths after circling the field on the home turn.

Wintonia was a $10,000 purchase at the 2014 Vobis Gold Yearling Sale by clients of the Carey stable.  Also sold from the Burnewang North Pastoral draft that day was Remunerator (Lope De Vega-Paymistress), a close third at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.  Wintonia’s dam Coupe was a Group 2 VRC Edward Manifold Stakes winner in the Kingston Park colours and Wintonia is her second winner.  Wintonia has raced honestly in all her previous starts; significantly, this was her first race beyond 1600m.  She appeared to stay well so may have a good future over middle distances.

This year’s Melbourne Vobis Gold Yearling Sale features 286 entries and demands attention owing to the great incentives which attach to the Vobis scheme.

10 March 2016

GOOD GRASS = FAST HORSE

Rochie Rosie carried more than just the support of most TAB punters when she broke her maiden at short odds at Echuca today.

The four-year-old home-bred mare carried, for the first time, the hopes of the newly-minted Good Grass Syndicate, a combination of breeder Burnewang North and a group of enthusiastic friends from the Rochester area in northern Victoria where the farm is situated and from which Rochie Rosie derives her name.

As the farm’s sales mantra says: “If you want a fast horse, you’d better buy some good grass”, a reference to the sizeable crops of top quality lucerne harvested off Burnewang North each year. Hence the choice of the syndicate name

Well, fast horse she is. Rochie Rosie was confidently taken to the lead in the 1400m event by Dean Yendall and nothing could run her down.  It was a deserved win for the John and Chris Ledger trainee who had placed at four of her five previous starts.

The victory was poignant from a pedigree point of view because Rochie Rosie is the last filly produced by one of the old Kingston Park stalwarts, the Kentucky-bred Australian Group 3 and Listed winner Rose Of Portland who was pensioned in 2013.  There is a mountain of irreplaceable memories for the Hains family riding with Rochie Rosie.  Her dam Rose Of Portland (by Seattle Slew) is a half-sister to Melbourne Cup winner Kingston Rule (by Secretariat) and a daughter of 1982 Australian Horse Of The Year Rose Of Kingston who was a half-sister to Spirit Of Kingston. There is precious little direct female blood remaining in this line, so the win at Echuca is all the more celebrated.

As for the Good Grass Syndicate, they also have two-year-old fillies by Denman and Street Cry to look forward to.

12 February 2016

MIDWEEK SUCCESSES FOR RICH RIVER AND NICCATRICE

Burnewang North-breds Niccatrice and Rich River extended their winning records during this week.

At Moonee Valley on Friday night, Rich River (Choisir-Galleta, by Zabeel) stayed on too well over 2040m to record his second city win and fourth all told. He had never previously led in a race but on this occasion set a strong gallop and couldn’t be caught.  Darren Weir-trained Rich River has now earned $138,395.

On Australia Day, Niccatrice (Nicconi-Egatrice, by Iglesia) scored at Narrogin in Western Australia, his fifth victory to date, all the others coming at Northam.  In contrasting style to Rich River, Niccatrice was last in the early stages of the 1190m contest but circled the field with a sustained run to do best.

29 January 2016

BURNEWANG YEARLINGS SET NEW BENCHMARKS AT BUOYANT MAGIC MILLIONS

With an ever-growing international bench of buyers contributing to a surging market, Burnewang North Pastoral enjoyed its best-ever yearling sale when Book 1 went under the hammer at Magic Millions Gold Coast from 6-9 January.

Our seven lots were carefully chosen for this market and we were rewarded with 100% clearance, the two highest prices in our auction history and an average price of $257,143, 32% ahead of the overall sale average.

But it’s not all about the money.  For the future of our broodmares, we are thrilled where the yearlings are going, the opportunities they will get, and the new owners with whom our fortunes are now intertwined.

Here’s how the sale played out for us, lot by lot:

Lot 9 Denman-Albaicin filly: $110,000 to newcomer trainer Matt Cumani, via the agency of Craig Rounsefell’s Boomer Bloodstock.  It was an honour to sell Matt’s first yearling purchase at public auction in Australia. He begins his training career soon from Ballarat and as a tyro trainer his pedigree matches the filly’s – black-type all the way!  Involved in the new ownership, for the first time in Australia, is Stone Farm, Kentucky, members of the renowned Hancock family who in earlier times produced the breed-shaper Sunday Silence. The filly, a three-quarter sister to Generalife, has a cast-iron pedigree and in hindsight, as the sale progressed, seemed to represent great value.

Lot 211 Snitzel-Fashion Black colt: $160,000 to Aquis Farm, Queensland.  This colt’s pedigree received a massive boost with the emergence in New Zealand, post-catalogue, of classic colt Xtravagant, a half-brother to his dam.  This Snitzel boy was an untypically big son of the sire and was not unexpectedly passed over by those looking for an obviously precocious type.  But Aquis Farm, who were very active in this price range throughout the sale in order to build up their stable, have a nice horse to go on with.

Lot 423 Sebring-Metonymy filly: $470,000 to Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, USA.  This sensational individual was the second high-priced Sebring of the sale and at the fall of the hammer the highest priced yearling yet sold by Burnewang North. Peter Snowden, who described her as “an absolute cracker” will train her for the same connections who put Miracles Of Life, and more recently Kangarilla Joy, in his stable.  Stonestreet’s principal Barbara Banke and her advisor John Moynihan supervised the purchase.  The filly’s dam Metonymy finished fourth in the G1 Blue Diamond for Peter Moody, won that day by Peter Snowden’s Sepoy, but Snowden has deep experience with the family from his years with the Woodlands racing team.

Lot 561 Commands-Royal Lineup colt: $150,000 to Aquis Farm, Queensland.  A second purchase by the Hong Kong-owned company whose thoroughbred operation is based on the 447 hectare property originally developed by Patinack Farm just south of the Gold Coast. The colt’s full brother King’s Command was kind enough to win at Geelong five days before the sale.

Lot 582 Snitzel-Seaside Home colt: $500,000 to Gai Waterhouse/Julian Blaxland.  This colt was the sixth highest-priced amongst Snitzel’s massive sale entry and sets the benchmark for Burnewang North, being the highest-priced yearling sold to date.  So handsome he took one’s breath away, he is only the second foal of a young Overbrook Stud (Kentucky)-bred Storm Cat mare whose family is yet to be exposed in the southern hemisphere. Imbued with much of the famous Storm Cat physique and markings, the sky is the limit for this colt under the guidance of racing’s first lady.

Lot 659 Sebring-Swinging Babe filly: $230,000 to Gary Portelli.  Stalwart broodmare Swinging Babe, one of our foundation purchases, continues to do us proud with another fine yearling which heads to Sydney. This was her seventh foal in a row – and still on a September birthdate! Her half-brother Resistant was a tough customer who earned more than $400,000 but this filly is probably Swinging Babe’s best foal yet.

Lot 710 Commands-Vintage Rock filly: $180,000 to Lindsay Park Racing.  Delighted to see this filly go to our friends the David Hayes/Tom Dabernig team “across the road” at Lindsay Park.  They have had more than passing success with the Commands breed through such as Gregers and currently Tashbeeh. If she’s as tough and talented as her half-brother Ayers Rock they will have a proper racehorse on their hands.

TONIGHT’S HERO

Three-year-old gelding Everyday Hero (Von Costa de Hero-Valour), bred and sold by Burnewang North Pastoral, won second-up from a spell at the Sunshine Coast tonight.

He’s becoming a local favourite.  All his barrier trials and race starts bar one have been at the Caloundra venue – he boldly ventured to the Gold Coast back in May – and he has yet to finish further back than fifth in any of his eight races, now having won twice.

Everyday Hero was sold as a weanling by Burnewang North for just $5,500 at the Great Southern Weanling Sale in Melbourne in 2013 (you don’t attain a 98% sale clearance rate by taking your horses home!).  He is the first foal of the Sydney-winning Exceed And Excel mare Valour, a grand-daughter of Valourina, dam of Timbourina and Media.  Valour has since produced fillies by Denman and So You Think (aimed for the Melbourne Premier Sale in 2016) and a colt by Manhattan Rain.

18 December 2015

NICCATRICE and NORTHAM

Burnewang North-bred Niccatrice (4g Nicconi-Egatrice) is not yet the Chief de Beers of Northam, but he’s getting there.

All four of the gelding’s wins have been on this Western Australian provincial track.  He’s raced there six times from his 16 career starts to date.  His latest success came today when scoring with something in hand over 1100m.

Niccatrice is part-owned and trained by former gun footballer Mark Bairstow, at Bunbury which is about 260 kilometres south of Northam.  The long trip home is no doubt sweeter when you’ve had a victory!

Niccatrice was sold for $50,000 at the 2013 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.  He is yet another winner by Nicconi who is steadily climbing the ladder of success.

3 December 2015

XTRAVAGANT’S RECORD-BREAKING GROUP 1 NZ 2000 GUINEAS WIN PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON FASHION BLACK AND HER SNITZEL COLT (Lot 211) GOING TO MAGIC MILLIONS

The time-honoured Group 1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas has never been won in such spectacular style as achieved by Xtravagant at Riccarton today.

Since its inception in 1973, the race has been won by such luminaries as Fury’s Order, Balmerino, Vice Regal, Uncle Remus, Kingdom Bay, Weston Lea, Surfers Paradise, Veandercross, Katie Lee, Jimmy Choux and Sacred Falls.  But none dominated the race like Pentire’s son Xtravagant today, winning by eight-and-a-half lengths and knocking half a second off the race record.

And the reason for Burnewang North’s excitement?  He is a half-brother to the stud’s young broodmare Fashion Black who has a strapping yearling colt by leading sire Snitzel heading to the Magic Millions sale in January.

When trained in Melbourne by Danny O’Brien, Fashion Black (by Bertolini) won five races and at the end of her career was bought for Burnewang North Pastoral by our roving eye Steve Brem.  At the time, another half-brother by Pentire, He’s Remarkable, was in the process of making a name for himself.  He had finished second in the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas and was subsequently unlucky to have a Group 1 taken off him in the stewards’ room in Perth.  Retired an Australian Group 3 winner, He’s Remarkable is now in service at Mapperley Stud in New Zealand.  Now his brother Xtravagant, a NZ$375,000 yearling for David Ellis’s Te Akau Syndicates, has come along and on what we saw at Riccarton, at just his fifth start, he not only upstaged his older brother but may be something “xtraspecial”.

Fashion Black has three foals on the ground: a two-year-old filly by Manhattan Rain which was sold at Melbourne Premier in 2015, the Snitzel colt going to January’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale (Lot 211) and a foal at foot by Sepoy.  She has been served by High Chaparral’s brilliant son Toronado at Swettenham Stud.

To see Xtravagant’s phenomenal Group 1 win, go to http://www.nzracing.co.nz/RaceInfo/44483/7/Race-Detail.aspx  then click on VIDEO.

Footnote: Turn Me Loose, the outstanding ‘miler’ of the Melbourne spring who won the Group 1 Emirates Stakes today, was the winner of last year’s Group 1 NZ Two Thousand Guineas.

7 November 2015

WIN NUMBER THREE FOR NICCATRICE

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Niccatrice (Nicconi-Egatrice, by Iglesia) clocked in for his third win at Northam in Western Australia today.

The gelding was a conspicuous last in the early stages of his 1100m assignment but he rounded up the opposition in the straight to win by a length and a half for his trainer and part-owner Mark Bairstow.

Niccatrice, a $50,000 Melbourne Premier Yearling, is yet another winner for sire Nicconi who is really starting to string them together.  Burnewang North Pastoral is a shareholder in Nicconi and his Widden Stud companions Sebring and Stratum.

5 November 2015

SUN THUNDER REIGNS SUPREME AT BALLARAT

Sun Thunder shone brightly when he won his maiden decisively at Ballarat today.

The big, strong Wanted-Huiskes three-year-old, bred by Burnewang North Pastoral, was second-up for the Ellerton/Zahra training partnership, and caught punters unaware with his on-pace victory.

Sun Thunder was in utero when Burnewang North bought his dam Huiskes, a useful stakeswinner in Tasmania by Hussonet, from Eliza Park Stud in 2012.   Eventually, when he was presented at the Melbourne Premier Sale in 2014, the Eliza Park team liked him so much they went to $90,000 to buy him for Sun Kingdom Pty Ltd, the Eliza Park proprietorship.

It was gratifying to see this horse win for the Sun connections who have made such a strong commitment to the Victorian bloodstock industry in recent years.

Sun Thunder is bred, interestingly, 3f x 3f to Snippets, and comes from the family of Horse Of The Year Scenic Blast.  Burnewang North has subsequently sold colts by Snitzel and Hinchinbrook out of Huiskes and parted with the mare herself, in foal to Shamus Award, earlier in 2015.

                                                                                                                                                                2 November 2015

Footnote:  later on the Ballarat programme, the Ellerton/Zahra-Andrew Mallyon trainer/jockey combination were also successful with Savitskaya, a mare bred at the Hains family’s Kingston Park Stud and a direct descendant of their champion filly Spirit Of Kingston.

AYERS ROCK UNMOVEABLE IN WIRE-TO-WIRE FLEMINGTON TRIUMPH

The significance of a maiden 2000m win against older horses at Mildura on 3 August – four weeks before his third birthday – was probably lost on all but the believers, but the same horse, Ayers Rock, delivered on the big stage today at Flemington with a stirring front-running victory in the $120,000 UCI Stakes over 1800m.

Peerless judge of pace Darren Gauci had the big Burnewang North-bred Nicconi colt rolling along in front from the start, ensuring there was no loitering.  The race favourite Tivaci came alongside menacingly at the 400m and for a few strides looked as if he might go on by.  But Ayers Rock and Gauci got down to work, broke the favourite’s resolve, and were actually going away at the line.

We wrote all about Ayers Rock after his Mildura win – scroll down here to Burnewang North Breeds Season’s First 3YO 2000m Winner – so the colt’s background is canvassed there.  However, the planned let-up after the Mildura victory, spoken of in that report, was brief indeed as 30 days later Ayers Rock popped up in a 1400m at Caulfield.  The official result says “8^th of 11” but anyone caring to review the replay would see it was an outstanding performance.

Next it was off to Adelaide for the Listed Morphettville Guineas where, after making all, he was caught right on the line, beaten a couple of pixels.  The victor that day, Celtic Tiger, finished nine lengths astern today, while third placed One For One provided the omen when winning the Poseidon Stakes earlier on the Flemington card.

So this is one tough colt who has put together nine starts in geographical locations as divergent as Melbourne, Sydney, Mildura and Adelaide in just the last two months.

Trainer Shawn Mathrick, who bought Ayers Rock from Burnewang North’s draft at the Melbourne Premier Sale,  was quoted in Racenet’s review of the race:

“He’ll win the Derby this horse.  When we broke him in I said this is the best horse we’ve ever had. He had a magnificent gait on him.

Ayers Rock is by the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Nicconi but Mathrick has no doubt about him getting the Derby trip.

“He can run a trip and he’s a magnificent stayer,” Mathrick said.

We say “Amen to that”.

Ayers Rock is the first living foal of Vintage Rock, herself a sold middle distance performer. The mare foaled a colt by Foxwedge on 22 September.  Perhaps she should be going back to Nicconi!

4 October 2015

APOLOBOOM HAS LIFT-OFF

Having his first start for trainer Henry Dwyer, Apoloboom came off a long layoff to impressively win his maiden at Bairnsdale today. He sat on the speed then pulled away in the last 100m.

A big gelding by Kaphero, Apoloboom was at the same Melbourne Yearling Sale as Ayers Rock, but in the second session. He had almost no admirers on the day but the market was met at $15,000 to the bid of Boom Racing. He is the third winner bred by Burnewang North Pastoral out of his dam, the Giant’s Causeway mare Apologies, a member of the noted Leica family.

Apologies’ 2013 foal was a good colt by Hard Spun, sold to Chinese buyers for $90,000 at the 2015 Inglis Classic Summer Sale.  Her 2014 foal, another stylish colt by Americain, was sold at this year’s Great Southern Weanling Sale for $60,000, and the mare herself on-sold at the same venue for a bargain-basement $3,000 carrying a full relation to Apoloboom.

4 October 2015

SECOND WINNER FOR SKATING’S GRAND-DAUGHTER

Burnewang North Pastoral broodmare Polar (by Elusive Quality) was represented by her second winner from her first two foals when three-year-old filly Greselin (by Bernardini) won her maiden comfortably at the Gold Coast today at just her third career start.

Polar is a grand-daughter of exceptional producer Skating who is also the grandam of this year’s G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Vancouver.

A big filly and a bold galloper, Greselin was another good-value buy from the Burnewang North draft at the 2014 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale (June).  Gold Coast trainer John Morrisey gave $25,000 for her on behalf of his long-time clients Gundaroo Stud.

Polar has since produced fillies by Snitzel and Testa Rossa, and will foal soon to Equiano.

3 October 2015

STRYKING GOLD BECOMES ROYAL LINEUP’S THIRD WINNER

Stryking Gold, a three-year-old daughter of Burnewang North Pastoral-owned broodmare Royal Lineup,  hinted at a promising staying future winning her maiden over 1700m at Gawler today.  She outstayed older horses in the process, which is no easy task at this time of year for a three-year-old.

First seen on raceday as recently as 21 August, Stryking Gold had finished third and fourth over much shorter distances in races leading up to her breakthrough success. She is trained by David Jolly for a large syndicate of owners.

Stryking Gold, by Three Bridges Stud’s Stryker (by Fastnet Rock), was bred by Makybe Racing and Breeding from whom the dam Royal Lineup was acquired in 2014.  For Burnewang North, she has since produced a Commands colt and, on 20 September this year, a Sebring filly.  Stryking Gold is her third individual winner.

The 2015 filly has a strong relationship to the $6 million earner Criterion, also by Sebring – Royal Lineup’s dam and Criterion’s dam are sisters.  Royal Lineup has another date with Sebring this spring.

27 September 2015

LUXURY DOES A ‘GAP JOB’

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred mare Luxury (Written Tycoon-Play A Hula) posted a six-and-a-three-quarters lengths victory on her home track at Goulburn today.

Despite being a conspicuous last early in the 1200m event, and despite the driving rain, Luxury rounded up her rivals from the home turn to win unchallenged.

Bought as a weanling for $10,000 at the Melbourne Great Southern Sale in 2012, Luxury is owned by June Baker (Rapture Farm) and trained by Danny Williams who has recovered from serious injury last year and is back on the track with his team. Lightly-raced Luxury has won twice and just shy of $40,000. In an earlier prep she was a good second in Sydney, indicating that city success is within her grasp.

Luxury’s dam Play A Hula was acquired for just $1,000, primarily because she was closely related to Group winner Rose Ceremony, a member of the Burnewang North broodmare band.

Written Tycoon, sire of Luxury, is one of the best proven sires in Victoria and three Burnewang North mares are heading his way this spring: Danrego, Tell Tale and Gibberer.

3 September 2015

WHO NEEDS A QUOTA SYSTEM?

Gender equality is never an issue at Burnewang North.  We go overboard about it.

With September 1 marking the start of the 2015 covering season, up till this date 10 foals have been born at Burnewang North – nine of them fillies!

The lone colt is a Nicconi half-brother to Military and the promising Fleur Fatale, out of the G3 winner Rose Ceremony.

Fillies have been produced by (with the foal’s sire in brackets): Chelsey Rox (Equiano), her dam Chelsey’s Image (Declaration Of War), Danrego (Zoustar), Dreamalittledream (I Am Invincible), Fashion Black (Sepoy), Gold Digger Miss (Helmet), Kapcher (Sebring), Porto Cervo (Sepoy) and Tell Tale (So You Think).

With 25 foals due for the rest of the season we presume (hope) there will be a couple of colts among them!

                                                                                              2 September 2015

WELL-BRED DESERT QUEEN GRADUATES AT GEELONG

Practice makes perfect and at start number nine Desert Queen got the job done at Geelong today.

The Burnewang North Pastoral-bred mare had “knocked on the door” several times in the past.  With a sharp step-up in distance to 1900m, the door finally swung open.  Perfectly positioned near the pace, the well-bred daughter of Encosta de Lago stayed on for a tough win.

Trained by the Hayes/Dabernig partnership, Desert Queen is the third foal and third winner from the American G2-placed stakeswinner Les Ry Leigh, a daughter of Broken Vow, a successful son of Unbridled.

Les Ry Leigh has been booked to Reward For Effort for the 2015 season.  Her latest foal, a filly by Snitzel, was sold as a weanling in June.

Desert Queen comes from the same 2011 Burnewang North crop of foals as Wisconsin (All American-Elleandee) who is obviously thriving in the Queensland sunshine, scoring at Ipswich on 7 August, his second win from his last three starts.

14 August 2015

BURNEWANG NORTH BREEDS SEASON’S FIRST 3YO 2000m WINNER

It may have been a modest maiden at Mildura, but the stats say a newly-minted three-year-old is rarely seen beating older horses of any kind over 2000m this early in the season – August 3 !

But take a bow Ayers Rock, the Burnewang North Pastoral-bred colt who demolished his older rivals at Mildura today, becoming the farm’s 60th individual winning graduate.

Ayers Rock hasn’t exactly been idle getting fit for the 2000m.  After two runs at Flemington over 1000m as a summer two-year-old, when it became obvious he would need a bit more time and distance, he returned to action in late June gradually stepping up in distance with two races at Flemington followed by a trip to Sydney where he wasn’t beaten too far on an unsuitable track.

Nine days later they were lying in wait for him at Mildura, hammering him into a 5-to-4 favourite for the maiden . Under Dean Yendall, Ayers Rock strode to the front and dominated the race despite his greenness and won unchallenged.

Is Ayers Rock the first Mildura winner whose two previous races – within three weeks – have been as far afield as Flemington and Sydney?  We think so, but we’ll have to leave that one to the historians.

A beautiful big colt who is still very much learning his trade, Ayers Rock will now be given a let-up by his trainer Shawn Mathrick.  Now that he has learned to win, his confidence will be boosted and with maturity he seems destined for better company.  Mathrick believes the circuitous overland route to Mildura has helped make a horse out of the enthusiastic Ayers Rock: “There’s nothing like a trip away from home,” Shawn said after the race.

