turf monthly
March 2024
THIS MONTH STORM BOY DENIS BOY DENHOTI VAIN
Editor’s Letter March is upon us already and we have seen the first of the Group 1’s and yearling sales for 2024. The yearling prices at the top end of the market continue to set records but I cannot help but feel that the widening divergence between the top and middle of the market is a recipe for long term disaster for the industry. As always, the sales price of a horse does not ensure success on the track. In fact, the Inglis Millenium was won by Fully Lit, a son of Hellbent who made $60,000 at sale. The CF Orr Stakes, one of the truly great races in Australian racing history, was won by Mr Brightside, a son of Bullbars, who ended up being sold through the online platform Gavelhouse for only $7500. Mr Brightside, despite his modest origins, has proven himself to be one of our best gallopers and he was narrowly beaten in the Cox Plate last season, a race that would have cemented his place in history. Next month we are going to look at his pedigree and performances as well as his family that arrived in New Zealand in the early 1900’s. It is interesting that the family produced a colt called Lindbergh who was a star 2yo in the 50’s. Instead of being hailed the next great stallion, he continued to race on with limited success. How the industry has changed especially as we have recently had the news that Coolmore has purchased the Magic Millions winner, Coolmore who is the subject of our major story this month. We can only wonder how this will impact his racing future as the value of his stud career will be a driving factor in his future. Racing champions live on in racing folklore, while very few stallions ever raise above a name in a pedigree after a few years. This month we talk about Vain, widely remembered as one of the greatest sprinters. Had it been left to his impact at stud, he would now be little more than a name in a reducing number of pedigrees despite winning the Australian Sires Title in 1984.
CONTENTS 4
Storm Boy
12
Denis Boy
18
Denhoti
20
Vain
24
The Golden Slipper
COVER PHOTO Ingratiating After winning the Bletchingly Ran fourth in the 2021 Golden Slipper
Until next month
Ross Prowd
Turf Monthly ABN 64 892 144 940 Phone 0412 712 181
Email editor@turfmonthly.com.au 2 Swan Street PARKSIDE Q 4825
TURF MONTHLY 3