Unwanted
Take your pick. The headline of today’s column could be applied to Mr Brightside, his sire, Bullbars (Elusive Quality) or his dam Lilahjay (Tavistock). Maybe even all three, simultaneously.
Any way you look at it, it’s accurate, and Mr Brightside proves that rags-to-riches stories are still possible, even in the increasingly expensive business of buying racehorses.
No one knows where the next good horse will emerge from but a worthwhile starting point might begin with popular agent Phill Cataldo, who would appear to have an uncanny knack of uncovering more than a few hidden gems.
One recent example is Sierra Sue (Darci Brahma), purchased for $2,000 as an unbroken two-year-old by Peter Lock. Cataldo discovered her at a trial, sold a majority share to Australian interests and this time last year the mare preceded her Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) victory by taking out the same PB Lawrence Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) as Mr Brightside.
The Bullbars five-year-old’s story really begins in 2013 when his dam, Lilahjay, was sold as a weanling by Cambridge Stud for $1,400. At that time, her sire Tavistock (Montjeu) was yet to have runners as his oldest were yearlings. To purchase a weanling bred by Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan for such a meagre sum is noteworthy in itself. Not exactly wanted.
Lilahjay’s dam, Keepable (Keeper), was tried but unplaced in nine starts. At the time of Lilahjay’s purchase, Keepable had foaled the two-time Singapore winner Cool Luke (One Cool Cat). Her produce record remains unchanged. Cool Luke is still her only winner from five foals, four of which were named. Lilahjay was her last and did not race.
Keepable is a half-sister to two stakes winners including Foxwood (Centaine), the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner against the boys, but beating another very good filly, Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon). At four, Foxwood also bagged the Captain Cook Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
Keepable’s dam is Delia’s Choice, a winning sister to four stakes winners including Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Sovereign Red (Sir Tristram) as well as Gurner’s Lane (Sir Tristram), hero of the 1982 Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) and the 1982 Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m).
Their dam, Taiona (Sovereign Edition), was twice named New Zealand Broodmare of the Year, sharing the title with The Pixie (Mellay) in 1981 then taking the title outright two years later due to the outstanding year enjoyed by Gurner’s Lane.
Obstacle course
Mr Brightside is Lilahjay’s third foal and second winner. Her first, Will Power (Power), has won eight races in Hong Kong. Also with eight wins, Mr Brightside’s path to Saturday meant overcoming several obstacles, beginning with being withdrawn from New Zealand Bloodstock’s May 2018 Weanling Sale. Instead, he was kept until the following year’s May Mixed Sale where Phill Cataldo secured the yearling for $22,000 on behalf of the late Laurie Laxon.
Phoenix Park prepared him as a yearling as well as for the 2019 Ready To Run Sale where he failed to reach his reserve. It wasn’t until late August of 2020 that Mr Brightside again showed up, on Gavelhouse, now gelded yet still with Janine Dunlop of Phoenix Park, who described him as “well made, correct and with a great action.”
Interested buyers were directed to his Ready To Run video, showing that he ran a very respectable 10.91 seconds in his 200-metre breeze-up.
All the info was there, however he was mostly overlooked, even unwanted, and sold for just $7,750 to trainer Ralph Manning who was operating on behalf of Shaun Dromgool, co-breeder Ray Johnson and himself.
On his raceday debut at Matamata in February of 2021 he was most unlucky when denied a run the length of the straight to finish fifth, full of running but with nowhere to go.
Within the space of 13 months, Mr Brightside has overcome these setbacks and has since created a whirlwind, starting his Australian race career with a second at Bendigo, then a sequence of six consecutive wins beginning at Geelong on July 16.
Craig Williams was aboard for the breakthrough and has ridden him in every subsequent start, landing wins at Sandown (twice), Moonee Valley and Flemington before scoring the Seymour Cup (Listed, 1600m) run at Ballarat in October.
Derby Day, 2021, at Flemington, saw him finish a strong fourth in the Cantala Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) behind Superstorm (Sebring) then he was spelled until February of this year.
