WOW did you see the speedster - I Am Snippety, go, when the filly was heading home six lengths clear in the $100,000 prestigious country feature, the Wellington Boot (1100 metres) for two-year-olds last Sunday?
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Ridden by regular rider Winona Costin, I Am Snippety underlined her fabulous run in the $200,000 Black Opal Stakes when leading up the field for most of the way before finishing an excellent fourth in the Listed event.
Another of the young speeding clam by I Am Invincible (standing at Yarraman Park, Scone), I Am Snippety is a home-bred horse for long-time industry participants Neil and Denise Osborne of Mane Lodge, Sutton, the couple also racing the filly, with Neil the trainer.
The Osbornes also bred, trained and raced I Am Snippety's dam the Snippets dual winner Snippety Day, while connections sold the filly's full-brother for $160,000 at this year's Magic Millions January Yearling Sale.
Cessnock riding master Robert Thompson took the $30,000 Wellington Cup (1700m) on the Cameron Crockett-trained and part-owned Are You Sure earlier on the star studded program.
Bred and part-owned by Des and Carol Kennedy of Mudgee, Are You Sure is also a home-bred horse for the Kennedys, the chestnut stallion being by stalwart Lomar Park stud Danehill sire, Arena.
Vale Roy Higgins
ROY Higgins MBE, a distinguished 2001 inductee into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame and who became fondly known for his race-riding ability as "The Professor" died earlier this month in Melbourne after illness.
He was 75 years old.
Born in Koondrook, Victoria, Mr Higgins rose from humble beginnings as an apprentice jockey at Deniliquin in 1953 to become a leading Australian rider, his achievements extending across three decades and included winning 109 Group One races, and riding 11 Melbourne jockey premierships, his first the 1964-65 season.
In June 1974, Mr Higgins was listed on Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Honours List and was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to horse racing as a jockey.
He rode two Melbourne Cup winners - Light Fingers in 1965, and Red Handed 1967, both being trained by master "Cups King" conditioner Bart Cummings.
Despite a constant battle with his riding weight, Mr Higgins won almost every major race on the Australian racing calendar riding a total of 2312 winners.
Apart from champion mare Light Fingers, and Red Handed, Mr Higgins was associated with other wonderful horses including Gunsynd, Leilani, Storm Queen, Sir Dane and Big Philou.
Coota's winnings boost
SOUTHERN Districts Picnic Race Club at Cootamundra, which is holding its annual meeting on Saturday April 5, has had a prizemoney increase.
Six races are scheduled including the Cootamundra Picnic Cup which had a prizemoney hike to $5000.
Bathurst's tribute
GOOD news that Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing has been again granted its racing licence, as its major Soldiers Saddle meet is scheduled for Anzac day Friday April 25.
The club will pay tribute to the Anzac spirit, as well as having the talent of a Tamworth Country Music Festival category winner, Kaylee Bell for live entertainment.
The seven event race program will be highlighted with the $25,000 Soldiers Saddle, a class three handicap across 1400 metres.
Chisholm Thoroughbreds
WHILE born and educated in Sydney, Bruce Chisholm who died recently at age 86, was a country person who among his interests included breeding and racing Thoroughbreds.
The Chisholm family-acquired Khancoban Station, located in the Snowy Mountains district near Corryong, with Bruce Chisholm at its helm from 1959 to 1994.
As well as producing Khancoban Hereford cattle which were highly sought in a sale's ring, Khancoban Station also bred Thoroughbreds importing Great Britain-bred stallion Comet in the early 1960s.
By French-bred Relic sire Buisson Ardent, Comet stood at Khancoban for 15 years where he sired many winners including Cobbermine, Kelly's Eye and Starglow.
Bruce Chisholm's connection with Thoroughbreds continues today via his daughter Penny Lamont, wife of Stuart Lamont, chairman of the Murrumbidgee Turf Club who is also the principle of Thoroughbred property Kooringal stud at Harefield on the northern side of Wagga Wagga.
Koorginal is home to stallions Alert, Krupt, Zariz and its newest Shrapnel.
A loss for Raheen stud
QUEENSLAND breeding industry lost promising young sire Captain Sonador when the brown horse was euthanased after a freak accident at his home at Raheen stud, Gladfield near Warwick last month.
Being led out of his stable into his yard as part of his normal routine, Captain Sonador decided to rear but landed awkwardly and snapped a hind leg.
Captain Sonador was retired to Raheen in 2011 and proved popular among breeders serving more than 300 mares in the past three seasons.
His first crop yearlings attracted interest at the Magic Millions Gold Coast sale as well as at Inglis' Classic Yearling Sale in January, one of them fetching $75,000.
On the track the son of high profile shuttle sire Sharmardal reached a career high when taking the Australian Jockey Club Epsom Handicap, as well as winning the Listed Goldmarket Handicap at the Gold Coast.
"We are absolutely devastated to lose this sire before he could reach his potential," said Raheen stud manager Basil Nolan.