Alabar News November 2017

ALAB A R NEWS N OVEMBER 2017

Ritual, connection, magic and the Moon I S S U E ONE

N Z S I R E S STA K E S WINN ER + N Z RECORD HOL DER

FROM THE DEBUT CROP OF AUCKLAND REACTOR

Ashlea Brennan Photography

C H AS E AU C K LA N D

THE BREEDERS CROWN 3YO PACING FINAL One of the world’s best sire-making races. Past winners include

ART MAJOR - SOMEBEACHSOMEWHERE - ROCKNROLL HANOVER - ROCK N ROLL HEAVEN - ARMBRO OPERATIVE - VILLAGE JASPER - WESTERN TERROR None have won the race in a quicker time than

RACING HILL Great deals on offer for Life Sign mares - enquire today!

Service Fee:

/AlabarFarms

AUS $5,000 (incl GST) | NZ $5,000 (plus GST)

@AlabarFarms

ALABAR www.alabar.com.au

Vicki Wright Photography

RACING HILL!

C OVE R PH OTO C HAS E AU CKLAND A F T E R W I N N I N G T HE G RO U P 1 NZ S IRES STA K E S F I N A L (ASHLEA BRENNAN P HOTO G RA P HY )

CONTACTS Alabar Australia (Phone Numbers +61) Sally Burgess, Liz Birnie & Belinda Richardson (Office) Fax

Brett Coffey (General Manager) Dale Forbes (Studmaster) John Coffey (Breeding Consultant)

03 5859 2201 (8am - 4 pm) 03 5859 2206 0423 812 652 0423 828 907 0418 500 211

Email Sally Burgess

Liz Birnie

Brett Coffey

Dale Forbes Belinda Richardson

John Coffey

sally@alabar.com.au liz@alabar.com.au brett@alabar.com.au dale@alabar.com.au belinda@alabar.com.au john@alabar.com.au

Alabar (NZ) Ltd (Phone Numbers +64) Linda Morgan (Office) Fax Graeme Henley (General Manager) Wayne McNamara (Studmaster) Nigel Fahy (Stallion Manager) Ivan Behrnes (South Island Rep)

09 232 1800 09 232 1799 09 232 1800, 027 487 0901 09 232 1800 09 232 1800 03 615 6332, 027 615 6119

Email General Enquiries Graeme Henley Nigel Fahy Ivan Behrnes

linda@alabar.co.nz graeme@alabar.co.nz nigel@alabar.co.nz ivanbehrnes@yahoo.co.nz

I SSU E O NE | L U M I N A

4

KEN SPICER AN INTERVIEW

Ken and Anne Marie Spicer are respected throughout New Zealand and Australia as leading breeders and yearling sale vendor / preparers. Ken is also Chairman of Harness Racing New Zealand

Together with Anne Marie you’ve established a reputation as leading breeders and yearling preparers. How did you both become involved in harness racing?

My involvement in harness racing goes right back to my childhood growing up in Ashburton. My dad was a keen harness follower and we would regularly visit the stables of his good friends the late Hughie Donaldson and Jim Ferguson. As a family we would always be at the Ashburton races and quite a few up at Addington. My father then got his trainer’s license and we became more immersed in the industry. Anne Marie has always ridden, getting her first pony at a young age. Her father raced pacers in the eighties and she has always been around horses so the move to the harness racing side of things was not difficult at all.

How did this evolve to becoming commercial breeders and preparers?

What are the highlights of your draft for the 2018 NZ Premier Yearling Sale?

On moving to Christchurch and marrying my wife Anne Marie, we purchased our current property at Ladbrooks. We started grazing a few race horses and mares for people to help supplement our income and one thing led to another really. We took a yearling to the sales one year for an owner and then thought we may as well do this on our own account and decided to get into breeding.

Without doubt an Art Major colt out of Jen Marie. He would be as good at this stage as any colt we have ever had. We also have a full sister to Venus Serena and a stand-out Art Major filly first foal from 4 win filly Bettor Think Twice (Bettors Delight – Rona Lorraine)

Your first six figure yearling was in 2002 with an In The Pocket colt out of Time Again Franco. Tell us about how this came about and how it felt?

Looking forward to our first foal by He’s Watching and also our first foals

by Rock N Roll Heaven.

Yes, this was the first year we really had a commercial draft at the sales.

We decided we needed to get a well bred mare and approached the late Wayne Francis about getting a mare from his famed “Tango Franco” line.

In those days he had the breed all locked up and had nothing for sale.

However, he rang back a month later and offered us the 3 win mare Time Again Franco who had just been retired. The price was $35K, a lot of money back then. We rang Peter Lagan and he said “just buy it”. Sent to In The Pocket she produced a standout colt who as the first lot on the 2nd day fetched $100,000. It was an unreal feeling, a great sense of achievement and also the relief as we had put ourselves under financial strain and at that stage had two young children.

You’ve also had a close association with the great mare Venus Serena and her family. Tell us about your involvement.

Good friends Bob and Jenny Sandford approached us when their 6 win mare Inspiring Dash retired. We entered into a breeding partnership with them and sold two of her first three foals for $130K each. Her fourth foal was rejected from the sale with a conformation fault and we kept her. As Jen Marie she won a race and is now proving to be an outstanding broodmare with her latest colt being Sires Stakes 3yo Sherriff. Her next foal, a filly

by Mach Three, failed to make the reserve so we traded our share in her for the next foal. This filly of course went on to be Venus Serena and she has well and truly set the family up.

What are some of the other top horses you and Anne Marie have bred and/or prepared?

The best of them would be Venus Serena, then Baileys Dream, Stars And Stripes, Lennon, Rona Lorraine, Light and Sound, Fight For Glory, Chilli Palmer, Empyrian, Tom And Jerry and Three Blind Mice.