Resuming in the Elms Stakes (Listed, 1400m), also at Flemington, he finished a good and perhaps unlucky third then was a brave fourth in the Blamey Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m). In the All-Star Mile (1600m) he did not enjoy the best of starts yet put in some big strides when clear for a solid fourth.
With a nice weight advantage in the Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m), Mr Brightside got clear running this time although he was pushed wide rounding into the straight by I’m Thunderstruck (Shocking). He hit a flat spot near the 200-metre mark but lifted strongly from the 100 metres and was very game to the line for his seventh win in a career of 13 starts.
Saturday’s PB Lawrence Stakes success, fresh up and determined in fashion, was career start 14, again showing his desire to get to the line. He never lays down, drawing co-trainer Ben Hayes to comment: “I wish they were all like him. To really knuckle down and stretch out like that is exciting going forward because he wasn’t wound up today.”
He carries nominations for the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m), the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) but it is the latter which is the most likely target, according to Hayes.
Next up is the Feehan Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 3 at which time the decision will be made regarding whether the Caulfield Cup is an option although Hayes believes that 2000 metres is a better progression, adding: “There’s also the $1 million bonus for the Feehan winner into the Cox Plate to consider.”
Promise not reached
Mr Brightside’s sire, Group 3 winner Bullbars (Elusive Quality), found acceptance difficult yet is certainly well-related, being a half-brother to the triple Group 1 winner Helmet (Exceed And Excel) and to dual Group 1 winner Epaulette (Commands).
They earned $1.6 and $1.7 million respectively with Helmet siring a less-than-expected 18 stakes winners to date and Epaulette 17. Helmet reverse shuttled between Australia, Ireland and England, had a brief stint in Germany and is now domiciled in Italy. Epaulette also did dual duty in Australia and Great Britain but was recently sold and is now standing in Turkey.
Bullbars stood for eight seasons at Highview but lost favour with breeders. In his first five covering seasons he averaged 52 mares. The last three, he covered just 42 mares in total.
By comparison to his half-brothers his winners-to-runners ratio stands at 62 per cent, similar to Helmet’s 57 per cent and Epaulette’s 60 per cent. The difference is that Bullbars has sired just 62 winners. Helmet has sired 484 and Epaulette 320.
Numbers matter and with three stakes winners, New Zealand breeders gave up. Yes, he, too, was unwanted, at least here in New Zealand and the stallion is now resident at Orange Court, Pages Flat in South Australia.
Horse of the Year Awards
Breeders have had their big night and now it’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s turn to celebrate, their event due to take place at Claudelands on Sunday, September 4.
Five Flat racing categories plus the prestigious Horse of the Year titles are up for grabs and many outstanding performers will be represented.
Champion Two Year Old nominees (4): Dynastic (Almanzor), Lickety Split (Turn Me Loose), Maven Belle (Burgundy) and Wolverine (Tivaci).
Dynastic burst into calculations with a big win, as a maiden, in the Karaka Million (RL, 1200m) then finished a close second in the Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). He had four starts.
Lickety Split gamely held out Dynastic by a nose in the Sistema Stakes after being headed. She had three starts for two wins.
Maven Belle had five starts for four wins, taking out the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at her third start, ran a close third in the Sistema stakes then bagged the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
Wolverine won her first three races including the Wakefield Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) and the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) then finished second in the Karaka Million and second in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, her only five starts.
Champion Three Year Old nominees (9): Asterix (Tavistock), Belle En Rouge (Burgundy), Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), La Crique (Vadamos), Noverre (Savabeel), Pinarello (Tavistock), Self Obsession (Shocking), Sword Of State (Snitzel) and The Perfect Pink (Savabeel).
Asterix won at his third start then captured the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) in a good staying performance, his only four starts.
Belle En Rouge was consistent during the season, landing four wins including the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). She added the Eight Carat Classic (Gr 2, 1600m), the Eulogy Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m), ran third in the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and shared the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of The Year title.
