Alabar News
January 2010
“areEmotions never more pure than when a dream is realised.
�
Dave Briggs
Yearling Sale Preview
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Its Yearling Sale Time..... 2010 For the many commercial breeders around Australia January and February can be the culmination of their breeding programmes....... and lets hope that the breeders with Alabar sired yearlings will be celebrating when their yearling proceeds hit their bank accounts. In 2010 Alabar is delighted to present a draft of 17 yearlings at the APG Sales at either Melbourne or Sydney plus a further 5 yearlings that have been foaled and raised at Alabar’s property on behalf of clients. These Melbourne bound yearlings will depart the Alabar property early on Friday 5th February so can be inspected at the Inglis Complex after lunchtime on the Friday. The following pages will give you some comments about the boys and girls that will not be obvious from reading the catalogue. Speaking of the catalogue congratulations to David, Louise and Philip at APG for an outstanding presentation! In addition to those yearlings mentioned in this news bulletin, our staff have also prepared the following lots for the Melbourne Sale. Lot 210: Art Major - Miss Molly Duke Colt Lot 89: Armbro Operative - Golden Show Colt Lot 132: Presidential Ball - Princess Hayley Colt
Yearlings For Sale 14th March In addition to those entered in the APG Yearling Sales, Alabar is preparing 2 yearlings for the Board, Davidson Sale in Melbourne on Sunday 14th March. They are: Elsu / Road Show Filly, and on account of Sally Burgess; Presidential Ball / Saxony Style Colt
Exciting New Sires Represented There are two Alabar based stallions with their first crops at the sales this year namely Ponder 1:48.2 (Pictured) and Real Desire 1:48.4. Both were World Record Holders on the racetracks of North America and earned over $5 million between them. Ponder’s oldest progeny in North America were yearlings of 2009, whilst Real Desire has an impressive record as a sire in the Northern Hemisphere with 120 in 1:55 and 11 in 1:50 from his first four crops. You will find more details about both these impressive stallions in this bulletin.
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Yearling Notes Melbourne APG Gold Session Lot 120: Presidential Ball - Spice On Ice Colt This colt is well grown, has an attractive head, a rich bay colour and will be a pleasure to own. He is a member of arguably NZ’s most productive family - the “Blackwatch Family” - and is a three quarter brother in blood to the outstanding NZ juvenile The Reckoning 1:57.6 - $269,373. Now the big plus about this colt’s pedigree is the fact that Presidential Ball has crossed so well with this breed producing colts such as The Reckoning 1:57.6, Mr Bojangles 1:56, Jays Debut 1:53.2, Ball McCartney 1:53.2 and the filly Idancedallnight.
The Reckoning
Lot 142: Grinfromeartoear - Sheza Keeper Filly Here is a well grown, strong bodied, attractive Grinfromeartoear filly. We know that Grinfromeartoear works so well with Jate Lobell line mares and we’ve already seen in Australia from his first crop the success over Safely Kept mares - 3 stakes winners Rocknrolla, Dancewithagrin and O’Grady. William Crabb Photography
Party Date
The other important aspect of this filly’s pedigree is the success of the females on the racetrack. Party Date, Red Hot Date, Golden Goddess and Hello Boys were all fast and strong fillies or mares.
Melbourne APG Sunday Session A/C Mr A Moody, Melbourne Lot 178: Real Desire - Karara Elle Filly The filly is a well grown, strongly built girl that has the credentials to be a juvenile performer. Her sire Real Desire is no stranger to producing fast and precocious 2 year olds, such as the 2008 World Record Holder Sheer Desire 2, 1:49.6. Her dam’s first foal, Elle Jasper was a 2 year old winner in Victoria last season, whilst the dam is by the great Fake Left, the broodmare sire of Luke McCarthy’s exciting juvenile For A Reason. Finally for good measure the family produced the 1992 Australian 2 Year Old of the Year - Stroma.
