Alabar News

Alabar News - August 2011 -

Page 1

August 2012

World Champion Big Jim for Alabar

Highlights ★ Updates ★ Interviews ★ News

Page 2 - Alabar News - August 2012

Welcome It’s Good News Week For Broodmare Owners It has been a tumultuous couple of weeks in early July with the announcement that the Breeding Industry in Australia and New Zealand is being offered the North American system of paying for service fees – pay up when the live foal is born.

Alabar will now offer two options of paying service fees for nearly all its stallion roster in 2012.

The really good news for those breeders who opt for the usual means of paying their service fees – that is following a six week positive pregnancy test - is a reduction in most service fees.

If you compare the service fees for many of the current Alabar based stallions now - to what they were in 2010 - you will see that this is the real good news to breeders for the new season.

The 2012 service fees are set out on this page. For your comparison here are a few of the service fees from 2010 –

2012 SERVICE FEES

Aust Fee (AU$)

NZ Fee (NZ$)

(incl GST)

(plus GST)

Pay On Pos Test

Pay On Live Foal

Allamerican Ingot

2,250

2,750

Not available in NZ

Armbro Operative

3,300

4,000

Not available in NZ

Art Major

10,450

12,500

9,500

12,000

Art Official

3,575

4,125

3,250

3,750

Big Jim

4,950

5,500

4,500

5,000

Courage Under Fire

Pay On Pos Test

Fully booked in Aust

Pay On Live Foal

Fully booked in NZ

Elsu

2,750

Art Major ($12,000 incl GST in Aust and $13,500 + GST in NZ)

Federal Flex (frozen)

4,400

4,000

Mach Three ($13,750 incl GST in Aust and $12,500 + GST in NZ)

Gotta Go Cullect

2,250

2,750

2,250

2,750

Courage Under Fire ($7,700 incl GST in Aust and $7,700 + GST in NZ)

Great Success

2,250

2,750

2,250

2,750

Grinfromeartoear ($6,000 incl GST in Aust and $5,500 + GST in NZ)

Grinfromeartoear

4,000

4,750

4,000

4,750

Real Desire ($5,500 incl GST in Aust and $5,500 + GST in NZ)

Mach Three

9,500

12,000

Mister Big ($7,700 incl GST in Aust and $7,000 + GST in NZ)

Majestic Son (frozen)

5,000

Elsu ($4,500 incl GST in Aust and $4,500 + GST in NZ)

Major In Art

3,300

4,400

Major In Art ($5,500 incl GST in Aust)

Mister Big

4,400

4,950

Mr Feelgood

To be announced

Real Desire

4,500

5,500

Safari

1,650

2,000

Santanna Blue Chip

3,850

4,400

3,500

4,000

Shadow Play

4,400

5,500

4,000

5,000

Tiz A Masterpiece

1,650

2,000

Not available in NZ

Village Jasper

3,300

4,000

Not available in NZ

It’s also with great pleasure that we welcome the World Champion juvenile Big Jim to the Alabar class of 2012.

It’s horses like Big Jim that make harness racing exhilarating. We’re really looking forward to the future with him.

All the very best with your breeding endeavours.

Best regards John Coffey – Alabar Bloodstock, Australia Graeme Henley – Alabar (NZ) Ltd

CONTACTS

3,750

2,750

Fully booked in Aust

3,750

5,000 Not available in NZ 4,000

4,500

Not available in NZ 4,500

5,500

Not available in NZ

Multiple mare discounts apply on all service fees.

Semen available at approved locations throughout Australasia.

Alabar Australia Phone Numbers (+61)

Sally Burgess & Liz Birnie (Office)....................................... 03 5859 2201 (8am-4pm) Fax.............................................................................................. 03 5859 2206 John Coffey (General Manager).......................................... 03 5859 2100, 0418 500 211 Dr Kath McIntosh (Assistant to General Manager)......... 0427 497 429 Tom Galloway (Farm Manager)........................................... 0408 505 416 Brent Cochrane (Farm Foreman)......................................... 0400 862 846 Joanne Andersen (NSW Rep)............................................... 0414 936 663 Email General Enquiries................................................................... accounts@alabar.com.au Sally Burgess............................................................................ sally@alabar.com.au Liz Birnie................................................................................... liz@alabar.com.au John Coffey.............................................................................. patricianpark@bigpond.com Brett Coffey (Marketing & Pedigree).................................. brett@alabar.com.au Joanne Andersen.................................................................... joanne@alabar.com.au Dr Kath McIntosh.................................................................... kath@nrequine.com.au

Alabar New Zealand Phone Numbers (+64)

Hayley McNamara (Office).................................................... 09 232 1800 Fax.............................................................................................. 09 232 1799 Graeme Henley (General Manager)................................... 09 232 1800, 0274 870 901 Wayne McNamara (Studmaster)......................................... 09 232 1800 Email General Enquiries................................................................... alabar@alabar.co.nz Graeme Henley....................................................................... graeme@alabar.co.nz Hayley McNamara.................................................................. hayley@alabar.co.nz

DATES TO REMEMBER Australasian Breeders Crown Sunday 19 August Tabcorp Park, Melton, Victoria

Australian Breeding Seminars Swan Hill, Victoria – Tuesday 14 August Bendigo, Victoria – Thursday 23 August Ballarat, Victoria – Tuesday 28 August Adelaide, SA - Sunday 9 September Bathurst, NSW – Friday 14 September

NZ STALLION PARADE Sunday 16 September Alabar NZ, Waiau Pa, Auckland

NZ Breeding Seminars Invercargill – Monday 10 September Christchurch – Tuesday 11 September

National Blue Ribbon Broodmare Sale and Stallion Parade Sunday 23 September Alabar Bloodstock, Echuca, Victoria

Alabar First Days of Collection

Australia – Monday 1 October New Zealand – Monday 17 September (earlier by arrangement)

Mr Feelgood

Alabar News - August 2012 -

Page 3

What a name; what a horse. . .

If you were a horse who won 39 races, over $3.3 million in prize money and were the only horse to beat the incomparable Blacks A Fake in an Interdominion on Australian soil, then you would be feeling mighty good about yourself.

That horse is Mr Feelgood - a superbly bred, superbly named and handsome son of Grinfromeartoear who is now about to set foot on a new career... for a second time, when he takes up stallion duties at Yirribee Stud in Southern NSW under the Alabar management banner.

Mr Feelgood has achieved what no other horse in the history of the harness horse has done – he has won the oldest and one of the most prestigious races on the North American calendar, the Little Brown Jug and he also won at his first attempt the highest rated race in the Southern Hemisphere, the Interdominion.

The Mr Feelgood story commenced on 16th April 2003 at the picturesque Brittany Farms in Lexington, Kentucky. His mother Best Of Memories, by a stallion well known to Australians in Jate Lobell, was a treasured possession of Brittany Farms, being a half sister to the great Western Ideal 1:48 $1,455,000 as well as being a daughter of one of their favourite race mares Leah Almahurst 1:52.6 $1,053,200.

This family has brought many treasured moments to the Brittany Farms connections through the deeds of Three Diamonds, Life Sign, Naughty But Nice, American Ideal, the current world champion threeyear-old filly American Jewel (1:48) as well as the aforementioned Western Ideal, Leah Almahurst and Mr Feelgood.

Mr Feelgood has been something of a revelation since setting foot on an Australian racetrack for the first time on 17th January 2009.

