In recent years the Australian export market has become a vital component of the New Zealand Standardbred industry, providing harness racing owners here with a chance to on-sell all grades of horses and to keep their finances in good shape.
Good horses like Cardigan Bay, Stella Frost, Young Quinn and Robin Dundee lead the way in promoting the southern part of the South Island and over the years, thousands of horses have left the area to race in Australia.
Some are purchased at the yearling sales but the majority are purchased in Southland by agents or privately through the trainers.
In recent times the Southern Bred Southern Reared flag has been flown by horses like Themightyquinn, Smiling Shard, Field Marshal, Arden Rooney, Highview Tommy, Iraklis, Chicago Bull, Sokyola, Holmes D G, Washakie and Beaudiene Boaz all of whom won major races in both New Zealand or Australia, each winning over $1,000,000.00 in stakes.
Records show that Themightyquinn was Australia’s leading stake earner in 2011 ($619,360), 2012 ($1,250,060) and 2013 ($941,360).
In recent times horses such as Chicago Bull, Beaudiene Boaz and (My) Field Marshal have kept the SBSR name to the fore in Australia.
My Field Marshal and another SBSR horse Galactic Star quinellaed last Friday’s Group One $300,000 Fremantle Cup at Gloucester Park. Horses from the southern region of New Zealand have dominated this race in the last few years with Chicago Bull winning in 2017 and Beaudiene Boaz in 2016.
Let’s have a closer look at some the horses flying the SBSR flag in Australia.
Chicago Bull has been a real revelation in Western Australia. He was bred by John, Katrina, Roger and Helen Price of Winton and won he two races as a two year old before he headed to Perth and took up residency at Gary Hall Senior’s stable. His size put a few buyers off but not Hall, who’s judgement that size doesn’t matter is proving to be a big windfall.
He won thirteen of his first sixteen starts there and has started in twenty seven Group races in his sixty one start racing career.
In total he has won $1,820,709, his biggest wins being the Group One $300,000 Fremantle Cup and the $450,000 West Australia Cup, within seven days of each other.
Having won a total of three Group One races, he’s never finished further back than fourth in his 54 starts in Australia. The Bettor’s Delight six year old has a best mile time of 1-51.6 and no doubt there’s more to come.
Chicago Bull’s impressive lifetime record is: 61-40-8-8 $1,820,709
Chicago Bull
(My) Field Marshal is another Southern Bred Southern Reared racehorse flying the flag at the highest level in Australia. He was bred by Syd and Shona Brown of Mosgiel.
By Art Major out the eighteen win Washington VC mare Foreal he’s also tasted Group One success in Australia winning the 2005 NSW Oaks and the Ladyship Mile, both at Harold Park.
Field Marshal’s biggest win came in last season’s $750,000 Miracle Mile which he won in 1-46.9. This was the seventh fastest mile time in the world at that time and Field Marshal is still the fastest pacer in Australasia.
In New Zealand he also won the 2016 Four Year Old Emerald worth $150,000, the New Zealand Messenger Championship ($100,000), The Taylor Mile in 2016 and the Superstar Championship.
He continues to race well in well in Australia, recently winning the $300,000 Group One Fremantle Cup in Perth.
Lifetime record for Field Marshal is: 61-26-15-6 $1,324,712 (15th January 2019)
(My) Field Marshal
Galactic Star was bred by Peter and Dan Cummings and their sister Julie Davie. By Bettor’s Delight out of their Christian Cullen mare Petra’s Star, he was purchased by Browns trainer Des Baynes for the Test Syndicate for $16,000.
He raced in the south for one season as a three year old winning four of his thirteen starts. He was then sold and exported to Australia where he’s won another twenty races including a heat of the Interdominions at Gloucester Park last season.
He’s won or has been placed in a number of Group races and his career earnings are $385,235. He’s recorded a best lifetime mile rate of 1-52.0. He recently competed in the Interdominion Championships and finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd in his three heats before running 6th in the Grand Final.
He has now won 25 races and banked $465,335 (15th January 2019).
Galactic Star
Bred by the late Bessie Dynes, Tact Tate had one season of racing in the south for Winton trainer Trevor Procter before heading across the ditch.
He’s won twelve races in Australia including the $100,000 Group One Bohemia Crystal FFA at Menangle, the Group Two Treuer Memorial at Bankstown and the $100,000 Group One Four Year Old Bonanza at Melton.
The seven year old by McArdle has won $348,138. He has high speed, and given the right run there could be more big races in this gelding.
His lifetime record is: 46-15-3-5 $348,138.
Tact Tate
Aged gelding Maximan is a very good example of how SRSB stock have plenty of longevity.
The Armbro Operative gelding was bred by Ian Bennett who raced him out of Craig Laurenson’s Edendale stable. From fourteen starts he won three races for Laurenson and was placed second five times before he was sold and transferred to Jim Curtin’s stable. He won the 2013 Westport Cup and two more wins earned him the West Coast $5,000 bonus. He was sold to Australia and this ninety start veteran has now collectively won twenty three races, paced a mile in 1-51.4, and banked $324,909.
Maximan
Back on this side of the Tasman the Southern Bred Southern Reared brand has also been winning races.
The Tuapeka Lodge bred Bonnie Joan has kept the Cummings breed to the fore. She’s won ten races in a relatively light career; seven as a three year old, including the Southland Oaks. She ran second in both the Nevele R Fillies Final and New Zealand Oaks, both Group One races. Last season as a four year old she won the North Island Breeders Stakes and Premier Mares Championship.
Bonnie Joan
The emergence of quality filly Mossdale Art also highlights a breed that Northern Southland breeder Neil Timms developed and raced over the years.
This side of the family continues to bring success to Cromwell breeder Archie Affleck who races Mossdale Art. Mossdale Art won her last two starts and has cleared maiden company by running 1609 metres in 1-52.5 at Winton.
Mossdale Art
It’s clear there are plenty of flag flyers on both side of the Tasman keeping the Southern Bred Southern Reared brand in front of potential buyers and I suspect there are plenty more green and black flags to be hoisted yet.
Bruce Stewart