Mathrick plucked Ayers Rock from the Burnewang North draft at the 2014 Melbourne Premier Sale, having to go to $110,000 to secure the handsome individual.  Ayers Rock is by Nicconi, whose winners’ list grows by the day, and is the first foal to race from Vintage Rock (by Thunder Gulch).  Trained by Barbara Joseph, Vintage Rock was a durable racemare, winning six races up to 1800m and twice placing third in the Canberra Cup over 2000m.

Vintage Rock’s next foal, a cracking good colt by Artie Schiller, was purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at Melbourne Premier this year and the mare will be represented by another typically stylish product, a Commands filly, in 2016.  Vintage Rock is due to foal to Foxwedge and makes a return visit this spring.

3 August 2015

EVERYDAY HERO, SHEEZSINGLE MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM

Canberra and Caloundra were the settings for the latest Burnewang North Pastoral-bred winners.

The speedy and genuine mare Sheezsingle (Not A Single Doubt-Sheezvalue, by Faltaat) scored her fourth win for patient trainer Matthew Dale at Canberra last Friday.  She has filled a top-four placing in 10 of her 12 career starts to date.

Up in Queensland, at the Sunshine Coast meeting on Sunday, cleverly-named two-year-old Everyday Hero (Von Costa de Hero-Valour, by Exceed And Excel) opened his account after a handful of promising earlier efforts.  He’s the first foal of the former Gai Waterhouse-trained mare Valour, winner of four races and a sister to stakes-placed Valoura and a three-quarter sister to stakes placed Global Dream and Maraatib.

Both horses are providing a big bang for the buck, having been acquired inexpensively.  Sheezsingle was a $20,000 yearling and Everyday Hero a $5,500 weanling (subsequently pinhooked for $11,000).

Sheezsingle’s dam was recently on-sold (see story below) but Burnewang North retained Everyday Hero’s yearling half-sister by Denman, to be trained by Ciaron Maher, and have a half-sister by So You Think for next year’s sales.

20 July 2015

BURNEWANG’S FOUR LEAF CLOVER COVERS THREE STATES

Three winners in three states on the same day – all bred and sold by Burnewang North Pastoral.

They mightn’t have been Group winners but nevertheless, as a breeder, these are the kind of results you live for.  Shout the bar!

The horses in question:

Wisconsin (All American-Elleandee, by Snippets) won his maiden on Grafton Cup day in NSW.  He’s owned by Hong Kong’s champion trainer John Moore and is trained these days by Bryan Guy.

Better Call Saul (Statue Of Liberty-Petite Oiseau, by Ladoni) led every step and refused to be run down to record his second win, at Sale, VIC, over 1617m.  Raced by a syndicate which includes his breeders and well-known racing journo Mick Sharkie, and trained by Shea Eden.

Niccatrice (Nicconi-Egatrice, by Iglesia) won his second race from three starts this preparation at what is becoming his favourite track, Northam, in WA.  He is part-owned and trained by former Geelong Cats captain Mark Bairstow.

Just a short-half-head defeat of debutante Rochie Rosie (Von Costa de Hero-Rose Of Portland) at Bendigo yesterday denied Burnewang North-breds four wins in two days.

The stakes-performed dams of Better Call Saul and Niccatrice were sold very inexpensively by Burnewang North at the recent Great Southern Sale.

 9 July 2015

SHE’S VALUE NO DOUBT

The broodmare Sheezvalue (NZ) must look that indeed to her new owners who paid just $2,000 for her when she was on-sold by Burnewang North Pastoral at the recent Great Southern Sale in Melbourne.

The mare’s lightly-raced  first foal Sheezsingle scored her third win at Canberra yesterday, following on from the mare’s second foal, Boutique Baby, winning by six-and-a-half lengths at Muswellbrook at her second start on 21 June.

The fillies, both bred and sold by Burnewang North Pastoral, are sisters, being by Not A Single Doubt from the former smart sprinting mare Sheezvalue who won seven races in Sydney and Brisbane.

Pedigree updates are what breeders love, and two of interest at the weekend, at opposite end of the globe, were welcome news at Burnewang North.

In Japan, Hatsugatsuo, a half-sister to Burnewang North’s Grant’s Moon (USA), scored her fourth win in a strong allowance contest at Hakodate, and Land Grant, a half-brother to Burnewang North’s Paymistress, continued his impressive progress winning at Rosehill.  Grant’s Moon and Paymistress are due to foal to Helmet and Choisir respectively.

5 June 2015

QUALITY WEANLINGS KEENLY SOUGHT AT GREAT SOUTHERN SALE

The strong demand from sales earlier in the year flowed through to the Great Southern where, for the first time, Burnewang North presented a large draft full of opportunities for pinhookers and end-users alike.

“Buyers keep searching for well-grown weanlings with commercial pedigrees and good xrays,” Cathy Hains said.  “We brought down some lovely young horses to Oaklands and were delighted with the response.”

All 22 weanlings offered were sold – it might have been 23 had what was possibly the star lot, a colt by Snitzel-Fashion Black, not come down with a temperature and had to be withdrawn.

Burnewang North topped the Vendors’ Table by Aggreggate with an overall average of $36,761 for the 22 sold.  However, it was in the select Platinum Session that Burnewang North’s offering really shone, with 10 averaging $64,400 compared to the session average of $24,368.

“Some of the most astute operators, such as Ascot Farm and Ampulla Lodge, Three Bridges, Mark and Sarah Devcich, Haunui Farm and Landsdowne Park, found the quality they look for in our weanlings. At least four went to New Zealand. The 100 percent clearance was very satisfying,” Cathy said.

The top sellers were:

$90,000  Commands-Gold Digger Miss blk.f., to Lakeview Resources.

$90,000  Not A Single Doubt-Je t’Aime ch.f., to Landsdowne Park, NZ

$90,000  Not A Single Doubt-Amo La Nonna ch.f., to Inglis on a/c Ascot Farm NZ/Ampulla Lodge

$85,000  So You Think-Dreamalittledream b.c., to Paul Willetts on a/c Three Bridges

$75,000  Snitzel-Les Ry Leigh b.f., to Inglis Victoria as agent

$60,000  Americain-Apologies b.br.c., to Inglis Victoria as agent

$60,000  All Too Hard-Running Royalty b.br.c., to NZ Bloodstock on a/c Haunui Farm, NZ

$52,000  Hinchinbrook-Huiskes br.c., to Clark & Croft Bloodstock

Best seller in the General weanling session was $47,500 for the grey filly by Testa Rossa-Polar bought by Peake Developments.

Lest anyone imagines that the paddocks at Burnewang North are now empty and there will be no yearlings at next year’s sales, Cathy was quick to lay that to rest.

“We have a further 19 youngsters that we will look forward to presenting at the 2016 yearling sales . It is our  preference to concentrate on small, high-quality drafts – another reason why we identified the Great Southern Weanling Sale as a perfect opportunity to keep our numbers in balance.”

A range of well-performed and/or producing broodmares were also sold under the Burnewang North Pastoral banner, with the top price of $50,000 paid by NSW’s Murulla Stud for 11-year-old Miracletto, in foal to Helmet.

26th June 2015

MUM’S FOR SALE ON 22 JUNE

Niccatrice (3 g Nicconi-Egatrice) scored a come-from-behind, first-up win, at juicy odds at Northam (W.A.) today, a timely update for his dam who is part of the Burnewang North Pastoral consignment to the Great Southern Sale in Melbourne later this month.

Niccatrice was sold by Burnewang North at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale 2013 for $50,000 and is part-owned and trained by former Geelong Cats captain Mark Bairstow.

Egatrice, dam of Niccatrice, is a stakes-placed winner of five races but hasn’t had any luck at stud in recent seasons.  Only rising 12 years old, she still has time to make a good contribution.

She is one of 15 broodmares and 23 weanlings which Burnewang North has catalogued for the Great Southern Sale, beginning 21 June.   Almost all represent select sale standard pedigrees and active families, so there are some exceptional opportunities awaiting buyers at Inglis’s Oaklands Junction sales complex.  Click here to see Burnewang North Pastoral’s draft:   http://www.burnewangnorth.com.au/sales/

P.S. other Burnewang North Pastoral-bred winners in recent weeks include Jalaurabel (Snitzel-Meribel) and Palazzio (Haradasun-Dubai Dream).

12th June 2015

RICH RIVER CRACKS THE TON – HALF-SISTER SELLS 4 JUNE

Four-year-old gelding Rich River (Choisir-Galleta) put behind him four consecutive second placings when he hit the line strongly to win over 2025m at Cranbourne last night. The win took his earnings to $103,970 collected from three wins and eight placings in 16 starts.

The Cranbourne event was his ninth start this preparation which began way back in December so the Darren Weir stable has done a marvellous job keeping Rich River in a competitive frame of mind over a long period.

The Burnewang North Pastoral-bred, out of the Melbourne-winning Zabeel mare Galleta, was a $50,000 purchase by Peake Developments Pty Ltd at the 2012 Melbourne Premier Sale.

Rich River’s yearling half-sister, a filly by the good filly sire Artie Schiller, has been consigned with Eliza Park International and will be offered at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale (Lot 2111) at the Gold Coast on Thursday 4 June.  Galleta’s latest foal, a weanling colt by Equiano, is in Swettenham Stud’s consignment (Lot 267) for the Great Southern Sale in Melbourne in late June.

23 May 2015

REMUNERATOR TAKES THE CASH IN SPARKLING GOSFORD DEBUT

Two-year-old filly Remunerator (Lope de Vega-Paymistress), raised and sold by Burnewang North Pastoral, was most impressive winning on debut at Gosford today, leading throughout and decisively beating a couple of well-fancied colts.

Remunerator was sold for $32,000 at the 2014 VOBIS Gold Sale in Melbourne, bought by Burnewang North’s long-time bloodstock advisor Steve Brem, who was actually buying her for the second time.

This was not your run-of-the-mill in-house deal.  For Steve to buy anything it has to have more than just a flashing red light on its head.  We’ll let him tell the story:

“I bought the mare Paymistress (Fusaichi Pegasus-Cashier, by Danehill) for Burnewang North at a Patinack Farm sell-down in the autumn of 2012.  She had this petite Lope de Vega filly at foot and was in foal to Trusting.  Paymistress was young, had ability, was out of a good Danehill mare, and was a sister to the smart colt Flying Pegasus; it was an appealing package.

Fast-forward 12 months.  A good friend and fellow Kiwi, John Thompson, whose black and silver fern colours are well-known, had some BOBS double-up funds about to expire and asked me to buy him a BOBS eligible yearling if I saw one I liked.

A couple of years earlier, John had given me a similar task of finding a home for his BOBS bonuses and at the Melbourne Autumn Sale I found him Rutherglen, a colt by Musket who won straight off the bat and was showing great promise until injured.

The budget was again modest. The VOBIS Gold sale was scheduled just before the funds expired.  I was going to fly down from Sydney anyway as Burnewang North was presenting a draft there.

So I inspected every BOBS-eligible yearling at the VOBIS Gold sale – there were about 45 – and I kept coming back to this Lope de Vega filly of Cathy Hains’s.

I never buy a horse just to fill an order.  I’d rather eat wallpaper.  But this filly was a dreamboat.  I knew she had had a proper upbringing at Burnewang North.  She was smallish but she had a good outlook and shoulder and moved effortlessly without the exaggerated walk that a lot of small, slow horses have and which I studiously avoid.  And she seemed to have the temperament of an angel.  I’ve always been a believer in Shamardal and his descendants and I’d found the Lope de Vegas to be very typey.  That was a plus, too.

So I rang John, told him it was ‘no contest’, this was the only horse here for him. I declared that I had bought it as a foal and that the vendor Burnewang North was my client, and he said “ go right ahead”.  So that’s how it ended up in John’s colours.

I’ve bred, sold, bought or selected countless top class horses, but being able to bring together two of my most loyal clients and friends in one successful transaction gives me an enormous thrill.  It means so much to me.

I tell people: you can always buy a good horse in Melbourne, without the hysteria of other sales and for good value.   I bought Ortensia there for just $50,000.

It might be too much to hope for that Remunerator will be as good, but they’ve got to start somewhere.”

To finish off the story, a good-looking Trusting-Paymistress colt was sold by Burnewang North at the 2015 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale (Summer Book) and her Nicconi weanling colt will be among the  draft at the Great Southern Sale in Melbourne in late June.

Paymistress is currently in foal to evergreen sire Choisir.

13 May 2015

SMOOTH FRESH-UP WIN BY LAGUNA VISTA

Trainer Robbie Griffiths did a lovely rehabilitation job on Laguna Vista to have her in winning shape for when she resumed at Geelong on Tuesday.

The girl came out of her previous race on 1 February the worse for wear, with cuts and pulled muscles to repair, but with lots of TLC the mare fronted up at Geelong – where she has won previously over the 1100m – and got the job done with a minimum of fuss.

Lightly raced, the Burnewang North Pastoral-bred (Charge Forward-Port Isabel, by Encosta de Lago) has now three races and been city-placed.  Her yearling half-sister by Smart Missile has gone to New Zealand where her future career will be in the hands of Warren Bolton.  Seldom without a good horse, Warren is best known as the owner of that wonderful performer of the late ‘80s, Our Poetic Prince.

And if you’re wondering about the name Laguna Vista … well, the Internet’s a great thing.  It’s a tiny USA community adjacent to Port Isabel which is itself a small town famous for its lighthouse, just north of the Mexico border on the Texas coast.  I wonder if any of the owners have been there, or just visited via Google? Looks a nice place if you like everything aquatic, including shrimps!

28 April 2015

DISSIDENT AND FLEUR FATALE: THEIR FUTURE IS OURS, TOO

It was as if one door closed and another door opened.

Feature winners at Caulfield and Randwick last Saturday held special significance for Burnewang North Pastoral.

Dissident (Sebring-Diana’s Secret) made a well-publicised perfect end to his wonderful racetrack career with a never-say-die victory in the Group 1 All-Aged Stakes, 1400m, at Randwick.

When Newgate Farm syndicated Dissident earlier in 2015, Burnewang North Pastoral became a shareholder and therefore enjoyed in a more personal sense his final forays before retirement.  In them, Dissident only re-confirmed his status as one of the most accomplished and exciting stallion prospects of recent times.

Demonstrated flawlessly with Black Caviar, trainer Peter Moody has no peers when it comes to managing the career of a superstar, and what a remarkable CV he put together for this stunning-looking son of Sebring.  Dissident won his first start at two, a Blue Diamond Preview, and two years later, meantime establishing himself as a weight-for-age star, won his last start, the G1 All-Aged Stakes.

In all, the colt raced 21 times – each time in a black-type race – for seven wins and eight placings at distances up to 1600m, for $2,021,200.  Drilling down into the figures, 14 of those starts were in Group 1 races of which he won five and was placed in four.  Few colts these days are tested as properly as Dissident, the trend is to get them away quickly before any cracks might appear.  Dissident had not only speed and precocity but he was able to race sound for three seasons under Australian conditions while maintaining great attitude and Group 1 ability right to the wire.  That’s the kind of horse we all want to breed and that’s what has encouraged Burnewang North to support his future at stud.

Meanwhile, back at Caulfield, two-year-old filly Fleur Fatale (Commands-Rose Ceremony) began her career in the best possible style with a sparkling success in the $150,000 VOBIS Gold Ingot over 1200m.

Tuned up for the race by trainer Brent Stanley and defying her longish odds, Fleur Fatale had a head of steam up all the way.  It was just a matter of jockey Michael Walker finding the right opportunity in the straight to put her rivals away. It was no ordinary win.

Fleur Fatale has gone straight to the paddock to rest up for the spring where the delights of black-type await her.  She is one of the final few to be bred by the Hains’ family’s Kingston Park Stud and carries the gold and red colours immortalised by Kingston Town.  With the cessation of horse activities at Kingston Park on the Mornington Peninsula, Rose Ceremony and Fleur Fatale became members of the Burnewang North family, the filly being raised at the Rochester property from where she and her dam are now managed.  “She’s one of our own,” say the folks at Burnewang North.

19 April 2015

And just to keep the Kingston Park theme going, Mon Clinton (Tale Of The Cat-Oval Affair) won his maiden at Cranbourne last Friday night.  His dam Oval Affair is, like Rose Ceremony, a Kingston Park-bred Group 3-winning daughter of Kingston Park-bred sire King Of Roses.  Oval Affair also resides at Burnewang North.

25 April 2015

NEVER-SAY-DIE EFFORT FROM CLASH OF CLANS IN FIRST VICTORY

TRAINER SCORES WITH 66% OF HIS TEAM

Muswellbrook hobby trainer Michael Dobie took 66% of his team to the Mudgee races on Sunday and they all won – both of them – including Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Hi Viz who made it two wins in succession.

Hi Viz (Bel Esprit-Apologies, by Giant’s Causeway) is named after a brand of safety apparel worn by people often working in construction and mining and, not surprisingly, Michael and most of those in the ownership of Hi Viz work in the Hunter Valley mining industry.

The 51-year-old Dobie  – typical of a vast number who make up the backbone of country racing – has just three in work at the moment so to win with both Hi Viz and first-starter Eccitare at Mudgee made for a highly memorable day.  The two horses cost a total of $15,500 when bought from the Scone Yearling Sale in their respective years and have now won four of their combined 10 career starts.  (Hi Viz had been sold earlier as a weanling by Burnewang North).

Described by Michael’s wife Lesa as a “hyperactive child”, Hi Viz has always been known to have ability but it has been a case of finding a racing pattern to get the best out of him.  “He was highly-strung and can still be a handful.  He needs a strong rider who can stand over him”, said Lesa.  Glenn Lynch is obviously just the man for the job, having had two rides on the gelding for two barnstorming wins, riding him cold at the back of the field then unleashing a powerful finishing burst which has taken him past every one of his opposition.

Hi Viz’s win is a timely little update for his half-brother by Hard Spun which sells as Lot 528 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in Sydney on Tuesday 10 February.  Another half-brother Reckless Abandon has also won twice since the catalogue went to press, so the well-bred Apologies is becoming a reliable producer.  Hard Spun also hit the headlines at the weekend when his unbeaten Australian-bred colt Ertijaal won the Gr 1 Cape Derby in South Africa by almost five lengths.

2nd February 2014

AVERAU’S SENSATIONAL SUMMER FORM CONTINUES

The couple of pixels in a photo-finish, in a Listed race at Werribee in mid-December, is all that has prevented Burnewang North Pastoral-bred mare Averau (Stratum-Merayaat, by Viscount) from winning her last five starts.

Averau has been the staying find of the Melbourne summer.

She defied the normal conventions to convincingly win yesterday’s Doriemus Handicap at Flemington.  At her previous start 30 days earlier, Averau strolled home in the Listed Bagot Handicap at the same track over 2800m.  She was cutting back dramatically to 2000m in the Doriemus, a task seldom achieved successfully, but it made little difference to the mare.  She quickly settled outside the leader then outstayed her rivals in the straight.

Averau is a great credit to the Peter Morgan / Craig Widdison training partnership.   Her first race this preparation was way back in August 2014 and yesterday’s win was at her eighth start since, of which she has won five.  Her career earnings stand at $270,400.

As mentioned in earlier articles, Averau appears to have deep stamina despite her pedigree.  She settles into a relentless long-striding rhythm and can find some extra acceleration when required.   All being well, next on the agenda according to Peter Morgan will be a Listed race at Moonee Valley then ultimately a tilt at the Adelaide Cup (3200m).

1 February 2015

NO DOUBT ABOUT ALL MY LOVING’S STAMINA

There must be something in the Burnewang North water – and the grass.

Not content with producing Stratum’s longest-distance winner – Averau over 2800m – now Burnewang can claim Not A Single Doubt’s second longest-distance winner: All My Loving who scored an overdue win at Warwick Farm today over 2400m.

All My Loving (out of Valentine Rose [NZ], by Black Minnaloushe) joins a rare group – only 10 of Not A Single Doubt’s 300-plus winners have won at 2000m and beyond.

The four-year-old mare has always indicated staying was her game and she won this race, her third, coming with a sustained and (for once, thankfully) clear run from last on the home turn under Winona Costin.  Superficially, her form looked moderate but she could have won any of her previous three or four starts, the run of luck each time went horribly against her, so her success here, at her ninth start this preparation, is just reward.

All My Loving, trained by Gary Portelli, has now won $88,115 for Louis Mihalyka’s Laurel Oak syndicate which supports the Breast Cancer Foundation.  She was a $52,500 purchase at Melbourne Premier in 2012. Her dam Valentine Rose had a Denman colt in 2014 but did not go back in foal.

21 January 2014

LUXURY IN MILESTONE VICTORY FOR BURNEWANG NORTH

Three-year-old filly Luxury (Written Tycoon-Play A Hula) became the 50th individual winner bred and/or sold by Burnewang North Pastoral when she scored an easy win at Canberra today.

AVERAU DOMINANT IN WINNING TIME-HONOURED BAGOT HANDICAP

The New Year couldn’t have started on a brighter note for the folks at Victoria’s Burnewang North Pastoral when they cheered home Averau to a crushing win in the time-honoured Bagot Handicap at Flemington.

The Stratum five-year-old mare became the farm’s first stakeswinner since setting up operations a few years ago.

“We started with just a few mares and have built up steadily in the past three or four years,” Burnewang North Pastoral’s owner Cathy Hains said.  “Averau is from one of those small early crops and we sold her as a weanling at Oaklands.

“We’ve gone close in the past with black-type performers in three different countries but it’s wonderful to see our brand carried to success in such devastating style in a good race at Flemington.”

Averau lobbed along in second place but took over outside the 400m and was never in doubt, winning by almost four lengths.  The final 600m sectional was clocked in 34.08 seconds.

The Bagot Handicap has been around since 1884 and at 2800m is the premier summer long distance event in Melbourne.  Averau had twice previously won at 2500m but at 2800m is, by some distance, the most stamina-imbued offspring of Golden Slipper winner Stratum.

