TASMANIAN RACEHORSE
0WNERS’ ASSOCIATION
APRIL, 2013
Included in this issue are the following:
TROA MEMBERSHIP
TASMANIAN OWNER/BREEDER
A TOUCHING STORY
SUMMER RACING
SUCCESS FOR SMALL TRAINER
TASMANIAN YEARLING SALE
BREEDING YOUR FIRST THOROUGHBRED
THOROUGHBREDS FOR SALE
TROA WEBSITE
TROA MEMBERSHIP
TRO Annual Membership runs from 1st July to 30th June.
Join NOW and receive over 2 months
additional membership
Single membership $50 per year
Double membership $75.00 per year
Application form enclosed
Benefits of Membership include:
-
Free entry to Hobart races (even if you do not have a runner) except
on major race day
10% discount on cartage with Tasmanian Horse Transport
10% discount with Hyland colours
5% discount on equine products from all Roberts stores statewide
Discounts at OAMPS insurance
Inclusion on mailing list for quarterly Newsletter
Contact any of the following Committee Members
if you need further information:
Alison Archer (Chairperson) 0408357359 – David Adams (Vice-Chairman) 0419241445 – Elizabeth
Long (Treasurer) 0438602123 – Peter Maczi 62434163 – Alan Davidson -417922933 – Linda Hay
0407879767 – David Evans 0412816353 – Alan Howard 0418 132541 – Debbie Thompson
0417396687.
FOR SALE
If Members of TROA have thoroughbreds for sale, be they foals, weanlings, two year
olds (or older) including brood mares, they can advertise in this Newsletter for a
small fee.
Remember the Newsletter is circulated to owners so you will be advertising to a
receptive audience.
TASMANIAN OWNERs/BREEDERs
In this issue we highlight the contribution the late David Yaxley made to the racing industry in
Tasmania.
David was considered one of the most successful Tasmanian thoroughbred owners of the 1980’s and
90’s.
One of his first (if not first) winners was Sender Burglar, bred by Dr. Sender and sired by Burglar,
which was trained by Maurie Long at Mowbray.
In 1979 David purchased a filly by prominent sire Convamore which he named Convatrice. She
achieved only one win in 16 starts. After being joined to St. Briavels, one of Tasmania’s leading
stallions at the time, she produced a filly who did not race, missed the next season before producing a
colt who would race as Sydeston. Convatrice produced another four foals, three of whom were
winners but not in the same league as Sydeston. One of these foals. Donvetrice, a daughter of
Blessington, was a winner in Melbourne and David kept her to breed with. She had seven foals to
race for as many winners
The only one of her foals David kept to breed with was Donvamore, a daughter of Rubiton who was
also a winner in Melbourne. In her first two years at stud she went to young Nureyev stallion King
Charlemagne which produced Charlemore and Princess Gisella
David built up his racing numbers by breeding, as mentioned above, and purchasing six or seven
weanlings yearly from interstate. When purchasing these weanlings he was helped and advised by
his good friend Bob Hoystead with whom he had a long association. He would then send his young
horses to his property on the Don Heads to “grow out” as he was convinced the Don red soil was an
ideal place to do this. He had a very professional approach to growing and managing horses to get
the best out of them.
When ready Royston Carr would handle and break in all his young horses. At this time Royston was
working full time as a horse breaker at Carrick House before moving to Armidale Stud and then later
Hobart. When Royston felt they were ready to go into work they would join the stables of Len Dixon.
Len’s son in law, Pat Allen, was usually the first rider to take them on the track.
Len trained most of his horses during an era when Yaxley regularly won the state’s leading owner
award. Their big race winners included Formal Address, Group Decision, Don Raider, Don Belletto,
Party Game, Donvertrice, Dame Kingston, Valid Comment, Night Shower, Musical Game and River
Don. David also had success with several other trainers including Barry Campbell, Terry Courtney
and, in later years, Charlie Goggin (who still has some of David’s horses).
By far his most successful horse was Sydeston who won the Caulfield Cup. Whilst in Victoria
Sydeston was trained by Bob Hoystead and it was great to see these two old friends share such
success.
David used mainly Armidale sires over his mares and took great pride in his breeding operations.
He was a very successful businessman whose advice was valued by fellow racing participants but,
despite his business acumen, he remained a very private person. He seldom gave interviews or
chased publicity and rarely attended race meetings in Victoria even when Sydeston was at the height
of his powers and beating the best horses in the land.
He was involved in racing administration being Chairman of the Devonport Racing Club during its
heyday and was one of the first people to introduce Limousin cattle to Tasmania.
His contribution and influence on racing in this State is recognised by all in the industry. The way he
managed horses was extremely meticulous - from their birth onwards – and this characteristic was
admired by all who came in contact with him.
