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NSW BREEDERS’ UPDATE Spring / Summer 2019
FITTING FAREWELL TO A LEGEND OF BLOODSTOCK LES YOUNG Something more than just an absent committee member was missing from December’s Thoroughbred Breeders’ NSW committee meeting. Article | C Searcy
There was a void, an ‘eery’ feeling that something substantial was awry, which of course it was given the recent passing of thoroughbred breeding stalwart, Les Young. A large hole was left in the hearts and minds of all attending the meeting and the Association’s AGM, with the long-time committee member and former executive officer having succumbed to a longstanding illness but a surprisingly sudden demise in mid-November.
Les Young 1943-2019
The 80’s team
Les sadly left behind no blood relatives, but as Peter Graham, the celebrant at his funeral pointed out, he is well-remembered by the extended ‘family’ of the thoroughbred breeding, racing and media worlds. Les Young’s deeds in Australian thoroughbred breeding have been well documented (see Brian Russell’s excellent ‘Bluebloods’ article from 2017 http://www.tbnsw. com.au/news/les-young-racedoutside-his-pedigree ) and to this day horses he either bought or provided mating plans for continue to provide winners at the highest level. AJC Oaks winner Circles of Gold, bought by Les for prominent owner Frank Tagg not only threw international Group 1 winners Elvstroem and Haradasun, but even this spring featured as the third dam of the Toorak Handicap winner Cape Of Good Hope. And only a few years ago Cape Of Good Hope’s fullbrother, the six-time Group 1 winner Highland Reel was runner up to the great Winx in the 2015 WS Cox Plate.
Les Young _ Top Avenger at Nebo Lodge 1986
Farewell Les Young
For only $41,000 in 1979 in Adelaide, Les and business partner Bob Lapointe bought five yearlings all of
whom won races, including the triple Oaks winning filly November Rain. In that group was another filly Easy Date, who Les put to sprint sire Lunchtime to produce the champion sprinter and hugely influential stallion Snippets. Easy Date then found further fame as the granddam of Arrowfield Stud stallion Not A Single Doubt, sire this year alone of Group 1 winners’ Scales Of Justice, Samadoubt, Kenedna and Qafila plus recent Villiers Stakes winner (G2) Quackerjack. His famous purchase of champion filly, the feisty grey Emancipation, also shaped subsequent generations with her descendants including Group 2 winning son Royal Pardon plus descendants such as Caulfield Cup winner Railings, dual Group 1 winning filly Virage De Fortune, six-time stakes-winner Avenue, Group 2 winner Magneto, Slapstick, Glasnost and UAE Oaks winner Raihana. Les was an unassuming, quiet man who didn’t let on too much about himself. He was married to Wendy who passed away in the early 2000’s and recently had a beautiful partner Hilma Else who was closest to him in his final days. His office manager Marjorie Manns had been with him over three decades and those who had done business with Les in the past such as Muskoka Farm’s Bob Lapointe and more recently, Andrew Reichard of Bluebloods magazine all contributed at Les’s funeral to pull together a better idea of the 75 year olds’ lifelong influence on racing and breeding, particularly in his beloved New South Wales.
