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Sky’s the Limit for Elite Breeders
SKY’S ELITE the limit for breeders
When Perth Magic Millions graduate Portland Sky crossed the line locked together with Celebrity Queen in the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield last February, it was a good moment for Western Australian racing - in particular for the Anderson family of Anita Vale Stud.
And an historic moment, Portland Sky a high class member of a family with which the Andersons have been breeding for six generations - purchasing their latest good horse’s fifth dam Sheltering in Sydney in 1982 as a yearling. Unfortunately the daughter of the little known Valley Forge (his best runner from just two small crops was the Rockhampton Cup winner Firetint) did not display a great deal of natural talent, failing to threaten in five starts at Bunbury and Pinjarra. It was not an auspicious start for Sheltering but when buying fillies, Robert and Ann always had in mind what they could offer long term. And, being a member of a classy northern hemisphere family (one which produced amongst other topliners the oh so popular Sea Pigeon), Sheltering looked to be a good broodmare prospect. Sadly she died young having produced just the one winner - the lightly raced Sovereign Shade who broke her maiden at Pinjarra. Her sire was the terrific stallion Beau Sovereign, resident of Coral Park Stud - run by Glenn and Kathy Money who have been great, long time friends of the Anderson family. It was them, in fact, that steered Robert and Ann into the wonderful world of racing and breeding. “Ann was offered a share in a Copenhagen filly Glenn and Kathy had purchased in New Zealand.” As first timer luck would have it, the filly named Mardiarna would be pretty decent - winning five of her 17 starts including three in a row over the winter of 1976. As everyone who has quickly tasted racing success knows, it is rather addictive and Ann was hooked. “I was pretty busy with my career as a lawyer at the time,” Robert said, “so it was really Ann’s thing at first.” But her enthusiasm proved contagious and soon Robert was also enjoying the thrills that racehorse ownership offers. And it was not long until the couple decided to venture into breeding - upon hearing that trainer Vern Brockman was heading to the Adelaide sales, asking him to look out for a filly with “the building blocks” of broodmare potential. Back to that filly - Ancient Sky- later, for now continuing the story of Sovereign Shade from whom Anita Vale (the stud
named after Ann’s mother) bred two city winners; Raja Boy (by Is It True) and Northern Beau (Poliuto). And one filly, the talented Sweepshot (by Dr Grace) who would win five of her 21 starts, earning black-type with a Gr.3 Hyperion Stakes third during her final campaign. It was with just her second foal that the Andersons would strike gold with a Scenic colt they presented at the 2004 Perth Magic Millions. Purchased by Len Morton for $36,000 and christened Scenic Shot, the tough and talented bay bolted in with his Belmont debut in February, 2005 - the start of a career that saw him win another 16 races, amassing in excess of $3 million in prizemoney with three wins at the elite level... the Mackinnon Stakes and two runnings of the Doomben Cup. Also competing in the country’s most famous races, the W.S Cox Plate, the Melbourne Cup and the Caulfield Cup, Scenic Shot certainly did his owners - and his breeders - proud. One of Sweepshot’s daughters retained by Anita Vale was the unraced Bletchley Park mare Line Of Flight (who sadly died just recently) whose first foal - her only daughter - is the Shrewd Rhythm mare Sky Rumba who filled placings at four of her 12 starts.
After considerable research and consultation with pedigree analyst Kristen Manning (the Andersons always putting plenty of thought into their mating plans), the New South Wales based Deep Field (Newgate Farm) was chosen as a suitable first mate for Sky Rumba. Sadly the resultant colt died shortly after birth but there was enough confidence in the match for a second crack - and in September 15, 2017 Portland Sky was born. Taken by the colt from day one, the Andersons were proud to present him at the 2019 Magic Millions, Robert recalling that “I told everyone I came across that he was the nicest colt we had ever taken to the sales.”
“He was always a beautiful horse, he just had that look.” At first a little disappointed at only just meeting the reserve, the Andersons were however happy to see the colt end up in good hands - Mornington trainer Matt Laurie. Impressive from the get-go, easily winning at his Ballarat debut in August 2020, Portland Sky won the Gr.3 Red Anchor Stakes at just his fourth start - two runs later taking out the Gr.3 Manfred Stakes and then the Oakleigh Plate, a prize he shared with fellow Western Australian Celebrity Queen. Such was the strength of his form that Widden Stud were quick to secure him for stud duties, Portland Sky to stand at either their Victorian or NSW base in 2022; something which has the Anderons both excited and exceptionally proud. “It is a big thrill,” Robert said, quite in awe of the considerable accomplishments not only of Portland Sky but of his whole family... one from which Anita Vale have also bred the dual Listed winner London Line and the Gr.3 placed Magic Millions Perth 3Y0 Classic winner Flight Path.