Sire of Sydeston
A TOUCHING STORY
A namesake of the wonderful Australian racehorse “Reckless” received notoriety off the racetrack.
The Marines had bought Reckless from a Korean racetrack to serve them as a pack animal. They
trained her to step over communication lines, get down when there was incoming fire and ignore the
sounds of battle. In 1953, during the fight to retake an outpost called “Vegas”, Reckless was called
on to make 51 trips on her own, without any Marine accompanying her. Weighed down with
ordnance, she travelled over thirty five miles through artillery barrages that were exploding at the rate
of 500 rounds per minute.
During these trips she carried over 9,000 pounds of ammunition to troops who had been cut off from
their lines.
During one such trip, Reckless shielded four Marines who were moving up to the front line. She was
wounded twice during the battle, but that didn’t stop her. Eventually she was retired to Camp
Pendelton in Southern California where she was promoted to Staff Sergeant in recognition of her
service. At the ceremony during her promotion, there was a 19-gun salute and 1700 troops paraded
by to honour her.
TROA WEBSITE
tasmanianracehorseowners.com
SUMMER RACING
Tasmanian Summer racing has been exciting and plentiful for racegoers at the three venues of
Hobart, Launceston and Devonport.
The Hobart Cup of 2400 m was won in fine style by the light weighted mainlander Hurdy Gurdy
Man with locals The Cleaner and Geegees Blackflash coming in second and third. Geegees
Blackflash went on to score in the Launceston Cup in fine style.
Other horses that achieved during the year included:
Mister John – winner of the Tasmanian Guineas
The Cleaner – winner of the Summer Cup
Settlers Joy – winner of the Thousand Guineas
Arenzano – winner of the 3 YO Vase and 3 YO Cup
Green Roller – winner of the Strutt Stakes
Youthful Jack – winner of the Thomas Lyons Handicap
Punctuate – winner of the Goodwood Handicap
Terra Amata – winner of the Carbine Club Trophy
Ollie’s Gold – winner of the Tasmanian Derby
Fieldmaster – winner of the 2013 Devonport Cup
What Life Brings - winner of the Hobart Guineas
CONGRATUALATIONS TO RODNEY SEYMOUR on his recent successes. Rod, who
only trains two or three horses at a time, has had wins with both Another Lad Al and Staples Gee
Gee.
Another Lad Al is owned by Paul Christian. Paul was a friend of the late Alistair McLeod, son of
popular Tasmanian racing identities Graeme and June McLeod, and decided to name this horse after
his old friend. Rod has had 2 seconds and a win (over 2100 metres) with this horse which has been a
thrill to all involved.
Staples Gee Gee, owned by Paul and Elizabeth Geard, has notched up 2 seconds and 2 wins (albeit
one a dead heat over 2100 metres) under the stewardship of Rod.
Rod has done a great job with these two horses whom he has in beautiful condition and we wish him
well for the future.
A GUIDE TO OWNING A RACEHORSE
This may be “preaching to the converted” but we have recently received a publication from
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia covering the many and varied aspects of owning a racehorse.
Readers can obtain a copy by contacting a Committee member.
Some good buys in recent years, mentioned in the publication, include:
Purchase Price
Prizemoney to 22/11/12
Takeover Target
$1,250
$6,081,567
Banco Mo
$2,100
$ 183,820
Didnotcostalot
$3,000
$ 127,700
Sincero
$8,000
$1,730,975
Happy Trails
$11,000
$1,209,350
Shoot Out
$15,000
$2,963,950
Littorio
$15,000
$2,508.475
Whobegotyou
$19,500
$3,263,450
Looks and Sounds easy!!!!
* * * * *
And wouldn’t it be nice to have a brave little filly like Miracles of Life. Hers is a wonderful story and
proves the most unlikely horse can become a true champion. She won her first three races by a
combined 18 3/4 lengths before winning the prestigious Blue Diamond Stakes in February with ease.
TIT BITS
Did you know you can tell if a horse is cold by feeling behind its ears. If that area is cold, so is the
horse.
A horse has approximately 205 bones.
Horses lie down only about 43.5 minutes a day
TASMANIAN YEARLING SALE
A former Tasmanian, John Blacker, purchased the top priced yearling at this year’s Tasmanian
Yearling Sales. The filly, by Snitzel out of the Delago Brom mare Butzie was offered by
Armidale Stud on behalf of breeder Rob Dixon. The filly made $50,000. 126 yearlings were for
sale and results were up slightly on 2012.
