Mandela’s Group 1 moment ‘overwhelming’ for Tasmanian breeder Gunn
Brother to Brunton’s stakes-winning sprinter likely to be offered at Melbourne Premier Sale
Mandy Gunn admits that her trusted adviser, Blue Gum Farm’s Chris Kent, is likely to get his way with the Tasmanian breeder set to accede to his request and offer the brother to tomorrow’s Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) contender Mandela Effect (Turffontein) at a mainland sale next year.
The Motree Thoroughbreds proprietor, a staunch supporter of her home state Magic Millions sale each February, says the ongoing uncertainty caused by the coronavirus and what restrictions will be in place next year meant she was likely to keep the colt in Victoria.
Gunn sold Mandela Effect’s sister at the Tasmanian Yearling Sale earlier this year for $80,000, the second highest-priced lot at the Launceston auction.
“(Mandela Effect’s part-owner) Andrew Scanlon bought her and I’ve actually retained a share in that one,” Gunn told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“She’s been broken in and the breaker really likes her, so that’s good, and I’ve got a full-brother to Mandela Effect, a black colt, at Blue Gum.”
Gunn revealed she would reluctantly leave the eye-catching yearling at Phil Campbell’s Euroa property to be prepared for the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale but she will still be supporting her local auction next year.
“I think Chris might have won this year because we’re so up in the air with Tasmania,” she said.
“To bring him back here and then if it’s an online sale or something, it’s not worth all the disruption. I think we’ll head to Inglis with him just because of Covid really.
“I think all you can do is breed the stock and present them. It would be lovely if we could have a live sale in Tasmania, but if that’s not possible, I guess our prep will be a lot shorter and it’ll be an online presentation.
“It’s not ideal circumstances for the industry at the moment but the industry still seems to be going along well.”
There is no suggestion, at this stage, that the Tasmanian sale will not be conducted as a live auction.
Meanwhile, Mandela Effect, a three-time stakes winner in Tasmania who is trained by Scott Brunton, has drawn barrier two in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes with Craig Newitt taking the ride.
Newitt was on board the six-year-old, who has been victorious in 12 of his 24 starts, when the gelding ran fifth in the Chandler Macleod Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 5.
The fact Mandela Effect has graduated to Group 1 level was not lost on Gunn when she was contacted this week.
“You make me cry – it’s overwhelming. It’s very, very exciting,” she said.
“Banca Mo ran in a Group 1 for me up in Brisbane once and I still have his saddle cloth from that day, but I bought him, so to actually be able to breed a horse that’s running in a Group 1 is really significant for us.”
Mandela Effect’s dam Morell (West Quest) is in foal to Blue Gum Farm resident sire Manhattan Rain (Encosta De Lago) and Gunn has her tentatively booked into Sun Stud’s Magnus (Flying Spur) this year.
As well as producing Mandela Effect, she is also the mother of the talented Brunton-trained Galenus (Magnus), a winner of three of his four starts, who came under the attention of Hong Kong buyers after his last-start victory at Cranbourne in May.
“She’s a mare that takes 12 months foal and because she’s a late cover, she’s due October 28, but honestly it will probably foal to November 28,” the breeder said.
“She just holds onto them for that long. We know her now and that’s what happens. If she has a foal in late October it will be a huge shock and she’ll probably head off to Magnus for a late cover, but I’d say she definitely won’t foal until the third or fourth week of November, so I’d say she’ll be having a year off.
“We’ve given up worrying about her because she then goes on and produces a lovely foal.”
The Motree Thoroughbreds broodmare band has expanded to more than 20 – twice as many as Kent suggests she should have – and Gunn admits she’s gone a bit “mad” after a run of success but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She supports a range of studs and stallions with her mares, with Rosemont’s Shamus Award (Snitzel), Blue Gum’s Turffontein (Johannesburg), Sun Stud’s Magnus and Fiorente (Monsun), Spendthrift Australia’s shuttlers Vino Rosso (Curlin) and Omaha Beach (War Front) as well as Overshare (I Am Invincible), Swettenham’s Highland Reel (Galileo) and Darley pair Impending (Lonhro) and Holler (Commands).
Gunn is also sending a mare to Twin Hills’ Hallowed Crown (Street Sense) at Cootamundra in NSW and home-state sires Alpine Eagle (High Chaparral), Stratosphere (Snitzel), Mawingo (Tertullian) and Zululand (Fastnet Rock).
She employs a similar strategy when placing her horses with various trainers throughout Tasmania.
“It’s good to share it around and it’s also good if your horses can perform because then it’s not just one person who’s getting the most out of them,” Gunn added.