What foals are you most excited about seeing arrive this season?

You’ve also given back to the industry by becoming involved in administration. What’s the back story to becoming Chairman of Harness Racing NZ? I have been involved in administration for over 25 years with the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club and was approached by former Chairman of HRNZ Jim Wakefield to stand for the Board.

After four years as a board member, the then Chair Gary Allen retired and I was fortunate to be nominated by the board as the chairman.

It is very pleasing to see stake money increasing. Should we be optimistic about the future?

Stake money as we know is one, if not the key driver in our industry.

An additional 10% lift this season is a great help but long term is not enough. We are comfortable with the plans that the NZRB have in place that will deliver substantially more funding in the years ahead, which will see stakes continue to lift.

We hear a lot about the potential benefits of the Race Fields legislation going through parliament and the joint-venture with Paddy Power. In real terms what will these agreements mean to harness racing?

These two initiatives will have a significant benefit to Harness Racing.

We are already seeing this with the additional funding this year, as the Racing Board pay forward. The real benefit should be seen in the 2019/2020 racing season where we will hopefully see a major lift in stake money.

“WITHOUT DOUBT AN ART MAJOR COLT OUT OF JEN MARIE. HE WOULD BE AS GOOD AT THIS STAGE AS ANY COLT WE HAVE EVER HAD.”

Increasing stake money is a tremendous start but what else needs to be addressed to turn around the declining breeding numbers?

That’s a difficult one. Obviously if we can increase stake money and make the industry financially attractive, then the flow on effect should reach the breeding barn. We have explored breeding incentives but around the world there doesn’t seem to be any schemes that are really working. Our biggest problem here is our aging breeders and the loss of land to commercial farming and sub-division. The costs of breeding without your own land is very high.

Breeding remains high on the agenda in our future industry vision and we will work closely with the breeders to ensure we grow the number of broodmares being bred.

Our breeding and yearling sale markets are very much dominated by a few aging super-sires.

In contrast it has been very interesting watching the yearling sales in North America where yearlings by the young stallions have been outselling those by the older stallions. Do you have any thoughts on this and how the next few years might play out. Looking forward, are restricted books an answer?

Yes we seem to have a “tried and true” mentality down under. There was a time when trainers would take a punt on a new sire and pay reasonable money but nowadays they stick to the sires they know.

We have been spoilt with a few “super sires” who have dominated our races and also our mare numbers.

Restricted numbers would have helped, but it would be difficult to enforce and it really needs to be left to the major studs to try and reach agreement. Sires and breeds run in cycles and the current ageing sires will get surpassed soon and the breeding scene will have a complete new look to it.

What would you say to someone who is wondering whether or not putting their mare in foal this season is the right thing to do?

I would say “breed it”. I think the racing scene will only get better and with field sizes and the lift in stakes there has never been a better time to race - and if you are heading to the Yearling Sales I am certain that supply and demand will result in some very healthy sale results going forward.

New Image Media Photo

Shadow Play continues to sire top class performers both here and in North America.

It is his two year olds however that have been shining most brightly in the past twelve months.

In the season just past he finished behind only Art Major (and equal with Bettors Delight) in terms of individual two year old winners in Australia.

CHILD’S P L A Y. SHADOW PLAY CONTINUES TO EXCEL WITH JUVENILES

When you consider their respective service fees this is quite an achievement!

Shadow Play’s two year olds were headlined by the NSW Two Year Old Pacing Colt / Gelding of the Year, Castalong Shadow.

A winner of both the Group One Bathurst Gold Crown and the Group Three Rod Fitzpatrick Memorial, Castalong Shadow was a star performer for trainer/driver Geoff Simpson.

His two year olds also included the undefeated Group One winner Play The Boys.

Banner Year North of the Equator

OP POSITE PAGE: PERC Y BLU ECH IP

Shadow Play is enjoying possibly his best ever year with his two year olds in North America.

Currently sitting third of the Two Year Old Sires Table (by prizemoney) , Shadow Play’s two year olds have earned over $1.8 million.

This crop already includes four $100,000+ earners including the two standout fillies Kendall Seelster 1:51.2 $453,985 Percy Bluechip 1:51.4 $440,795 These two fillies have had outstanding seasons which see them both rank in the top four two year old pacing fillies in North America (by earnings).

Interestingly if you look through the pedigrees of Shadow Play’s top ten twoyear-old performers in North America this season, the only broodmare sire to appear more than once is Bettors Delight!

Shadow Play ranks in the top five leading stallions for Bettors Delight mares in North America (by average earnings per foal), so this is not totally surprising.

When you weigh it all up, picking a stallion for your mare this season - it’s child’s play!

Photo courtesy of Mark Hall, USTA

Joe & Brenda Hurley and Bob Heyden

JOE HURLEY ROLLING THE DICE AND COMING UP BIG Brandywine Raceway in Wilmington, Delaware opened it’s doors to harness racing in September 1953.

It was a state-of-the-art track for that era and in tandem with the Liberty Bell track at nearby Philadelphia, the two circuits attracted most of the best horses and drivers in USA during the 1950’s, 1960’ and 1970’s.

The likes of Stanley Dancer, Billy Haughton, Herve Filion and Joe O’Brien were regulars at Brandywine and this coupled with the spectacular view of

the track, combined with the infield water fountains enticed thousands of punters and enthusiasts to the track on a regular basis.

Brandywine Raceway for as this instant passion led Joe to eventually becoming the breeder of the fastest horse in history Always B Miki.

One of the many of those punters was a young Wilmington law student by the name of Joe Hurley.