Her trainers, Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison, intimated she may cross Bass Strait for the big Tasmanian staying features if she does well in the days ahead.

Burnewang North Pastoral book-ended the New Year when an emerging home-bred staying filly Von Costabeel opened her account impressively at Gosford’s 31 December meeting.  Connections believe she may be progressive enough to target a race like the Queensland Oaks next autumn.

1st January 2015

NEW YEAR’S EVE VICTORY TO VON COSTABEEL

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Von Costabeel (3 f Von Costa de Hero-Iresistabeel, by Zabeel) shed her maiden status impressively at Gosford today.

The filly mounted a sustained run from the back of the field to win charging away at her fourth raceday start.  It’s hard to know the quality of the horses which finished behind her but the manner of her win – full-throttle over the closing stages – suggests there’s more in store as she eventually steps up in distance.

Trainer David Pfeiffer identified her early on as a staying prospect and today’s 1600m, on good ground, is the longest she has attempted so far.  Her dam is by the great Zabeel, doubtless the source of the potential stamina.  Iresistabeel is a sister to the good mare Calm Smytzer and had earlier produced a useful type in Magnetron.

David Pfeiffer spotted Von Costabeel in Burnewang North’s Magic Millions National Yearling Sale (June) draft in 2013 and took her home for $20,000.

31 December 2014

AVERAU BEATEN A NOSE IN STAKES; RECKLESS ABANDON SCORES AGAIN

Only in the last stride was Burnewang North Pastoral-bred staying mare Averau (Stratum-Merayaat, by Viscount) deprived a stakes victory when she went down by a nose in the $120,000 Spicer Thoroughbreds Handicap over 2600m at Werribee today.

In a really brave performance, the mare raced mostly without cover outside the leader.  She struck for home with determination but was caught on the line by another in-form stayer, Cadillac Mountain, a brother to former Derby winner Rebel Raider.

Up in Queensland, last start winner Reckless Abandon (Nicconi-Apologies, by Giant’s Causeway) repeated the dose with an attractive victory, stepping up in class, at the Sunshine Coast.   It was his second win from three starts this preparation – all at the Caloundra track – and he looks a progressive type.

Reckless Abandon’s half-brother, by Hard Spun, will be offered at the Inglis Classic Summer Yearling Sale (Lot 528) in Sydney in February.

Burnewang North Pastoral will be offering an outstanding colt (Lot 488) by his sire Nicconi at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January, out of Nonchalance, the Lonhro half-sister to G1 Complacent.  Check out the photo of this gorgeous colt in our Sales section.

14 December 2014

CHELSEA CHEQUES IN ONCE MORE

Sometimes the rub of the green goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t.  It certainly did for Chelsea Hotel at Canterbury yesterday.

Chelsea Hotel is a nob in the wet.  The first six races at Canterbury were run on a Good 3 track which was okay but didn’t bode especially well for her.   Storm clouds were brewing, however, and all hell let loose half an hour prior to the scheduled start time of the seventh and final event.  Sydney experienced a dramatic electrical storm, it rained like there was no tomorrow and the city was plunged into a winter-like darkness. There was no way the last race could be held as planned.

In a brave and laudable decision, the stewards at Canterbury decided to ride out the storm.  When the weather abated, Canterbury’s lights were turned on and the last race was given the go-ahead even though it was some 85 minutes after advertised start time.  How fortuitious that they had the lights!

And, just as importantly, after the deluge the track became a Soft 6.

On the way to the barrier, Chelsea Hotel would have been laughing to herself at the turn of events.  She leaped out of the starting gates and was never headed, winning by almost a length and a half.

The bold-running Dylan Thomas-Chelsey’s Image mare has been sparingly raced being a five-year-old with just 15 career starts, now having won six of them from the Canberra stable of Matthew Dale.  She is Burnewang North Pastoral born and reared and is raced by her co-breeder Eric Lucas.

A big, strong Wanted yearling half-brother to Chelsea Hotel will be presented at Magic Millions Adelaide.  Their dam Chelsey’s Image, a juvenile stakeswinner in Canada, produced a Sebring filly in 2014 and is in foal to the exciting Declaration Of War.

3 December 2014

RECKLESS ABANDON WINNER NO. 22 FOR NICCONI

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Reckless Abandon (Nicconi-Apologies, by Giant’s Causeway) became the 22^nd individual winner for his sire when scoring over 1400m at the Sunshine Coast last night.

With his oldest progeny just three-year-olds, Nicconi is starting to build momentum at the same time as he himself burst on to the scene, at the midpoint of his three-year-old season.

A rangy, strong colt, Reckless Abandon was one of the standout lots in the first crop of Nicconi at the 2013 Magic Millions Yearling Sale where he was selected by trainer Liam Birchley for $150,000.  He began racing as a late two-year-old and has now had five starts.  He is the second winner from Apologies who belongs to the celebrated ‘Leica’ family.  His yearling half-brother, another good sort by Hard Spun, will be offered at the Inglis Classic Summer Sale (Lot 528) in Sydney in February.  Apologies produced another colt by Americain in 2014.

Burnewang North will be offering an outstanding Nicconi colt (Lot 488) at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January, out of Nonchalance, the Lonhro half-sister to G1 Complacent.  There won’t be any better by the sire up there.

29 November 2014

AVERAU NOW TWO-IN-A-ROW

Taking a step up in class from her victory at Moonee Valley on 31 October, Averau returned to the scene of the crime last night to tough out yet another win over 2500m.

The Stratum mare, who always puts herself in the race from the get-go, sat second off the rail but was left a sitting duck when the leader weakened quickly before the turn.   Averau didn’t flinch, however, and jockey Linda Meech got her over the line with a pixel or two to spare from the stakes-placed former European Martinvast who had been in her slipstream all the way.

Trainers Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison have produced Averau to win three of her last four starts, ridden each time by Linda Meech, with her earnings now climbing to $108,800.  The Burnewang North Pastoral-bred mare was originally sold as a weanling at Oaklands.

14 November 2014

BURNEWANG NORTH PROUD WINNER OF GMW 2014 RURAL WATER AWARD

Burnewang North proud winner of Goulburn Murray Water’s 2014 Rural Water Award for Surface Irrigation Systems

To read more click here:
http://www.g-mwater.com.au/news/media-releases/2014_media_releases/cathyhains.html

7 November 2014

MILITARY’S GUN RECORD

Winning three-in-a-row anywhere is noteworthy, and so it was with Military (Commands-Rose Ceremony) who completed the hat-trick at Ararat on Sunday following earlier victories at Swan Hill and Seymour. He’s now won four all told.

Military’s pedigree has deep Kingston Park Stud roots.  Military was bred by the Hains family’s KPS as was his Group 3 winning dam Rose Ceremony. Her sire King Of Roses and his first two/three dams were also bred at the famed Mornington Peninsula property.

Rose Ceremony is now in the Burnewang North Pastoral broodmare band at Rochester and has a Helmet colt alongside her.  Military is her first foal.

10 November 2014

AVERAU HANDLES DISTANCE WITH EASE

Until last night, when Averau took the Sweeney Estate Agents Handicap, none of Golden Slipper winner Stratum’s progeny had won a race beyond 2400m.

The Burnewang North Pastoral-bred mare cruised through Moonee Valley’s 2500m trip under Linda Meech, and came away at will from the top of the straight. Lightly raced with a CV of only 14 starts, Averau has now won four with earnings to date of $80,800.

Produced by the unraced Viscount mare Merayaat, Averau has a predominantly sprinter-miler pedigree but is distantly related to the former outstanding classic three-year-old Universal Prince. However, her half-brother Reigning (by Choisir) also has middle distance capability, so where the stamina comes from is not always easy to pinpoint.

1 November 2014

STARDUST TWO

CONSISTENT RESISTANT WINS THE MOE MILE

When they are handing out citations for consistency and bravery, Resistant will be in the queue.

The four-year-old by Choisir gained a deserved victory in today’s Moe Mile ($50,000) carrying co-topweight of 60 kgs.  This was the 15^th time in 19 career starts that the Burnewang North Pastoral-bred has finished in a top-four placing.

Stakes-placed, Resistant has now earned $357,270, a growing return on his $85,000 tag at the 2012 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale where Luke Wilkinson/Mick Price haltered him for a large group of owners.

Resistant was coming off a gutsy third placing at Caulfield on 20 September behind something called Trust In A Gust who in his next two starts won Group 1 races – so the formline wasn’t hard to see!

Resistant raced his first two seasons as a colt but was gelded prior to his current campaign and seemed very happy about the fact as he returned to scale at Moe – as were his owners!  His genuineness comes from both sides of his pedigree: his dam Swinging Babe (by Encosta de Lago) had 28 top-four placings in her long career.  She is soon to be represented by Favourite Sister (2 f by Sebring) from the Peter Moody stable, while there is a brother to Resistant for next year’s yearling sales and another filly foal by Sebring born on 11 September.

SHEEZSINGLE BRIDESMAID NO LONGER

Unlucky to lose by a nose when she veered off the track on debut, Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Sheezsingle made amends at second time of asking with an easy win at Queanbeyan today.

The four-year-old Not A Single Doubt mare has been a patient work in progress for trainer Matthew Dale and her team of owners, some of whom raced her dam Sheezvalue (NZ) who was trained at Queanbeyan by Myffy Rae.

Sheezvalue (Faltaat-Of Value) was a slick short-course mare which won seven races and $165,925. Five of those wins were metropolitan including a Sydney four-on-end skein, while the other two were at home, Queanbeyan.  Sheezsingle is her first foal and was a ‘value’ $20,000 purchase from Magic Millions June.

Sheezvalue has an unraced three-year-old sister to Sheezsingle named Boutique Baby, a two-year-old colt by All American, and foaled a Choisir colt in September.

14 October 2014

AVERAU & KIRCHNER BREAK THROUGH

A frustrating run of minor placings in recent weeks by Burnewang North Pastoral graduates was brought to an end by Averau, successful on Sunday at Benalla, and quickly followed by Kirchner at Ipswich today.

A lightly-raced daughter of Stratum, Averau has previously contested much stronger city races, and performed with credit.  Trainers Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison slotted her into this Benchmark 64 at Benalla and the mare won with something in hand.

Averau is a younger half-sister to Reigning (by Choisir), winner of five races and $224,540 and about to embark on a summer campaign from the Chris Waller stable.  Both were produced by the Viscount mare Merayaat.

Kirchner (King Of Roses-Presidential Suite, by Kingston Rule) couldn’t quite break through in Victoria, finishing in the first four in five of her eight starts.  Sold on to the Gold Coast stable of Alicia Willick, Kirchner saluted at her second start from her new quarters over 2150m at Ipswich, the longest distance she has so far attempted. She is a sister to Flemington G3 winner Oval Affair.

Other Burnewang North-breds to win in the last month are Breaking Bad (Snitzel-Jamelden) and Blueblood (King Of Roses-Play A Hula).

6 October 2014

KINGSTON CONNECTION

Impressive Swan Hill winner Military (Commands-Rose Ceremony) is a product of the Hains family’s Kingston Park Stud on the Mornington Peninsula.  The breeding operation there – responsible in the past for innumerable giants of the track headed by Kingston Town – has now been wound down and Rose Ceremony (King Of Roses-Ceremonial Dancer) has joined the brood at Burnewang North.

Winner of the Gr 3 VRC Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, Rose Ceremony produced an impressive colt by Helmet in August and has been served by Nicconi this season.

6 October 2014

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN

You might think the years are rolling by quickly, but spare a thought for the folks down on the farm.

They had barely put down their sales leads and headcollars when, once again,  it was time to turn on the foaling lights and welcome into the world the next crop of foals which have been quietly developing inside their mums for the past 11 months.

Burnewang North Pastoral hopes to celebrate the arrival of about forty new additions this spring.

With the first fortnight of August not quite behind us, four babies are already on the ground, foaled this year at Burnewang North itself prior to the mares travelling later on to their designated 2014 consorts.

Holding an American passport seems to be a prerequisite for an early foal this spring as three of the four are out of mares sourced from the USA.

There was excitement aplenty when Running Royalty (USA) jumped the gun – legal these days – on 31 July and produced a colt, the first foal anywhere by the outstanding half-brother to Black Caviar, All Too Hard.

It was the five-year-old mare’s first foal, too, and, pleasingly, one with plenty of size and scope as you might expect from a great specimen like ATH.  Running Royalty is well named: her dam was a dual G1 winner, her grandam produced two G1 winners and was a half-sister to an Epsom Derby winner.

Seaside Home (USA), a young Storm Cat three-quarter sister to $4 million earner Cat Thief, has produced a colt by the ubiquitous Snitzel.  It’s her first living colt after losing her first foal, by Flying Spur, as a result of a paddock accident three years ago.

Stakeswinner Chelsey’s Image (USA) has provided us with a Sebring filly after a 1 September cover last year.   Luck has not been an ally so far in Chelsey’s breeding career, either, but her only offspring to race – Chelsea Hotel, by Dylan Thomas – is a city winner of five races from just 12 starts, proving this Holy Bull mare can pass on her own brand of speed – given the chance!

As you can imagine, breeding is a character-building business not for the faint-hearted, with plenty of heartache behind every yearling sale headline.

Carrying the flag for the home team amongst the early foalers – well, the New Zealand team technically speaking – has been Fashion Black (NZ), the scopey grand-daughter of Zabeel who was a pretty useful racemare around Melbourne.  She has produced our second colt so far this year by Snitzel whose stock are running riot in the winner’s circle everywhere.  Fashion Black is a half-sister to He’s Remarkable who was controversially deprived of a G1 victory in Perth, and is a grand-daughter of Arletty who was brought across from New Zealand to win races such as the G2 AJC Villiers Stakes, G2 (now G1) STC Queen Of The Turf Stakes and the AJC Breeders’ Classic.

What the foals will look like, after you’ve carefully thought out the mating and nurtured the pregnant mare for all those months, is the outcome most anticipated by all those who live and work with the animals.   A kind season, safe deliveries and potential champions are what we cross our fingers and toes for.

11 August 2014

STARDUST ONE SHINES AT GEELONG

The late, great Roy Higgins, who passed away in March this year, was remembered at Geelong this afternoon when Stardust One broke her maiden.

Along with his partner Wylie Dalziel, Roy bought Stardust One (4 m Magnus-Dubai Dream, by Marscay) from the Burnewang North Pastoral draft at the 2012 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, for $85,000. The filly was then syndicated amongst a large group of owners with Burnewang North and co-breeder Eric Lucas retaining interests, and placed with leading trainer Peter Moody.

Stardust One was third-up at Geelong, having finished third at both previous starts this preparation. Handily-placed in the 1200m event by jockey Luke Nolen, Stardust One was strong to the line, winning by almost a length and a half.

She is the fifth foal and fourth winner from Dubai Dream whose best to date has been Al Dhafra, stakeswinner of seven races and $313,035.  Dubai Dream is also the dam of the spectacular Exceed And Excel colt sold for $400,000 at Magic Millions Yearling Sale 2014, and now in the Gai Waterhouse stable.

5 August 2014  

South African Winner for Sebring Tara Madgwick – Monday, 4 August 2014

Australian bred three year old Sebring filly Maayaat continued a great run of success in South Africa for Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell operation when scoring a stylish victory over older rivals at Turffontein on Sunday.

Prepared by Mike de Kock, Maayaat won by three-quarters of a length over 1400 metres as a short priced favourite at her second start.

A $200,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Shadwell Australia from the draft of Widden Stud, Maayaat is the first winner for Porto Cervo, a placed three-quarter sister by Danzero to stakes-winner Pinezero.

Porto Cervo has a two year-old colt by Star Witness and a yearling colt by Northern Meteor.

She was on-sold earlier this year at the Inglis Broodmare Sale with bloodstock agent Steve Brem securing the mare for Cathy Hains at Burnewang North for $30,000.

At the same sale, Brem also bought the dam of last week’s Australian bred South African two year-old winner Mackdesi (Galileo x Dreamalittledream (IRE) for $70,000 in foal to So You Think and the dam of recent stakes-winner Generalife, Albaicin in foal to Denman for $100,000.

All three mares were for Burnewang North, who are continuing to add quality to their broodmare band.

4th August, 2014

REIGNING: FOUR TRAINERS, FIVE WINS

GENERALIFE’S DAM AMONG NEW MARES CALLING BURNEWANG NORTH ‘HOME’

The emergence of star Sydney winter sprinter, Darley’s Generalife, has been a timely development for Burnewang North Pastoral.

The farm purchased his dam, the stakes-placed Redoute’s Choice mare Albaicin, at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale in Sydney in May.  The 11-year-old mare was in foal to Denman, the expected foal being a three-quarter relation to Generalife who is a son of  Lonhro.

At time of purchase, Generalife had won five handy races but since then he has won three of his four starts including clear-cut victories in the black-type ATC Civc Stakes and Winter Stakes, taking his prizemoney to $355,045.

Albaicin has a rising two-year-old colt by Bernardini, named Cartagena, and a rising yearling filly by Street Cry, both in the Darley/Godolphin system.  She is a daughter of Flemington stakeswinner Dashing Granada and a half-sister to another Flemington stakeswinner, Celebrity Girl, and to Group-placed Lady Lakshmi.

With the passage of time, every breeder needs to keep an eye on the status of their broodmare band – they don’t stay young and sprightly forever.  With this in mind, Burnewang North took the opportunity to do some restocking at value prices this sale, advised by our consultant Steve Brem. In-foal mares were purchased carrying pregnancies to a quartet of highly-regarded sires So You Think, Commands, Foxwedge and Denman, as well as one dry mare.

Dreamalittledream (Ire), by recently retired former shuttler Danehill Dancer, was a 340,000 euros yearling and is a winning half-sister to quality English miler Killybegs.  Since purchase, her first foal Mackdesi (2YO by Galileo) has debuted in South Africa where he is trained by Mike de Kock.  He has been a ‘good thing beaten’ in both his starts (3rd then 2nd) against older horses and he looks a youngster of potential. Dreamalittledream has a rising 2YO by High Chaparral, is in foal to So You Think and was a $70,000 buy.

Royal Lineup, a good Sydney winner, is one of seven winners out of Group-placed Money Begets Money.  She is very closely related to this season’s outstanding three-year-old Criterion, Varenna Miss and the enigmatc Bull Point.  This is one of the most active black-type families. Royal Lineup, already a winner-producer, was purchased in-foal to the recently deceased top sire Commands for $100,000.

The market has embraced young stallion Foxwedge in no uncertain terms.  Triple Latte (USA), by highly-rated shuttler Medaglia d’Oro (USA), came in-foal to him for $60,000.  She is a member of a distinguished South American family, her dam being a G2 winning sister to champion Miss Linda (G1 winner in USA and Argentina), G1 winner Mr Nancho and to the dam of Miss Match, a G1 winner in USA and Argentina who is now domiciled at Arrowfield Stud.

Porto Cervo, a sister to Pinezero, was not pregnant but this grand-looking mare, a $340,000 yearling, was secured for $30,000. She has progeny to race by Sebring (in South Africa), Star Witness and Northern Meteor so there’s plenty of upside around this daughter of Danzero.

 19th July 2014

100% CLEARANCE AT GREAT SOUTHERN SALE

Burnewang North successfully sold our entire draft at the recent Great Southern Weanling Sale.

7 nicely grown weanlings from a range of sires including Choisir, Reward For Effort, Sepoy, Stryker, Domesday, Haradasun and Von Costa de Hero were presented to the market and the buyers secured them at realistic market value.

We look forward to presenting more of our 2013 born stock to the market at the 2015 Yearling Sales.

25 June 2014

FOUR SOLD AT THE GOLD COAST

World-record prices weren’t threatened, but Burnewang North Pastoral achieved the desired 100% clearance at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale at the Gold Coast in early June.

Getting them out there to prove their bloodlines is the name of the game and the quartet sold here will each get their chance.

Our leading seller was the All American-Sheezvalue [NZ] colt purchased by Jamie Benson for $62,500. A nicely balanced colt, he was largely overlooked when presented at the Melbourne Premier Sale in March but he furnished well in the intervening three months and was well appreciated at the Coast, illustrating the value of this late-season sale as a viable selling and buying option.

Burnewang North’s next appearance is at the Great Southern Sale in Melbourne on 22-23 June where we offer eight weanlings by Sepoy (the only one by the sire in the sale), Choisir, Denman, Domesday, Stryker, Reward For Effort, Haradasun and Von Costa de Hero. Your inspection is encouraged.

11 June 2014

LAGUNA VISTA AT HOME ON THE SYNTHETIC

Laguna Vista (3 f Charge Forward-Port Isabel, by Encosta de Lago) lapped up  the Geelong synthetic surface today with a strong win over 1100m at her first attempt on the track.

The Burnewang North-bred filly, trained by Robbie Griffiths,  finished like a bullet from midfield at the straight entrance to win by almost a length and a half.  Undoubtedly, this was  her strongest performance to date.

It was Laguna Vista’s second win from four starts this preparation.

Her yearling half-brother by hot sire Sebring, a really imposing style of a horse, is being offered for sale at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale on Thursday 5 June.

30 May 2014

VOBIS GOLD YEARLING SALE YET TO REALLY TAKE OFF

Many breeders, ourselves included, were left scratching their heads after the VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale – the reworked Autumn Yearling Sale – in Melbourne in late April.

It was thought – hoped – that the 259 SuperVOBIS eligible yearlings catalogued in the ‘Select Session’ (plus others in the 129 head ‘General Session’) would be a significant attraction for Victorian participants, in particular, to buy up youngsters able to compete in future for the lucrative bonuses attached to VOBIS programme.

But from our point of view, the buying bench was thin, more notable for the quantum of no-shows than those who did.  It was a modest gathering of the Victorian faithful.  Reasons?  Theories abound but it would be helpful if we really knew!  Perhaps the Friday/Saturday Victorian racing programme immediately prior meant the sales were just in the too-hard basket; or that some buyers were yearlinged-out from earlier sales; or that there’s an ingrained perception that the offering hasn’t moved on from the old Autumn standard –  we could argue the toss for ages and still not be sure.  What is certain, however, is that there’s no comfort in watching so many yearlings thoughtfully-bred, well-reared and presented going through the ring unable to recover the very basic costs of production.