A/C Mr J Cordina, Sydney Lot 181: Real Desire - Lady Harfield Colt Here is a long bodied, attractive colt with a lovely temperament to match. He is from the first crop of Real Desire 1:48.4 - $3.323 million - one of the finest USA racehorses to ever come downunder. His dam is by Safely Kept, now developing into one of Australia’s leading broodmare sires. The brilliant 2 year olds of recent seasons in Ananz, Renaissance Man and Rocknrolla are each out of a Safely Kept mare. Now here is something interesting about this colt’s pedigree. The best son of Real Desire in USA is Tell All 1:48.6, who has a 4x 5 cross to the mare Shifting Sands. This colt with Safely Kept and Real Desire descending from the same family has a 5 x 6 cross to Shifting Sands. Will lightning strike twice?
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Yearling Notes Melbourne APG Sunday Session A/C McColl Holdings, NSW Lot 187: Armbro Operative - Let Me Out Filly This well grown filly is just the second foal of the former smart racemare Let Me Out 1:58 (7 wins, 7 placings from just 24 starts). So mum could run and we know that dad had electrifying speed (remember his Little Brown Jug win) and is now a leading sire of fillies - Fleur De Lil, Ashlees Babe, Yada Yada Yada, Indigenous, etc. Now these facts in themselves give the filly plenty of potential. Then there is the Fake Left factor (sire of Let Me Out). He is fast becoming a leading sire of broodmares - think of I Am Sam, For A Reason, Western Cam as examples. Lot 192: Artesian - Livin Easy Filly This filly was a stand out when she was born in October 2008 and she remains that way. If you remember the Artesian’s at last years sales you will recall they were strong, well grown, long barrelled and just good types. Well there is only two in the entire APG catalogue this year and you will like this filly. Her dam is a half sister to Christianity who was runner up at Bendigo recently in 1:56.2, so you know there are more wins in store for her. Gary Wild Photo
Garnet River
Artiscape, the grand sire of this filly, has sired 6 millionaires and 3 of them are from Cam Fella line mares. Note this filly is from an Armbro Operative mare.... Pretty good formula isn’t it!
Lot 209: Art Major - Miss Discoteque Colt Well if you missed out on an Art Major colt on Friday or Saturday, here is an opportunity to take home one from a young Cam Fella line mare. Huge in frame he is not, but huge in outstanding relations in his pedigree he is. His dam is a half sister to runner up in 2000 APG Final The Accurate One and the half million dollar winning filly and mare Ball Gown 1:51. Now here is some more good news - the half sister to this colt ran third on debut in a heat of the SA Kindergarten Stakes on the 12th of December and the owner is expecting a fruitful year from her in Victoria.
Gary Wild Photo
Ball Gown
Lot 214: Ponder - Naomi Rose Filly This filly is a neat, long bodied, rich bay type - all in all an attractive package. Her dad Ponder is siring great looking foals, which is no surprise as he is one of the best looking stallions to have occupied the stallion paddocks at Alabar. On the racetrack he was fast, great gaited (1:49 on a half mile track) and very tough - in fact master trainer Bob McIntosh said “he was the mentally toughest horse he had trained.” So if Ponder has put some of those traits into this filly then the new owner has some good times ahead. Worth noting that Naomi Rose’s sister Role Model was runner up in the 1994 APG Final.
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Yearling Notes Melbourne APG Sunday Session Lot 223: Grinfromeartoear - Our Vanessa Colt A tall athletically looking colt and a little surprised that he wasn’t in the Friday / Saturday sessions. Apart from the quality winners that you see on the page there is plenty to suggest that this colt has loads of potential 2 year old speed. Now consider this - Our Vanessa won heats of the APG and Western Crown in WA at two, Nemeeshar was outstanding at two winning the Bathurst Gold Tiara and placed in the Vicbred Final and Breeders Crown Final, Zulushar and Tweetie Twiggy were two year old winners and the close relations Chivalrous Fella and My Zapherine were both brilliant 2 year olds in WA.