In July this year the Annual USA Hall of Fame dinner was held at the historic Goshen track and museum. Joe Hurley and his wife Brenda (Miki) were presented with an induction into the Hall of Fame for their broodmare Artstopper - the dam of Always B Miki and the millionaire mare Yagunnakissmeornot.

As Joe said in an interview recently “I lost my virginity (as in his passion for horses) at Brandywine in 1965.”

Well the harness racing world has a lot to thank Joe and

In his acceptance speech Joe

remarked “I saw the lights of Brandywine, the hook went in and the passion of my life, other than Miki (wife Brenda) was Harness Racing. That was a defining moment for me. It’s not about power, ego or wealth. It’s about the love of the animal.”

At another time he refused to defend a person charged with murder - to be told by the police department that there was a contract out on his life for $2,500 - to which Joe replied “is that all that I’m worth?”

Joe Hurley and Always B Miki

So now, some 50 years after that “virgin” visit to Brandywine, Joe Hurley has ascended to the pinnacle of his passion by breeding and sharing in the ownership of a horse described by his trainer as “This horse could be the greatest horse who ever lived.”

An extraordinary horse. An extraordinary man We are all aware of the amazing racetrack deeds of the horse with the unusal name Always B Miki.

Well the story of Joe Hurley is no less exciting. He is a man, born in 1940’s, who still works 80 to 90 hour weeks.

He is smart, colourful, witty and as one of his legal colleagues described him, dresses like a rodeo clown.

He failed his first attempt at the bar exam as in his own words “I was lazy and much more interested in horses and women.”

After passing at his second attempt he commenced work as the assistant prosecutor in Delaware. Prosecuting became boring for Joe Hurley, so he switched sides and is now recognised as one of the leading criminal defense lawyers in the USA.

Not only did Joe Hurley, who by the way enjoys his passion for horses under the name of Roll The Dice stable, breed Always B Miki, but also the sire and dam Always A Virgin and Artstopper.

Always A Virgin, who has inherited his name from his mother Neverhaveneverwill, almost sent Joe and Brenda (Miki) to the top of the mountain in July 2007. The scene was the famous $1 million Meadowlands Pace and after Brian Sears had driven Always A Virgin perfectly for about 90% of the race, he inexplicably put his whip between the horses back legs touching those parts of a horse that only a stallion possesses. Of course when he looked to have the first prize sealed and delivered, Always A Virgin went badly off stride to trail the field in.

“I was on my way down from the grandstand to collect the trophy” said Joe recently “to thinking that I wanted to jump off the George Washington bridge a couple of miles away.”

Needless to say Always A Virgin still won over $1.1 million for Joe and his partners and today is a long way from his virginity as he is popular sire in Indianna, where he recently sired the winner of the US Three Year Old Colt Breeders Crown.

In the early 2000s the colourful Joe Hurley appeared on several American TV shows including Live With Larry King, The Today Show and Good Morning America.

On the brink of being signed up by one of the networks as a permanent guest on matters legal, his TV career ended when he used the word “bullshit” in response to another lawyers ramblings.

The Joe Hurley legal stories have become folklore in the state of Delaware - for example he was known to arrive in court one day minus his shirt - dressed only in the upper department with a tie and suit coat.

Connections of Always B Miki after his 1:46 mile

Nigel Soult Photo

Artstopper, the dam of Miki, was an unraced daughter of another Big Towner mare in Aint No Stopn Me and was also bred by Joe Hurley. Vieux Carre Farms in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is home to the Hurley band of broodmares, numbering five these days. Dr John Egloff, the owner of Vieux Carre had this to say recently about Artstopper.

“Artstopper was a beauty from the time she was foaled. Whilst in training as a two year old she fell and cracked her pelvis, denying her the opportunity to live up to her looks on the racetrack.”

Artstopper was then bred as a three year old filly.

Her third foal was Yagonnakissmeornot 1:49.6 $1,458,850 and her fifth foal was Always B Miki a winner of $2,715,368.

She has a current yearling sister to Always B Miki, which is obviously being retained by Joe Hurley, a Somebeachsomewhere filly foal and is back in foal to Somebeachsomewhere.

Whether it be the table at the casino or playing the horse game, we know when you Roll The Dice you don’t always win.

Always B Miki winning the 2016 Breeders Crown

However when Joe Hurley acquired two Big Towner females, which he named Aint No Stopn Me and Neverhaveneverwill he certainly hit the jackpot.

Now back to the beginning and Brandywine Raceway. It shut it’s front door to harness racing in December 1989 - was demolished in 1995 and is now a housing estate known as Brandywine Hunt.

QUESTION AND ANSWER You have some interesting names for your horses. Lets start with Neverhaveneverwill.

I bought her as a yearling. She was a grey and by Big Towner, who I had noticed was becoming an outstanding broodmare sire.

There was a saying going around at that time been there, done that. So I named this filly as a play on those words - hence Neverhaveneverwill.

Of course when it came to name her son by Western Ideal, which I decided to keep, it was pretty easy - Always A Virgin.

Mark Hall Photo

Always B Miki - There has to be a story behind that name.

Yes and it has a lot to do with my wife. She was from Virginia and when I first started dating her, I wasn’t particuarly impressed with her name of Brenda. It seemed old fashioned to me. So I gave her the name of Miki.

When I saw the Always A Virgin colt from Artstopper at Vieux Carre Farms I was so impressed with him that I just had to keep him. I normally sell the colts that I breed.

So I gave my wife the task of naming him and she came up with Always B Miki.

What are your favourite memories of Miki?

With a horse like Always B Miki there are so many.

It is like standing on the top of the mountain - it is a once in a lifetime experience.