The sceptics were celebrating as he only finished sixth in that race, the $50,000 Bendigo Cup. “Another weak American speedster” were the words that spread, but only for seven days.

In the $50,000 Shepparton Cup and from a 30 metre handicap in a standing start race, Mr Feelgood left some pretty handy rivals in his wake - including Changeover, I Am Sam, Our Malabar and Report For Duty.

A week later, a brave second in the Group 1 Ballarat Cup and then in another seven days Mr Feelgood let the whole Southern Hemisphere know he was the real deal and a force to be reckoned with at the highest level, when he sustained a long searching run to take home the honours and the trophy in the Group 1 A.G. Hunter Cup. There were no sceptics now, only admiration for an equine athlete of the highest level.

Mr Feelgood, outstanding in every way – type, pedigree and performance

Within fifty days of that defining victory, Mr Feelgood inflicted Blacks A Fake with his only Interdominion defeat on Australian soil.

His name was now inscribed forever in Harness Racing’s history books.

For almost the next three years Mr Feelgood earned respect and admiration from everyone within our wonderful industry.

Even towards the end he was both magnificent and brave. His third-to-last start resulted in him smashing the Gloucester Park track record in the final heat of the 2012 Interdominion – 1:55.4 for the 2500 metre trip.

Then a week later in the Grand Final, he suffered some major injuries incurred in the infamous incident when he was checked by Smoken Up early in the race.

It wasn’t the last page of the book that a perfect ending would have given - but this is still the story of a horse who achieved what was thought to be impossible – and made everyone around him feel mighty good.

What’s more his contribution to the harness racing story now begins anew.

Cashflow Is King 20% Discount For Up-Front Payment As is the case with any business, cashflow in the stud business is vital.

With the changing landscape in the breeding industry, this is truer now more than ever.

We realise that for anything to work successfully it has to be attractive to all parties. That is the case here – we are offering a deal that helps our cashflow and also allows breeders access to the maximum available discount on the stallion of their choice.

So here’s the deal ...

We’ll give a 20% discount on the service fee of any of our stallions on the basis that the service fee is paid up-front no later than 30 September 2012.

This discount is not additional to any multiple mare discounts.

So, if you’ve always wanted the 20% discount enjoyed by the big players, here’s your opportunity.

All you have to do is pay us by 30 September 2012.

We ran this promotion on a limited scale in New Zealand last season and it was very popular.

At the end of the season, should your mare not have obtained a final positive test, you will have the choice of having the paid service fee refunded in full or leaving it with us to “lock in” the discounted price for the following season.

The usual live foal guarantee also applies.

Jereme’s Jet

Not Shuttling This Year In association with his owners, we have decided to give Jereme’s Jet the season off and not shuttle him to New Zealand this year.

The main reason for giving Jereme the season off is a physical one. He’s a horse that struggles somewhat with the back-to-back seasons so hopefully a bit of a break will freshen him up.

Jereme has made a solid start to his career in the Southern Hemisphere. With his first crop of two-year-olds in the 2011/12 season, he looks like finishing fifth on the New Zealand Two-Year-Old Sires Premiership. He had his best day downunder on the 13th of July when he sired a double for the night with Free Will winning at Alexandra Park and For The Ladies winning in 1:59.6 at Addington.

The intention is for Jereme to return to New Zealand for stud duties in 2013.

Any free returns to Jereme’s Jet can be used as a credit to any of our other stallions or, if that does not suit, will be refunded in full.

Page 4 - Alabar News - August 2012

Big Jim

A Victory for the Little Guy that Dreams of the Big Horse to Take Him to the Big Time

Presentation following Big Jim becoming the fastest two-year-old in history in winning the Governors Cup with trainer, Friday Dean (Canada sweatshirt), driver Phil Hudon and owner Jim Carr (orange shirt)

Friday Dean doesn’t say a lot.

A question to Friday is always longer than the answer.

He is, however, a very good horseman. Up until 2010, he was best known as the trainer behind the multiple stakes-winning, Doonbeg.

As a diminutive pacer with an aggressive racing style that belied his size, Doonbeg became something of a cult hero in Canadian racing.

“I knew he could go a big, big mile.

He’d won a lot of his races pretty easily and I didn’t chase him, but today I thought he deserved a world record so I went for it” – Phil Hudon

A dominant three-year-old in Ontario, Canada, Doonbeg was the pre-post favourite going into the 2007 Little Brown Jug in Ohio (won by Mr Feelgood). As his illustrious career in North America ended, Doonbeg was exported to Great Britain where he gained even more fame breaking track and race records everywhere he went.

In 2010, Dean’s career went to another level - to the big time as the trainer of the US and Canadian Two-Year-Old of the Year, Big Jim. James ‘Friday’ Dean was a long time assistant to Hall Of Fame trainer Stew Firlotte. In fact so long did he work for Firlotte, he became known as his manFriday and the name has stuck with him to this day.

In 2003 Stew Firlotte suffered a stroke, retired from training and moved to Orlando Florida.

Jim Carr had for many years raced horses with his great friend Stew Firlotte. When Firlotte was forced to retire Carr left the sport.

If you ever meet Jim Carr, you’ll understand him doing this – he’s a loyal and passionate man.

Carr still kept in touch with Firlotte during winter holidays in Florida and it was Carr’s loyalty to his great friend that eventually led him back to harness racing.

“I hated seeing Stew sitting in the house with nothing to keep his mind active. One of the main reasons I got back into harness racing was for Stew. I thought if I bought a horse I could involve Stew and it would give him an interest – something to follow” said Carr in Ontario last month.

“So that’s what I did. I went to Harrisburg and bought a colt. He was at the top end of what I wanted to spend – but I was keen to get him. I liked him on type – and so did Friday. He was big and liked to eat (like me), his dam was by Big Towner (which I love) and the dams name was ‘Bold Pink’ which I also liked as when I was younger my nickname was Pinky. It just all seemed to fit. So we bought him and changed his name from Bold Ideal Hanover to Big Jim – also a nickname of mine.

“Of course I gave him to Friday to train and that’s how it all started.”

Jim Carr’s an all-in kind of guy. He doesn’t like partners in his horses and he likes to make his own decisions.

This can be seen by the fact that he stood by Friday Dean as his trainer and more especially, local journeyman Phil Hudon as his driver in the face of constant advice that you need big name trainers and drivers to compete in the big time.

Another example of his single-minded passion – some may call it something else – is that he turned down US$1 million for a quarter share in Big Jim without telling his wife. Try that one at home!!

Alabar News - August 2012 -

Big Jim

Page 5

continued . . .

A few words from Friday Dean …

“He was a good horse right from the get-go. He trained right from the start like an older horse. You never know they’re going to be as good as he was but I always felt there was something special about him.

“He always gave you everything – every time he raced.

“His best race was the Governor’s Cup when he set the world record.

Nothing would have beaten him that night.”

Big Jim became the fastest two-year-old pacer in harness racing history when he blazed through a 1:49.2 mile in the $709,000 Governors Cup at Woodbine.

Remarkably, Big Jim started from the extreme outside post 9 from which he exploded to the lead with a 26.4 first quarter before taking a trail. At the three-quarter mark, Big Jim pulled out three wide and powered past the opposition to win by two lengths.

Driver Phil Hudon said, “I knew he could go a big, big mile. He’d won a lot of his races pretty easily and I didn’t chase him, but today I thought

he deserved a world record so I went for it.”