Gary Wild Photo
Nemeeshar
Lot 254: Presidential Ball - Shes High Maintenance Colt There are some men about who might suggest the mother of this colt is named after their wives / partners. That being the case this colt could be an omen buy. His sire Presidential Ball has left five 2 year olds of the year in either New Zealand or Australia and this colt’s half brother, Bilbao, could well be racing by sale time. The family has consistently produced outstanding racehorses like Happy Asset 1:56.3 and one of the Kiwi’s greatest ever mares Mainland Banner.
Mainland Banner
Shes High Maintenance’s young brother Awohali looks another potential “Black Typer” to the family with four wins from his first ten starts to date.
Lot 258: Western Terror - Shower Of Roses Colt An attractive colt this fellow, as the Western Terror’s usually are. There is plenty of length to him, a nice head and a lovely temperament. Western Terror finished 2009 as the second leading sire of 3 year olds in USA, so with a record like that it is only a matter of time before he has an impact downunder. Now this boy’s mother had some decent ability on the racetrack - a 1:58.2 record and 24 of 39 starts in the money. She has some fast brothers and sisters as well, whilst her mother was by Classic Garry, so you know there is speed in the breed. Then there is Rocknrolla - one of the best 2 year old fillies in the country in 2009 - from a half sister to Shower Of Roses. Lot 262: Grinfromeartoear - Sixonenine Filly This is a neat, racy filly - smart looking with a splash of white on her face. She is not big, but both her mother and grandmother are only 15 hands or under. The family has provided plenty of star females on the racetrack - like Stihletto, Silk And Satin, Princess Silk and Crystal Journey, so this always gives you confidence when buying a yearling filly. Now the intriguing thing with Grinfromeartoear is the continued success he is having by breeding mares that have a link back to his own female ancestry. Make Me Smile, Smiling Shard, Rocknrolla, Dancewithagrin and now the very smart 2 year old of 2009/10 Scot Bay 1:58.4 are all examples.
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He Is The Real Deal No Need To Ponder Well this could not be further from the truth. Ponder won his first start in a race (13th July 2003) at Flamboro Downs (1/2 mile track) in 1:58.1. He then developed a hairline fracture in a hind ankle and missed the rest of his 2yo season. An article published on the 9th of June 2005, prior to the Battle Of Lake Erie on the internet site Odd On Racing (www.oddsonracing.com) says it all: Perhaps it was fitting that Battle Of Lake Erie entrant Ponder was given such a name. That’s because for two years all trainer Bob McIntosh could do was wonder how good the colt might be. Now at age 4, Ponder might have finally given McIntosh the answer - and it is the one the trainer envisioned all along.
R
ecords come and records go but the world record on a half mile track still remains at 1:49 - the date 21st September 2006 - the horse Ponder.
Now how do you pace 1:49 around a half mile track - well as Bob McIntosh has said: “Ponder is one of those rare horses who could pace as fast in the turns as he could in the straights.” In May 2007 Graeme Henley (Alabar NZ) and myself (John Coffey) spent two hours in the Southern Ontario city of Windsor talking to leading trainer Bob McIntosh about his recently retired “champ” Ponder.
“I bought him as a yearling and as a two year old I thought he was the best one I had,” McIntosh said. “He had a little hairline crack in a back ankle which didn’t require surgery, so we stopped him after one race. It bothered him again at three, so I shut him down and figured we’re going to take our time with him. We never did anything else until he was ready, completely healed. I always thought he was a great horse and now everyone is getting to see what I was talking about.”
“I always thought he was
a great horse and now everyone is getting to see what I was talking about.
It was obvious he always admired him for his natural speed, will to win and sheer toughness. In fact he surprised us both when he declared Ponder as Track the most courageous and mentally Date toughest horse he had trained - and this was after horses of the calibre 8 July Meadowlands of Artsplace, Camluck, Artiscape, 15 July Meadowlands Live Or Die, Staying Together and many others had passed through his 22 July Meadowlands stables. 29 July Meadowlands There is a misconception sometimes observed from his race record that Ponder had no ability as a young horse.