Tenacious meeters-of-the-market, Burnewang North Pastoral brought nine yearlings to Oaklands and accepted the market’s judgment in each case, averaging $14,444.

Our yearlings were purchased by some astute judges including Darren Weir (2), Pat Carey, Luke Oliver, Sheamus Mills and our own consultant Steve Brem.   Steve was seeking a BOBS-eligible horse for his NSW-based client John Thompson and judged this filly the best in the book.  We were delighted as we all know how hard he is to please!  We hope she lives up to Steve’s last Autumn yearling purchase the sale topping Musket in 2012 who went on to race as Rutherglen.

As always, our appreciation to all who inspected our yearlings and good luck to their new owners.

BETTER CALL SAUL PLAYS THE STRAIGHT MAN

Saul Goodman is the name of a crooked lawyer in the celebrated fictional US TV series Breaking Bad, as well as the titular character of Breaking Bad’s prequel series Better Call Saul, due to be released towards the end of this year.

Better Call Saul the racehorse, however, is a Burnewang North Pastoral-bred three-year-old who led from go to whoa to win his maiden at Sandown/Hillside today.  The gelding had improved through his first two starts this campaign and, third-up, achieved the significant feat of jumping from 1462m to 1800m to land the prize under an astute Vlad Duric ride.

He became the 40th individual winner bred at Burnewang North in our short history.

Sold at the 2012 Melbourne Premier Sale to young trainer Shea Eden for $55,000, Better Call Saul is by Statue Of Liberty out of the Tasmanian Oaks and Guineas winner Petite Oiseau (by Ladoni).  The mare has now produced three runners for three winners, including stakes-placed Bulwer Bay.

Burnewang North currently has Petite Oiseau on the market, in foal to All American.  Yet to be tested from her are a two-year-old colt by Testa Rossa, named Geocla (in training with Luke Oliver), and a yearling filly by Denman. Petite Oiseau was a tough racemare and is certainly doing the job at stud – if you’re interested, call our office to discuss.

Mention should be made here of two other Burnewang North Pastoral winners in the last couple of weeks: Magnetron (Magnus-Iresistabeel), winning for the third time, at Gosford, and Hi Viz (Bel Esprit-Apologies) breaking his maiden by six lengths in country NSW.

7 May 2014

LAGUNA VISTA SALUTES FIRST UP

Laguna Vista (3 f Charge Forward-Port Isabel, by Encosta de Lago) mightn’t be the biggest filly going around but she has some ticker which was evident in her maiden victory at Ararat today.

Placed in three of her four previous starts, including at Moonee Valley, Laguna Vista was produced in sparkling form by trainer Robbie Griffiths for her first start in almost five months.

Robbie purchased Laguna Vista, a first foal, at the 2012 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.  After Laguna Vista, the dam Port Isabel has produced a 2YO Testa Rossa filly named Testa Sarah, a yearling Sebring colt and a weanling Smart Missile filly. She is in foal to Commands.

Port Isabel is a daughter of the smart sprinting stakeswinner Calming and a half-sister to the up-and-coming Chris Waller-trained Calming Influence.

7 April 2014

VICTORIAN STOCK HORSE OPEN CHALLENGE WINNER

We are very proud of the achievements of our Aaron Todd and his mare Todd’s Kassandra at this past weekend’s Australian Stock Horse Association Victorian State Championship.  Aaron and Kassandra took out the Open Challenge.  Congratulations!

17 March 2014

FICKLE FASHION PRODUCED PEAKS AND TROUGHS AT MELBOURNE PREMIER

Last week’s Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale had peaks and troughs for Burnewang North Pastoral, largely due to the moveable feast of stallion fashion which seems to have about a three months’ lifespan with Australian buyers.

With a proud past record of meeting the market, it was not part of our plan to take home unsold four of our 16 Session 1 yearlings despite setting what we thought were easily attainable reserves.

That said, our 12 sellers grossed $1,076,500 at an healthy average $89,708 which was ahead of the Session 1 overall average of $84,115.

Our median of $85,000 was well ahead of the Session 1 median of $70,000.  The appeal of the Blue Riband Session within it was demonstrated again, our three entries selling for $150,000 apiece.

Combining Gold Coast Magic Millions in January with Melbourne Premier Session 1, Burnewang North Pastoral has sold 19 yearlings this year for $2,179,000, an average of $114,684.

We sincerely thank the hundreds of interested parties who ran us off our feet with inspections at both venues and contributed towards this positive result.

Our Melbourne draft was weighted – 50% – towards first or second-season sires.  It was noticeable that many buyers are reserving  judgment on particularly some second-season sires until the jury reports.  As noted at the top, three months can make a big difference in the perception of a stallion, both upwards and downwards; there are few markets where ‘promise’ based on an immediate and inconclusive sample of results is deemed to be worth more than seasons of ‘solid proof’ but we have seen this tendency writ large at the sales in 2014.  We are reminded of a tale often told by our colleague Steve Brem who recounted that the prevailing view of Sydney and Melbourne trainers of the time regarding the first crop of Zabeel was that they were ‘no good’ and that owning shares in the stallion would be a poor investment.  Just as well they’re horse trainers not fund managers!

Ultimately, we’re confident results will show there was great value to be found in the Burnewang North Pastoral offering. 

Here are the individual results:

Lot 8 Nicconi-Vintage Rock by Thunder Gulch colt – $110,000 to Victorian trainer Shaun Mathrick.  This lovely colt was the highest priced by second-crop sire Nicconi.

Lot 107 Equiano-Chloe Rose by Starcraft colt – $75,000 to Victorian trainer Andrew Noblet.  Swettenham Stud’s Equiano was deservedly   the leading first-crop sire at Premier and while this colt was below his average price it was a satisfying result for a first foal of an unraced mare.

Lot 177 Snitzel-Egatrice by Iglesia filly – $60,000 to the Gai Waterhouse/Round Table Racing team.  These keen-eyed buyers got a nice little bargain here.

Lot 231 Artie Schiller-Jamelden by Kenny’s Best Pal filly – $150,000 to McDonald Racing (Caulfield).  Out of a 100% producer, the filly  exceeded expectations but she was a cracking good sort and was her sire’s highest-selling yearling.  Artie Schiller has been a magnificent contributor to our cause in 2014.

Lot 237 Lonhro-Maree Basse by Royal Applause colt – $150,000 to Stephen Gray, advised by Gary Carvell.  The ex-pat Kiwi trainer is based in Singapore but the colt will go to New Zealand to grow out and be assessed and may well race there.  He was an absolute quality individual and sold right on his sire’s median price. 

Lot 238 Commands-Nonchalance by Lonhro filly – $150,000 to Flemington Bloodstock (Troy Corstens).  This rangy filly may not be an early type but she oozed aristocratic quality and we have retained an interest in her.

Lot 306 Wanted-Huiskes by Hussonet colt – $90,000 to Eliza Park’s Sun Kingdom Pty Ltd.  We felt this colt was ‘all racehorse’ and may have made a bid or two more, but we were delighted that the Eliza Park people, through whom we had originally bought the mare, came back and added the colt to their burgeoning team.

Lot 314 Wanted-Indian Curry by Testa Rossa filly – $70,000 to Paul Moroney Bloodstock.   A very sweet first foal, and if she passes Paul’s scrutiny you know she’s going to be a chance later on.

Lot 380 Reward For Effort-Meribel by Centaine filly – $34,000 to Victorian trainer Ricky Maund.  Generally, this sire’s first crop were very well received but we were aware this good-topped filly was the dam’s 12th foal and were delighted she found  a good home.

Lot 474 Sebring-Port Isabel by Encosta de Lago colt – $85,000 to Eric Lucas.  A colt with a big frame to fill, just like his sire had. Watch this space.

Lot 494 Wanted-Rap Tale by Tale Of The Cat filly – $52,500 to co-breeder Eric Lucas.  A big filly by a sire on the back-burner at present.  Few fillies in the sale had a pedigree better than this one and Eric stepped in undeterred, just as he did a couple of years back to secure another of his joint breeding ventures, the now city-class mare Chelsea Hotel.

Lot 531 Dylan Thomas-Seaside Home by Storm Cat filly – $50,000 to Paul Guy’s Heritage Bloodstock, destined for South Africa. This filly with a luscious pedigree had real quality but slipped under the radar of most, possibly because of her sire.  We’ll be happy with a South African stakeswinner!

We had two rangy colts in Session 2 but it was like they had ventured into the Bermuda Triangle and were lost from view – the Kaphero-Apologies by Giant’s Causeway colt sold for $15,000 and the Magnus-Iresistabeel by Zabeel colt made just $10,000.  Trainers Robbie Laing and Keith Dryden, who know good horses when they see them, were the respective buyers.

For the record, our passed in lots were:

Lot 341 Lonhro-Lake Susannah by Filante flly
Lot 462 Denman-Petite Oiseau by Ladoni filly
Lot 471 Bernardini-Polar by Elusive Quality filly
Lot 541 All American-Sheezvalue by Faltaat colt

Our attention now turns to the much-awaited Melbourne VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale on 27-28 April.  We have held back a particularly well-related group of 10 yearlings for this sale.    See you there!

LIFE GOALS ARE MOST IMPORTANT

It’s a stretch from a maiden/Benchmark 65 double at Kembla Grange to the $1 million Group 1 Australian Oaks at Randwick (April 19), but racing is built on dreams and the large team of owners in the Burnewang North Pastoral-bred All My Loving will live it for a while longer after her repeat success today.

The daughter of Not A Single Doubt-Valentine Rose, by Black Minnaloushe gave away age to all her rivals, and a class or two to most, but outstayed them over the 2000m trip for the second consecutive time at the roomy south coast track. 

The Melbourne Premier Sale graduate, trained by Gary Portelli and managed by Louis Mihalyka’s Laurel Oak Syndicate, runs in aid of the Breast Cancer charity and carries its pink ribbon colours.

Another Burnewang North-bred filly, four-year-old Rose Of Centaine (King Of Roses-Trycentaine, by Centaine), is plying her trade honestly around Victorian country tracks and saluted for the third time on Saturday at Edenhope over 1850m for trainers Bill and Symon Wilde.

This brought to seven the number of races won by Burnewang North-breds in the past three weeks.

10 March 2014

RICH RIVER: PASSED IN AT THE SALE, HARD TO GET PAST ON THE TRACK

It’s fair to say the last day-and-a-half at the Melbourne Premier Sale wasn’t the most cruisy time Burnewang North Pastoral people have spent at a yearling sale.

After pleasing results on days 1 and 2, we thought we had a good grip on where the market was at, setting very realistic reserves indeed on our remaining yearlings.  Three of them, however, came up short of the mark in the ring and walked back to their boxes unsold.  That’s uncharacteristic for us as our record over several years shows we definitely breed to sell.

After ‘giving away’ a couple of cheapies on day 4, our chins were dragging on the ground until later that day.  The occasion was Race 7 at Sandown Park, when a former Premier Sale passing, Rich River (3 g Choisir-Galleta, by Zabeel) justified his favouritism from a field of very progressive types, winning over 1400m.  Nothing like a winner to put a smile back on your face.

Few form followers missed his prior luckless performance at Geelong in mid-February, as a consequence of which Rich River went into this race with solid support.  Brad Rawiller steered a clear path on him from midfield and he finished best to win by a length.

“He’s a really nice horse,” said on-fire trainer Darren Weir to TVN’s Bruce Clarke.  “He’s going to get out to 2000m eventually.”  Though he is by Choisir, Rich River is all-over a Zabeel type and races like a horse who will eat up the extra distance.  It was only his fourth start, having previously won at Echuca on New Year’s Eve.

This was the third city success for a Burnewang North-bred in the past 11 days, and if you throw in two-year-old What’s The Craic’s win in South Australia on Sunday, that makes a total of four in that short period.

But back to the passing-in story.  Rich River didn’t meet his reserve but the action continued back at the box with agreement reached to sell the colt at $50,000 after Darren Weir had looked at him for the prospective owners, declaring he’d need to be gelded and need time.

So here he is as an autumn three-year-old, minus his tackle and shaping as a horse with a big future.

The moral of the story is, there’s talent hidden in those passed-in lots: check out Lots 341, 462, 471 and 541, check their details at our sales page www.burnewangnorth.com.au/sales/ and give us or Inglis a call to take your interest further.

5 March 2014

SO, WHAT’S THE CRAIC?

There are two answers.
 
The first is an Irish saying meaning “what’s happened in your life since we last met”.

The other is a Burnewang North Pastoral-bred two-year-old successful on debut at Murray Bridge in South Australia today!

The equine What’s The Craic is a colt by Churchill Downs-Valentine Rose [NZ], by Black Minnaloushe. He won by a length and a half and became the second winner from two to race out of his dam.  Her first foal, All My Loving, is an impressive last-start winner in NSW and is being pointed towards the Australian Oaks.

For a combination of reasons, What’s The Craic was offered at the Melbourne weanling sale in 2012 where he had almost no admirers and was let go for just $2,500.  Burnewang North Pastoral meets the market again!  He later went through the Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale for just $5,000 bought by his present connections.  If we needed any further reminding, the racetrack is no respector of price. 

Valentine Rose [NZ] has a colt by Von Costa de Hero ready to be weaned, and is in foal to Denman.

2 March 2014

CHELSEA HOTEL COMPLETES A CITY DOUBLE FOR PREMIER SALE GRADUATES

Hot on the heels of Resistant’s victory at Morphettville last Saturday, Chelsea Hotel became the second Burnewang North Pastoral/Premier Sale winner this week when scoring an all-the-way win at Sandown Park today.

The result put an extra spring in our step as we began parading our yearlings for prospective buyers at Oaklands Junction, this year’s Premier Sale starting Sunday.  
 
Chelsea Hotel, trained in Canberra by Matthew Dale, was winning for the fifth time which makes her the ‘winningest’ offspring of her sire, Dylan Thomas (Ire), in Australia to date. 

Right on cue, Burnewang North Pastoral will offer another Dylan Thomas filly at Premier next Tuesday.  Lot 531 is the first living foal of the magnficently-bred winning Storm Cat mare, Seaside Home (USA), a direct descendant of the outstanding American mare Track Robbery (22 wins) and, in turn, her excellent daughter Train Robbery.  Seaside Home is in fact a three-quarter sister to Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and almost $4 million earner Cat Thief.   Dylan Thomas, for his part, has also has distinguished himself in recent times as the sire of Gr 1-placed Not Listenin’tome, winner of the Gr 3 Zeditave Stakes and a three-year-old of seemingly unlimited potential. 

Chelsea Hotel, who has brilliant speed like her stakeswinning dam Chelsey’s Image (USA), now boasts the impressive record of five wins from 10 starts for her co-breeder Eric Lucas.  Her dam, by the champion Holy Bull, has a Wanted colt at foot and is in foal to Sebring.
26 February 2014

RESISTANT ANOTHER WORTHY MELBOURNE PREMIER GRADUATE

The value to be got at the Melbourne Premier Sale was illustrated yet again by the Burnewang North Pastoral-bred colt Resistant taking his earnings to just shy of $300,000 with his win at Morphettville today.

The Choisir-Swinging Babe, by Encosta de Lago three-year-old was an $85,000 purchase for Luke Wilkinson/Mick Price at 2012 Premier.

A sideways move from Melbourne to Adelaide for a winning opportunity proved  a shrewd choice by Mick Price who decided to run Resistant against older horses in a Benchmark 90 rather than carry a big weight against fellow three-year-olds on the same programme. The colt, winning for the third time, once again showed his true grit – he’s  never been guilty of a bad race.

This coming week, Burnewang North will ship their 18-strong Premier Sale consignment into the William Inglis complex at  Oaklands.  It comprises the progeny of 15 individual stallions including, incidentally, Commands and Dylan Thomas who were both represented by Group winners at Caulfield today.  There’s certain to be more than a few Resistants among them! We know breeders say this all the time, but we actually do believe this is our best-ever Melbourne draft.  

Looking further ahead, next year we will have Resistant’s full-brother to offer.  Their dam, Swinging Babe (a stout-hearted performer related to another stout-hearted mare in Rebel Bride), is now in foal to Sebring.   

22 February 2014

ALL MY LOVING HITS WINNING BEAT

Another graduate of our 2012 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale draft, All My Loving (Not A Single Doubt-Valentine Rose) hit the winning list with a four-lengths romp at Kembla Grange on Saturday.

After three previous second placings, the filly was stretched out to 2000m – usually unfamiliar territory for progeny of Not A Single Doubt – but waved goodbye to her 13 opponents.

All My Loving is raced by a large, predominantly female syndicate managed by Laurel Oak Bloodstock’s Louis Mihalyka, who bought her in Melbourne, and she is trained by Gary Portelli.  Louis and his syndicates have had much success over the years – Group 1 winners Rebel Dane and Ancient Song are two which spring to mind.  Louis was no doubt attracted in part by her rating of 172* under the Brain pedigree analysis system which he and wife Jill represent in Australia.

All My Loving races in the Breast Cancer silks and the owners and trainer generously donate a percentage of her winnings to the cause.

All My Loving is the first foal of the winning city-placed Valentine Rose [NZ] (Black Minnaloushe-Arlanda, by Straight Strike).  The mare produced a colt by Von Costa de Hero in 2013 and is back in foal to exciting sire Denman.

 Burnewang North Pastoral has a fine draft of 18 yearlings for Melbourne Premier this year, being held 2 – 5 March.  Pedigrees, photos and updates can be viewed here.

16 February 2014

COMING UP ROSES

The Bill and Symon Wilde team has been racing in great form of late and they added another win to their tally at Camperdown today with Rose Of Centaine, a Burnewang North Pastoral-bred.

The King Of Roses-Trycentaine, by Centaine mare finished strongly at the end of 1600m to record her second success.  Though she has some illustrious enough  relatives, such as millionaires Lights Of Heaven and Alamosa, Rose Of Centaine was a $17,000 purchase at the Melbourne Autumn Sale.  She was one of two foals bred out of Trycentaine before the mare was on-sold.  For her subsequent owners she has produced colts by Churchill Downs and O’Lonhro and a filly by Keep The Faith.

18 January 2014

BACK TO BACK FOR INKJET SPRINTER

Wise heads say a horse’s first win is the most difficult to achieve, after that it’s all downhill.

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Inkjet Sprinter is proof of the old saw.

After 16 starts, the four-year-old Dash For Cash-No Flirting gelding broke through for win number one at Echuca on New Year’s Eve, and now he has romped in over 1400m at Wangaratta today making it two on the trot.

With eight placings in his first 16 starts he was entitled be regarded as a ‘gunna’ but trainer Shaun Dwyer has persisted.  Inkjet Sprinter, bought by Shaun for $19,000 at the Inglis Autumn Sale, has now earned $45,565, a meaningful return on cost and keep. And who knows, he may just be getting into his stride.

Inkjet Sprinter was one of three foals bred while his Danzero dam No Flirting was in Burnewang North ownership.  Subsequently on-sold, the mare has produced foals each year for her current owners, by Written Tycoon, Strategic and Moshe.

Honourable mention should also be made of Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Chosen Place, a Rock Of Gibraltar-New Broom four-year-old gelding.

Raced by Burnewang North employee Keiran Moses and her partner Cameron Halliwell, who trains, Chosen Place is a fun horse campaigned by the pair around the Victorian picnics.  The gelding has had seven starts this preparation for a second placing and three wins, the latest being a gritty success at Healesville last Saturday.  More than just paying for the petrol!

14 January 2014

BURNEWANG NORTH TOPS THE MILLION AT THE MAGICS!

Burnewang North Pastoral’s 2014 Magic Millions Sale ended after the third session with all seven of the offering finding excellent new homes.

Our draft grossed $1,102,500, an average of $157,500.

It’s been a while since we’ve been at a sale where there seemed to be a buyer for almost every horse in the catalogue, but that’s been the case at this Magic Millions where a very strong, optimistic market prevailed.

Top marks to Magic Millions for bringing the buying bench together and top marks with distinction and honours to the entire Burnewang North team who reared and produced these yearlings in such sparkling condition on the day.

Burnewang North hit a new sale ring high when obtaining $400,000 for the Exceed And Excel-Dubai Dream colt (Lot 344). The purchaser was Mr Ting Kong Cheng of Hong Kong-based Sun International Group, an organisation making a big impact around the globe since acquiring Eliza Park Stud last year. Mr Ting announced he would be sending this lovely colt to champion trainer Gai Waterhouse.

It was a welcome change of fortunes for 14-year-old stakes producer Dubai Dream who has been unfortunate to lose two foals in the years she has been owned by Burnewang North, the latest being a Sebring pregnancy last year. While highlighting the risks and uncertainties in breeding, it also serves to prove that all good things come to those who wait!

The Dubai Dream colt was one of four in our Magic Millions draft owned in partnership with our great friend, supporter and intrepid breeder Eric Lucas. Eric has equine interests around the world and it’s most satisfying to see the confidence he has placed in us now bearing some significant fruit.

Here are the individual results:

Lot 122 Sebring-Swinging Babe, by Encosta de Lago filly – $170,000 to Melbourne trainer Peter Moody

Lot 131 Testa Rossa-Tell Tale, by Redoute’s Choice colt – $120,000 to Rosehill trainer David Payne

Lot 344 Exceed And Excel-Dubai Dream, by Marscay colt – $400,000 to Sun Bloodstock, to be trained by Gai Waterhouse

Lot 355 Wanted-Elleandee, by Snippets filly – $62,500 to Peter Murray’s Murray Thoroughbreds. Peter, the proprietor of the successful menswear brand Blazer, is building up a team of fillies to race.  This filly will be trained by Robbie Griffiths.

 Lot 425 Artie Schiller-Gold Digger Miss, by Gulch filly – $110,000 to Victorian trainer Jason Warren.

Lot 522 Northern Meteor-Lil Onassis, by Dehere filly – $100,000 to Peter Creighton’s United Syndications, to be trained at Caulfield by Mick Price.