This world record win highlighted an all-conquering debut season in which Big Jim also won the Breeders Crown at Pocono Downs in a track and stakes record of 1:50.8, a stakes record in the Dream Maker Final of 1:51.2 and a stakes record of 1:50.4 in both his Metro elimination and Champlain division.

He compiled seasonal earnings of $827,204 and was voted Two-YearOld Pacer of the Year in both the US and Canada.

“He always gave you everything – every time he raced … there was something special about Big Jim”.

– Friday Dean

Jim Carr summed up the season by saying, “It’s been a great year. It’s been a great ride. He’s just done everything we’ve ever expected of him. He’s just a great horse. He has manners galore and a lot of class.”

Big Jim returned as a three-year-old as the glamour boy of harness racing. Unfortunately, the big black stallion was seldom 100% as a three year old and was eventually retired mid-season.

But not before he had been devastating in cruising to victories in a NJSS by nearly five lengths in 1:50.6 (“I didn’t rev him up anywhere.

I let him pace a little bit down the lane, but I didn’t pop the earplugs or anything” - Phil Hudon) and an elimination of the Meadowlands Pace in 1:50.

He also showed great tenacity to be a close and fast-finishing second in the Meadowland Pace (a race he may well have won had he not been hampered and pushed wide on the turn) and showed great courage to be a hard-charging third in the North America Cup Final when starting to show the effects of the injury that would eventually cut short his career.

Big Jim retired with career earnings of $1,541,924 amassed in an all too short career of 10 wins, 3 seconds and 4 thirds in just 20 starts.

A son of the champion sire and sire of sires, Western Ideal, Big Jim is out of the multiple stakes winning Big Towner mare, Bold Pink (p, 1:51.6, $216,852) – the winner of 15 races and the dam of 4 sub 1:55 pacers. His 2nd and 3rd dam both each won over $100,000. From a great siring family, he traces back to the same mare as his own sire Western Ideal and also the likes of Art Major, American Ideal, Life Sign and Real Artist.

In his brief career he left an indelible mark on harness racing and also created a huge feel-good factor for the little guy that always dreams of the big horse to take him to the big time.

What he achieved was also enough to earn a full book of mares in Ontario – even in a breeding season savaged by the state government removing the wonderfully successful slots-at-racetracks programme.

Big Jim

Friday Dean may not say a lot but he said it all when he said “There was something special about Big Jim”.

Big Jim

Page 6 - Alabar News - August 2012

Santanna Blue Chip He’s Off to a Great Start

Jeff Gillis is one of the leading trainers in North America. In 2011 the 35 year old won the O’Brien Award as Canada’s Trainer of the Year with the highlight being the win in the Breeders Crown for Older Trotting Mares with Frenchfrysnvinegar.

He ended the year with $3.8 million in seasonal earnings.

In 2012 he’s featuring high on the training premierships and arguably has the best Aged trotter in North America in Mister Herbie.

Santanna Blue Chip, who he part-owned, is the horse that set Jeff Gillis on his way.

Not only did Santanna win $1.6 million as a two and three year old, he earned his money the hard way – racing the likes of Somebeachsomewhere every time there was decent money on the line.

It is to Santanna’s eternal credit

that – given who he was competing against – he was the leading stakeearning two-year-old of his year.

All of this also happened at a tough time for Jeff Gillis – with the loss of his father and also being involved, with a number of other licence “Santanna was a holders, in a legal battle with officialdom - and it was Santanna that beautiful clean gave him the where-with-all and the confidence to return to training.

It is little wonder that Jeff Gillis has a genuine affection for Santanna. pacer and so are He’s also put his money where his heart is and has invested in his two year olds. broodmares to breed to his favourite horse.

Everyone knows One of the broodmares he bought was Pro Bowl’s Best and she is now the dam of the exciting Santanna Blue Chip first crop two-year-old I’ve got no patience in Santanna One. for average horses, “He’s a big colt that’s impressed us all the way through. We liked him enough to bring some of our best owners in on him – and so far they don’t last long so good. We’re excited” said Jeff Gillis recently. in my stable – but Carl Jamieson was the official trainer of Santanna Blue Chip and I’ll tell you I’ve got he now has two very smart two-year-olds by him in the colt Tempo Seelster and the filly Senorita Santanna. a lot of time for the Both two year olds have won with Senorita Santanna leading all the Santannas.” way to win an Ontario Sires Stakes Heat in 1:55.6.

Jamieson too is an outstanding trainer in Canada. He is regarded – Carl Jamieson as one of North America’s leading selectors and conditioners of young pacers. In 2011 he prepared the $1.5 million North America Cup winner Up The Credit and also the Canadian Two Year Old of the Year Warrawee Needy – both horses he selected as yearlings.

On Santanna Blue Chip, Carl Jamieson had this to say ...

“Make no mistake Santanna Blue Chip was a very good horse. If he’d been born any other year he might have been a great horse. The thing I like most about the Santanna Blue Chips is that Santanna leaves a lot of himself in them.

“Apart from a slight roman nose, Tempo Seelster could be Santanna.

He looks just like him and he also has the same little idiosyncrasies.

When you jog him he weaves from one side of the track to the other just kidding with you. But when you work him he’s all business and doesn’t want to let anything pass him.

“Santanna was a beautiful clean pacer and so are his two year olds. Everyone knows I’ve got no patience for average horses, they Senorita Santanna (1:55.6) – first crop daughter of Santanna Blue Chip don’t last long in my stable – but I’ll tell you I’ve got a lot of time for the Santannas.”

Less than six weeks into the two-year-old season in North America, Santanna Blue Chip, from 75 foals in his first crop, has had 33 starters for 12 winners including:

Raise Your Glass (1:56.2) – first crop daughter of Santanna Blue Chip

Senorita Santanna (filly)

1:55.6

Raise Your Glass (filly)

1:56.2

Santanna One

1:56.2

Windsong Jack

1:56.2

Alabar News - August 2012 -

Page 7

THE ALLURE OF HARNESS RACING An Interview With Victorian Breeder, Shannon Nixon

The horses are fully vaccinated and we also conduct regular fecal egg counts as well.

I’ve just started weighing the foals, because I want to be able to tell potential owners that this is a horse that has been built over fifteen months rather than over two months.

So in terms of that we want to be able to say - here’s their growth pattern, here’s their worm burden and how that was treated each time. I want people to know that each horse has had a solid foundation.

Looking forward to the 2013 Yearling Sales, what is your best weanling and why?

It is the Art Major full brother to Our Femme Fatale. I can hand on heart say that even before Our Femme Fatale set foot on the racetrack, this was the one. He has a presence like no other horse I have had on the property. I think he has perfect conformation, and he has a terrific temperament to boot. I can’t wait to present him at the sales!

How do you feel about the future of breeding?

I am optimistic about the future of breeding. I think the Vicbred Breeder Bonus is a great initiative and it sounds like NSW have developed a similar scheme.

I think our breed has become so much more refined in the last fifteen years that breeders are much more likely to consistently produce good horses based on good practices and research. i.e., I think we see less of the genetic ‘freaks’ at the top of the money list and this reflects the maturity of the breed in the Southern Hemisphere.

I am pleased to see some recent developments such as the proceeds from the Harold Park sale and race fields decision contribute to the prize money pool in the sport and believe that this will filter through all states and ensure the sustainability of the sport.

I think Victoria leads the way in offering racing opportunities for females and would like to see this continue to grow and spread to other jurisdictions.

What things would you like to see change or happen with the industry as a whole?