SALE STATS: (2012 IN BRACKETS)
Lots catalogued 136 (115)
Sale gross $1,140.750 ($1,024.500)
Average Price: $12,226 ($11,6421)
Median price: $10,000 ($7,000)
Top price: $55,000 ($60,000)
Lots sold: 93 (89)
Lots withdrawn: 10 (4)
Lots passed in: 33 (23)
sold: 74% (789%)
BREEDING YOUR FIRST RACEHORSE
AND GETTING IT TO THE TRACK
The worries and pleasure of breeding your own mare and thrill of the resultant foal are
terrific. Sometimes there are hurdles, small and big, on the way.
-
Firstly, what you considerer a compatible stallion has to be chosen.
The mare then has to be transported to the stud where the
sire is standing.
-
Hopefully, she will be in foal after the first service but, if not, this
procedure can go on for several months . If she doesn’t get in foal the
first season she returns home after an expensive exercise of transport,
agistment, vet fees, etc. At least she has had a nice holiday (although
expensive)!
-
If she does prove positive in foal – excitement! But then you can
receive a call saying there are two embryos with the suggestion
that one should be aborted. Okay. You just hope the second one does
not abort also during the procedure.
-
Finally, she arrives home, confirmed in foal, and you look forward to a
nice easy pregnancy for your mare.
-
During the next eleven months you worry she is not putting on enough
condition or she is putting on too much condition!! Oh dear. Then you worry
the horse she is running with is being too “bossy” and may kick the growing foal.
-
At about 10 months into the pregnancy you start looking for signs of birth as
gestation can vary between 305 and 395 days (average 340 days).
-
Finally, after she has gone about two weeks over the due date wax appears on
her teats and she appears a little restless and you think hey, presto here we
go. No, nothing happens for days and you start worrying again! After countless
times a day checking you go out 5 minutes after the last check and guess what?
A beautiful baby horse is being cleaned by its mum. Looks as though it could
be a Melbourne Cup winner!
Mare and foal by Jacqueline Stanhope
-
You wonder how “all” those long spindly legs ever fitted in – or came out! The
mare cleans and then she gets to work (hopefully!) on getting her baby up
and encouraging it to have its first drink. Sometimes the mare (especially
maiden mares) need help as they seem a bit bemused by this little thing
tottering around and trying to head towards her bag. The first milk contains
colostrum so the foal should drink as soon possible. Phew, it’s started drinking
and its mother is content to let it do so. Next worry! It is imperative that its
bowels function within 3 hours of birth.
-
As the little one starts to thrive (thankfully) and starts running around care
needs to be taken there are no holes or dangers for its stick legs to get caught in!
and then you start looking and wonder if that leg is turning in or the other one
out and if it is parrot mouthed, if it is down on its pasterns, etc., etc.
-
As the months go by it grows like a little mushroom and then it is time for
weaning, Oh, that is going to be traumatic! You just hope both the
mare and foal survive it all unscathed.
-
Your “teenager” is then turned out with other weanlings and learns to mix, make
friends and play. Fingers crossed, no injuries are sustained during this
“being a horse” phase. And, as it is growing, much plentiful feed must be available.
A drought”! Oh well, buy in some feed! More expenditure.
-
The gorgeous baby foal has now developed into a Prince or Princess (in your
eyes, anyway) and is nearly a year old and needs to be mouthed and
handled. With luck and good management all goes well.
-
After this back to the paddock for more horsing around and growing. And
watching and caring.
-
Next step is for this now magnificent young horse (better looking than any
other!) is to be broken in to the saddle. Then out to the paddock again
before going in for its first preparation as a racehorse.
-
Not all are mature enough to race during this first prep. And many go shin sore
so out to the paddock again.
-
When the first race appears on the horizon and your “baby” has been
through all the preparations you begin to get a little
excited and a little nervous. It’s getting nearer and the trainer says its
fit and working well and then a jockey has to be decided upon. Oh dear! We
hope he is placid and kind to the little horse and understands if it does a
few strange things at its first outing. Being on a race track, for the first time,
with lots of others horses is quite nerve racking for any young thoroughbred.
-
It didn’t win – but it should have! It got left at the barrier, it got interfered with,
didn’t keep its momentum up, looked around, hung in , hung out
needed more distance, needed to mature and should be good as a 3 YO!!
-
Despite all the pitfalls that can occur when breeding your own horses it is well
worth the risks if you can manage to rear it safely to adulthood. It is a wonderful
experience and results in a rapport that both you and the horse treasure.
If you are considering it – do it!
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT JOINED TROA
WE REQUEST YOU GIVE THE MATTER
SERIOUS CONSIDERATION AS THIS IS THE
ONLY VOICE OWNERS HAVE TO EXPRESS
THEIR POINT OF VIEW.
TASMANIAN RACEHORSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION