Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt/Young and Free)

Career:    19   3-2-1        $653,950.00

06/11/2012 – 1st – Ottawa Stakes (Listed)- Flemington – 1,000m

17/10/2012 – 1st – Debutante Stakes 2YO (Listed) – 1,000m

23/03/2013 – 2nd – Reisling Stakes (Group 2) – 1,200m

A great filly purchased for $95K at Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale for long time stable client Mike Buys. Bought from Todd Lichti, now a friend/client and stable pedigree adviser. I got a bit nervous as the bidding escalated as I told Mike that 60/65 would buy her. At $85K I got on the phone to him, “I bloody love grey horses, just buy it!!” came the reply. Mike then told friend Rob Willis you’re in too.

Both Geri and I loved this filly and had her paraded quite a few times, we asked a friend and well known bloodstock agent for his thoughts and his reply was “not athletic enough”. However we stuck to our guns and the rest is history. 

“Boobs”, her stable name, was the complete package from the first day at the track and possible the most ‘ready made’ horse I have trained. As time went by, Courtney Pace, her work rider grew more and more impressed, although not until she won a Tatura trial did she quote “you don’t always listen to me, but this is the best horse you’ll ever have”. How close to the truth she was. A blistering win in the Debutante Stakes at Caulfield (with some nice bets picked up) was followed by an outstanding gallop at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day in the 2YO Fillies Listed Ottawa Stakes.Unfortunately a respiratory allergy beset her and we struggled to get her to her top again. A trip to Sydney produced a 2nd to Overreach in the Silver Slipper and she ran 7th in the Golden Slipper.

My decision to send to her to Anthony Cummings in Sydney left many stunned but Randwick had a ‘Salt Box’ treatment facility for horses with respiratory ailments and I felt that it was in the horses best interest to have the treatment available. She won the challenge Stakes after going to Anthony but could not maintain her brilliance with the issue she had.

However, not bad – $95K purchase – $650,000 in prizemoney and sale price as a broodmare of $1.1m – Great story – Oh, and the punt!!!!

Anudjawun – (Yamanin Vital/Perceptible)

49 Starts. 2-11-7 $326,285

Only winning 2 races a 1,400m Maiden at Bendigo and a 3000m BM 84 at Moonee Valley along with 11 seconds, 7 thirds including Group placing in Victoria, NSW and Queensland he was a people’s favourite, but a little maligned by some insensitive media (not all). Near misses in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) at Randwick, the Group 3 Lexus Quality (2500m) at Flemington and the Caloundra Cup (2400m) on the Sunshine Coast showcased Anudjawun’s talent against some of the country’s elite stayers.

We loved this bloke, affectionately known as ‘Nudge’ he raced from a 4YO until 9YO. He had two bone chip operations in his racing life and tried his heart out putting in a career best to finish 4th to Americain (with a little luck in the running) in the Moonee Valley Cup. Americain went on to Melbourne Cup glory.

Nudge continued his popularity off the track as Bendigo-based eventing rider Clare Wheatley took him on as an Off The Track Eventing prospect.

But while he may not have lived up to some lofty expectations on the racetrack, the son of Yamamin Vital is showing rider Clare Wheatley enough talent to suggest his career Off the Track may have a few more wins in store.

Nudge, along with ‘Africa’ were two horses put together as staying prospects, not racing until they turned 4YO to give them plenty of time to mature. Both horses names are a story in themselves. Anaudjawun’s name came from the Northern Teriitory where a little Aboriginal boy, counting on his fingers, went ‘a one, a two, a three, a four, a five, anudjawun, anudjawun, anudjawun. Africa was aptly named for ‘Another F***ing Racehorse I can’t Afford’ and was retired a slow Maiden.