Imperatriz beat the older mares in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), won the Levin Classic (Gr 1, 1600m) plus the Soliloquy Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) and the Northland Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m). Her eight starts yielded five wins and three placings.
La Crique scored the Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m), the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) and ran a fine second in the New Zealand Derby. She raced eight times for five wins and three placings.
Noverre won the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), the War Decree Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) and was twice placed third in his only four starts for the season.
Pinarello won four of his seven starts including the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Championship Stakes (Gr 2, 2100m).
Self Obsession won three times at Group 2 level, the Ellis Classic (2000m), the Royal Stakes (2000m) and the Lowland Stakes (2000m) plus finished second in the New Zealand Oaks. She shared the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year title.
Sword Of State had six starts for two Group 3 wins, the King’s Plate (1200m), the Almanzor Stakes (1200m) plus finished second in the Gold Coast Guineas (Gr 3, 1200m).
The Perfect Pink won the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas and ran second in the Waikato Guineas (Gr 2, 2000m) from eight starts.
Champion Sprinter-Miler nominees (6): Callsign Mav (Atlante), Entriviere (Tavistock), Levante (Proisir), Mascarpone (Shooting To Win), Roch ‘N’ Horse (Per Incanto) and Two Illicit (Jimmy Choux).
Callsign Mav won the first two legs of the Hastings Triple Crown, namely the Tarzino Trophy (Gr 1, 1400m) and the Windsor Park Plate (Gr 1, 1600m).
Entriviere won two of her eight starts including the Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), the Sheraco Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), ran second in the BCD Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m) and third in the Doomben 10000 (Gr 1, 1200m).
Levante raced five times for three wins, two at Group 1 level, namely the Telegraph (1200m) and the BCD Sprint (Listed, 1400m) and ran second in the Railway Stakes.
Mascarpone won two and was placed five times in seven starts. He won the Otaki WFA Classic (Gr 1, 1600m), the Foxbridge Plate (Gr 2, 1200m) and twice finished Group 1 thirds in the Telegraph and the BCD Sprint.
Roch ‘N’ Horse won the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) (at Flemington) and ran seconds in the Group 1 Telegraph and the Counties Bowl (Listed, 1100m).
Two Illicit won three of her eight starts including the Captain Cook Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and the Red Badge Sprint (Gr 3, 1400m). She was placed in four of her other five starts including third in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.
Champion Middle Distance nominees (4): Coventina Bay (Shamexpress), Probabeel (Savabeel), Savvy Yong Blonk (Savabeel) and Tiptronic (O’Reilly).
Coventina Bay raced nine times and scored two Group 1s, the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and the Bonecrusher Stakes (2000m). Over shorter distances than required for this category she won the Manawatu Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and ran seconds in the Thorndon Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) and the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.
Probabeel won three of her six starts and was once second, all in Australia, including the Caulfield Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). Her second placing was in the Underwood Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m). Three of her races were in races shorter than required for this category, two of which she won, namely the Cockram Stakes and the Bellmaine Stakes, both Group 3 1200m races.
Savvy Yong Blonk won the Livamol Classic (Gr 1, 2000m) from her three starts.
Tiptronic won the Zabeel Classic (Gr 1, 2000m) and was second in the Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2000m) from seven starts. He also finished third at Group 1 level in the shorter-than-required Captain Cook Stakes.
Champion Stayer nominees (3): Concert Hall (Savabeel), The Chosen One (Savabeel) and Uareastar (Jakkalberry).
Concert Hall succeeded in the City of Auckland Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) and ran seconds in the Auckland Cup (Gr 2, 3200m) and the Avondale Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) in eight starts. She added a win in the shorter than required for this category Cal Isuzu Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m).
The Chosen One recorded a second in the Herbert Power (Gr 2, 2400m), third in the Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m) and fifth in the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m). Proving most versatile, he also won the Group 1 Thorndon Mile and twice ran third at Group 1 level over 2000 metres.
Uareastar won two of her seven starts including the Auckland Cup and was fifth in the Wellington Cup (Gr 3, 3200m).
Horse of the Year: Voting is underway and the grand title winner will be found among the above.