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That toughness and determination was there for all to admire in a twelve week span from 8th July to 21st September 2006 in the following nine races: Race
Position Personal Time
Div Haughton Mem
1st
1:48.4
Final Haughton Mem
2nd
1:48.4
Elim Breeders Crown
2nd
1:48.4
Final Breeders Crown
4th
1:48.2
5 Aug
Meadowlands
US Pacing Championship
1st
1:48.2
19 Aug
Balmoral
Elim Am-National
2nd
1:48.4
26 Aug
Balmoral
Final Am-National
4th
1:48.8
10 Sept
Rideau Carlton (5/8) Des Smith Classic
2nd
1:49.8
21 Sept
Delaware (1/2)
1st
1:49
Winbak Pace
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Yearling Notes Melbourne APG Sunday Session Lot 281: Armbro Operative - Thorby Filly This is the last Armbro Operative filly to be offered in the APG Catalogue anywhere in Australia.
She has furnished into a lovely tall, athletic filly and you could imagine her on the racetrack - maybe she will inherit the ability of her grand mother Eva Thor, who won 28 races. We know Armbro Operative is very capable of siring stakes winning fillies - 5 individual Oaks winners is an outstanding record. Now this could be a filly for Luke McCarthy or you may have to outbid him. Remember the 2005 APG Brisbane Sale Luke? The last lot in the catalogue that day was an Armbro Operative filly - think she has won nearly $1 million now. A/C Butera, Pamouktsis & Michaelidis Lot 283: DM Dilinger - Ultimate Victory Filly This filly is a well grown, strongly built and attractive type and has a lot going for her as a filly. Her sire DM Dilinger has a great strike rate with his fillies - two millionaires in Canada plus Dilingers Reign, Lady Gigi, Intuitional, etc in Australia. Now this family which traces back to one of the fastest mares of days gone by in Arania 1:57, always has the ability to produce a top female. Ananz is the most recent example, whilst another in Bluesage had terrifying speed. The recipe has the right blend for another one here. Lot 312: Western Terror - Awesome Powers Colt This boy is a neat, smart type, attractive head and four white feet. Have you noticed the leading stakes earner in the Southern Hemisphere this season - Monkey King - pretty much a description of him. You should have noticed the emergence of Western Terror’s progeny now that they are 3 year olds and of course he has just finished one hell of a year in North America. Gary Wild Photo
Renaissance Man
This mare by Walton Hanover was deliberately bred to the son of Western Hanover to duplicate the blood of Wendy Sue Hanover - it worked with the stallions Totally Western and Union Guy - so why not again?
A/C Nick & Dominec Giorgetta Lot 315: Real Desire - Billabong Girl Filly This classy filly is being offered by Alabar client Nick Giorgetta of WA. She has been raised and prepped at Alabar’s Echuca farm. Just have a look at the speed inheritance in this young girl - a father with a 1:48.4 record and a mother who ran 1:55.8. Billabong Girl is by the champion sire of speed Classic Garry, but she wasn’t your typical get out and run Classic Garry. She didn’t commence city racing until a five year old but by then was a seriously clever racemare winning a Breeders Stakes at Gloucester Park and the George Johnson at Hobart.
William Crabb Photography
Billabong Girl
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Yearling Notes Melbourne APG Sunday Session Lot 340: Grinfromeartoear - Elle Matao Colt Guess you would call this fellow a pretty colt - plenty of white for those who like flashy. Well getting near the end of Melbourne’s offerings and this is the last of the “Grins” for the weekend. There is plenty of early speed in this pedigree as well if you’re looking for a colt to run at Tabcorp Park, Melton on 29th April 2011 (The Final of APG Colts). Three of Elle Matao’s 4 winners won as 2 year olds, whilst the grand dam of this colt was a 2yo Filly of the Year in New Zealand. All of us should own a Grin. Lot 351: Metropolitan - Fiery Package Colt This guy is a December foal so has some catching up to do. His sire Metropolitan was a genuine 2 and 3 year old star on North American tracks winning $983,000 in his 31 starts at those ages. This boy is the first colt of his dam - now have a look for the two standout colts in this pedigree and you will find Hexus and Saab and guess what? They were both the first colts of their respective mothers Magi Lune and Sokys Number.