Shannon Nixon (holding the trophy) sharing with friends and family the thrill of winning the Vicbred 2yo Fillies Final with Our Femme Fatale I would like to see more resources allocated to supporting the syndication How Many Mares do you own? of horses and enhancing the ownership experience. I think the single Six – Aluring, Classic Cathy, Mayhappen, Miss Bigalow, None So biggest source of growth for the industry is increased ownership/ Swift and Pindari Lombo. participation.

When looking at potential mares what do you look for?

There are about fifteen individuals who share in the ownership of Their maternal family, and it is important to see what is breeding Our Femme Fatale. Even before she won her Vicbred Final, many family around them. That gave me a lot of confidence when purchasing Aluring members and colleagues of these mostly new owners, had attended the to see that her close relatives where getting bred to good sires. track to share the ownership experience and many others have visited their local TAB to watch her race and have a bet on her.

I also subscribe to the theory to not buy a mare with a failed stallion in the first couple of generations.

Each time a new person is exposed to the sport, a new opportunity to gain a participant occurs. So practically, I would like to see governing I’ve also become more attuned into type for a mare. I never laid eyes bodies provide administrative support and greater promotion of on Aluring and I wouldn’t do that again, however it worked out well! ownership – particularly through syndication. I don’t think any When deciding on potential stallions what do you look for? person should EVER leave a venue like Tabcorp Park Melton, without The marketability of stallions and crosses that are working is very being educated in how, or invited, to become directly involved in our important. Part of that are trends that are happening here, but also wonderful sport. overseas as well.

Further to this point, I think more has to be done to enhance the I use the harness websites – the Harness Racing Australia website ownership experience. The reality is the vast majority of horses at any (www.harness.org.au), as much as I can the studs websites to find out given meeting do not win! How do we ensure that ALL of the owners information and also the USTA website (www.ustrotting.com). You leave the track having enjoyed a special occasion? have to constantly monitor the stats!

I think “owners areas” are just the beginning, the experience in such When a foal is born what is the process in terms of making sure an area, really has to be top shelf – food, entertainment, the servicethey get the right start to their life before going to the sales? scape, hospitality, all should convey a special / exclusive experience. We Conformationally, when a foal is born we make sure they are given MUST keep our present owners in the sport and reward them for their the all clear by the vets where they foal down. participation!

“The experience of winning the Vicbred Final was absolutely breathtaking. Watching her sweep down the outside in the home straight was the most exhilarating moment in my life, and it was amplified by the fact I was sharing that experience with about twenty five family members and friends.

“The sweetness of the victory was the first thrill, but as the night unfolded, I was able to reflect on what it meant for Meaghan and I in terms of breeding success. It was an affirmation for the things we have been doing over the past eight years in trying to prepare horses for successful race careers. We have bred winners in the past, but this was something else!”

Those are the words of Victorian breeder Shannon Nixon describing the experience of breeding and part owning the 2012 Two-Year-Old Filly Vicbred champion, Our Femme Fatale (Art Major – Aluring).

We caught up with Shannon, Meaghan and their family, Isaac (7), Leo (5) and Harper (2) to chat about Our Femme Fatale and their breeding operation.

Catching up with Shannon Nixon there are three things that stick out; 1) The Nixon farm is a real family operation, 2) Shannon loves breeding horses and the rural lifestyle that comes with it, and 3) Shannon is an extremely intelligent person who puts a lot of research into buying and then breeding his mares, as well as the raising of their foals.

Page 8 - Alabar News - August 2012

A Few Quotes From The Horsemen GOTTA GO CULLECT Gotta Go Cullect has been given the vote of confidence by breeders.

He’s had wonderful support in his first three seasons at stud and – amazingly – has served more mares in this time that all the other sons of Christian Cullen at stud added together.

His first yearlings sold particularly well at the Sales with many of the leading trainers keen to take one home.

Here’s some quotes on the recent progress of the progeny of the horse who, in an all-too-brief race career, became known as the ‘excitement machine’.

Dave McGowan ...

Callabroad (filly - Gotta Go Cullect – The Village Broad by Village Jasper) Cullect The Cash (filly - Gotta Go Cullect – Marlay Vic by Il Vicolo) Lancewood Clyde (colt - Gotta Go Cullect – Alberta Jewel by Albert Albert) I’ve got three Gotta Go Cullects and I would be very proud to own the whole three.

They have great bodies and an amazing attitude – you just show them something once and they’re away.

They’re very easy moving horses with quick reflexes – the type of horses that I think have that quick speed.

“He’s already worked a ½ in 4 and a ¼ in 30 which is well ahead of where I’m usually at with my yearlings at this time. He should be good enough to race as a two-yearold. I like that he really gives it a go and shows a bit of toughness. ” - Mark Jones on his Gotta Go Cullect colt

Gotta Go Cullect – the popular son of Christian Cullen’s first crop will race in the new season

The Village Broad filly is the one I’ve done the most with.

She’s a big, strong filly and when I take her to the track people can’t believe she’s not a two-year-old. I think she’s a bit special.

The Marlay Vic filly would win first prize at a show she’s such a lovely strong filly - which is very much a ‘Cullenesque’ quality; something all three have.

Ken Barron ...

The Intimidator (colt - Gotta Go Cullect – Another Sheila by Man Around Town) He’s a tall, rangy horse with a real nice way of going – a free going horse. I’ll decide in August if I think he’ll be a Young Guns horse or if he might just need a little longer – but I do really like him.

Gareth Dixon ...

Harolds Cullect (colt - Gotta Go Cullect – Angelica Nero by Nero’s BB) He’s a big fella and will take a bit of time. I only broke him in and did a bit extra with him and he’s been spelling since. He’s good gaited and has a good attitude. He’s a good moving big fella and I like what I’ve seen so far.

The Alberta Jewel colt just paces around free-legged but when something gets his attention he shows he’ll have the speed alright.

The Pocket)

Mark Jones ...

She’s a very nice filly that broke in well. She’s doing four weeks with Chris McDowell before crossing to Steve Dolan.

Un-named (colt - Gotta Go Cullect – Shazza’s Dream by Pacific Rocket)

Jason Lethaby ...

He does go pretty good.

He’s definitely one of the pick of my yearlings – near the top of the class. He’s already worked a ½ in 4 and a ¼ in 30 which is well ahead of where I’m usually at with my yearlings at this time. He should be good enough to race as a two-year-old. I like that he really gives it a go and shows a bit of toughness.

Brian West ...

Dream Alone (filly – Gotta Go Cullect – Nothin But A Dreamer by In

Read My Lips (filly - Gotta Go Cullect - Talk Of The Times by Smooth Fella) I’ve only really just started with her but she looks the part and so far she’s shown a great attitude. I do really like her, she’s a real nice filly. I broke in a few Gotta Go Cullects before the yearling sales and liked all of them – that’s why I bought her.

Colin de Filippi ...

Swift Action (colt - Gotta Go Cullect – Smart Tactics by Albert Albert) I don’t usually buy yearlings by unproven sires but I just bought him on looks. Murray Alfeld broke him in for me and I did a couple of weeks with him when I brought him home. He’s a nice pacer and he won’t lack speed. He’s due to come back in shortly.

Alabar News - August 2012 -

Page 9

On The New Season Sires . . .

SANTANNA BLUE CHIP The first crop by Santanna Blue Chip created quite an impression at the yearling sales this year – especially at the NZ Premier Sale in Christchurch where Santanna had his best representation. Trainers were impressed by their athleticism and presence – and they sold accordingly.