His two Breeders Crown wins probably stand out as extra special. In 2015 he was totally dominant up at Woodbine in Canada, whilst last year it was the head to head battle with Wiggleit Jiggle It that was both exciting and uplifting.

Watching him set a new World Record at the Red Mile last October was all part of this once in a lifetime experience.

He is a “top of the mountain” horse.

I wasn’t impressed with the name initially but after he started winning races my opinion changed.

You bred him and owned him originally but took in partners. How did this progress?

I have placed my horses with Joe Holloway to train for quite a while. Miki was no exception and after he had qualified as a two year old, Joe Holloway called me to say he could sell 50% of Miki to one of his clients for some seriously good money. At the time the offer of some extra money was attractive, so 50% was sold.

Do you have any formula for breeding your mares?

No I don’t have any formula for breeding my mares. I see what is available and what I can afford and what stud owner will accept my mare and then try and utilise a bloodline of horses that I have liked, which is separate and apart from the mare.

Which have been your favourite horses over the years?

After his first few starts as a two year old another New Jersey based owner approached me about buying into Miki and so another 25% of Miki was sold.

My favourite horses have been limited to horses that I have owned, because Brandywine Raceway was around I could establish a relationship with them.

Eventually when the horse changed stables, the new trainer Jimmy Takter asked for a small share and so I liquidated some more.

For years afterwards my trainer was stabled at Pompano Beach, Florida where coincidentally I purchased a condominium and could go over every morning and feed my horses jelly donuts.

Race Images Photo

EXCITING TIMES FOR THE ALABAR RACING SYNDICATE These are just some of the comments made by very happy members of the Alabar Racing Syndicate about their exciting unbeaten Auckland Reactor three-year-old Chase Auckland.

The brilliant youngster, under the expert care of the allconquering All Stars Racing Stables of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, has been the talk of the spring racing season in New Zealand, displaying dashing

“THE EXCITEMENT MACHINE” “THE BEST SYNDICATE HORSE I HAVE EVER OWNED.” “WOW! WHAT A TALENT!” “A DREAM COME TRUE TO HAVE A RUNNER ON CUP DAY.”

speed and enormous natural talent in his f ive wins. Some have even been brave enough to suggest he could be the next superstar of harness racing.

All the hype reached a crescendo on the 14th of November – New Zealand Cup Day. Chase Auckland justif ied his favouritism to win the Gr.1 NZ Sires Stakes 3yo Final over one of the best f ields ever assembled for the race in a 1:52.2 mile rate for

the 1950 metres – an all-age NZ record.

Most f ittingly, it was the race his sire Auckland Reactor won ten years previously to catapult him into the big time.

In the words of Natalie Rasmussen “Chase Auckland’s going to be a very serious horse when he grows up.”

For syndicate manager Ivan

“It is so diff icult f inding natural two-year-olds good enough to race at the top level and it seemed that whenever the likes of Tempest Bromac, Chase Auckland, Ringside or Charlie Mach looked destined to qualify and start racing, something would go wrong.”

“It is such a thrill for all our members to f inally have one of our horses doing so well and displaying such talent against the top horses. And it looks very likely more thrills and rewards are in prospect later in the season as well.”

“They are also enjoying having a successful horse in the allconquering All Stars stables and to meet and have contact with Mark and Natalie on race night.”

The syndicate has members spread from Auckland to

Dunedin and Australia. It was wonderful that so many of the syndicate, including one Australian shareholder, were able to be at Addington on New Zealand Cup Day to cheer Chase Auckland to victory in the $170,000 New Zealand Sires Stakes Final.

The Alabar Racing Syndicate, on the advice of trainers Mark Purdon, Geoff Small and Nathan Williamson, purchased four well-bred yearlings at the New Zealand Yearling sales: Chase Auckland (c Auckland Reactor-Delicata) - $45,000, Charlie Mach (c Mach ThreeUnrehearsed) - $40,000; Tempest Bromac (f Auckland Reactor-Tasmcmanian) - $35,000 and Ringside (c Auckland Reactor-Gemside) - $10,000.

A f ifty-f ive share syndicate was then formed including people from all over New Zealand and also Australia (Alabar NZ and the owners of Auckland Reactor also retained some shares) with two horses (Chase Auckland and Ringside) sent to be trained by the All Stars Racing Stables, Charlie Mach went to Geoff

Small and is now with Tony Herlihy, and Tempest Bromac went south to join the Nathan Williamson barn.

Of the four horses, only Ringside isn’t a racing proposition. Charlie Mach has already placed as a two-yearold last season and was then gelded. He is now pleasing his new trainer Tony Herlihy in his training and is not far away from heading to the workouts and trials.

Tempest Bromac had a wind operation and has just returned to training looking an absolute picture. The well-bred f illy is very promising and qualif ied most impressively for Nathan in close to 2mins as an early twoyear-old.

The huge bonus for Alabar is to see their new young sire Auckland Reactor prove that it is possible to take on the progeny of such leading sires as Art Major, Bettors Delight, Mach Three and Somebeachsomewhere - and come away with the spoils.

Race Images Photo

Behrnes, the patience shown by the members is now starting to be rewarded – and their excitement and sheer joy was def initely the feel good story of New Zealand Cup Day.

He’s Watching - Scarlett Johansson colt

Grinfromeartoear - Sugar Mama colt

FOAL P A Rocknroll Dance - Artesian Lady colt

Sunshine Beach - Rosie Brogden colt

He’s Watching - Miss Saxony Filly

Roll With Joe - La Bella Ruby Filly

PHOTOS Sportswriter - Samantha Chloe colt

He’s Watching - Scarlett Johansson colt

Peak - Jinxed Belle Filly

Trish Dunell Photo

RAY GREEN

TRAINER FOR THE POWERFUL LINCOLN FARMS Ray Green is a well-travelled and experienced horseman.