Hexus
Now there are many standout pacers in this family and if you’re still empty handed late on Sunday 7th Feb then you better be eye balling a bid spotter.
Sydney APG Sale Lot 409: Grinfromeartoear - Jasperite Colt Here is one of only five Grin colts offered at the Sydney Sale. He is a very mature, well developed colt who looks a likely 2 year old type. The combination of Grinfromeartoear over Jate Lobell line mares has already produced the likes of Mr Feelgood 1:49, Mister Big 1:47.8 and Rocknrolla 1:58.9 - so this boy represents a proven formula. Now have a look at some of the outstanding colts this family has produced - Neroship $814,355, Safe And Sound $995,600, Next Bonus $330,459 and Walton Flyer $158,360 and you know you can bid on this colt with confidence. Lot 411: Village Jasper - Joyces Mistake Filly This filly is being offered by our NSW representative Joanne Andersen. There are only two Village Jasper fillies in the Sydney Sale, so whether your name is Joyce or not you won’t be making a mistake having a good look at his one. Just in case you have forgotten, Village Jasper was the Leading Sire of Australia in 2008/9 and his success over Torado Hanover mares has been considerable - Adams Mate 1:52.2 - $240,000, Village Beauty 1:54.6, Village Warrior 1:58.2 $86,000, Glowing Jasper 1:58.3 - $77,000, etc. At this stage, and excusing the Our Sir Vancelot filly who has just turned three, the females out of Joyces Mistake have a perfect record as race winning mares. So come and have a chat to Joanne and Lyndell on sale day.
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Yearling Notes Sydney APG Sale Lot 457: Safely Kept - Nora Barnacle Colt
This boy is a rare and precious item - the only Safely Kept colt in the Sydney Sale and one of only three colts in the APG catalogue. He is a strongly built, well grown and athletic colt so typical of the many Safely Kept colts that have collected Group race trophies over the past 12 years. Remember Safely Kept has been 3 times the leading sire of 2 year olds in Australia and he sired the 2008 APG colts winner Bus To Harland. Lot 478: Ponder - Ransom Robust Colt This colt is both flashy and athletic - as you would expect from such a good looking stallion as Ponder. Ponder will add plenty of strength to this colts make up as he was one of the toughest and most determined racehorses to grace the racetracks of North America over the past 6 or 7 years. This is a family that has been enormously successful in WA producing juvenile stakes winners - Flashing Star, Hilarion Star, Iron Gloves, Lombo Laredo, Blackjack Brassie to name a few. Note eligibility for both Vicbred and NSW Breeders Challenge and the only Ponder colt at Sydney. Lot 547: DM Dilinger - Andrels Love Colt Good things come to those who wait and this colt should be worth the wait (6 lots from the end at Sydney) as well. He is just a great looking individual as well being a full brother to the $166,000 winning Victorian pacer The Gunstar. His grand dam is the brilliant Sydney mare Butlers Love 1:57.4 and you know when a good DM Dilinger colt comes a long it is very good - eg Be Diligent.
Gary Wild Photo
The Gunstar
There are only 2 DM Dilinger colts in the entire APG catalogue - you shouldn’t miss bidding on this one.
Elsu - He’s A Flying Falcon An indication of how well a stallion is performing is by the number of mares he is breeding each year. Well in the about to close 2009/10 breeding season Elsu has covered over 300 mares again between Australia and the Kiwi breeders. His 3 year olds in New Zealand are performing extra well with 13 individual winners to 8th January for prizemoney of $248,187 and they include: Anvils Best Ever - 2nd in the $200,000 Sires Stakes Final on NZ Cup Day. Shady Su - 2nd to Smiling Shard in the $200,000 Yearling Sales Final on 31st Dec 09. At this stage Elsu sits in 4th spot on the NZ 3yo Sires list. Here in Australia Elsu sired 10 2 year old winners from 79 foals in the 2008/9 season. In the current season his 2 year olds are away to a flyer with the WA owned filly Amazing Su (2 starts, 2 wins) and the QLD trained Major Mac now also with two wins from two starts.