With his first two-year-olds getting off to such a strong start in North America and the training reports on his first New Zealand and Australian yearlings being so positive, the prospects for Santanna Blue Chip’s siring career are looking brighter every day.

Here’s some progress reports on the progeny of the stallion tailormade to succeed in this part of the world - being by Art Major out of a Matts Scooter mare.

Brian West ...

Call Me Yours (filly – Santanna Blue Chip – Famous Lover by Dream Away)

Of the rising two-year-olds I can advise the Santanna Blue Chip filly from Famous Lover is now in the Mark Purdon barn, she looks the best of our six fillies, I will know more in six weeks time.

Of the rising yearlings, the Santanna Blue Chip colt out of Stage Talent is a beauty and will feature in our top two at sales time, the Santanna Blue Chip filly from Justalert is quite stunning and will be raced

by Studholme and Ken McDonald.

Greg Payne ...

Carlos Santana

( colt - Santanna Blue Chip - Kacie Marie by Clever Innocence)

Hear The Call

( colt - Santanna Blue Chip – Hear The Cheers

by Village Jasper)

Ask Me Santanna

( colt – Santanna Blue Chip - Ask Me Christian by Christian Cullen)

Santanna Blue Chip – off to a great start in North America and his first Southern Hemisphere crop also very much look the part

Mark Jones ...

Crazy Heart (filly - Santanna Blue Chip – Belle’s Girl by In The Pocket) She’s a lovely filly, a great looker and the only Santanna I’ve ever sat behind. It’s because of what I think of her that I went to the weanling sale and bought some more Santannas.

Tim Trathen ...

Speedy Chip (filly - Santanna Blue Chip – Giovanni Hanover

by Holmes Hanover)

She broke in real good, I couldn’t fault her. She was a beautiful pacer – she paced around like a rocket. Unfortunately she’s had a bit of an injury but hopefully she’ll be ok as she is a lovely filly.

Mark Smolenski ...

I’ve broken in two Santanna Blue Chips – a colt and a filly. They are both very, very nice types with quite a bit of leg to them. They were beautiful movers and definitely free-goers. They are very natural and, while it is too early to know if they’re going to make two-yearolds, they’ll both definitely make racehorses.

The reason I bought the two Santanna colts myself was that early on I’d broken in one for Jock Austin (Carlos Santana) and it went real good.

I’ve also had it back since and it is a really nice colt.

The two I bought both broke in well. I do really like the Hear The Cheers colt and the Ask Me Christian colt is one of the pick of my colts.

They are both very good gaited and feel like they’ve got some bottom to them. They want to keep doing it.

They are good pacers, everything’ s there.

I’m intending to take six to eight of my best colts to Australia to sell them in the Ready To Run Sale over there the day before the Treuer Memorial. Both Santannas are in that group.

Kevin Turnbull ...

(on behalf of Cran Dalgety)

Our Santanna Blue Chip colt is right up there out of the twenty yearlings we broke in. A striking, mature type with a sensible attitude, he bowled round really nicely and is a beautiful pacer.

Page 10 - Alabar News - August 2012

There Is Still A Lot Of Beauty About Armbro Operative Armbro Operative was probably a horse who was never going to win a beauty contest - but as a sire he is a ‘Beauty’.

The now 19-year-old sired his seventh individual Oaks winner on 20th April this year when the Daryl Douglas reined Beauty Secret took home first prize in the $100,000 Group 1 Victorian Oaks.

It was pretty much a birthday gift for the evergreen ‘Oppy’, who celebrated his 19th birthday just three days later on 23rd April.

The race was also a triumph for Armbro Operative in many ways – the second and third place getters - Marquess De Posh and Real Bonus - were both out of Armbro Operative mares.

Armbro Operative is now forging a solid reputation as a broodmare sire – with the likes of the Group 1 winning fillies Marquess De Posh, Our Femme Fatale, Kept For Pleasure and Lifeinthefastlane showing that this $1 million winning son of Cam Fella is a ‘Mr Versatility’.

Beauty Secret is a real product of Alabar stallions, as she is the third foal of the Safely Kept mare Secret Life, who herself was a smart mare winning 11 races and $86,798 in prize money.

She was bred in central Victoria by long time Alabar clients Peter Gleeson and the Cameron brothers, Bruce and Craig.

Secret Life is the granddaughter of former Victorian Broodmare of the Year Larrakeyah Lady, now the dam of nine individual winners of over $1.9 million. Amazingly those nine individual winners have been by six different sires – namely What’s Next, Safely Kept, Armbro Operative, Presidential Ball, Astreos and Live Or Die. Only when bred to Torado Hanover and Classic Garry did she not produce a winner.

Beauty Secret has now faced the starter on 24 occasions (to 8th July) for 13 wins, six placings and prize money exceeding $235,000. She has been a model of consistency for young trainer Emma Stewart and part

Beauty Secret – the seventh individual Oaks winner sired by Armbro Operative

of a three pronged attack on the three-year-old fillies Classics in Victoria this season along with Shake It Mama (by Mach Three) and Hexham Heartbeat (by Artesian).

There is also still the Breeders Crown on the agenda for the Armbro Operative/Safely Kept cross filly.

Thinking Out Loud Is Better Than To Ponder There is no doubting the extra-ordinary race ability of the grand looking stallion Ponder. He is still the fastest horse in the world on a half mile track – set some six years ago.

We all know that opportunity goes a long way to fulfilling a stallion’s career and it is fair to say that his breeding career hasn’t got away to a flying start. It was the year of E.I. when he first set foot into Australia in 2007 and the number of mares he served suffered accordingly.

When he returned to the USA in 2008, amongst the mares he bred were an Artsplace mare called Wonderbolt and a Camluck mare called Los Angeles.

The two resulting foals, both colts, are now ranked in the top five or six of the tough three-year-old colt division in North America.

Thinking Out Loud, out of the Camluck mare was a brilliant winner of the $1.5 million North America Cup on the 16th June. Coming from seventh position at the three quarters, he powered home for flamboyant Canadian reinsman Randy Waples in a stakes record of 1:47.8.

After the race Randy said,

“The best part of the whole trip was the half when I looked over and saw the timer flash 52.8 and I’m on the outside with a horse who has a bow in his neck and wants to get at it”.

Thinking Out Loud was a certainty beaten, when suffering interference in the home straight but recovered to finish powerfully in second position in his elimination of the Meadowlands Pace.

There are so many similarities between this colt and his daddy Ponder – that powerful closing last quarter is and was the trademark of both.

The colt from the Artsplace mare named Bolt The Duer, dominated two-year-old racing in Kentucky last season, taking a record of 1:52.2 and earning of $214,050.

He has now reduced that record to 1:48.6 and taken his earnings to close to $400,000. He took his record winning an elimination of the Hempt Pace and also finished second in the $400,000 Art Rooney Final.

Here in Australia, Ponder has sired seven two-year-old winners from 73 foals in this current season including two smart colts in Left To Ponder 1:57.7 (six wins from nine starts) and Echeveria 2:02.2 (two wins from three starts).

Echeveria is in the stable of Andy and Kate Gath and has already qualified for the Semi Finals of the Breeders Crown.

Thinking Out Loud (by Ponder) winning the $1.5 million North America Cup in June this year

Ponder has just finished his second breeding season at Seelster Farms in Ontario and is likely to return to Australia for the 2013 stud season.

Alabar News - August 2012 -

Page 11

Records Are Made To Be Broken . . .