As trainer for John and Lynne Street’s Lincoln Farm he trained Sir Lincoln and is an influential figure in our industry on the training premiership, in agegroup racing and at the yearling sales.

You’re in your seventies and, at a time when many people are slowing down, you’re doing the opposite. Training your most winners ever last season and on track to better that mark again this season.

I know but I don’t want to slow down. People say I should be slowing down but I don’t feel that I need to. I still feel good.

Things are going good so why not? Everybody loves winning don’t they and we’re having a good run at the moment.

So the enjoyment is still there?

Probably what I enjoy the most is developing horses right from the sales to the race track. That’s where I derive most of my satisfaction. To select one – I’ve got John there buying them –

and take it all the way to the races and if it turns out to be a quality classics horse it’s quite satisfying.

Where did it all begin in Harness Racing for you?

I started for Doug Grantham when I was about 16. Then I had stints with Peter Wolfenden, Jim Smith, Len Bayer and Jack Hughes and had a little dab on my own before going overseas.

I went to Wales initially but racing had sort of finished at Prestatyn when I got there so I

went to Pompano, Florida for the winter and then went back to England and raced around there, drove a lot and then to Italy for the next winter just working for various trainers.

And then back to America.

I worked for Billy Haughton who was probably the biggest name at the time. He had a huge stable. We had 150 twoyear-olds when I was there. I worked for Howard Beisinger, he was mainly a trotting guy briefly and later on before we came home I worked at Freestate Raceway in Maryland training for a guy called Bill Kamp. He was one of those wealthy good old boys from South Carolina. They had Nansemond and Scarlet Skipper and horses like that. I trained Yankee Mistress for a while She was the fastest mare in the world at the time.

And then it was back to New Zealand?

Yes, I was always keen to have a go back here again. But it was hard. I sort of had to manufacture things. One year I went to the sales and I think I bought five. It was tough as

Sir Lincoln

I was that poor I couldn’t even buy myself a beer at the bar. I had to go home and spend the next couple of weeks before they had to be paid for finding people to go in them and that was just how I existed. It was hard.

You took a break from training before getting back into it, taking a job for Ray Norton, then the trainer for Lincoln Farms?

Yep, things started to turn ugly and I had to do something to eat and this guy showed me how to build garden sheds so I did that for about five years as well as training two or three plus a few gallopers – and whatever else I had to do to survive. That would’ve been in the late 1980s.

I was down at the Kumeu track and I’d just starting doing a little bit of shoeing and I had four or five horses there and a position became available with Lincoln Farms which was Ray Norton at the time. He asked me if I’d like to come on board and I thought that’d get me through the winter. So I took the job and I’ve been there ever

since.

John Street is obviously a very loyal man to the people he has faith in?

John’s extremely loyal to everyone who works for him.

He’d been under pressure earlier on from people who thought that he should get a more high profile person on the job but to his credit he’s stuck with me and I’m forever grateful to him for that. I wouldn’t be here without his support over the years. He’s put a great deal in to the game and deserves every success he gets.

He genuinely loves the game and one of the things I respect the most is that the wellbeing of the horses is always paramount.

In the 2008/09 season you took over the training when Ray Norton retired. The year that a horse called Sir Lincoln was a 2yo?

After Ray retired Robert Mitchell and I worked together for a few years and we did alright, winning the two Derbies with Badlands Bute. He was our saviour if you like, showed we could train a good horse and we

Trish Dunell Photo

were away.

Eventually the stable was basically split between the two of us. I had first choice and I was always going to choose Sir Lincoln.

Did Sir Lincoln always impress as being a potential top liner right from the start?

We broke him in ourselves and developed him. He was always a big powerful horse and when he took off he was all muscle and blood.

He always had so much raw ability.

One morning he took off and the speed he showed was enormous. It was obvious all we had to do was to harness that speed and be a little bit patient to get a good result. The more we did with him the better he got.

He ran third in the first Young Guns heat and had a couple of more starts when in another Young Guns heat he shied at something and tipped Maurice (McKendry) out going to the start. He bolted across the infield and a great bit of horsemanship by the Clerk of the Course. He managed to get him. We still ran him but in hindsight, we should’ve scratched him. He just ran midfield and we turned him out.

Sir Lincoln

From then on he just got stronger and bigger and more relaxed. He was quite a powerful individual when he came back as a three-year-old.

His win in the NZSS 3yo Final on Cup Day when he was three wide then parked was his entry to the big time?

That was great thrill. He was clearly the best three-year-old in the north.

He drew 15 and if we knew that we were going to draw that bad we probably wouldn’t have gone. He got pretty fired up by the false start and Maurice locked in when they were rolling forward. He carried himself right up to outside the leader down the back side and when they turned for home he ran away like he’d just joined in. It was incredible. We weren’t oozing with hope after the barrier draw. It was a great result.

Very exciting.

He had an Australian campaign that season as well?

We went to the Victorian Derby and he was a certainty beaten there. It was quite funny – this guy came up to me at Melton and said “what are you guys thinking? Why are you here?

This is the best bunch of three-yearolds we’ve had. You’re wasting your time.” He absolutely mauled them in his heat. In the final he drew one on the second line behind the worst horse in the race and had an awful trip. Maurice sent him around the field to the front, one savaged him down the back and the winner had a lovely trip sucking along behind him.

Probably one of his best races and he got beat. It was a shame really.

He should have won that.

To then win the NZ Jewels and be awarded the NZ 3yo of the Year title must have been rewarding?

He got a good trip in the Jewels to be fair but he did it nice.