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Early Stakes Stars For Art Major It is always refreshing to see outstanding 2 year olds bounce back at three. Well the handsome Renaissance Man did that in style in his return to the racetrack in the Group One South Australian Derby on the 9th of January. Allowed to settle at the tail of the field from his back row draw, the son of Art Major cruised to the breeze position mid race. From there Kate Gath had an armchair drive and in the words of race caller Jim Jacques “Renaissance Man raced to a soft win” in an impressive mile rate of 1:58.6 for the 2230 metre trip. A week earlier at the same track Art Major provided the quinella in the South Australian Oaks when Gem of Reiby used the sprint lane to collect the Group One trophy over stable mate Shes Norma Jeane - both fillies trained by Daniel Jack. Across the Tasman, Art Major has sired the early standout 2 year old Major Mark. He has won two divisions of the Young Gun Series - both impressive wins in 2:00.2 and 1:57.8. Art Major has a good habit of siring great looking yearlings and after breaking the long standing 2 year old Sires Earnings record last season there will be strong demand for them at the 2010 Sales. There is no need to panic though - as there are 56 in Melbourne plus a further 22 in Sydney on the 21st of February.
Western Terror Blowing Them Away There are 10 Western Terror yearlings in the APG Melbourne and Sydney Sales. They are usually very attractive and athletic looking yearlings and there is growing evidence that they improve in leaps and bounds from age 2 to 3. With his first crop of 129 foals in North America you can see clearly from theses statistics just how much they improved between 2008 (2yo’s) and 2009 (3yo’s) 2008 - 53 starters for total prizemoney of $1,338,666 2009 - 92 starters for total prizemoney of $5,816,777 In fact so good was the 2009 year for Western Terror that he finished runner up on the 3 year old Sires Premiership behind his own sire Western Hanover. He unleashed several star colts and fillies throughout the year incl; Yellow Diamond, Straight Shooting, Shacked Up, etc. In Australia so far this season Western Terror has sired 8 individual winners including the smart West Aussie Chillin Dylan 1:58.1 - 4 starts, 3 wins and $27,625 to date.
Gary Wild Photo
Buy With Confidence
Smiling Shard
Gary Wild Photo
Lady Euthenia
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Buy An Alabar Sired Yearling
2008/9 was a great season for Alabar stallions, siring the winners of the following races: - Inter Dominion Grand Final - Hunter Cup - Breeders Crown Final (four) - Vicbred Final (five) - Harness Jewel 2yo Diamond - NZ Sires Stakes Final - Kevin Seymour Final - Kay Seymour Final - NSW Sires Stakes Final (two) - NSW Challenge Final - Bathurst Gold Tiara - Chariots Of Fire - Australian Derby An Amazing 21 Group One Wins in Total!
Gary Wild Photo
Broadways Best
Gary Wild Photo
Gary Wild Photo
Maffioso
Grinnersawinner
Mr Feelgood
Real Desire Real Desire
1:48.4 - $3,323,606
Life Sign - Deadly Desire - Troublemaker
A Sire of 2yo Speed Real Desire was a world record holder as a 2yo, so it should come as no surprise that he is leaving brilliantly fast 2yos.
Sheer Desire
From his first four crops Real Desire is the sire of 42 sub 1:55 2yo winners! Amongst those are: Sheer Desire 2, 1:49.6 Carnivore 2, 1:50.6 Beachy Girl (M) 2, 1:51 Warrawee Kay (M) 2, 1:51.6 Cabana Fever (M) 2, 1:51.8 MCA 2, 1:52 Running Book 2, 1:52.4 High Def Z Tam 2, 1:52.6
Btwnyurheartanmine
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