Art Major Is A Record Breaker When Art Major was imported to Australia back in 2005, it was considered something of a coup for the Southern Hemisphere breeding industry.

Well, the big, laid back son of the mighty Artsplace hasn’t let anyone down, siring champions of both sexes.

THREE YEAR OLDS Leading Sires - Earnings 1st

Art Major

$1,575,218

2nd

Bettor’s Delight

$880,141

3rd

Mach Three

$721,301

Leading Sires – Individual Winners 1st

Art Major

78 winners

2nd

Bettor’s Delight

46 winners

3rd

Real Desire

34 winners

Art Major – he has made a massive impact in the Southern Hemisphere Prior to his arrival, only one stallion in the history of Australian breeding had sired a crop of two-year-olds which had won over $1 million in a single season – that being Fake Left in 2001/02 (from a crop of 328 foals).

That record was obliterated when Art Major’s first crop hit the racetracks of Australia in the 2008/09 season. He repeated the million dollar season in 2010/11 with a two-year-old earnings record of $1.406 million, whilst he is headed for another million dollar season in this current year.

To highlight his complete domination of the two and three-yearold racing in Australia this year, take a quick look at these impressive statistics (as at 14 July):

TWO YEAR OLDS Leading Sires - Earnings

Onlyforyou (by Art Major) – the leading stake earning two-year-old filly in New Zealand Across in New Zealand, his first crop bred with fresh semen has raced in the 2011/12 season. From a crop of 95 foals, 21 have raced and earned $339,877 – with the season in New Zealand to end in another 17 days, he will finish third on the New Zealand Two-Year-Old Sires List.

The likely favourite to win the New Zealand Two-Year-Old Filly of the Year honours is the Art Major – Destiny (by Presidential Ball) juvenile Onlyforyou (1:57.1, $173,998).

In this current season, Art Major has sired nine individual Two and Three-Year-Old Group winners, namely: Louvre

APG 3yo Fillies Final (Gr.1)

NSW Breeders Challenge (Gr.1)

$667,272

Onlyforyou

NZSS 2yo Fillies Final (Gr.1)

$495,976

Philadelphia Man

Vicbred 3yo Colts

Shez No Fake

RQIS 3yo Fillies Final (Gr.1)

Phyl Crocker

SA Southern Cross Final (Gr.2)

Aspiring Artist

SA Southern Cross Final (Gr.2)

1st

Art Major

$913,842

2nd

Bettor’s Delight

3rd

Mach Three

Leading Sires – Individual Winners 1st

Art Major

42 winners

2nd

Bettor’s Delight

20 winners

3rd

Mach Three

19 winners

Our Femme Fatale Vicbred 2yo Fillies (Gr.1) (Gr.1)

La Norvic De Milo NZ Delightful Lady Young Guns Final (Gr.2) Soho Valencia Bathurst Gold Chalice (Gr.3) Such is the impact that Art Major has had on the Australian and New Zealand breeding industries that in the 2012/13 season, four of his sons will be standing at stud – two in Australia and two in New Zealand.

Page 12 - Alabar News - August 2012

ELSU -- CLOSING FAST ON 250 WINNERS When Elsu commenced his stud career in September 2005, the expectations were high for this $2 million winning son of Falcon Seelster.

Although he has not yet sired a son or daughter with his own extraordinary ability, he is fast closing in on the impressive total of 250 individual winners from his first three crops to race (243 winners as at 7th July 2012). Those winners have come out at an impressive 34% winners to foals ratio.

The winners are headed by: Anvils Best Ever 1:56.4 $199,019

(from an In The Pocket mare)

Remember El

(from an Armbro Operative mare)

1:55.3 $178,288

Stormy Sirocco 1:58.4 $147,776

(from a Soky’s Atom mare)

Miss Elsie

1:55.3 $142,627

(from a Soky’s Atom mare)

Ella Sue

1:57.2 $108,200

(from a Motu Mister Smooth mare)

Fistfullofdollars 1:57.9 $103,949

(from a Perfect Art mare)

To date the total progeny earnings of those first three crops exceed $4.3 million.

In this current 2011/12 season, Elsu is in 8th place (pacers) on the New Zealand Sires List, whilst in Australia he figures prominently in 5th position on the three-year-old Individual Winners List with only Art Major, Bettor’s Delight, Real Desire and Armbro Operative ahead of him.

Notably, he has sired 102 individual winners in Australia and 63 individual winners in New Zealand this season to date.

Pretty impressive credentials for the flashy black stallion, who also this season will have a very competitive service fee - $2,750 plus GST in New Zealand and $2,750 including GST in Australia.

Elsu – one of our greatest ever winners on the racetrack is showing himself to be an outstanding sire of winners

Better Times Ahead For Outstanding Elsu Daughter There is no doubt the Elsu daughter, Miss Elsie was one of the very best age-group fillies of her age in New Zealand.

As a two-year-old she won first up in 1:59.6 in a heat of the Young Guns and ran second in both the Young Guns Final and the New Zealand Jewels 2yo Diamond.

As a three-year-old she won a heat of the Nevele R Series in 1:55.3 as well as finishing an excruciating third in the Northern Oaks. In this Group 1 feature she was cut down in a stirring head-and-nose finish by Bettor Cover Lover and Carabella – there was eight lengths back to fourth.

Although she won twice as a four-year-old last season and took her earnings through to $142,627, she battled a virus all season and was never herself.

In the words of her trainer Colin de Filippi ...

“Miss Elsie was crook for twelve months. When I was in Auckland with her as a three-year-old they said they had a bit of a virus going through the stable so we kept her around the back away from the other horses - but she still got it and hasn’t been right since.

Miss Elsie (by Elsu) – a multiple Group 1 placed filly looking to return to full health, and her best form, in the new season

“Her blood always looked OK but she just wasn’t finishing her races off the way she used to and she just couldn’t back up from a run. Every time she had a run she went worse the next time which just isn’t like her. The whole season was pretty much a washout.

“But she’s been out for ten weeks and I’ve run a couple of courses of Itz Magic through her so hopefully she’ll come back to her best. She wasn’t far behind those two top fillies (Carabella and Bettor Cover Lover) as a threeyear-old so she’s certainly got the ability. Hopefully, five-year-old will be her year - I’ve still got a lot of faith in her.”

Alabar News - August 2012

Page 13

MACH THREE

A Champion Sire Of Juveniles And Oh So Much More Even the most casual harness racing enthusiast knows that Mach Three is a great sire of two and three-year-olds.

You would even know this if you only arrived on the planet on Friday the 13th of July. On this day you would have seen Shake It Mama shoot out of the gate on route to an all-the-way win in the Group 1 Australian Oaks and would also have seen star juvenile Majestic Mach blitz them at Albion Park to take his career record to eight from eight.

This Group 1 victory for Shake In Mama was richly deserved as she had previously won heats of the NSW and Victorian Oaks and the Vicbred.

The win by Majestic Mach just further underlined that he can lay claim to being the most exciting young pacer in Australasia.

These wins also put an exclamation mark on what has been an outstanding season for their sire, Mach Three.

What this latest season has also emphasised is that Mach Three is more than just a sire of juveniles – he’s a tremendous sire of older horses.

In fact, Mach Three is clearly New Zealand’s leading sire of fiveyear-old and over pacers for the 2011/12 season.

His flag bearer in this category has been the emphatic Auckland Cup winner Sir Lincoln, a horse who also won the group-rated Summer Cups at both Auckland and Addington as well as the Group 2 Auckland City Of Sails Free-For-All. Ominously, as outstanding as Sir Lincoln’s five-year-old campaign was, trainer Ray Green is confident his six-year-old season will be even better.