And there is more to come with Line Of Flight in 2020 producing a lovely Iffraaj colt whilst her daughter Sky Rumba was recently served by Darley’s Blue Point; her 2020 foal being a colt by Universal Ruler.
The latter is a member of Anita Vale’s 2022 Perth Magic Millions draft (being sold under the Dawson Stud banner); one which the Andersons are justifiably excited about - also putting through the ring a full brother to the promising Spirited Session and a Universal Ruler colt out of the city winning Blackfriars mare Ancient Hope... all “both strong, correct colts who are very hard to fault.”
The Ancient Hope colt takes us back to the story of Anita Vale’s foundation mare, Ancient Sky who Vern Brockman purchased on their behalf back in 1981.
“Vern said from the start that she was not a very robust filly but he thought she would mature into a good broodmare type and he was right, she certainly had those building blocks that we were after.”
Showing enough speed to win a couple of races, Ancient Sky - daughter of the Standish Handicap winner Aurealis and the Wakeful Stakes placegetter Blue Nile - retired to
Robert & Ann Anderson
stud in 1983 and three decades later the Andersons are still so grateful that she came into their lives. For it was her granddaughter Ancient Song who would provide Anita Vale with their first Gr.1 winner, the wonderful sprinter who won nine races including the 2003 Salinger Stakes down the famous Flemington straight. A pivotal moment for Anita Vale.
The Andersons have also bred from the Ancient Sky family the dual stakes winners Royal Lott and Danzig Beau and are proud that others have also enjoyed sucess with the family, taking much delight cheering on Zabeel’s multiple Gr.1 winning son Preferment - Ancient Sky’s great, great grandson. “Can I boast a bit and say that this is now one of the better families in the stud book?” Robert said - and we will certainly allow him some bragging rights as he and Ann are generally so humble about their success. And what success it has been for relatively small breeders, the Andersons (also breeders of the Gr.3 Champions Fillies Stakes winner Le Plunge... dam of this season’s city winner Porphyrio) only ever having six of seven mares at a time. Another of whom is Elite Ateates, recommended to them by bloodstock agent Damon Gabbedy. “A couple of our older mares were nearing retirement and we wanted to keep our numbers stable so we asked Damon to keep a look-out for us. He had Elite Ateates on his books, she was priced a bit higher than what I hoped but Damon and Ann were adamant that she was the mare for us!”
Purchased in foal to Street Boss, Elite Ateates produced a handsome colt who the Andersons were looking forward to taking to the Perth Magic Millions. Everything was going smoothly with his preparation, right up until the presentation of his xrays which were, in Robert’s own words “catastrophic!” Withdrawn from the sale, the colt required surgery to remove bone chips from a knee. Into work, he immediately showed plenty of talent but an operation on his other knee was required - the number of chips needing removal leading Robert to joke that “whatever is left must be steel!” Because since then the horse has raced soundly and well, in fact very well - Elite Street winning eight of his 17 starts including last year’s Gr.1 Winterbottom Stakes. Making it two Gr.1 Anita Vale bred Gr.1 winners for last season, a remarkable achievement.
And Elite Street has been in great form this year as well, over the spring winning three in a row - the the Listed Crawford Stakes, the Gr.3 Colonel Reeves Stakes and the Gr.3 Prince Of Wales Stakes.
“He’s a beauty!” Robert said. A great deal of the pleasure derived by the Andersons with their horses is the fact that it is a passion they share with their daughter Kyffin who works tirelessly at Anita Vale. “As I talk I can see her walking up the lane with feed buckets in hand,” Robert laughed, proud of Kyffin’s achievements - the enthusiastic horse woman spending time building her skills at Coolmore Stud and in Ireland with Timmy Hyde, now working part time at Anita Vale and part times as a veterinary nurse at Larkhill Vet Clinic. Kyffin’s partner Simon also helps out when required and so all the work at Anita Vale is done by the family, Robert joking that “if we can’t get it done it doesn’t get done!” It is work they all enjoy... “it has to be fun,” Robert said, “and the day it stops being fun is the day we stop.” Though that doesn’t look like being any time soon, Robert and Ann still passionate... “horses always give you something to look forward to.” n
Gr1 Winner Portland Sky