Lot 569 Artie Schiller-Miracletto, by Fuji Kiseki colt – $140,000, a second purchase by Sydney trainer David Payne.

Coming on top of across-the-board increases at last year’s northern hemisphere sales, the Australian sales season could hardly have started on a more positive note for the majority of breeders.

Here’s hoping the momentum continues because backing up our Magic Millions draft we have 18 yearlings out of some of our best mares going forward to the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale on 2-5 March, followed up by 11 yearlings at the highly incentivised VOBIS Gold Sale in Melbourne on 27-28 April.

With all our Magic Millions horses now on their way to new homes, we can kick back tomorrow and enjoy the spectacle of Magic Millions raceday.

The only thing missing from the excitement of the past few days is our friend and learned colleague Steve Brem, without whom none of this would have been possible. However, we are assured he is following all the action with enthusiasm.

10th January 2014

NEW YEARS EVE DOUBLE FOR BURNEWANG NORTH

“Going into the Magic Millions yearling sale next week, we can say to buyers that Burnewang North Pastoral-breds definitely know how to win.”

So summed up Burnewang North’s principal Cathy Hains when reflecting on the rush of winning results through December for the northern Victorian stud, culminating in a double at Echuca on New Year’s Eve.

“Seven individual winners in the last four weeks is a lovely result for a young stud such as ours,” Cathy said, adding, “and, importantly, they were all sold at auction.”

In a first for Burnewang North, the stud produced race-to-race winners at Echuca on New Year’s Eve in the form of the promising Rich River (3 g Choisir-Galleta, by Zabeel; $50,000 yearling) and Inkjet Sprinter (4 g Dash For Cash-No Flirting, by Danzero; $19,000 yearling).

“Inkjet Sprinter has been knocking on the door so it was great to see him break through for Shaun Dwyer,” Cathy said.  “Rich River, who is with Darren Weir, was the first foal we bred out of the Zabeel mare Galleta; having just his second start, he won like a horse going places.”

Earlier in December, the Burnewang North’s four-leaf clover brand was carried to victory in South Africa by promising Unholy Allegiance (3 c Holy Roman Emperor-Coup de Maitre, by Palace Music; $90,000 yearling); Sydney and four times winner The Life (3 c Choisir-Gold Digger Miss, by Gulch; $8,000 weanling); another four-time winner Chelsea Hotel (4 m Dylan Thomas-Chelsey’s Image, by Holy Bull; $90,000 yearling); debut winner Arizona Skies (2 f Northern Meteor-Thekatcamehome, by Sea Of Secrets; $60,000 yearling), and Bourgeois Babe (4 m Stratum-Swinging Babe, by Encosta de Lago; $30,000 weanling).

These victories brought to 35 the tally of individual winners so far produced from Burnewang North Pastoral’s Rochester base.

“Winning is the name of the game.  Buyers want to see a strong track record behind a brand and trainers need to have confidence in your methods.

“We’ve selected seven really likely types for Magic Millions. We already have several black-type performers to our credit and are steadily upgrading what we breed and what we offer.  We’re confident our big break-through horse is already in the system,” Cathy said.

31 December 2013

CHELSEA HOTEL RESUMES ON HIGH NOTE

Fleet-footed mare Chelsea Hotel (Dylan Thomas [Ire]-Chelsey’s Image [USA]) resumed after a five month layoff with an emphatic win at Canberra on Friday.

Raced by her owner Eric Lucas who bred her in partnership with Burnewang North Pastoral, and trained by Matthew Dale, Chelsea Hotel has now won four of her seven races.  She gave nothing else a chance, leading all the way to win the 1200m event by five lengths in 1:09.96, a super time on the track rated Dead 5 and easily the fastest on the day.

It seems only a matter of time until Chelsea Hotel brings that form to the city.

Her dam, the Holy Bull stakeswinner Chelsey’s Image [USA], currently has a colt by Wanted alongside her and is in foal to Sebring.

26 December 2013

FIRST FOAL, FIRST START, FIRST EQUAL

Lyrically-named two-year-old filly Arizona Skies shared the winning honours on debut at Seymour today, getting the breeding career of her dam Thekatcamehome (USA) off to a good start.

The Northern Meteor filly is a graduate of Burnewang North Pastoral’s 2013 Melbourne Premier Sale draft from which she was bought for $60,000 by up-and-coming trainer Brent Stanley, and races in the colours of Anembo Bloodstock.  Arizona Skies is Brent’s first 2YO winner to date.

Her dam Thekatcamehome, a favourite on the farm, has an interesting background. A good-looking mare purchased off the track for a modest price at Keeneland in 2009, she raced 32 times.  She is the ultimate example of ‘horses for courses’ – all her races were at the same venue, Prairie Meadows, the leading track in the state of Iowa.  Registered as a non-profit organisation and incorporating a casino, Prairie Meadows states on its website that it has given more than $1 billion in taxes, grants and charitable donations to the state of Iowa since it opened its doors in 1989.

Thekatcamehome won eight races at Prairie Meadows including the Debutante Stakes at two, finishing in the top four 24 times, 15 in black-type events. She is a grand-daughter of Storm Cat, her sire Sea Of Secrets also being the broodmare sire of champion USA 2YO filly My Miss Aurelia.

In 2014, Burnewang North Pastoral will offer in Melbourne a half-sister to Arizona Skies by the lightly-represented sire Any Given Saturday (USA).  Thekatcamehome is currently in foal to Wanted.

19 December 2013

THRIVING ON CITY LIFE

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred The Life (3 c Choisir-Gold Digger Miss [USA]), after three provinicial wins as a two-year-old, bridged the gap to city class with a determined win over 1400m at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. 

It was a timely form update for his yearling half-sister by Artie Schiller [USA] which heads to the Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale in January (lot 425).

Progeny of Victorian-based Artie Schiller have been relative rarities at Magic Millions but we are taking two lovely forward types up there – the only Artie Schillers in the sale – both half-siblings to two-year-old winners this year. 

Artie Schillers are black-type competitive on both sides of the globe. Four of his six Australian stakeswinners to date are fillies and include Secret Liaison, Lady Melksham and Mezeray Miss, a stakeswinner at the Melbourne spring carnival.  Out of a young 100% winner producer from a super family, we believe Lot 425 could well be a future star for this emerging sire.

12 December 2013

SOUTH AFRICAN SUCCESS FOR ‘THE FAMILY’

The great ‘Kingston’ family, made famous by a slew of success beginning three decades ago, doesn’t have the numbers to represent it these days as it once did.

However, a promising 3YO bred and sold by Burnewang North Pastoral has emerged in South Africa where Unholy Allegiance (Holy Roman Emperor-Coup de Maitre, by Palace Music) won on his seasonal debut over 1400m at Kenilworth on Wednesday. At his only other start, seven months previously as a 2YO, Unholy Allegiance had finished second.

Unholy Allegiance, a big, strapping type more in the mould of his dam than his sire, was sold to South Africa for $90,000 at the 2012 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. He is the sixth living foal and fourth winner of Melbourne-winning Coup de Maitre, the half-sister to G1 Coup de Grace and G2 Coupe. His third dam is the champion filly Spirit of Kingston.

6 December 2013

BNP BLOODLINES ENHANCED AT FLEMINGTON CARNIVAL

Fortunes are won, and sometimes lost, throughout the Melbourne Spring Carnival. As breeders, our focus is on following the fortunes of the families we are developing here at Burnewang North as well as observing the trend of results as they unfold.

Some top level form at Flemington consolidated the credentials of three young mares in the Burnewang North Pastoral collection.

Though beaten fair and square in the Gr 1 Victoria Derby, Complacent has been an exceptional upgrade to the family of his half-sister Nonchalance (Lonhro-Insouciance, by Quest For Fame [GB]).

In his first campaign, Complacent has raced six times for three wins and three second placings and $665,225. Following wins in the Gr 3 ATC Gloaming Stakes and Gr 1 ATC Spring Champion Stakes in Sydney, Complacent beat all but fairytale success Polanski in the famed Flemington classic.

Twice a winner and city-placed, Nonchalance was bought in-foal to Commands for $44,000 fifteen months before Complacent’s raceday debut. The resultant foal is a striking black filly which BNP will present at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale in March.   This spring, Nonchalance has produced a colt by Nicconi and visits Helmet.

Nonchalance’s first three dams have now produced Gr 1 winners. This former top Woodlands Stud family just keeps on giving.

Girl Gone Rockin’ prevailed in the photo-finish decision in the Gr 2 Momentum Energy Stakes (previous The Matriarch Stakes) on Flemington’s final day, the Redoute’s Choice mare thus earning her first black type. A three-quarter sister to Gr 3 winner and Gr 1-placed Syreon, Girl Gone Rockin’ is also a half-sister to BNP’s Limoncelli, by Encosta de Lago. All were produced by multiple Group winner Sorrento [NZ].

Bought in-foal to Reward For Effort for $50,000 at the 2013 Great Southern Sale, Limoncelli now has a colt at foot and has tested positive to Sebring.

Consistent three-year-old filly Solicit is a promising stayer who is squeezing more black type into the already busy page of BNP’s Kapcher, by Danzero. Solicit placed third in the Gr 2 Wakeful Stakes then backed up with the closest of front-running thirds in the Gr 1 VRC Oaks.

Solicit’s dam Princesa is a half-sister to Kapcher, both being daughters of the Gr 1 winner and noted producer Kapchat [NZ].

Kapcher was purchased in-foal at the 2013 Easter Broodmare Sale, has produced a colt by Artie Schiller [USA] and will be covered by Sepoy. 

10 November 2013

DAN AND THE SECRETARY!

Wise Dan’s back-to-back win in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on 2 November makes him a strong contender for a second consecutive USA Horse Of The Year title.

The six-year-old has been beaten only three times in his last 18 starts and has won four Group 1s and two Group 2s from his seven outings during 2013.

Burnewang North’s bloodstock consultant Steve Brem watched the telecast of Wise Dan’s first Breeders’ Cup Mile when he was in Lexington for the 2012 November Breeding Stock sales. The sight of the big, handsome chestnut defeating Animal Kingdom (now at Arrowfield), Choisir’s son Obviously and Coolmore’s Excelebration made a deep impression.

In the ensuing days, Steve trudged through Keeneland’s barns looking for a quality addition for Burnewang North’s broodmare band.  He was taken with a statuesque five-year-old way up in Barn 44 which had shipped in from Toronto where she had raced just three days previously.  Named Sharp Secretary, the mare had won seven of her 18 starts including the Duchess Stakes, an important test for three-year-old fillies at Woodbine.

Folding down the corner of her catalogue page for future reference, Steve checked out her pedigree that night. 

Looking beyond the three generation pedigree printed in the book, he got a pleasant surprise.  He found Sharp Secretary was bred on an eerily identical pattern to the illustrious Wise Dan.  Both are by sons of former shuttler Hennessy (Wiseman’s Ferry in the case of Wise Dan, and Cactus Ridge in the case of Sharp Secretary) and both have a 5f x 3f cross of Secretariat.  Not superstitious by nature but seeing it as an omen, Steve needed no further convincing.  He put the green sticker on Sharp Secretary’s page and proceeded to buy her later that week.

Sharp Secretary has duly made her way to Burnewang North and in her first stud season has been served by leading sire Commands.  If Wise Dan is anything to go by, Sharp Secretary may prove to be a genetic powerhouse.

5th November 2013

STAYING LINES COMING TO THE FORE

Burnewang North-bred Magnetron (4 g Magnus-Iresistabeel [NZ], by Zabeel [NZ]) might be the son of a stallion who never won or placed beyond 1200m, but it is as a middle distance performer that Magnetron is finding his vocation.

The gelding registered his second win, leading all the way, at Gosford over 2100m on Sunday to win by 3 lengths in a class record time. With a further five placings from just nine starts to date, Magnetron is compiling a consistent record for the indomitable Gai Waterhouse-Star Thoroughbreds partnership.

Apart from his dam who won at 1800m, there is only one other horse anywhere in his first three generations to have won a race beyond 1600m. Therefore, credit for Magnetron’s ability to run a trip logically lies with his damsire Zabeel, plus Gai’s harnessing of this talent.

Iresistabeel has produced a now-yearling full-brother to Magnetron and on 15 October delivered a filly by Fastnet Rock’s son Stryker: perhaps a future Atlantic Jewel, bred on a similar cross? !!

21 October 2013

HOPES AND DREAMS

Tara Madgwick – Tuesday, 15 October 2013

They say as long as you have a racehorse in the stable or a foal in the paddock, you have something to look forward to.

The Group I MRC Thousand Guineas on Wednesday has drawn a select field of fillies headed by triple Group I winner Guelph, but Victorian breeder Cathy Hains of Burnewang North will be hoping for a good showing from Bel Esprit filly Miracle to Me.

Champion Victorian sire Bel Esprit has had a great run in recent months and the John McArdle trained Miracle to Me has been in good form of late winning two of her last four starts and finishing a solid fourth in the Listed VRC Vintage Stakes in her final lead up for this Group I assignment.

Miracle to Me was a $42,000 purchase for Redgum Racing from the Burnewang North draft at the 2012 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale and is the first winner for Miracletto, a daughter of stakes-placed by Belle Bellotto by Fuji Kiseki (Jpn).

Burnewang North retained a share in the filly, who has now won three of eight starts and more than $160,000 in prizemoney bringing much joy to her large group of owners.

“She’s made a lot of people very happy and to see them all in the mounting yard when she races is a great thrill,” said Cathy Hains.

“As a breeder this is what it’s all about – producing quality, affordable horses that can pay their way and people can enjoy.”

Ms Hains also had reason to cheer for Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes winner Complacent last Saturday as she now owns his older half-sister Nonchalance, the daughter of Lonhro purchased last year at the Inglis Broodmare Sale for $44,000 on the advice of astute bloodstock agent Steve Brem.

Nonchalance produced a filly by Commands from that mating and is due to foal to Nicconi with a booking to Helmet looming on the horizon.

“We were absolutely delighted to see Complacent win and the mare has a gorgeous Commands filly that will be offered at Inglis Premier next year,” said Cathy Hains.

“I have the utmost admiration for Darley and their operation that really makes the most of those great Australian families they inherited from the Inghams and utilizes some of the best stallions in the world.

“They obviously keep what they believe are the high calibre stock, but the rest of us are happy to pick up a few pieces when we can.”

LOVING SPRING AT BURNEWANG NORTH

Spring has well and truly sprung at Burnewang North:

Foals are growing like weeds, goats are kidding, calves are loving the lush feed and the crops are being cut and the horses are on the track! 

All systems go!

BURNEWANG NORTH SCORES AT HEADQUARTERS

We are excited to follow the triumphs of our valued team member Josh Taylor and his Clydesdale McMurchie Blair (aka MACCA) competing at the Royal Melbourne Show at Flemington this week.  

So far their achievements include RESERVE CHAMPION, a WIN in the Novice Delivery, a 2nd in the Ladies Delivery Horse and a 4th in the Led Gelding Class.

Bravo Team!

A LITTLE MIRACLE, A BIG THRILL

As a young Victorian-based stud, Burnewang North regards spring racing in Melbourne as just about the top of the mountain.  We feel we’re on the right track if our product performs well amidst the white-hot, blueblood competition at Flemington on a Saturday.

So you can imagine the enormous thrill provided by our homebred Miracle To Me – raced by a big team of fellow owners and wearing the Burnewang North silks – when she won the Domain 1100 there on Saturday.

Ticking over quietly since her Sandown win on July 28, Miracle To Me went into the race under-rated.  But it’s a wonderful thing that horses can’t read the form guide or hear the comments from the pundits on TV – they only know one thing: how to run.

And our ‘Miracle’ has speed and determination in spades.  Tucked away behind the whole field until produced on the outside at the 200m, ‘Miracle’ pinned her ears back and let down with a closing sectional fast enough to take her from last to first over a field of undoubted stakes-class 3YO fillies, even though the race didn’t carry that status.

From just six starts, ‘Miracle’ has won three times and placed three for $152,175, a credit to her trainer John McArdle who bought her from the Burnewang North draft at Magic Millions June for $42,000. Because she is such a relaxed, genuine competitor, John is planning to stretch her distance from this point forward (she has already won a testing Sandown 1200m on the slow) and, like all owners and trainers with an above-average 3YO filly, we are wishing and hoping she might get to the Thousand Guineas.

A compact, muscular filly, ‘Miracle’ is by the stalwart Eliza Park stallion Bel Esprit. His siring quality is way beyond question but ‘Miracle’ is an example that, sometimes, a very small investment can reap significant rewards.

Her dam Miracletto (Fuji Kiseki-Belle Bellotto, by Bellotto)- also trained in her day by John McArdle – is the least expensive breeding proposition Burnewang North has purchased.  Along with our advisor Steve Brem, we found her lurking at a Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and took her home for just $5,500.  Steve had a great deal to do with her ‘Belle’ family in both New Zealand and Australia (Dance Hero and Grand Armee were ‘Belle’ family horses during Steve’s time with Gai Waterhouse) and, as they say, blood will out. ‘Miracle’ is Miracletto’s second foal; she is followed by a Written Tycoon 2YO filly, an Artie Schiller yearling colt and this year visits Nicconi.

We can’t leave mention of Saturday’s Flemington success without tipping our hat to another Burnewang North graduate, 3YO colt Resistant (Choisir-Swinging Babe, by Encosta de Lago).  He gave us almost as big a thrill when finishing fourth in the following race, the Listed Henry Bucks Stakes, 1400m. Our hearts were bursting out of our chests when, after no luck whatsoever in running, Resistant forged to the front halfway up the straight. He never flinched but the wide course he had chartered took its toll in the final part, albeit he was just half a length from second placing. 

As a breeder, you hope to breed a resilient animal.  This was Resistant’s sixth start this preparation.  He has been out of the first four only once in his career to date and put $263,760 in the bank.  It’s great to see the people who have confidence in our product being well rewarded. 

9 September 2013

TOO FIT, TOO HONEST, TOO GOOD!

Punters preferred to put their money on the high-cost, highly-touted former yearlings in the Eades Handicap for three-year-olds at Flemington today, but our game colt Resistant showed scant regard for their reputations when dispatching the field, taking his earnings close to $250,000 (including those yummy VOBIS bonuses), almost three times his original purchase price.

The Choisir-Swinging Babe colt was having his eighth start in which he’s finished out of the first four only once.   Resistant’s professionalism and fitness shone through over the last 200m when he came off heels and powered away with apprentice jockey Patrick Moloney to win by two lengths. 

 Despite a busy winter schedule under Mick Price’s guidance, it was Resistant’s most impressive performance.  His resolve at the end of 1410m on the big track suggests this boy may handle even further – his dam won up to 2150m but took 62 starts to earn what Resistant has now earned in eight!  The large team of owners put together by Luke Wilkinson – amongst whom are the colt’s breeders Burnewang North Pastoral and Eric Lucas – are having a heck of a lot of fun.  

Resistant is the third foal, and second winner, of Swinging Babe (by Encosta de Lago) and his pedigree features crosses of both Biscay and Lunchtime.  Swinging Babe’s now two-year-old colt by Nicconi was bought at Magic Millions 2013 by Michael Freedman/Michael Wallace Bloodstock, and she will be represented by a very smart Sebring yearling filly at next year’s sales.  Swinging Babe is due to foal a full sibling to Resistant early September and is booked to return to Sebring.

10 August 2013

GOING OUT WITH A BANG

What better way to end the season than with a winner – and promising two-year-old filly Miracle To Me obliged at Sandown today with an impressive last-to-first performance. 

She completed a five-start juvenile season in which she hasn’t finished worse than fourth, winning for the first time back in February at Werribee.  The VOBIS Gold bonus which attached to today’s race made victory worth a juicy $41,000 – nice work for a Sunday. 

Miracle To Me (Bel Esprit-Miracletto, by Fuji Kiseki [Jpn]) now goes for a brief spell with $76,175 in the bank, a positive early return on the $42,000 trainer John McArdle gave for her at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale twelve months ago.

John trained the dam Miracletto who won just one race.  Not only did he take a shine to Miracle To Me as a yearling he backed up at the 2013 version of the same sale and took home the mare’s next foal, a filly by Written Tycoon, which is about to turn two. He’s looking forward to bringing Miracle To Me back in the spring, extending her distances and contesting a black-type race or two.  From a branch of the famous New Zealand ‘Belle’ family, Miracletto has a rising yearling colt by Artie Schiller [USA].

With mostly young mares in our broodmare band, the results of BNP-bred two-year-olds in 2012-13 encourages us going forward.  They have been headed by:

• Resistant (Choisir-Swinging Babe, by Encosta de Lago) – stakes-placed Caulfield winner, only once unplaced in 7 starts, earned $187,360.
• Miracle To Me (Bel Esprit-Miracletto, by Fuji Kiseki [Jpn]) – Sandown and Werribee winner, never worse than fourth in 5 starts, earned $76,175.
• The Life (Choisir-Gold Digger Miss [USA], by Gulch) – three wins in NSW, earned $53,735.
• Mish Mosh (Magnus-Viva La Diva, by Barathea [Ire]) – winner on debut at Geelong.

And one to watch overseas: Unholy Allegiance (Holy Roman Emperor-Coup de Maitre, by Palace Music [USA]) – second at his only start in South Africa, looks promising.

28 July 2013

HAT TRICK AT WAGGA WAGGA

Another Wagga Wagga meeting?  Another win for Chelsea Hotel!

The fleet-footed filly (3 f Dylan Thomas-Chelsey’s Image) returned there today and dominated once more over 1200m on a Heavy 10 track, leading virtually throughout.  The only three-year-old in the field, she was taking on seasoned rivals but was too nippy despite not being 100% in the ground, bringing her record to three wins (all Wagga Wagga) from five starts. 

16 July 2013

BACK TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Chelsea Hotel created a big impression winning her debut by almost six lengths at Wagga Wagga last December.  A holiday and a couple of luckless performances later, the 3YO Dylan Thomas filly returned to Wagga Wagga today and once again led every step of the journey, this time through heavy ground, to win a competitive Class 1 event.