Incredibly, five of the top twelve stake earners in the Aged classification on the NZ Sires Premiership were sons of Mach Three.

As well as Sir Lincoln the others were: Artiface (5 wins, $103,571),

Mah Sish (4 wins, $78,151), Auckland Reactor (2 wins from 3 starts, $50,708 – he also won $264,000 in Australia) and Hip Hop Anvil (5 wins, $48,263).

Mach Three’s older pacers were just as impressive in Australia where the $1 million earner Mysta Magical Mach was second only to Im Mach Three – A great sire Themightyquinn in both the of horses of all ages WA Pacing Cup and Interdominion Grand Final, Captain Joy won the Golden Mile in 1:51.4 (by the barest of noses from Sir Lincoln), Mach Wiper won the Newcastle Cup and ran second in the Treuer Memorial and Auckland Reactor was a run-of-therace second by half a head in the Hunter Cup and won three heats of the Interdominion.

Just for good measure, we should also mention Mach Three’s fouryear-olds. His well-travelled star was Mustang Mach who tripped to Perth for a Group 1 win in the 4yo Classic and then to Auckland for victory in the Group 1 NZ Messenger Championship.

REAL DESIRE

No Cowgirls But Still Plenty To Sing About Tragically, Real Desire’s freakishly quick filly Cowgirls N Indians was not able to recover from an injury she suffered in winning the Breeders Crown and has had to be retired to stud.

Despite that, Real Desire has had a strong season siring an increasing list of smart three-year-old winners in New Zealand – particularly in the latter part of the season – and in Australia he’s third, behind only Art Major and Bettor’s Delight for individual three-year-old winners.

Lets Elope, last year’s NZSS 2yo Final winner, continues to look like a horse who belongs in the best classes.

The son of Real Desire has come back as a three-year-old to win over $90,000 – and it could have been so much more with it being well documented that trainer, Frank Cooney has struggled all season to get his stable star’s blood 100% right.

Even so, he ran fourth in the NZ Flying Stakes to Smolda, fifth in the Northern Derby to Ideal Scott and continued to improve to the point that he ran second in the Winter Cup to Fly Like An Eagle and second to Smolda in his record breaking NZ Jewels victory.

To show how hard it is for top two-year-olds to follow up a successful first season of racing with a matching three-year-old season, you just need to look at the field of horses from the NZSS 2yo Colts Final that Lets Elope won. Of that field of excellent juveniles, only Texican has bounced back to win more money as a three-year-old than Lets Elope.

Other excellent three-year-old performers for Real Desire in the 2011/12 season (remembering he did not have a crop of two-yearolds, having skipped shuttling for one season) were the NZSS finalists Canardly Lover and Real Kamwood, the NZSS Silver winner All Star Man (1:56.9), the NSW Derby runner-up Regal Knight, The King Of Swing (1:54.3) and Reuben Brogden (1:55.7).

It’s very interesting when you look back on Real Desire’s own race career and compare it to how the careers of some of his best progeny are now evolving – especially Lets Elope.

Real Desire was a very quick, classic winning two-year-old. As a three-year-old he was outstanding but early in the season he couldn’t lead and beat the very best (he had to come from out of the pack – that’s how he beat Bettor’s Delight in the Meadowlands Pace).

Lets Elope and Frank Cooney winning the NZSS Final as a Two-Year-Old

However, in the end of season Breeders Crown, Real Desire surprised the opposition by leading – they all had a crack at him but he was too strong and won it easily. When he returned as a four-year-old, Real Desire was a beast who could win races anyway he wanted – and win them he did.

We are excited about next season with Real Desire for two very good reasons – he will again have a crop of two-year-olds (and we know what an excellent sire of precocious two-year-olds he is) and he will have his first crop of four-year-olds (and we know what a great fouryear-old Real Desire himself was).

Foot Note Frank Cooney, the highly respected trainer/driver of Lets Elope, suffered serious injuries in a race smash at Alexandra Park on Friday, the 13th of July – Black Friday indeed for the close-knit New Zealand harness racing fraternity.

Lets Elope is a horse that Frank has always held in very high regard. It will be fitting if Lets Elope fulfils his undoubted promise and has a stellar four-year-old season to make Frank’s recovery that much easier. We’ll certainly be cheering for them both.

Page 14 - Alabar News - August 2012

A ‘KARAKA-JACK’ PLAN INDEED Everyone in racing has a dream.

Some of us are even brave enough to express that dream out loud and call it a vision. When that vision becomes a reality – against all the odds – you just have to be impressed.

This is exactly what happened with Alois Schatzdorfer, a small time breeder from Waiau Pa, New Zealand.

In late 2008, Alois walked into the office at Alabar NZ and wanted some test matings done for his mare Motoring Clare. He wanted to breed a January foal with which he could win the NHT division of the NZ Yearling Sales Series.

Alois emigrated from Austria to New Zealand in 1971. He set up a highly successful business in Continental Engineering which he sold in 2005 and now operates an avocado orchard.

It hits your pride a bit. But I had my goal and vision to win that race so I was not unhappy to be taking him back home.”

Alois entrusted his colt to Pukekohe trainer Stephen Argue.

Stephen’s wife Linda Hamilton had prepared Karaka Jack for the Sales and Stephen had previously trained the multiple winners Zutano and Ambrashia for Alois.

Alois: “He always showed a bit of speed which kept us going. Otherwise there would be no point. He was a lovely free-going pacer with a long stride.

We would have him in work for a couple of months and then out for a couple.

He was quite immature in the joints so we couldn’t do too much with him.

But as long as he seemed happy to keep going then that’s what we’d do.”

Stephen Argue protected the big colt and kept the pressure off his immature body by not taking him to the trials.

The dream is a reality - Karaka Jack (by Grinfromeartoear) in the winners circle with (from left) Sue and Alois Schatzdorfer, yearling preparer Linda Hamilton and trainer Stephen Argue

All through this time he’s maintained an active interest in harness racing.

In fact it was this interest which led him to develop the ‘continental sulky’ which was the first all-stainless-steel race sulky in Australasia – and possibly the world. The fore-runner of the modern sulky, Alois’ design rose to fame in the late 1970’s through the trail-blazing deeds of the champion trotter Scotch Tar with Slim Dykman perched behind him in his continental sulky.

Alois: “As one man with one mare I had this goal to breed my mare to Northern Hemisphere time and target the Northern Hemisphere race attached to the sales series.

“I thought why not. Everything in my mare’s family’s had speed – a lot of them as two-year-olds. They could all pace a half in 56 or 57. Clare Sharvid herself was quick. She was going good enough to win as a two-year-old but got a crook back two weeks before she was due to start. I trained her first foal, Whata Clare to run third to Tigerish as a two-year-old in the Caduceus Club Final. Motoring Clare was her last foal and she also had a fair bit of speed.”

The first foal from Motoring Clare had died and the second foal was very small after being born prematurely. With her being by New York Motoring, Alois decided he liked the cross with Grinfromeartoear and the deal was done.

The resulting foal was a strapping colt registered as Karaka Jack.

Alois: “He was a big, strong horse who I really liked. At the sales I was prepared to let him go at $15,000 but under that I would keep him. As it turned out we didn’t get a bid – not one, which was a big disappointment.

