THE first foals by The Brothers War were welcomed at the annual Kooringal Stud open day which was held at the Harefield situated property on Sunday.
Headed by Penny and Stuart Lamont with sons Angus and Ritchie, the family was proud to show off a first Australian crop filly by The Brothers War, from Grail Queen, already the dam of Sydney stakes winner Balmont.
A US-bred son of new star Danzig sire War Front, The Brothers War was also put on display for visitors along with Kooringal Stud’s other stallions and proven sire of winners Krupt, Zariz and Magic Albert.
Formerly at stud in the Hunter Valley, Magic Albert offers southern district breeders a new sireline, via former celebrated champion Australian sire, Showdown.
A grandson of world breed-shaping sire Nearco, the Great Britain-bred Showdown stood at the former Victorian iconic farm, Stockwell Stud.
He sired good sire The Judge, who importantly sired champion Australian three-year-old and leading sire Zeditave, his son Magic Albert continuing this outcross of Danehill.
A handsome chestnut stallion, Magic Albert has sired more than 470 winners that have won more than 1500 races. His 2016 yearlings averaged more than $50,000.
While group 1 placed and stakes winner Shiraz is the best current galloper racing by Zariz, a new Sydney winner by the Storm Bird line sire is Burradoo, with others including Canberra winners Midnight Obsession and Zaritzie.
NSW prizemoney set to increase for city and country races
TOTAL prizemoney in NSW is set to be raised to more than $204 million per annum from October 1.
Recently announced by Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club, much of the extra funding is targeted at metropolitan races and group 2, 3 and listed events, however country and provincial racing will also receive a boost.
For the provincial, a fortnightly $40,000 provincial maiden race at selected meetings will be staged, while at country circuits 30 $40,000 country restricted maiden races on selected showcase meetings will also occur from October 1.
Country racing received an injection of more than $16 million annually from July 2016, which included TAB minimum prizemoney of $20,000 per race, and showcase race meetings carrying a minimum of $30,000 per race.
There will be an additional $600,000 to the Country and Provincial Championship state-wide heats.
In 2017 the Country and Provincial Championships heats will be increased from $100,000 to $150,000.
July 1 saw provincial races raised to a $27,000 minimum, but from October 1 the minimum will be raised to $30,000 per race.
The NSW BOBS (breeders and owners’ bonus scheme) will also receive a boost with $20,000 to be added to two and three-year-old listed events.
“These increases are entirely sustainable and are fully-funded from the proceeds of the sale of digital media rights, race field legislation fees and parity,” Racing NSW Chairman John Messara said.
Welfare fund to be established by Racing NSW
RACING NSW is to establish a horse welfare fund which will be funded predominately by a deduction of one per cent of all prizemoney paid in NSW.
During the coming year, it is estimated that $204 million of prizemoney will be paid, and accordingly $2 million will be taken from this prizemoney.
This is in addition to Racing NSW’s existing horse welfare schemes.
The scheme includes ex-racehorses as well as for those Thoroughbreds that never make it to the racecourse for one reason or another.
Racing NSW will initiate a new operating division for the appointment of a dedicated team of staff to manage the program, including a horse welfare veterinarian and to establish partnerships with riding schools, pony clubs, local agricultural societies and other equestrian organisations to promote the re-homing of Thoroughbred horses. It will also expand the current Thoroughbred rehabilitation program with additional re-trainers to vastly increase the capacity for new horses and raise awareness for Thoroughbred welfare and undertaking training days for their new owners.
Champion stayer and Australian Horse of the Year, Let’s Elope, dies in Victoria
RETIRED champion and Australian Horse Of The Year, Let’s Elope died recently aged 29 at Lauriston Park, Creighton’s Creek, a northern Victorian property she called home from 1998.
A New Zealand-bred daughter of Blushing Groom’s US-bred Nassipour, Let’s Elope began her racing in that country where she won a group 3 race before transferring to the legendary stable of the late Bart Cummings.
Best known for her quality wins in the 1991 Caulfield/Melbourne Cup winning double, the mare won 11 of her 26 starts for earnings of $3.3 million.
Inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2012, she backed up in the 1992 autumn to win the prestigious Australian Cup.
Also racing successfully in America, Let’s Elope spent time on US breeding farms, where she was served by such US sire greats as Danzig and Storm Cat, before transferring to New Zealand in foal to Mr Prospector’s accomplished sire Seeking The Gold.
This foal turned out to be Ustinov, a $654,000 earner who won a group 2 race in Melbourne, before developing into a sire of winners including five stakes winners.
Let’s Elope produced her second last foal when 20 years old, which was Elvstroem gelding Outback Joe.
Like herself Outback Joe was a stayer, and won five races including the SAJC Adelaide Cup-G2 3200 metres and the VRC Bagot Handicap-LR over 2800 metres in 2014.