Between the Victoria Derby and the Jewels he got quite sick when he came back from Australia. He got a bit of a virus that took him a long time to shake. When he went to Christchurch for the NZ Derby he wasn’t right – not the horse he was. By the time we got round to the Jewels he’d fully recovered and was firing on all 6 cylinders on Jewels day.

And then as a five-year-old he capped off his career defeating Terror To Love in the Auckland Cup? He was on top of his game at that time. Won about five in a row I think. The week previous he won the Auckland Free-For-All after coming back from Christchurch where he’d won the Canterbury Classic, and a mile race at Ashburton. He just smashed them at that time down there. When he drew four in the Auckland Cup we were always going to lead. He raced better in front, he relaxed nice in front. Of course Terror To Love got the two-hole trip behind him, and couldn’t get past his wheels. It was great for John (Street) as one of his ambitions was to win an Auckland Cup. What is your overall impression of Sir Lincoln as a race horse?

Look he was always a big powerful horse, always had a great gait. He’s a beautifully gaited horse. I’m happy to say that most of his progeny that I’ve handled have got that gait. I’ve always thought if he replicated his gait in his offspring they would be a success.

Re his stud career, Sir Lincoln has made a very promising start

Linc’s Tiger and Naya are his two winners for us to date. Linc’s Tiger’s win was most spectacular and he’s now been sold to Perth.

I’ve found most of them pretty genuine. They all seem to try hard. His first crop to be fair to him weren’t from a stellar bunch of mares but he’s actually improved several pedigrees by the results he’s had. It’s looking good for him. I know there’s several other people and some conservative guys like Maurice McKendry for example - he’s got two or three he loves – that really like them.

Aramis, that Brian Hughes trains, is a very nice horse.

They’re good gaited. I haven’t heard one person bag a Sir Lincoln. I do feel that even though they are great gaited they may not be natural twoyear-olds. I feel they’ll get better with time.

Although Sir Lincoln was a home bred, Lincoln Farms have been very successful and strong supporters of the NZ Yearling Sales for many years. Is the plan to be active again at the 2018 sales?

Yes, Lincoln Farms did have a little broodmare band but we’re out of the breeding business now so we’ll pretty much just be buying horses from the yearling and weanling sales.

What do you look for when selecting a yearling?

For me conformation is everything because if they’re not conformed properly they’re not going to be

Aramis - sired by Sir Lincoln

able to move properly. If they can’t move properly they’re not going to have any speed. Pedigree – you could find an argument for them all in the catalogue as far as pedigree goes but there are certain sires that I shy away from. I’ll take a punt on a new stallion but usually it just the usual suspects because those ones have usually had all the best mares and generally look the best on the day. We go to all the parades and we spend a lot of time perusing all the horses that we’re interested in.

We really do a lot of work prior to the sales which brings us to our final selections.

Getting back to your training career, having been so close with Sir Lincoln, to break through with a big win in Australia with King Of Swing in this year’s Breeders Crown must have been a big thrill?

That was great. Before we decided to go I spoke to Mike Guerin about what we’d encounter over there and he inspired us to have a dab. At this point King Of Swing, although he’d had three or four starts and raced good, he hadn’t had to front up to the best ones. But he’s a good horse.

He’s not a spectacular horse in that he doesn’t run off and win easily.

You think he’s all done but he just seems to stick his head out and get the job done. It was great to win the Breeders Crown with him.

Trish Dunnell Photo

as a sire. You’ve raced seven of his progeny to date including two winners.

You’ve already qualified him for the NZSS 3yo Final on Cup Day so, you’ll be looking to repeat what you achieved with Sir Lincoln?

That would be marvellous. We’ve got our other horse (Recco Lover) qualified as well.

Post Note: King Of Swing finished second and Recco Lover an unlucky fifth in the NZSS Final.

A Rocknroll Dance has made an outstanding start to his siring career with his first crop in North America this year. His first NZ and Australian foals will race this season as 2yo’s. You recently won a workout with Gold Rocks, a halfsister to Gold Ace by A Rocknroll Dance. What’s she like?

She’s clearly our best filly and possibly our best two-year-old. If she’s an example of your typical A Rocknroll Dance we’ll definitely be perusing them at the sales. I’d be quite happy, if she’s the yardstick to go by, we’ll definitely be looking at them. She’s out of a quality mare to be fair but she’s got it all. She’s fast, she’s beautifully balanced and clean gaited.

We’ll point her towards the Young Guns and, at this point, I’d say she’ll be there but we’ll just press on and see what happens.

POSITIVE SIGNS FOR PEAK.

Trish Dunell Photo

For those fortunate to see the Danish trotter Peak win his first two starts in New Zealand, beating our top trotters, it comes as no surprise that reports on his young stock are already so positive and exciting.

“He is a bigger and more striking type, looking just like his sire, Peak. He also is really well gaited, well mannered, and like Kaetwo, loves attention!”

“What I do like about them both is how they keep improving the more you do with them.”

Peak displayed both speed, exceptional gait and stamina – a common theme emerging with many of his youngsters. He is also imparting his ‘handsome good looks’ on many as well.

“I have booked Toomuch To Do, the mother of my good trotter Hey Yo, to Peak for the coming season.” said Jack.

And to have such notable trotting trainers as Tim Butt, Paul Nairn, Peter Jones, James Stormont, Ken and Clint Ford and the up and coming Jack Harrington either breeding to Peak or with Peak youngsters in their stables, the future augers well for this young sire.

James Stormont knows what a top trotter is like, having driven the outstanding trotting mare Merinai to win both a Dominion Handicap and Rowe Cup.

Magnificently gaited Jack Harrington is a young Canterbury trainer on the move, training his first major trotting Group winner when Our Renezmae won the recent Australasian Breeders Crown two-year-old fillies’ Final at Melton.

