Classic results for Needs Further in Tassie

RELATED: 

“I saw the photograph of Northern Myth in The Land, and I wanted to let you know that the horse is raced by some of our [Tottenham Picnic Race Club] committee members, and we are hoping she will be racing at our upcoming races,” Maree said.

The six-event card at the Tottenham Picnic races are on Saturday, March 9, with a free luncheon on offer from 12-1.30pm.  

“Some of the committee members wanted a horse to race at their local meet; that is how Northern Myth came along,” she said.

Acquired in 2017 by legendary Nyngan conditioner Rodney Robb, Northern Myth is raced by Tottenham region farmers Brian Plummer (Maree’s husband), Tony Cook, Russell Adam, Gordon O’Neill, Peter Hewitt, Lesley Hillam, Dan Nicholls, James Lindsay, Stephen Chase and Trundle enthusiast David Simmons.

The five-year-old mare (by deceased Northern Meteor) has rewarded her owners with four wins, her latest at the Bedgerebong Picnics in February.

It may prove to be a festive night at the Tottenham Hotel if Northern Myth salutes in the cup.

Shaun and Liz Nichols of Tasmania, were happy with the result of $55,000 they received for their filly sold at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale at Inveresk Showgrounds at Launceston on February 25.

The Nichols breed a few horses at their Reedy Marsh property “Fairview” (near Devonport) and also race some of them, several of these horses race with a name which includes a prefix of “Sh’bourne”.

The couple’s filly – by Encosta de Lago sire Needs Further - was the first foal of Sh’bourne Spirit, a Group placed winner of 12 races by now deceased Tasmanian stud star Savoire Vivre (by Sadlers Wells).

As did the GB bred Savoir Vivre, Needs Further stands at the Wishaw family’s Armidale Stud (near Carrick) the bay horse being among the top five leading Australian bred sires on the third crop sires’ list in the nation this season.

Armidale Stud also provided the top price at the annual Tasmanian sale when its colt by the Irish bred Melbourne Cup winning sire Fiorente (Monsun), from Savoire Vivre stakes placed mare Love The Moment, fetched $115,000.

Meanwhile in Melbourne the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale was held on March 3-6, with its top price emerging early on Sunday at $800,000 for a colt by Brazen Beau from the unraced O’Reilly mare Up In Lights selling via Mike Fleming’s Bhima Thoroughbreds, Scone. The colt sold to the local Orbis Bloodstock.

Numerous thoroughbred participants will hold fond memories via their “selfies” they had with highly accomplished Australian bred stallion Sebring, but now we have news the chestnut died of a heart attack at his home of Widden Stud.

In recent years Sebring had become a favourite at Widden’s stallion parades each August, the horse on show last with his reward of a bunch of carrots, along with adoring fans having numerous photos taken with the “laid-back” 13-year-old stallion.

Bred by George Altomonte at Corumbene Stud, Dunedoo, Sebring burst onto the racing scene winning Sydney’s first juvenile race of the season, the AJC Breeders’ Plate (LR). He won five of his six starts as a two-year-old, including the ultimate STC Golden Slipper Stakes (G1) and AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes (G1), before finishing second in the AJC Champagne Stakes (G1) at his only racing season.

The son of US bred shuttler More Than Ready went on to sire Golden Slipper performers, classic winners, champion sprinters and weight-for-age stars.   

Already a sire of more than 100 winners this season including seven stakes winners, Sebring was responsible for 52 black type winning gallopers and progeny earnings of more than $67 million in total.

Sebring served 199 mares in 2018. Widden will offer eight (of 33 listed) youngsters at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April.

His legacy will continue via his stud sons including Criterion, Dissident, Sebring Sun, Gold Standard, Hard Asset, and Supido.