Offered by Burnewang North Pastoral at the 2011 Melbourne Premier Sale, Chelsea Hotel was bought by co-breeder Eric Lucas for $90,000 and is trained in Canberra by Matthew Dale.

Chelsea Hotel is the first foal of the swift Canadian 2YO Chelsey’s Image (by Holy Bull) who is due to foal this spring to Wanted and has a booking to Northern Meteor.

1 July 2013

VET WITH VERSATILITY!

Prominent racing vet Johnnie Walker getting back to the basics of his veterinary degree….preg testing!! This 17 hand mare added an extra level of difficulty to the task for the shall we say, vertically challenged horse doctor!  Thanks Johnnie.

BOURGEOIS BABE SUCCESSFUL

While her very capable two-year-old half-brother Resistant has been leading the way for their dam Swinging Babe, three-year-old filly Bourgeois Babe broke through for her maiden win over 1600m at the Sunshine Coast on 23 June.  The Stratum filly was bred and sold by Burnewang North Pastoral and is the fourth BNP-bred winner for the month of June.

Swinging Babe (Encosta de Lago-Slashing Sort) has a classy Sebring weanling filly for next year’s sales and is due to foal to Resistant’s sire, Choisir.

24 June 2013

MOONEE VALLEY LOVE AFFAIR

She might be trained in Adelaide, but Burnewang North-bred mare Draw Forward may as well call Moonee Valley home.

The Charge Forward-Lashante four-year-old has made six of her 20 starts at the Melbourne track with her win in the Sportingbet Handicap on June 14 being her third on the premises, and fifth win over all.

Stakes-placed Draw Forward has been remarkably consistent, earning a cheque in each of those 20 starts with prizemoney now standing at $202,023, a nice return on her $18,000 price tag when she was cleverly picked out of the Melbourne Autumn Yearling Sale by her trainer Richard Jolly.

Her dam Lashante, a half-sister to NZ Gr 2 winner Adaline, has three living foals of racing age of which Draw Forward is the eldest. She is due to foal to Lonhro’s outstanding son Denman.

15 June 2013

MINING IN THE HUNTER VALLEY

Gold Digger Miss’ little boy The Life (2YO colt by Choisir) is mining plenty of cash in the Hunter Valley.

His win in the 1280m juvenile at Muswellbrook today was his third from seven career starts, the victories coming at Newcastle and Muswellbrook twice.  His earnings have now topped $48,000 plus BOBS bonuses.  There was plenty of merit in the colt’s win as he carried 60.5 kgs, conceding the placegetters 6.5 kgs.

Gold Digger Miss’ first two foals (Gee Gee Showgirl and The Life) are now each last-start winners.  The well-bred Gulch mare has an Artie Schiller weanling filly coming along nicely.

 14 June 2013

GEE, SHE’S BACK

Having her first start since last August, Burnewang North-bred Gee Gee Showgirl finished best to win over 1000m at Devonport (Tas.) on 4 June.  It was the second success for the Show A Heart three-year-old.  She’s the first foal of Gold Digger Miss (USA), a young winning Gulch mare from a rich black-type family.  Gold Digger Miss has an Artie Schiller weanling filly.

5 June 2013

YOUNG ZABEEL BLUE-BLOOD JOINS BURNEWANG BROODMARE BAND

Cathy Hains pictured here with Burnewang’s newest broodmare addition, LIMONCINO (Zabeel – Audencia) in foal to So You Think.

Limoncino (NZ) was one of our prime selections at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast on 30 May.  Given the strength of the market we were fortunate she was able to be secured within budget.

As a six-year old winning daughter of the all-conquering Zabeel (NZ), this mare had automatic appeal, but carrying one of e earliest first-crop services by international champion So You Think (NZ) made her all the more special.  Bred at the famed Whakanui Stud in New Zealand (think Empire Rose and many others), Limoncino is a high-quality physical type, a neat, balanced, fluent moving mare.

She is a half-sister to the Melbourne Group-placed mare and successful producer Mango Daiquiri and a sister to Bellevue Lady whose current 2YO Vero Beach ($500k yearling by Fastnet Rock, owned by Coolmore) has finished fourth at his only start to date, in a Listed event in Melbourne.

The immediate family is underpinned by grandam Celtic Assembly (by Secretariat) whose produce include multiple Gr 1 winner Cherokee Rose and multiple champion NZ sire Volksraad (GB). Gr 1 English St Leger and Gr 1 Hong Kong Vase winner Mastery and this season’s Gr 3 Newcastle (Australia) Newmarket Handicap winner Bello are among Celtic Assembly’s descendants. On the day following Limoncino’s purchase, a new black-type member was added to the family in the form of 3YO Mukhadram, winner of the Gr 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown Park.

We welcome this young blue-blood to our broodmare band.

COMING UP ROSES

An inexpensively-purchased young mare, combined with a homebred stallion, produced a winning outcome for Warrnambool trainers Bill and Simon Wilde at the recent Mount Gambier meeting.

Three-year-old filly Rose Of Centaine scored a clear-cut win in the maiden at her fourth start, having been placed previously.  She is the second foal of Trycentaine, as the name suggests by Centaine, and sired by Kingston Park Stud-bred King Of Roses (Fairy King-Stellar Spirit).

The Wildes purchased Rose Of Centaine for $17,000 from the Burnewang North Pastoral draft at the 2011 Melbourne Autumn Sale.  Since then. her family has received a big upgrade through the emergence of Gr 1 winner Lights Of Heaven – they both descend from the Sound Reason (Can) mare Logical Miss.

GRAZED ON GREATNESS

We are happy to be able to yank on the chain of our illustrious associates at Whybins for some excellent marketing material and are very proud of their achievements as Agency of the Year.  Scott Whybin is an inspired creative genius [recently inducted into the advertising Hall of Fame], a keen racehorse owner and also my husband.  Lucky we get mates rates…

8 May 2013

FUNNY NAME, SERIOUS RESULT

Mish Mosh became the latest successful product from Burnewang North Pastoral when she made a professionally efficient winning debut at Geelong.

The filly is by Magnus-Viva La Diva, by Barathea (Ire), and was sold for just $25,000 to the Portelli family at the 2012 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.  The Ellerton/Zahra partnership do the training.

It should be no surprise Mish Mosh could make a two-year-old; her dam Viva La Diva was a Flemington stakeswinner at two and her grandam Riva Diva was a brilliant filly who won the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes.

Mish Mosh is the fifth winner from Viva La Diva who has also produced the useful Cool Diva, winner of $132,811.  After Mish Mosh, Viva La Diva produced a now yearling colt by Magnus to be offered at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in June, has a weanling colt by Domesday and is in foal to the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort.

                                                                                                                  5 May 2013

ENJOYING LIFE

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred The Life (2 c Choisir-Gold Digger Miss (USA)) tuned up for the valuable Inglis 2YO Challenge (1100m) at Scone on 17 May when scoring handsomely in the Star Kingdom Handicap (1000m) at Muswellbrook.

It was the second start this preparation for the Paul Perry trainee, and his record stands at a tidy two wins and one second from four starts.  The class will be stronger at Scone but The Life looks a leading chance.

The Life is the second foal, and second two-year-old winner, of American-bred Gold Digger Miss, a Gulch mare who won twice in England. It is a family stacked with quality black-type performers – scores of them descend from Gold Digger Miss’ second dam Special Warmth. Gold Digger Miss produced an Artie Schiller (USA) filly in 2012 and went back to Wanted.

3 May 2013

AMO LA CAVIAR!

A couple of months ago on this website we wrote that Amo La Nonna was to quinella betting what Black Caviar is to win betting, Amo La Nonna having put together a skein of eight consecutive second placings.

Things are a-changing.

Amo La Nonna has now won her last two starts.  It’s often said that the first win is the hardest, and to appreciate just how much confidence it can give a horse, look how much confidence Black Caviar gained after her first win! 

Following on from her maiden success at Mornington on 31 March, Amo La Nonna returned to the same track today and led all the way over 1512m in a Benchmark 62 handicap.  The four-year-old mare runs in the colours of Burnewang North Pastoral and is by Show A Heart-Granma Gertey, by Danzero.

 On the subject of Black Caviar, congratulations to all concerned on Group 1 win Number 15 at Randwick, one more than our own late beloved champion Kingston Town.

13 April 2013

Averau For Oaks

A trip to Adelaide for the G1 $400,000 Schweppes Oaks on 27th April is on the cards for Averau (3 f Stratum-Merayaat, by Viscount), impressive winner by four-and-a-half lengths over 2040m at Benalla on 7th April.

Averau was winning her second race from three career starts for co-trainers Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison. The filly was bred by Burnewang North Pastoral and was sold as a weanling.

8 April 2013

The Legacy of Kingston Park Stud

Events of the weekend gave us cause to reflect once again on the inspirational history which led to the founding of Burnewang North Pastoral.

It’s been documented many times that if it were not for the importation by David Hains’s Kingston Park Stud of the relatively obscure mares Ada Hunter (GER) in 1975 and Love Song (DEN) in 1980 there would have been no Kingston Town or Black Caviar, two of the immortals of the Australian turf.

Brian Russell, in his ever-interesting Australian Thoroughbred Newsletter of 24 March, paid tribute to David Hains’s influence in a well-researched article, view at http://www.breednet.com.au/news2006.asp?id=88642

Cathy Hains, owner of Burnewang North Pastoral, grew up amidst the burgeoning Kingston Park Stud at Merricks North on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula and its then-sister farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The Hains family bred and raced a succession of outstanding gallopers from the early 1970s to the end of the 1990s, at which time the Kingston Park Stud breeding operation began winding down.

News came from New Zealand last week that the Kingston Park bred and owned sire King Of Roses has died at the age of 15.  By Fairy King (USA)-Stellar Spirit (USA), by Risen Star, King Of Roses won one race before injury curtailed his career.  David Hains decided to give him a chance at stud, being a member of the Kingston Rose family which he had developed into equine stardom.

For the first five or so years, the Hains family were virtually on their own in supporting the stallion but after racetrack results out of proportion to his meagre foal numbers (29 foals in his first three ‘crops’) he received a modicum of wider recognition before his transfer to New Zealand in 2010.  In all, he left 161 named foals (youngest are 2YOs) from his nine stud seasons in Victoria.

As if on cue to mark the sire’s passing, two of his sons, both bred by Kingston Park Stud, were successful over the weekend in Victoria.

Promising three-year-old Kings Palace won the W.J. (Billy) Adams Handicap over 2000m at Caulfield, taking his record to two wins and four placings in six starts.  He is the quintessential Kingston Park product: the Hains family bred his sire, his dam (the G1 Oaks-winning millionaire Kensington Palace), his grandam (the G1 Sires Produce-winning Reganza) as well as his broodmare sire Kingston Rule, winner of the G1 Melbourne Cup.  Kings Palace is therefore bred 4m x 3m to Secretariat and 4f x 4f to Kingston Rose.  A disappointing producer, Kensington Palace has waited until her 11th foal to produce her best to date.

On Sunday, King’s A Star took out the $50,000 Stawell Gold Cup, his fourth win in a busy career. He is the third and final living foal bred by Kingston Park Stud from Search For A Star (NZ), in her racing days a Sydney winner.

But the Kingston Park Stud influence was also writ large in Sydney, via the G2 Magic Night Stakes winner Scandiva.  Assuredly one of the most valuable fillies in the southern hemisphere, Scandiva is a daughter of blue hen Scandinavia (Snippets), dam of Magnus and Wilander and grandam of Black Caviar and All Too Hard. 

Who would have thought that these equine superstars would be the legacy of a Danish-bred non-winner sourced out of England?  Long before Princess Mary became Australia’s gift to Denmark, Denmark had, via the exploits of a visionary David Hains, provided a princess of their own to Australia, albeit one of the four-legged variety.

 1st April 2013

The Monkey Had Become A Gorilla

With eight consecutive second placings by her name, it was not just a monkey that Amo La Nonna needed to get off her back.  But get it off she did, at Mornington today, scoring her maiden success handily over 1500m.  What do they say – practice makes perfect?

Bought by Burnewang North Pastoral as a three-year-old with a future breeding career in mind, Amo La Nonna (Show A Heart-Granma Gertey, by Danzero) is a rangy daughter of G3-placed Granma Gertey and a grand-daughter of multiple stakeswinner In The Mist who is the dam of G2 winner De Lago Mist and grandam of triple stakeswinner Instinction.  Further back, it’s the family of Fragmentation and her two high-class entire sons Wanted and Shrapnel.

The first win is supposedly the hardest to achieve, so we are crossing our fingers that she can repeat the dose soon.

Sunday 31st March 2013

Burnewang North Staff Taking All The Spoils!

We think the outstanding accomplishments of our young team with their stock horses, show ponies and Clydesdales is just another reason why they enjoy taking great care of our thoroughbred babies.  We are very proud of all of them.

Josh Taylor, another of our talented Burnewang North team taking the honours at the recent local show.

The Bells Keep Ringing

Bertie’s Bells (3 g Henny Hughes [USA]-Jamelden, by Kenny’s Best Pal), bred and sold by Burnewang North Pastoral, registered win number four over 1200m at Launceston tonight.

Look out for his yearling half-brother by Snitzel at the Gold Coast Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in June.  He’s a cracker.

Wednesday, 27th March 2013

History Of Sorts at Sandown-Hillside

You breed them with the best of intentions.

You take a sire, Snitzel, a brilliant two-year-old and sprinter who did not win beyond 1200m in seven victories. You put him across a mare, Meribel, whose only win came at 1200m as a two-year-old, she being a daughter of Centaine who scored only once beyond 1200m in a six win career.

What do you get? A stamina-imbued gelding by the name of Apres who became his sire’s longest distance winner – 3300m – and first to be successful over jumps when he annexed the Mornington Easter Sunday Hurdle at Sandown-Hillside today.

Ah, the vagaries of breeding.

A handsome member of Burnewang North Pastoral’s inaugural yearling draft in Melbourne 2009, where he sold for $120,000, Apres fashioned a useful flat career prior to his hurdles debut, winning $150,390 from five wins (1200m-2215m) and 12 placings. Beating his two rivals at Sandown-Hillside today allowed another $21,000 to drop into the kitty.

In fact, Apres has earned more – $103,920 up till today – than any other surviving member of Snitzel’s first crop this season. He’s never shirked the task, lining up 16 times starting on 1 August 2012 and racing every month since. We breed ‘em tough at Burnewang North!

Credit must go to his purchaser-trainer Clinton McDonald for keeping him fit and happy all season long. We are reminded of the catchphrase of another internationally-famous McDonald(s), which must sum up exactly how Apres feels about things – “I’m lovin’ it”.

Wednesday 20th March 2013

Magnetron a First for Gai and Denise

Three-year-old gelding Magnetron (Magnus-Iresistabeel [NZ], by Zabeel [NZ]) became the first winner bred by Burnewang North Pastoral from the stable of champion trainer Gai Waterhouse.  He scored a tough win at his second start at Wyong on Thursday 7 March.

Magnetron was selected from the BNP draft at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale of 2011 by Denise Martin and races for one of her Star Thoroughbreds syndicates whose membership includes Pierro’s owners Greg and Donna Kolivos and successful long-time Waterhouse client Yvonne Smith.

Given the support we have had from Gai and Denise, and the Smith/Waterhouse/Hains ties which go back decades, it gave us just as big a thrill to watch Magnetron win as it must have the connections.

Magnetron is the third foal of winning Zabeel mare Iresistabeel [NZ], a mare from the family of dual Group winner Belmonte.  The fourth foal is a Von Costa de Hero filly to be offered at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in June.  Iresistabeel has a full brother to Magnetron at foot and is in foal to Fastnet Rock’s son Stryker.

Thursday, 7th March 2013

All Sold At 2013 Melbourne Premier Sale

A 100% clearance while averaging $97,570 – nearly 20% above the sale average – were the key points of the Burnewang North Pastoral draft at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale at Oaklands Junction in March.

Seven yearlings were sold to buyers from three states.  Details of sales:

Lot 103 – Von Costa de Hero-Tell Tale colt : $130,000, to prominent Sydney syndicators Triple Crown.  A beautifully athletic first foal from Hasna’s Redoute’s Choice half-sister, he was the top price for a Von Costa de Hero by a wide margin.

Lot 108 – Northern Meteor-Thekatcamehome filly : $60,000, first foal of a tough USA stakeswinner sold to former jockey, now emerging trainer, Brent Stanley.

Lot 134 – Tale Of The Cat-Vintage Rock colt : $85,000, another first foal and a classy colt, purchased by Vintage Rock’s former trainer Barbara Joseph.  This was the second-highest price at the sale for a Tale Of The Cat yearling.

Lot 213 – Encosta de Lago-Les Ry Leigh filly : $200,000, to David Hayes’s Lindsay Park Racing.  This filly sold as part of the inaugural ‘Blue Riband Session’ which proved a winner for most vendors.  She was Encosta de Lago’s top seller at Melbourne Premier.

Lot 356 – Nicconi-Egatrice colt : $50,000, to clients of former well-known footballer-turned-horse-trainer Mark Bairstow who trained the dam’s half-brother Jugahtrice.

Lot 395 – Northern Meteor-Galleta filly : $68,000, to John McArdle’s Redgum Racing.  John had won the previous week with BNP-bred two-year-old Miracle To Me, and backed up here to buy another well-bred filly from the same source.  She was the second-highest priced Northern Meteor of the sale.

Lot 574 – Testa Rossa-Petite Oiseau colt :  $90,000.  The combination of Sheamus Mills, agent, and Troy Corstens’s Malua Bloodstock secured this attractive type, the second-highest price for a Testa Rossa at the sale.

With the Gold Coast Magic Millions and Melbourne Premier sales now behind us, we are heartened that all our yearlings this year to date have been sold.  It’s a credit to our staff who have grown, prepared and marketed the yearlings so well, and to the appeal of the bloodlines.

Equally as important, trainers, agents and syndicators are picking up on the growing number of BNP-bred winners which is promoting confidence in our product.  We thank all the bidders for their interest in our offering.

There’s one more outing for BNP-bred yearlings this year, at the Gold Coast Magic Millions National Sale in June.  We’ve sold some nice winners there in the past from just a handful offered.  This year’s draft is our best yet.

Wednesday, 6th March 2013

Another Week, Another Winner

Adding to the growing list of winners bred by Burnewang North Pastoral at our northern Victoria property was first starter Averau, which saluted over 1400m at Wangaratta last Sunday.

Sold as a weanling. the three-year-old filly is by Stratum-Merayaat, by Viscount, thus a half-sister to dual Sydney winner Reigning, winner of $125,340 to date.  She is trained by the Peter Morgan/Carl Widdison partnership.

Sunday, 3rd March 2013

OUR OWN LITTLE MIRACLE

Hot on the fabulous success of Miracles Of Life in the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield came the victory of Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Miracle To Me (2YO filly Bel Esprit-Miracletto, by Fuji Kiseki) at Werribee on Tuesday 26 February.

She looked promising when a strong-finishing fourth on debut at Moonee Valley but was overlooked in the betting at Werribee. Fortunately, the filly couldn’t read the tote and, coping with the heavy track as best she could, tried hard every step of the 1110m to put her head in front right on the line.

From a branch of the famous New Zealand ‘Belle’ family, Miracle To Me was purchased by John McArdle for $42,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions National Yearling Sale (June – look out for a star Burnewang North Pastoral draft there once again this year). John trained her dam, Miracletto, who was purchased out of training for just $5,500 by our consultant Steve Brem.

Miracle To Me will be spelled after this race and we look forward to an even bigger, stronger filly reappearing next spring.

Miracle To Me’s yearling half-sister by Written Tycoon will be offered at the Gold Coast in June.

The mare has a smart Artie Schiller (USA) colt at foot.

Miracle To Me is the third Burnewang North Pastoral-bred two-year-old winner this season to date, following on from the good colt Resistant (Choisir) and Newcastle-trained The Life (Choisir).

Tuesday, 26th February 2013

FLYING VISIT FROM CAULFIELD – 22 February 2013

ON THE TRACK AND HAVING A CRACK

A busy few days for Burnewang North Pastoral-breds and colour-bearers culminated in Bertie’s Bells’s comfortable win in Tasmania on Sunday.  Late-running tactics worked just fine for Bertie’s Bells (3g Henny Hughes [USA]-Jamelden, by Kenny’s Best Pal) – sold as a weanling – who was winning his third race in 10 starts.

Mick Price brought two Burnewang North representatives back to the races after holidays and both finished second.  Gutsy two-year-old Resistant (2c Choisir-Swinging Babe, by Encosta de Lago) survived a cut-throat speed battle to finish a meritorious second in the rich Inglis Premier at Mornington on Wednesday 13 February.  With stakemoney and bonuses, Resistant has almost doubled his purchase price in just three starts.

Mick’s Burnewang North-owned Amo La Nonna is to quinella betting what Black Caviar is to win betting.  Resuming at Bendigo on Sunday 17 February after a lengthy spell, Amo La Nonna finished second for the seventh consecutive time.  We won’t say that’s not frustrating!  Acquired last winter, Amo La Nonna (4m Show A Heart-Granma Gertey, by Danzero) is a well-bred mare eventually headed to the matrons’ paddock – after a few wins, please!

At Moonee Valley on Friday night 15 February, Burnewang North ‘regular’ Apres (5g Snitzel-Meribel, by Centaine) recorded his 12th placing to go with his five wins and take his earnings to $146,390.  Making her debut on the same programme was John McArdle’s Miracle To Me (2f Bel Esprit-Miracletto, by Fuji Kiseki [JPN]), a $42,000 Magic Millions June yearling graduate.  She never saw the bunny from the outside barrier at the 1000m start but her strong late work to finish fourth was impressive and she looks another imminent winner under better circumstances.

SNOW FLAME IN THE FRAME

Snow Flame (God’s Own-Elleandee, by Snippets) scored easily over 1400m at Selangor (Malaysia) on 12 February, the four-year-old gelding’s fifth success.  Victory came in the Abundance Of Wealth Stakes, the main event on the Tunku Gold Cup (Mal-1) undercard.