Jack is currently preparing two Peak trotters and really likes them both.

“Kaetwo, is a smaller Peak colt out of Castleton’s Gem, which is showing a lot of natural ability and is magnificently gaited. He could well race as a two-year-old.”

Kaetwo is related to such other good trotters as Castleton’s King (9 wins), Castleton’s Mission (15 wins) and Sir Castleton (44 wins).

Jack’s other exciting Peak trotter is Peak Eh, from Continental Moment, which traces back to a family of very good trotters including the outstanding Stig (23 wins).

Another likely Peak two-year-old

James is most impressed with how his Peak filly Peakz Luck from Howz Lucky is shaping in her early training. The filly with that distinctive “Peak” look about her has been doing all the right things in her initial training and he is confident she will be a two-year-old prospect late in the season, being from a precocious family renowned for producing early trotters.

“I am very impressed with her. She has been a natural to work with and is beautifully gaited and even though she is a late foal, is developing really well. She is already running swift halves without any pressure,” he said.

James has been so impressed with the filly that he has gone and purchased another Peak youngster from the Allegro Agitato (22 wins) family.

“KAETWO, IS A SMALLER PEAK COLT OUT OF CASTLETON’S GEM, WHICH IS SHOWING A LOT OF NATURAL ABILITY AND IS MAGNIFICENTLY GAITED. HE COULD WELL RACE AS A TWO-YEAR-OLD.”

WATCH OUT FOR HIS YEARLINGS IN 2018!

1:46.8 No three year old has ever paced faster!

HE’S WATCHING American Ideal - Baberhood - Real Desire

1:46.8 - $1,129,215

“He was a great horse.

.....he felt like he had WINGS.” Leading driver - Tim Tetrick

Undefeated 2yo | USTA 2yo Pacing Colt of the Year | Winner of the fastest Meadowlands Pace of all time | Possesses a tremendous pedigree containing multiple duplications of the champion mares Leah Almahurst and Three Diamonds Service Fee: aus $6,000 (incl GST) nz $6,000 (plus GST)

/AlabarFarms @AlabarFarms

(03) 5859 2201

www.alabar.com.au

I SSU E O NE | L U M I N A

Stu McCormick Photo

BETTERTHANCHEDDAR: GROUP 1 SIRE WITH MORE TO COME

Betterthancheddar has made a great start to his siring career with the promise of much more 22 come. to The standout two year old from his debut crop was the flying machine My Sweetchilliphilly who secured victory in one of the more memorable Bathurst Gold Tiara’s.

The Phillip and Christine Smith bred gelding ran home in 55 to defeat a good field.

Other horses such as Alexandra Park winner Waytogo Bruno and Emma Stewart winner Frankincense have shown good amounts of ability in their short careers to date.

Small Crop = Big Results

Retiring as Bettors Delight’s richest and fastest son, Betterthancheddar was a Breeders Crown winning three year old and a World Record holding four year old.

So we expect the Betterthancheddar’s to race on and why shouldn’t they given how well the Bettors Delight’s do.

We are already seeing some impressive three year old Betterthancheddar’s step out for the first time and win.

Nandolo was a notable debut winner on Kaikoura Cup day.

Betterthancheddar debuted at stud in America in 2014 in a tough New York market.

Unfortunately due to a number of reasons he ended up with only 40 live foals.

Now two year olds, these horses have acquitted themselves well in New York - one of the toughest Sires Stakes programmes in North America.

They have competed admirably against the likes of Art Major, American Ideal, Rock N Roll Heaven and Roll With Joe.

So much so that he currently ranks sixth amongst all stallions on the US Two Year Old Sires Table by average earnings per foal.

The best is yet to come The pleasing aspect of Betterthancheddar’s siring career, apart from the great early results, is that his bigger crops are yet to come!

His Australian two year old crop will be bigger than his three year old crop and his yearling crop will be bigger than his two year old crop.

It is the same in North America where he now stands in Ontario.

The good thing about this is that you can breed to Betterthancheddar with confidence knowing that he has good crops coming through and that more Group One glory is just around the corner.

ALWAYS B GOOD LOOKING A L W A Y S B M I K I I S A M O S T M A G N I F I C E N T I N D I V I D U A L . TA L L A N D A T H L E T I C , H E H A S C L E A R LY S E TT L E D I N TO AU ST RA L I A N L I F E !

Lett Photography

Lumineer and connections after his APG win

ANGE MCDOWALL BREEDER / OWNER /TRAINER

TA L K S L U M I N E E R Lumineer was offered through the APG Melbourne Yearling Sale to coincide with Casie Coleman’s visit to the sales.

Was the colt one you had earmarked prior to the sale & what was his appeal?

Every year we decide to buy yearlings it is a busy time for us at our full time job of dairy farming so we, like everyone read through the catalogue and ear-mark horses which appeal based on pedigree, then when the online guide came out and I watched the video of Lumineer.

I just thought he was a really nice type and re-marked him again based on that. Then on

sale day when we actually saw him I just loved him. He moved effortlessly and was very correct.

I am led to believe that Lumineer is a family affair with the ownership and training, is this correct, tell us a little bit about the BL Racing Group?

Singa (Lumineer) is owned by BLG Racing which is formed by my father Brian, mother Louise and I am one of their six daughters, hence B for Brian, L for Louise and G for girls. All the horses I train are owned by my family and have made Singa’s accomplishments extra special

for us being able to share it with my family.

How did the name Lumineer come about?

My sister Theresa was living in London when Singa was being named. She was listening to the band ‘The Lumineers’ as she was commuting to and from work and just called me one day and I said to her I need a name for that Sportswriter colt. Theresa looked down at her iPhone and was listening to The Lumineers and called back and said Ive thought of a name, Lumineer!