Alois: “He only had one trial – which he needed to get a clearance to start in a race behind the mobile gate – and the plan was he would just follow them round and it didn’t really matter how he went so long as he got his clearance. As it turned out he finished strongly and went three seconds under qualifying time. We knew then he was a big chance in the race.”

“It was a matter of balancing keeping the pressure off a big, immature two-year-old and giving him the experience he needed. Other than that one trial, all he had was a couple of workouts and a few score-ups behind the gate – he could really chase it out.

“We really thought he would win both the lead up and the Northern Hemisphere race. It was just immaturity and inexperience that beat him in the first start – Tony (Herlihy) couldn’t really let him go.”

Karaka Jack ran second on debut at Alexandra Park, costing himself the race with a break at an inopportune time. The next week, on the 15th of June 2012, Alois’ bold plan came to fruition with the big son of Grinfromeartoear and Motoring Clare emphatically winning the $31,200 NHT division of the NZYSS. Straight after the win, Karaka Jack headed for the spelling paddock for at least three months. He’s expected back next season as a bigger, stronger and even more impressive individual.

Alois: “It’s all worthwhile. You pat yourself on the back and say you’ve done it – on your own. Someone with just one mare and one foal up against all the big breeders and big stables.

“We had a goal, a vision and we did it. That’s the biggest pleasure. I still can’t get over that we’ve done it – I’m absolutely chuffed about it.”

Alabar News - August 2012 -

Page 15

THE TROTTING CHRONICLES Great Success got his siring career off to the perfect start when three of his two-year-olds, all first starters, trifectaed the juvenile trotting event at Globe Derby on the 26th of March this year.

Crown Of Success, who ran second in this event went on to be wonderfully consistent winning twice and five times placing second in his only seven starts to date including a second in the SA 2yo Trotters Classic.

The winner of the race, Buff Orpington went on to also run third in the SA 2yo Trotters Classic.

Other first crop Great Success’ in Australia included Jeter (second in a Heat of the Tatlow Stakes at Bendigo and a Vicbred finalist) and probably the most talented of them all – Roy Hobbs. In five race day starts, Roy Hobbs recorded two wins and two thirds including thirds in the Heat and Final of the Group 2 Tatlow Stakes and second in a Heat of the Vicbred. He unfortunately had to be scratched from the Vicbred Final.

As promising as this record for the gifted son of Great Success is – it only tells half the story. When it is considered that he also missed away at the start and lost huge tracts of ground in several of the races in which he was placed – you realize that Roy Hobbs is one of Australia’s most exciting young trotting prospects.

Majestic Son has made an excellent start to his siring career in Canada. Up until now in the Southern Hemisphere he has only had a handful of foals. In the 2012/13 season he will have 88 two-year-olds (52 in New Zealand and 36 in Australia) so is very well placed to make a major impact. Impressively, his yearlings averaged $30,000 at both the Auckland and Christchurch Yearling Sales in 2012.

BEFORE YOU RUSH AWAY . . .

ART MAJOR In New Zealand this year only one sire averaged over $30,000 at both the Australasian Classic in Auckland and the New Zealand Premier (1st Day) Yearling Sale in Christchurch.

That sire was Art Major.

BIG JIM

The fifth dam of Big Jim is also the fourth dam of Road Machine. This makes Big Jim a great candidate for mares by Road Machine.

BIG JIM

In North America, his sire Western Ideal has produced 5 $50,000+ winners, 4 of which have won over $100,000 from just 6 foals out of Walton Hanover mares.

BIG JIM

He is from the same dams family as his own sire Western Ideal. This is also the dams family of Art Major, Perfect Art and Life Sign - making mares by these stallions attractive crosses for Big Jim. This is especially so with Life Sign as, in North America, his daughters have produced 21 $100,000 winners when crossed with Western Ideal – more than they have with any other sire.

BIG JIM

Great Success – off to a most promising start

In New Zealand, Great Success has sired six two-year-old trotting qualifiers to date. The most impressive of these so far is the bold-going Joseph H. Held in high regard by his connections, he placed second to two precocious types in Prime Power and Zimple in his first two starts and was on track for a shot at the NZ Jewels. A couple of late breaks in his races leading up to the Jewels saw him scratched from the end of season feature. However, his undoubted talent was there for all to see and there is little doubt he will come back as a quality three-year-old – a big rangy type, whatever he did as a two-year-old was always going to be a bonus.

As well as Great Success, who stands at Alabar New Zealand, we also have two trotting stallions available via frozen semen – Majestic Son and Federal Flex.

Together, these three trotting stallions provide a virtually allencompassing coverage of the hottest sirelines available in North America.

With Great Success being by the Valley Victory line stallion Self Possessed, Majestic Son being the best son of the outstanding sire Angus Hall and Federal Flex being by Muscles Yankee and out of a $500,000 winning daughter of S J’s Photo – we feel we really have the leading trotting sirelines covered.

Have a look at many of the dominant trotting sires in Nth America: Angus Hall – the sire of Majestic Son Andover Hall and Conway Hall – full brothers to Angus Hall Windsong’s Legacy and Broadway Hall – sons of Conway Hall Donato Hanover – a son of Andover Hall Cantab Hall – a son of Self Possessed Muscles Yankee – a son of Valley Victory and the sire of Federal Flex Yankee Glide – a son of Valley Victory S J’s Caviar – a son of S J’s Photo

Three other highly performed crosses for Western Ideal are Direct Scooter, Falcon Seelster and Albert Albert mares. All are above average in terms of % $100k winners, Ave Earnings (All Foals & Minus Top Foal) and Median Earnings.

COURAGE UNDER FIRE From 11 foals out of Paysons Brother mares, Courage Under Fire has sired 8 winners, 5 in 2:00, 3 $150,000+ earners.

GRINFROMEARTOEAR

His yearlings averaged $28,500 at Christchurch (1st day) and $25,214 at Auckland in 2012.

MACH THREE From 22 foals 2yo and over (20 named) out of Fake Left mares, Mach Three has sired 16 qualifiers, 12 winners, 3 Group 1 winners. Also one of the non winners is the smart, Group 1 placed 2yo Cyamach.

MACH THREE In North America Mach Three has a 100% winners to live foals percentage with broodmares by four stallions – Apaches Fame, DM Dilinger, Falcon Seelster and Jate Lobell.

MACH THREE Led all sires (with more than one yearling) at the NZ Premier Sale (1st Day) with a $37,480 average across 25 yearlings.

REAL DESIRE In North America his best percentage for production of $100,000 winners is with Direct Scooter mares – 42% of all foals by Real Desire out of Direct Scooter mares win over $100,000.

The Alabar Class Of

2012 Allamerican Ingot Armbro Operative Art Major Art Official Big Jim Courage Under Fire Elsu Federal Flex Gotta Go Cullect Great Success Grinfromeartoear Mach Three Majestic Son Major In Art Mister Big

Mr Feelgood — with Alabar in 2012

Mr Feelgood Real Desire Safari Santanna Blue Chip Shadow Play Tiz A Masterpiece Village Jasper

Luke McCarthy and Mr Feelgood

Alabar Bloodstock P O Box 129, Tongala Victoria, 3621, Australia Phone: +61 3 5859 2201 Fax: +61 3 5859 2206 Email: alabar@alabar.com.au www.alabar.com.au

Alabar (NZ) Ltd 480 Seagrove Road, R D 4 Pukekohe, 2679, New Zealand Phone: +64 9 232 1800 Fax: +64 9 232 1799 Email: alabar@alabar.co.nz www.alabar.co.nz