Snow Flame sold for $45,000 at the 2010 Melbourne Premier Sale and has stake earnings to date of Rgt204,000. His dam, Elleandee, from the last crop of Snippets, is 2-for-2 at stud so far.  Her All American yearling colt made $140,000 at the 2013 Gold Coast Magic Millions and will be trained by Gai Waterhouse for a Star Thoroughbreds Syndicate, while Elleandee has a Wanted filly on the ground and is in-foal to leading sire Commands.

RESISTANT IS WILLING

Resistant (2c Choisir-Swinging Babe, by Encosta de Lago) added his name to the list of black-type performers from Burnewang North Pastoral when finishing a game second in the $250,000 Inglis Premier at Mornington on 13 February.

Appearing off an 11-weeks break, Resistant was caught three wide in a speed duel but showed his trademark fortitude to fight on for second behind seasoned favourite Twilght Royale, well clear of the others.

Bought for $85,000 at 2012 Melbourne Premier by clients of the Mick Price stable, Resistant has more than repaid his purchase price in just three starts.

Dam Swinging Babe, herself stakes-placed, had a Nicconi colt sell to Michael Freedman at 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $70,000, has a stylish Sebring filly at foot, and is back in foal to Choisir.

WITHDRAWN BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Visitors to the website may have noticed a larger-than-usual withdrawal rate from our catalogued entries in March’s Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Fear not, there hasn’t been plague or pestilence sweep through the stables. 

The withdrawals are a combination of mainly minor issues which simply need more time to resolve.  We believe because the buying bench at the Premier Sale is exacting and the choice of yearlings at their disposal is numerous, our best option is to offer only those of our group which at this time meet the high standards of approval.  We intend to allow the others to develop accordingly and look forward to presenting them at sale later in the year.

Any buyers interested in lots which have been withdrawn, please do not hesitate to contact us.  Don’t forget our Snitzel/Jamelden colt who we believe is a real 2yo prospect, an excellent mover and all round good type – he may have missed the Magic Millions sale but he’s over his setback and is available for inspection by appointment.

Inaugural BNP Magic Millions Draft Well Received

For the first time in our short selling history, Burnewang North Pastoral presented a draft at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.  

We were thrilled with the reception our yearlings received, evidence of the growing recognition of BNP as a consistent supplier of winning thoroughbreds.

All seven yearlings presented were sold.  Given the modest service fees involved – no heavy-hitters like Fastnet Rock, Redoute’s Choice or Encosta de Lago to inflate the numbers – the draft’s average of   $112,142 was a most satisfactory result and compared well with the reported overall sale average of $136,000.

Individual sales achieved were:

Lot 125 – Not A Single Doubt-Paris End filly: $60,000, to Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith.

Lot 141 – Testa Rossa-Port Isabel filly: $125,000, to Gold Coast trainer Jamie Lyons.  The pedigree was enhanced three days later when Port Isabel’s 2YO half-sister Calming Influence scored an impressive debut win at Rosehill.

Lot 227 – Not A Single Doubt-Sheezvalue filly: $160,000, to Ronstel Thoroughbreds, to be trained by Angela Davies on the Central Coast.  This was the equal second-highest price for a Not A Single Doubt filly.

286 – Nicconi-Swinging Babe colt: $70,000, to Michael Freedman, Singapore.

401 – Nicconi-Apologies colt: $150,000, to Brisbane trainer Liam Birchley.  This was one of the top four prices for a colt by popular first-crop sire Nicconi.

530 – Haradasun-Dubai Dream: $80,000, to Newcastle trainer Paul Perry.  This was the second-top price for a Haradasun.

540 – All American-Elleandee colt: $140,000, to Star Thoroughbreds, to be trained by Gai Waterhouse.  Fourth highest-priced colt by impressive first-crop sire All American.

We thank to all those who inspected and bid on the Burnewang North Pastoral yearlings and wish the purchasers the best of racing luck. We are fortunate our youngsters have ended up in such good hands.

Attention now turns to our draft for the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, 3 – 6 March, representing sires including Encosta de Lago, Snitzel, Testa Rossa, Wanted and Northern Meteor.

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

A belated recognition for our hard working employee Neville Burns, who has dusted off his accolades and finally informed us that he was Citizen of The Year in 1993 – we always knew he was one of the good guys!

BERTIE CHIMES IN FOR SECOND WIN

Three-year-old Bertie’s Bells (Henny Hughes (USA)-Jamelden, by Kenny’s Best Pal) gained at last stride win over 1200m at Launceston on 16 January, his second career victory in just eight starts.

Bred by Burnewang North Pastoral and sold as a weanling, Bertie’s Bells is one of three foals to race and win from Jamelden, a six-times winning half-sister to G1 winner Testafiable.  Jamelden’s Snitzel colt had to be withdrawn from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January owing to a minor setback late in his prep, but this outstanding individual – tipped to be our draft-topper in January – will appear later in the sales season and is well worth waiting for.

Jamelden currently has a Artie Schiller (USA) foal at foot and was bred to Choisir in 2012.

THIS IS THE LIFE

After a luckless run on debut, two-year-old colt The Life (Choisir-Gold Digger Miss (USA)), bred and sold by Burnewang North Pastoral, became the newest winning graduate when he finished boldly to win his second start over 1200m on his home track, Newcastle, on Saturday 12 January.

Trainer Paul Perry thinks the son of his former champion, Choisir, has a good future and is eyeing the rich Inglis 2YO race at Scone in May as a likely target this season.

The Life is the second foal, and second two-year-old winner, of American-bred Gold Digger Miss, a Gulch mare who won twice in England. It is a family sagging under the weight of quality black-type performers – scores of them descend from Gold Digger Miss’ second dam Special Warmth. Gold Digger Miss produced an Artie Schiller (USA) filly in 2012 and went back to Wanted.

IT’S ALL HAPPENING AT CHELSEA HOTEL

Highly impressive debut winner Chelsea Hotel (Sunday 9 December at Wagga Wagga) is the first foal of Chelsey’s Image (USA), one of the foundation mares imported from the USA in 2008 by Burnewang North Pastoral.

Chelsea Hotel (3YO filly from the first crop of Dylan Thomas) led throughout the 1200m affair and won by almost six lengths, running a much faster time than the colts’ division.

Offered by Burnewang North Pastoral at the 2011 Melbourne Premier Sale, Chelsea Hotel was bought by co-breeder Eric Lucas for $90,000 who entrusted her to young Canberra trainer Matthew Dale. The filly’s convincing win was well anticipated as it followed an impressive barrier trial.

One of the feature lots at the forthcoming 2013 Melbourne Premier Sale will be Chelsea Hotel’s half-sister by champion sire Fastnet Rock.

Their dam, Chelsey’s Image (USA), by Holy Bull, was one of the fastest Canadian 2YO fillies of her year and was nationally recognised with votes being recorded for her in year-end Sovereign Award voting. Nine of her 11 starts were in stakes races, never finishing worse than fifth, winning the Hastings Breeders’ Cup Debutante Stakes and Sadie Diamond Futurity. She is out of a half-sister to G1 winner Chelsey Flower. Chelsey’s Image descends in tail-female from Lady Cornwall, a half-sister to Dream Appeal (USA), an influential importation whose notable descendants include Kidman’s Cove and Charge Forward.

Chelsey’s Image did not have a foal in 2012 but is currently in foal to Wanted.

APRES WINS AT MOONEE VALLEY

Burnewang North Pastoral-bred Apres (5 g Snitzel-Meribel, by Centaine) scored his fifth victory when successful at Moonee Valley on Friday night 7 December. A member of the inaugural Burnewang North Pastoral Melbourne sales draft, Apres is proving durable and consistent, now the veteran of 32 starts with earnings of $118,930. Though one of his wins was at 1200m – when resuming – this big, free-striding gelding is a rarity for a Snitzel as his other four wins have been at 2000m and beyond.

IT’S GOLD GOLD GOLD

Super VOBIS and VOBISGold bonuses worth a hefty $50,000 supplemented Saturday prizemoney for connections of Resistant, winner of the Abbie Fennessy Memorial Plate for two-year-olds at Caulfield on 1 December.

The Choisir-Swinging Babe colt, bred by Burnewang North Pastoral, was making his second race start having finished an inexperienced fourth on debut in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes at Sandown.

Resistant was selected from the Burnewang North Pastoral draft at the 2012 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale by Luke Wilkinson and Mick Price who paid $85,000 for the compact, strong colt. Luke and Mick put together an enthusiastic group of owners who were joined by the colt’s co-breeders Cathy Hains and Eric Lucas in racing the colt.

Now that he has learned his trade – and repaid his purchase price! – Resistant will take a break and return in the late summer. Having beaten a highly-regarded colt from the Hayes stable in this race, Luke and Mick believe there’s plenty to look forward to.

In the short term, Resistant’s success throws the spotlight on his half-brother, by freshman sire Nicconi, which is Lot 286 in Burnewang North Pastoral’s inaugural draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on 10 January. Like Resistant, the yearling is strong and well-balanced and is an excellent representative of his G1 Lightning and G1 Galaxy winning sire.

Described by breeder Cathy Hains as “a tough cookie”, a tag backed up by his determined racing style, Resistant is the second foal of another “tough cookie”, the Encosta de Lago mare Swinging Babe. She put 62 starts behind her on the racetrack over four and a half years. A very handy stakes-placed two-year-old, Swinging Babe’s career encompassed races as short as 1000m and as far as 2388m and she tallied earnings of $255,450.

After foaling Resistant and the Nicconi colt, Swinging Babe has her first filly foal, by Sebring, and went back to Resistant’s sire Choisir in the spring of 2012.

Click the link below to read how Resistant’s win was reported on Breednet:
http://www.breednet.com.au/news2006.asp?id=85699#.ULmVDeTCaSp

BURNEWANG NORTH GRADUATE EXCELS AT NZ R2R SALE

Burnewang North Pastoral bred just 15 foals in its first year in production, 2007, and the numbers have been modestly increasing since. In 2012, we will have mated more than 40 mares, a much greater number than in any previous season. Results on the track are what it’s all about and, like all breeders, we get great pleasure seeing our graduates succeeding on the track. To the end of September, 21 Burnewang North Pastoral-breds have been successful in five different countries, and these include four black-type performers. Encouraged by this, we’re confident our first ‘big horse’ is just around the corner.

NEW US MARES FOR 2013

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale provided an opportunity to further diversify the bloodlines in the Burnewang North Pastoral broodmare band through the acquisition of two young maiden mares. They will arrive in Australia in February.

The mares were selected by BNP’s consultant and agent, Steve Brem, who provides the following pen-portraits:

Sharp Secretary (2007 Cactus Ridge-Trixie Chick, by Favourite Trick) is a quality racemare who finished third at Woodbine just five days before her appearance in the Keeneland salering. On physical type, I felt she was one of the top four maidens throughout the first five days of this vast sale, and unquestionably the least expensive! In an 18 start career – we won’t ask her to race again – Sharp Secretary won seven races – two at two – and placed five times, earning $346,012. At three, she won one of Canada’s most important fillies’ tests, the Duchess Stakes at Woodbine, and was second to champion Biofuel in the Star Shoot Stakes. She cracked a cannon bone and missed her entire four-year-old season but returned in 2012 to win three on end just prior to her appearance at Keeneland. She is an ‘Australian’ type of mare, strongly made with plenty of size, substance and constitution, and one with a positive attitude to racing. She is by an undefeated son of Hennessy, Cactus Ridge, a 70% winners/runners sire who has had several top class fillies, and is from the family of champion grass horse Perfect Soul. She has only one distant line of Danzig in her make-up and has two daughters of Secretariat close up in her pedigree. Her physique is not unlike that of the great horse.

In the choice of Running Royalty (2009 Songandaprayer-Queens Court Queen) we were prepared to give away some performance to gain pedigree. Placed at Churchill Downs this year from only two starts, Running Royalty is the last daughter of the dual G1 winner Queens Court Queen (by Lyphard), winner of 10 races and $808,850. None of Queens Court Queen’s foals have ever been sold as yearlings but another young daughter is already in Australia and being well mated. Running Royalty’s first three dams are either G1 winners or G1 producers. Third dam Chateaucreek producded English Derby winner Henbit. Running Royalty is a three-quarter sister to stakeswinner Awesome Ashley whose first two foals Stateside are by Smart Strike and Giant’s Causeway. Her sire Songandaprayer is a G1 son of Unbridled’s Song (Fappiano-Mr Prospector line) who has sired 27 stakeswinners to date and is already a stakes producer as a broodmare sire. Running Royalty, a sturdy, correct dark bay standing 16 hands, resembles her female side. She is free of inbreeding for five generations and has just one line of Northern Dancer, thus allowing a wide choice of matings in future.

INCHES FROM AN INTERSTATE DOUBLE – 10TH NOVEMBER

A half-head was all that deprived Burnewang North Pastoral of a notable interstate city double on Saturday 10 November.

At Sydney’s Warwick Farm racetrack, BNP-bred Reigning (Choisir-Merayaat, by Viscount) upset the form book coming powerfully from last position to score in The Castaway over 1400m.

It was the gelding’s fourth win and took the four-year-old’s earnings to $125,340, a nice return on his $20,000 cost as a yearling. Interestingly, it was his first start for the Bart Cummings stable having been in the care previously of Con Karakatsanis. It had been almost five months since Reigning had been seen on the racecourse, finishing a very distant third over 3200m on a heavy track at Rosehill. Bart had obviously put the speed back into the gelding’s legs!

Meanwhile, at Morphettville in Adelaide, consistent BNP-bred Draw Forward (Charge Forward-Lashante, by Danehill Dancer) missed by a half-head in the CFMEU Handicap over 1000m. This stakes-placed mare has also won four races with prizemoney climbing to $148,563 – and she cost just $18,000 at the Melbourne Autumn Yearling Sale.

It only goes to show there’s value at all levels in a Burnewang North Pastoral yearling consignment.

GAI WATERHOUSE’S FLYING VISIT

Squeezing a few hours out of her hectic Cox Plate-week schedule in Melbourne, champion Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse helicoptered into Burnewang North to reacquaint herself with the property, her last visit being five or six years ago. While here, she cast her keen eye over the consignment earmarked for the Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale in January 2013. Gai trained Burnewang North mares Lake Susannah, Tell Tale, Valour and Valentine Rose and, of course, her father T J Smith trained the Hains family’s piece-de-resistance, the champion Kingston Town. Gai is pictured here Cathy Hains and Darren Mackereth.

SPRING CHAMPIONS

Emma & Aaron, two of our hard working team members have both had exceptional weekends at the recent Bendigo and Albury Shows scooping the pool winning Reserve Champion Registered Breed Mare, Champion Hack and Ridden Registered Breed Supreme Champion on their stock horses Charlie, Billie and Kassandra. Congratulations to them all.

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN IN THREES – SEPTEMBER 2012

It doesn’t take much to bring a pedigree page to life – just a couple of winners! That’s exactly what happened to Burnewang North Pastoral’s stakeswinning mare Lake Susannah in the last week of September. Her second and third foals, the fillies Mist Of Avalon (by Flying Spur) and Oh Susannah (by Fastnet Rock) posted their initial successes. Trainer Peter Moody targeted a Saturday race in Adelaide for Oh Susannah’s debut, and the speedy filly duly saluted. Mists Of Avalon, originally sold as a yearling then purchased back in May, did the good deed at Echuca to complete the task set her new trainer Shea Eden – to retire the mare a winner – and Mists Of Avalon has now gone to stud. A few days later, Burnewang North-bred and part-owned Apres (Snitzel-Meribel, by Centaine), trained by Clinton McDonald, prevailed at Bairnsdale, his fourth win taking his earnings over $90,000. It gave us a great thrill to see in quick succession three products of the farm carry to victory our distinctive brown-with-white shamrock colours.

TESTING THE WATERS AT SURFERS PARADISE

January 2013 marks an exciting watershed for Burnewang North Pastoral as we take our first-ever draft of yearlings to the prestigious Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale. We have selected some of our most forward and strongly-made types – all August or September foals. The five colts and three fillies gained the tick of approval from the sales company’s inspection panel in the spring. The fillies are by proven sires Not A Single Doubt (2) and Testa Rossa, and the colts are by hot sire Snitzel, up-and-comer Haradasun and the eagerly awaited first season G1 sires Nicconi (2) and All American. Having sold later-maturers in the past at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in June, and enjoyed the Gold Coast experience, we are really looking forward to presenting this top class octet in January.

See our Sales page for individual details of our offering.

FROM SMALL ACORNS, OAKS ARE GROWING

Burnewang North Pastoral bred just 15 foals in its first year in production, 2007, and the numbers have been modestly increasing since. In 2012, we will have mated more than 40 mares, a much greater number than in any previous season. Results on the track are what it’s all about and, like all breeders, we get great pleasure seeing our graduates succeeding on the track. To the end of September, 21 Burnewang North Pastoral-breds have been successful in five different countries, and these include four black-type performers. Encouraged by this, we’re confident our first ‘big horse’ is just around the corner.

IT’S SHAPING UP TO BE A TERRIFIC FOAL CROP

Though it’s not quite November, we can report a very successful 2012 foaling season with just our final four foals awaited. It seems we’ll have probably 39 foals on the ground, by far our biggest crop to date. Destined to carry the Burnewang North Pastoral brand will be foals by the likes of Lonhro, Redoute’s Choice, Snitzel, Commands, Exceed And Excel, Testa Rossa, Bernardini (USA), Artie Schiller (USA), Domesday, Bradbury’s Luck, and Ad Valorem (USA) – all in the ‘proven’ sire category – but also we have a very exciting squad of foals by the ‘young and new’ stallions amongst which are Wanted, Equiano (Fr), Onemorenomore, Von Costa de Hero, Northern Meteor, Reward For Effort, Denman, Sebring, All American, Magnus, Stryker and Nicconi. The farms handling our walk-ons report that there are lots of ‘crackers’ amongst them. We can”t wait to have the mares home to start raising what we hope will be many stars of the future.

GRAZED ON GREATNESS – AUGUST 2012

We are very proud of our association with Whybin TBWA who scooped the awards at the recent Cannes Lions Advertising Awards 2012. Inspiring Creativity is at the heart of Cannes Lions. The Festival is where creative professionals come to debate, learn and be inspired; where the greatest industry honours are bestowed; where those pushing creative communications forward are celebrated. Congratulations to Whybin TBWA and please take the time to enjoy:

Grazed on Greatness – MJ Bale

2012 MAGIC MILLIONS NATIONAL YEARLING SALE – 5–6 JUNE 2012

Burnewang North ventured North to sell at the National Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast for the first time. We had a nice, even draft of impressive individuals by sires including Bel Esprit, Not A Single Doubt, Written Tycoon, Elvstroem, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Roses.

We were very pleased with our sale and look forward to keeping track of the horses as they go through the processes in the stables of Mick Price, John McArdle and Matthew Dale among others.

SPEEDY GRAPHITO WINS AT MORNINGTON – 7 MAY 2012

Promising Shea Eden trained colt Speedy Graphito erased the memories of frustrating debut run when breaking his maiden over 1226 metres at Mornington on Monday.

The well regarded Excellent Art (GB) colt had been expected to go close on debut at Bendigo just over two weeks ago, but a fit of bucking at the start spoiled his chances.

Facing a number of well–bred opponents on his second start, Speedy Graphito sat on the heels of the leaders for much of the early running before angling out at the top of the straight and quickening smartly to win going away by a neck.

Eden, for who Speedy Graphito is a first two–year–old runner, is clearly enamoured with his charge and said, “He’s a pleasure have around the stable and he’s just kept on improving with work – he’s really thrived on it’.

“He didn’t enjoy the testing ground today and will improve again back on a drier track. He’s got lots of scope and I like him a lot.”

Speedy Graphito(pictured as a yearling) , a $25,000 purchase by Eden from the Burnewang North draft at the 2011 Inglis Premier Sale, is a son of the Tasmanian stakes winning Ladoni mare Petite Oiseau.

Shea also purchased the 2010 Statue of Liberty colt out of Petite Oiseau from our 2012 Melbourne Premier draft.

2012 MELBOURNE PREMIER YEARLING SALE

We were extremely pleased with our 100% clearance rate at the recent Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. Our draft of yearlings will be trained by some of Australia’s leading trainers including Peter Moody, Mick Price, Robbie Griffiths, Gary Portelli, John McArdle, Darren Weir and others.

We look forward to tracking their progress and congratulate all of our purchasers and thank them for their support.

2012 MELBOURNE PREMIER YEARLING SALE – 27–29 FEB 2012

Please visit our sales page to view our select entries in this years Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale to be held at Oaklands on 27th – 29th February and 1st March 2012. Our draft includes yearlings by Street Sense, Not A Single Doubt, Statue of Liberty, Choisir, Tale of The Cat, Magnus, Charge Forward and others. We look forward to seeing you at Barn H.

Please click here to view our sales page.

DRAW FORWARD – TRIPLE WINNER – 17 DECEMBER 2011

Draw Forward (Charge Forward) carried 59kg to victory in the $50,000 Simpson Constructions 0-72 Handicap over 1200m for three-year-old fillies.

The daughter of Charge Forward made it three wins from as many starts this time in when she proved a bit too strong for Taylor’s Command in the straight to score narrowly.

“She’s very brave, that was a good effort to carry that weight and still be too good,” jockey Steven Arnold commented later.

Bred by Cathy Hains at her Burnewang North property, Draw Forward (3 f Charge Forward – Lashante by Danehill Dancer) was purchased by Jolly as a yearling for $18,000 at the Inglis Autumn Yearling Sale and has now won her past three starts and her earnings total $89,063.

BURNEWANG NORTH BREEDS FIRST AUSTRALIAN WINNER FOR HENNY HUGHES – 15 DECEMBER 2011

Breednet – Tara Madgwick – Thursday, 15 December 2011

Darley shuttler Henny Hughes (USA) posted his first Australian winner in Tasmania on Wednesday when two year-old gelding Bertie’s Bells saluted at Launceston.

Improving from a debut third at the same track on November 23, the Gary White trained Bertie’s Bells scored a narrow victory in the 1100 metre open juvenile event.