Jason Lee has driven the

undefeated Lumineer for all 5 of his starts. How did the association come about?

Jason Lee is a relative, my second cousin, as his grandmother Alice Craven was a McDowall before she was married. Jason hadn’t driven for us before and when I asked him to drive him at trials at Geelong he said he really liked him. He drives well and certainly has a record that speaks for itself with this horse.

What have you found to be the benefits of beach work with Lumineer?

The beach work has been a big part of Lumineer’s training.

Swimming is fantastic for appetite and it gets him out and amongst other horses as we are only a small stable. It’s matured him. The sea water is like a natural nebuliser also which is very beneficial. It keeps his mind fresh also.

What does the future hold for Lumineer?

There are no firm plans for Singa. He is well into his threeyear-old prep, and progressing well and seems happy and healthy. He will tell us where he is at when he is ready to go. I like to give them plenty

Lumineer

of time. It would be nice if he comes back and compete at the top level but his welfare is most important to us.

What has been your biggest thrill in racing?

Winning the APG final in Sydney with all my family and close friends trackside was amazing and something we will remember in years to come.

Everyone should get the chance to experience a win like that, it was a huge thrill.

How long have you been involved in harness racing?

I was born into the sport. My grandfather Wattie McDowall had some really nice horses through the showgrounds era in the 70s and 80s. I grew up at the farm watching him train horses and was always was interested in them. I’ve had my trainer’s licence 12 years and been lucky enough to have some great people around me to draw knowledge from.

What was the best advice you have been given relating to harness racing?

The best advice I have been given was a quote from Bart Cummings, “Patience is the cheapest thing in racing but

most people don’t use it”. We usually buy or breed our horses and sometimes its tempting to push on when they’re so close and this quote always runs through my mind. You have to see those red lights come on and act accordingly. Lumineer never actually injured himself after the APG final he just had a ‘red light’ come on and we put him aside.

You also breed from a few mares. Are you expecting any Sportswriter foals this season?

We have one of our mares Long Black in foal to Sportswriter due in December.

Any final words about Lumineer?

I’d just like to say that Lumineer and all our horses are a real team effort. My Mum Louise, sisters Theresa and Clare and all very involved in day to day training and between all our jobs we train them. They are all essential to keeping the horses training and feeling well! Theresa does all the horse swimming on her way to work in Warrnambool where he is swum.

Lett Photography

BLAZIN R E S U LTS F O R ROCK N ROLL HEAVEN.

ANOTHER BREEDERS CROWN WINNER Rock N Roll Heaven sired yet another Breeders Crown winner in the United States this season with Blazin Britches taking out the Three Year Old Pacing Fillies Final.

Blazin Britches has been one of the leading three year old fillies all season winning eleven of her fifteen starts for $540,424.

LEADING THREE YEAR OLD SIRE Rock N Roll Heaven’s three year old have also been on fire this season in Australia, so much so he is currently sits on top of the Three Year Old Sires Table.

They are led by the two undefeated pacer Yankee Roller and Shez All Rock.

Both horses were winners of the Group Two Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classics at Melton in September.

Goodtime Heaven won a heat of the Breeders Crown as a late two year and as a three year old she has already won a heat of the Evolution Series before finishing second in the final.

The impressive results continue to flow with four year old and older pacers as well.

Heaven Rocks displays the type of talent that few possess. He can and does set NZ records with ease.

While Let It Ride is clearly one of the best four year olds in the country. Look for bigger things for him later in the season.

Blazin Britches & trainer Brian Brown

Photo: Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame

IMPRESSIVE RESULTS

SUNSHINE BEACH

HIS DEBUT CROP YEARLINGS HAVE SHONE IN THE SALE RING

Sunshine Beach yearlings averaged: - 17X stud fee in Lexington

Dave Landry Photo

- 7X stud fee in Harrisburg / London Select LARGE & SMALL.

We’re pleased to say that Sunshine Beach’s yearlings have made a bold impression!

He was represented by three yearlings at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, and they averaged over $80,000.

LOT 2 6 2 S UNS HI NE BE ACH SHADOW O F MY MI ND FI LLY

FIRST FOAL OF A BETTORS DELIGHT HALF SISTER TO MR FEELGOOD

Jim Gillies Photo

Watching the debut yearling crop of a stallion hit the sales ring is always an exciting time.

At the inaugural London Selected Yearling Sale Sunshine Beach had a cracking sale.

His average of $36,544 was second only behind Bettors Delight.

Sunshine Beach is siring athletic, correct yearlings in the mould of himself.

LOT 73 S UNS HI NE BE ACH FRAME WO RTHY CO LT

FIRST FOAL OF AN ART MAJOR DAUGHTER OF HANA HANOVER $1,248,556

Sunshine Beach is currently serving his biggest downunder book this season so don’t be left out.

Jim Gillies Photo

We can’t wait to see them sell in Australia and New Zealand next year.

MAJESTIC SON THE RECORD BREAKER

Dave Landry Photo

In 2016/17 Majestic Son broke Sundon’s long standing New Zealand record of individual two-year-old winners sired in one season.

Service Fee: aus $5,000 (incl GST) | nz $5,000 (plus GST) ALABAR AUSTRALIA PO Box 129, Tongala, Victoria, Australia, 3621 Tel: (03) 5859 2201 Fax: (03) 5859 2206 liz@alabar.com.au

ALABAR NEW ZEALAND 480 Seagrove Road, RD4, Pukekohe, 2679, New Zealand Tel: (09) 232 1800 Fax: (09) 232 1799 alabar@alabar.co.nz