Bertie’s Bells was bred by Cathy Hains’ Burnewang North and was purchased by one of his part-owners for $10,000 from the Burnewang North draft at the 2010 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale.

He is the second winner for metropolitan winning mare Jamelden, a half-sister by Kenny’s Best Pal to Group I SAJC Derby winner Testafiable.

Jamelden has no yearling for the sales in 2012, but did produce a colt by Snitzel earlier in the spring.

Bertie’s Bells is the first Australian winner for Group I winning sprinter Henny Hughes (pictured), who is also the sire here of stakes-placed Lil Red Corvette and another place-getter in Henia.

In the US, where his oldest progeny are three year-olds, he is the sire of more than 70 winners led by Group III winner She Digs Me and stakes-winners Henny Hound, My Due Process, Midnight Visit and Fort Hughes.

CATHY HAINS JOINS TBV BOARD – 13 DECEMBER 2011

The Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria AGM held at Moonee Valley last Friday resulted in the announcement of a new addition to the Board, with the election of Cathy Hains to fill the place left vacant by retiring Board member Ruth Frenzel.

“The Hains name is synonymous with racing and breeding success at the elite level so to have Cathy join the Board is a coup for our Association and adds further depth to the group we have assembled over the past few years,” said TBV President Tim Johnson.

Cathy Hains owns and runs the highly successful Burnewang North located between Elmore and Rochester in northern Victoria, a farm she purchased in 2005 to establish her own private commercial broodmare facility, which presents yearlings at the Inglis Premier & Easter sales.

At this year’s Premier Sale Burnewang North achieved outstanding success, finishing in the top three sellers at the sale in only their third year as a vendor.

The Hains family’s Kingston Park is known to all Australian racegoers via the racetrack heroics of Kingston Town as well as Melbourne Cup record holder Kingston Rule who sadly passed away recently and VRC Oaks winner Kensington Palace amongst a plethora of Group winners they have produced.

Tim Johnson also paid tribute to Ruth Frenzel’s ten plus years on the Board, in particular in her role as Treasurer, which she held for three terms.

13th December 2011

HERMES SALUTES FOR HAINS AND ARROWFIELD

Thoroughbred Express – 15 November 2011

Victorian breeder Cathy Hains has forged a successful association with Arrowfield Stud and their latest winner arrived on Friday night when Hermes saluted in a three–way finish at Moonee Valley.

Hermes (4g Flying Spur – Viva La Diva by Barathea) races under the Burnewang North Pastoral banner for Hains. He was racing for just the third time for trainer Sean Dwyer after two placings at Bendigo in October.

Cathy catalogued Hermes as part of Burnewang North’s first draft at the 2009 Inglis Easter yearling sale but he was withdrawn prior to the sale.

After a low–key start that year, BNP finished as the leading vendor at the 2010 Melbourne Premier with 7 lots averaging $117,143. Among them were yearlings by Arrowfield sires Starcraft, Flying Spur and Snitzel.

Burnewang North topped the 2011 Melbourne Premier with a $340,000 Fastnet Rock colt from the G2 winning Spinning World mare Coupe. He has been named Willis and is a member of the Team Williams crew at Mt Macedon.

“He’s a lovely colt and we are very pleased he will be staying in Victoria with Lloyd and Nick Williams,” Hains said. “No doubt, he will be given every opportunity with their professional operation.

“I’m very proud of our results. We had the highest prices for three of the six sires across the Premier Sale and that’s a tribute to the care and attention by the all team here.”

Hains launched BNP five years ago on prime acreage fronting the Campaspe River between Elmore and Rochester in Victoria.

The Hains surname and Kingston signature gave her a head start but, equally, there was pressure to perform from the outset.

Burnewang North has lifted the bar again for the 2012 Melbourne Premier. Its draft for Oaklands Junction includes a Magnus half–sister to Hermes.

Cathy Hains has a Group 1 pedigree and it’s only a matter of time before she breeds a Group 1 winner of her own carrying the BNP brand.

BLACK TYPE FOR BULWER BAY

16 October 2011

At only his sixth career start, Burnewang North Pastoral sale graduate Bulwer Bay (Testa Rossa-Petite Oiseau, by Ladoni), earned his first piece of black type, finishing third in the Listed Ray Coupland Stakes for three–year–olds at Ashburton, New Zealand, on 16 October.

The gelding finished stoutly at the end of the 1400m which was cut out in a sizzling 1:21.63. He had been a first–up winner this preparation at Riccarton on 17 September. Connections are hopeful of a start in the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas on 5 November.

Bulwer Bay was a $105,000 yearling at the Melbourne Premier Sale in 2010, purchased by Paul Beamish on behalf of trainers Mandy and Matt Brown.

Burnewang North are selling a half brother to Bulwer Bay at the 2012 Melbourne Premier Sale. Lot 130 is by Statue of Liberty.

NZ WINNER FOR BURNEWANG NORTH BLOODLINES

Bulwer Bay (3g Testa Rossa-Petite Oiseau, by Ladoni) credited Burnewang North Pastoral with its second winner in New Zealand when he scored first-up at Riccarton on 17 September.

The big, strong colt was sold for $105,000 at the 2010 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, the New Zealand agent Paul Beamish buying him for Mandy and Matt Brown who also train him just north of Christchurch. The year before, the same connections secured the now stakes-placed winner Flaxton(Falvelon-Hello Boys, by Rory’s Jester) from the inaugural Burnewang North Pastoral draft.

The Browns have always held Bulwer Bay in high regard. Placed third on debut at two, Bulwer Bay then came with a booming finish for fifth in the Gr 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham. On the strength of this he travelled to Melbourne to contest the rich Inglis Premier 2YO at Mornington last February. On a track providing a marked on-pace bias, Bulwer Bay was disadvantaged but again powered home from last to finish sixth.

Sent to the paddock on his return to New Zealand, Bulwer Bay was having his first start for seven months when winning at Riccarton in 1:09.56 for the 1200m. He holds a nomination for the Gr 1 NZ Two Thousand Guineas, 1600m, on the same track on 5 November.

Bulwer Bay is the first foal of Danehill’s grand-daughter Petite Oiseau, winner of six races and $217,095 including the Tasmanian Oaks and One Thousand Guineas. Subsequently she has produced colts by Excellent Art and Statue Of Liberty and is due to foal again to Testa Rossa in the spring of 2011.

BURNEWANG NORTH SALE GRADUATE EARNS BLACK TYPE

Ridethebreeze (3g Anabaa-Elleandee, by Snippets) finished a close second in the Group 3 Byerley Turk Plate 1400m, at Scottsville, South Africa, on 9 April.

He was sold in Burnewang North’s inaugural Melbourne Premier Sale draft in 2009 for what now appears a bargain $52,500 and is trained in South Africa by Joe Ramsden.

Ridethebreeze has raced seven times for two wins, two seconds and a third placing. He is the first foal of the winning Snippets mare Elleandee, a half-sister to Group 1 AJC Doncaster Handicap winner Sprint By and to South African stakeswinner Queen Of State. Returned to Australia for her breeding career, Queen Of State has produced the ultra-consistent Singapore galloper Fantastic Owners, winner of eight races and the equivalent of $750,000. It is the family of outstanding American performer Flying Paster.

Currently, Elleandee has a weanling filly by Tale Of The Cat (USA) and is in foal amongst the first book of mares served by the Group 1 winning miler son of Red Ransom, All American.

ROCHESTER FLOODS – JANUARY 2011

We would like to thank all of our friends and colleagues who contacted us during the floods of January 2011. Luckily, Burnewang North was physically unaffected by the floods but unfortunately the township of Rochester was hit very hard.

Please click here to see some photos of the widespread devastation.

BURNEWANG NORTH PROGENY UPDATE – JANUARY 2011

The period between when a breeder puts their first yearlings in the ring and when the horses reach the racetrack is one filled with anticipation, expectation – and a smidgen of nervousness – as results are awaited which will justify all the hard work done in breeding and rearing the animals.

We at Burnewang North Pastoral are precisely in that position with our first produce being barely at the midpoint of their three–year–old season.

Three of our smallish first crop are already winners, and in three different countries.

Ridethebreeze (3g Anabaa–Elleandee) has won twice in Natal, South Africa, from just five starts to date. He scored over 1300m as a 2YO in Durban and in the spring was successful over 1200m in Pietermaritzburg. He is the first foal of his dam, a daughter of Snippets. Elleandee foaled a Tale Of The Cat filly in 2010 and is in foal to first–crop sire All American.

Flaxton (3g Falvelon–Hello Boys) became Burnewang North Pastoral’s first black–type graduate in the spring when finishing third behind New Zealand’s leading 3YO King’s Rose in the Listed Ray Coupland Stakes over 1400m. Flaxton won his only start at two, at Riccarton, and with just four starts in his career to date has been handled patiently by trainer Mandy Brown. Hello Boys’s fourth living foal is a bay colt by God’s Own going forward to the 2011 Melbourne Premier Sale as Lot 21. The mare foaled an Elvstroem colt in 2010 and returned to Haradasun.

A little surprise packet has been Reallen (3f Real Jester–Aliana), an $18,000 purchase by Alan Waymouth at the 2009 Melbourne Autumn Yearling Sale. This neat and well–balanced filly finished second in the Inglis Autumn Plate at Seymour at two then broke her maiden at Ballarat in the spring. Her win and three placings from seven starts to date have earned $44,775.

Another 3YO which came from the same Autumn Sale, Polygon Prankster (3g Octagonal–Lady Mischief) caught the eye with a big–finishing fourth placing on debut from Shaun Dwyer’s stable. A very big individual who was certain to take time, he may be an interesting prospect as he matures.

Unsurprisingly, only one of our current crop of two–year–olds has faced the starter thus far, this being Bulwer Bay (2g Testa Rossa–Petite Oiseau). Like Flaxton, Bulwer Bay was bought for the same connections from our 2010 Melbourne Premier Sale draft by New Zealand agent Paul Beamish. The gelding, a big, strong horse out of a stakeswinning middle distance mare, made his debut in Dunedin on 26 December, finishing third. Horses never cease to surprise and whilst few would have labelled Bulwer Bay an early prospect on account of his size and pedigree, the Mandy Brown stable believe he has excellent prospects and that this early education will hold him in good stead. His dam, Petite Oiseau, a grand–daughter of Danehill, has a colt by first–crop sire Excellent Art at the 2011 Melbourne Premier Sale (Lot 185), produced a Statue Of Liberty colt last spring and is in foal again to Testa Rossa.

Three of Burnewang North Pastoral’s crop of two–year–olds have been exported from the sales to Asian destinations for their racing careers: colts by God’s Own–Elleandee, Danzero–Twinciti and King Of Roses–Meribel (whose durable performer Happiness Come, winner of almost $350,000, finished fourth in a Group 3 in Singapore on 2 January).

Four 2YO fillies have been named:

Mists Of Avalon (Flying Spur–Lake Susannah), bought by David Moodie’s Contract Racing and partners and to race from the leading Melbourne stable of Peter Moody;

Rose Rugosa (Zenno Rob Roy–Iresistabeel), bought by Katsumi Yoshida whose family stand Zenno Rob Roy in Japan, and in the Lee Freedman stable;

Flirting Rose (King Of Roses–No Flirting), bought by Geoff Stevenson from Tasmania; and

Queen Of Roses (King Of Roses–Aliana) in the Peter Morgan stable.

Several of the as yet unnamed 2YOs are going through their paces at present including the Guy Walter–trained pair 2g Anabaa–Swinging Babe and 2f Starcraft–Dubai Dream, the half–sister to Guy’s lightly–raced stakeswinner Al Dhafra.

KINGSTON ACACIA FLYING THE FLAG FOR KING OF ROSES IN THE UK

Kingston Acacia (Derartu/King of Roses) has had back to back wins at Lingfield and Warwick in the past fortnight.

Bred to Northern Hemisphere time and foaled in the UK, Kingston Acacia is by the Fairy King (USA) horse King of Roses from the Australian bred Last Tycoon (IRE) mare Derartu, who eas exported to the Northern Hemisphere in July 2006. Trained by Andrew Balding, Kingston Acacia has no won two of six starts and is unbeaten this year.

We will be tracking her progress with interest.

SUCCESSFUL 2010 MELBOURNE AUTUMN YEARLING SALE

Burnewang North had a successful Autumn Yearling sale held on 23–24 April 2010, culminating in an average price of $27,750 (sale average $12,271). We wish to thank all of our purchasers and wish them every luck in the future. We look forward to tracking their progress.

CLOSE 2ND IN 2010 INGLIS AUTUMN PLATE

Reallen (Aliana–Real Jester 07) finished a close second in the 2010 Inglis Autumn Plate over 1200m at Seymour on Tuesday, 20 April 2010. Reallen was sold by Burnewang North at the 2009 Autumn Yearling Sale and was purchased by Allen Waymouth.

BURNEWANG NORTH LEADING VENDOR BY AVERAGE AT MELBOURNE PREMIER (OVERALL SESSION 1&2)

With only our second Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale draft, we were thrilled with the endorsement given to the Burnewang North product at the 2010 sale held in March.

Figures released by Inglis confirm Burnewang North as the leading vendor over both Sessions 1 & 2 (with sales of 2+ horses) by average price – $117,143 – compared with the overall Premier I average of $71,529. Four of the seven yearlings fetched six figure prices.

We express our thanks to all those who inspected and bid on the Burnewang North yearlings and wish the successful purchasers the best of racing luck.

A breakdown of the individual yearlings sold:

Lot 64 – Stratum – Coupe filly, purchased by McDonald Racing (Ross and Clinton McDonald), Caulfield, for $200,000. This attractive daughter of G2 winner Coupe brought the highest price for a Stratum. The McDonalds backed up after buying the Snitzel–Meribel colt from Burnewang North’s inaugural draft last year.

Lot 114 – Starcraft – Dubai Dream filly, purchased by Proven Thoroughbreds (Jamie Walter) for $50,000. A big filly as you would expect from the Starcraft/Marscay cross, she is destined for Guy Walter’s Warwick Farm stable which currently houses her very promising half–brother Al Dhafra.

Lot 117 – God’s Own – Elleandee colt, purchased by Brian Dean, Singapore, for $45,000. Brian trains the colt’s close relation Fantastic Owners who has been a successful fixture on the Singapore scene for several seasons.

Lot 213 – Flying Spur – Lake Susannah filly, purchased by Melbourne’s leading trainer Peter Moody for $220,000. This well–admired filly, her stakewinning dam’s second foal, achieved the second–highest price for a Flying Spur yearling. We look forward to following her progress from this elite stable.

Lot 325 – Testa Rossa – Petite Oiseau colt, purchased by New Zealand agent Paul Beamish for trainer Mandy Brown’s Ngapuke Stables in North Canterbury, NZ for $105,000. From our inaugural draft in 2009, Paul selected the 2YO now known as Flaxton (Falvelon–Hello Boys) who made a successful debut for Mandy shortly before this year’s sale. They were similarly impressed with this big, strong, bold–moving first foal of our Tasmanian Oaks winner Petite Oiseau.

Lot 403 – Snitzel – Shine Bridge colt, purchased by trainer John Symons for $150,000. John and his partner Sheila Laxon were enamoured with this colt, some of whose mannerisms reminded Sheila of her former great mare Ethereal. The colt’s dam, the Argentinian G1 winner Shine Bridge, has had little luck at stud so hopefully this fine colt will produce the results a mare of her calibre deserves.

Lot 452 – Anabaa – Swinging Babe colt, purchased by Proven Thoroughbreds (Jamie Walter) for $50,000. Jamie brought shrewdly again, this neat, shapely colt being the first foal of the durable Encosta de Lago mare Swinging Babe. As with all Jamie’s purchases, the colt will get every opportunity under Guy Walter’s care.

Whilst the sale posted pleasingly large increases on the low of 2009, it was nevertheless a tough market for anything deemed to be outside the current fashion. Despite modest reserves, two offerings surprisingly flew under people’s radar and had to be passed in, Lot 256 Choisir – Meryaat colt and Lot 481 Danzero – Twinciti colt. Both colts are scopey, correct individuals who will furnish into impressive types. Please contact Lorraine Swanson if you would like to enquire about the private purchase of either of these good prospects.

IT’S UNANIMOUS – BURNEWANG NORTH BEST ON GROUND

Burnewang North ran away with the prestigious award for the best overall draft (presentation and point–of–sale) at the 2010 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, sponsored by Luxbet.

It was an appropriate, well–deserved recognition for the Burnewang team, headed by stud manager Lorraine Swanson who accepted the prize at the end of the sale. The team have worked skilfully and tirelessly to rear and develop Burnewang North’s young stock and their professionalism at the sales stood out in the eyes of the judging panel.

Burnewang North is playing its part in setting the standards in Victoria. Recognition from our peers is a great compliment and helps us look to the future with confidence.

FIRST WINNER FOR BURNEWANG NORTH – FEBRUARY 17 2010

February 17 2010 is a red letter day in the history of Burnewang North Pastoral as it marks the first time BNP’s four leaf clover brand has been ‘worn to victory’ on the racetrack.

Flaxton (2g Falvelon–Hello Boys, by Rory’s Jester) was a dominant winner on debut at Riccarton (NZ), scoring by 1.8 lengths from youngsters by O’Reilly and Fastnet Rock.

A strikingly good–looking brown/black, Flaxton is the first horse to race produced from any of the mares purchased as foundation stock for BNP’s breeding enterprise, so his win is a great boost for all at BNP, confirming that the farm and the management can produce the goods where it matters most – on the racetrack.

Flaxton was a member of BNP’s inaugural draft at Melbourne Premier 2009, the colt being purchased by NZ agent Paul Beamish for clients of trainer Mandy Brown for $80,000. The stable regards him as potential black type material but has allowed him to get to the races without pressure as he has been steadily maturing. Despite racing wide without cover, Flaxton won his debut virtually untouched.

His dam, the Group–placed Melbourne and Adelaide performer Hello Boys, does not have a current yearling but has a colt foal by God’s Own at her side and is in foal to Elvstroem.

BNP’s second Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale draft goes forward to Oaklands on March 1 – 4, and its stocks were boosted further on the same day when You’rejokingme scored his fifth win, over 2000m, on the Mornington Cup programme.

You’rejokingme was bred by Kingston Park Stud out of Group 2 VRC Edward Manifold Stakes winner Coupe (Spinning World–Kingston Coup, by Seattle Slew), now a member of the BNP broodmare band.

Coupe’s yearling filly by Stratum (Lot 64) is one of the stars of BNP’s Melbourne draft.

Another significant pedigree update belongs to Lot 114, the filly by Starcraft–Dubai Dream, by Marscay. Since the catalogue was printed, Dubai Dream has been represented by her third winner (from three to run) in the form of highly–promising Al Dhafra, trained by Guy Walter in Sydney and unbeaten in three starts to date.

2009 BURNEWANG NORTH YEARLING UPDATES – JANUARY 2010

We have been receiving positive updates from the purchasers of our 2009 drafts and are happy to report the following:

Apres (Snitzel–Meribel, by Far North (CAN); Melbourne Premier, $120,000) is in training with Clinton McDonald at Caulfield. The gelding is due to have a barrier trial in mid January.
“He has grown in to a lovely big horse and we are very happy with his progress. We are hoping to get him to the track by the end of January 2010”.

Chloe Rose (Starcraft (NZ) –Rose Of Portland (USA), by Seattle Slew (USA); Retained by Burnewang North. This filly has matured well and will be trained in Bendigo by Shaun Dwyer. She is due to go to Shaun for her first preparation in the first week of January 2010.

Flaxton (Falvelon–Hello Boys, by Rory’s Jester; Melbourne Premier, $80,000) is in training with Mandy Brown at Rangiora, near Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. The gelding is due to have his first barrier trial mid–January. “This is his second preparation. We’ve taken him along slowly, he’s had no pressure, he’s been growing a lot. We’re very happy with him, he’ll make a lovely three–year–old,” Mandy said.

Chic And Easy (Flying Spur–Lake Susannah, by Filante; Sydney Easter, $150,000) is currently spelling after having a couple of brief educational preparations with Gai Waterhouse. A tall filly out of a middle distance mare, she was not expected to make an ‘early’ filly. She is being raced by the Mount Hallowell Stud Syndicate.

Parmigiana (Snitzel–Portland Park, by Woodman, Melbourne Premier, $30,000) is trained by Leon Corstens and did well to get to a Cranbourne barrier trial in mid–November, finishing fourth of eight, after which she was sent to the paddock for further development.

Hermes (Flying Spur–Viva La Diva, by Barathea) was withdrawn from the Sydney Easter sale owing to injury but he’s fully recovered and has been into Flemington for a preparation under John, Wayne and Michael Hawkes. This nice colt has matured well and is currently spelling after a jump out at Flemington showed that he may have talent, but will need some time.

The Anabaa–Elleandee, by Snippets colt (Melbourne Premier, $52,500) the first foal of his dam, was exported to South Africa in June 2009. His close relative Fantastic Owners has proved a durable performer in Singapore where he is still winning aged six years, with more than S$650,000 in prizemoney.

Reality Bites is the name given to the Exceed And Excel–Merayaat colt who has been retained by Burnewang North. He is just coming to the end of his first preparation with John, Wayne and Michael Hawkes and has done everything right so far.

Sacred Wisdom (Flying Spur–Minerva, by Military Plume) is trained in Western Australia by Neville Parnham. He is at barrier trial stage.

Other Burnewang North Pastoral bred and sold two–year–olds registered so far are Reallen (Real Jester–Aliana), with Alan Waymouth in Victoria.

BURNEWANG NORTH BUYS MARES AT KEENELAND – NOVEMBER 2009

A recent trip to the Keeneland sale in Kentucky in November proved a positive one for Burnewang North with the purchase of 4 mares to add to our broodmare band.

With most making the trip in the hope of “finding a bargain” off the back of a strong Australian dollar and sluggish US economy, we found the sale to be very solid. There was high Australian representation making the lots with Australasian appeal hard to secure against stiff opposition. We are very happy with our new mares and look forward to welcoming them home in February 2010.

To view the mares purchased please click here.