Regimental Gal (General Nediym/Hallaya)

Career – 17   –  7-2-4    –   $1,615,350.00

11/01/2003  –  1st   – Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO – 1,200m

09/08/2003  –  1st  –  San Domenico (Group 2) – 1,000m – Randwick

23/08/2003  –  1st  –  Silver Shadow (Group 2) – 1,200m – Randwick

06/09/2003  –  2nd –  Furious (Group 3) –  1,400m  – Randwick

08/02/2004  –  1st  –  Lightning (Group 1) – 1,000m  – Flemington

06/03/2004  –  3rd   – Newmarket (Group 1)  – 1,200m  – Flemington

20/03/2004 – 1st  –  Australia Stakes (Group 1) 1,200m – Moonee Valley

Very early days. 2002 Magic Millions Sales. I had been in Toowoomba for 2 years having had a little success. We were keen to test our eye’s on a first season sire and General Nediym was one of those fitting our thoughts. Geri and I did a lot of leg work and settled on the Hallaya filly, a real stunner, well muscled and seemingly out of our price range for such a quality, good looking horse. $16.5K later we were ecstatic. A syndicate of 4 Toowoomba business men took 55% and between family, friends, a couple of ‘lucky’ Aussie Asian fellows and their accountant we filled the ownership. (Geri still swears on the luck of the Chinese.)

The filly was a very tough racehorse from day one. At an early 2YO jumpout over 600m with Kristy Banks on board she showed us her potential. We had offers of $120K for her on the strength of that one jumpout which really emphasised her quality. Winning 3 from her first 4 starts this culminated in an all the way win in the 2003 2YO Magic Millions with a young apprentice, Michael Rodd, on board. It gave us an unimaginable thrill (and me a terrible hangover the next morning!). Missing the Winter ‘Reggie’ blitzed “Spark Of Life’ ($1.90 fav) in the San Domenico at Randwick. This win along with Miss Leonidas’ brilliant 6 length win at Moonee Valley are the two most emphatic and satisfying performances in my training career. They defined both the horses as top class racehorses. Reggie going on to win 2 Group 1’s. She was an amazing horse to a lot of people and gave us the ride of our lives. Unfortunately, like most great 2YO’s she eventually succumbed to unsoundness issues and was retired as a 5YO. 

Not Bad – $1,615,350.00 in winnings and sold for $800,000.00 as a brood mare. Plus the punt for many loyal supporters. (They know who they are!!)

Don’t Tell Clang

25 Starts. 4-1-2 $170,150

26/03/2005 – 1st – Adrian Knox (Gr3) – Randwick – 2,000m

Another filly we acquired after she had ‘no joy’ as a 2YO. Being by Clang (same sire as Calaway Gal – 2003 Slipper winner). Unfortunately this win prompted too many owners and trainers of Clang’s progeny to race them as 2YO’s (one swallow doesn’t make a summer) which, as time proved, they weren’t. Clang was by Bellotto and had a pedigree leaning to middle distance and up. His Derby winning son ‘Clangalang’ proved this both as a racehorse and a sire.

Don’t Tell Clang was also able to win two races in Queensland before I sent her to Sydney for my third year in a row to race in the Adrian Knox (Gr3) a 3YO Fillies race. There is quite a twist to this story as one of my trackwork rider’s at the time was Dominique Nutley, (a very competent rider). I asked her if she would like to go with the horse not thinking for a moment she would accept but it turned out that her brother was playing for Cronulla in Sydney at the time and she jumped at the chance to go. My confidence took a dive when the scheduled two hour stopover at Coffs Harbour turned into eight. However she arrived in surprisingly good order and Dom reported that she was ready to go!! Jockey ‘Digger’ McLennan who had been booked 10 days previously couldn’t make the weight. Danny Nicolic and Steven King had planes to catch so young rider George Scimone was legged up. The young boy rode a ‘peach’ of a ride on a heavy track to boot her home by 2 lengths. Great story and result especially for the stable followers who got the juicy odds of 70/1.

Crianca – (Woodman/Supermodel)

16 Starts. 4-1-1 $308,700

19/04/2003 – 1st – Adrian Knox (Gr3) – Randwick – 2,000m

A $20K yearling purchase at Karaka for good client Kev Thompson. An exceptional chestnut filly who grew into a very athletic racehorse winning her first start easily, at good odds, at Doomben. As a 3YO she won her first 2 runs back at Ispwich over 1,350m and 1,666m. Not to be put off by a subsequent defeat at Doomben we sent her to Sydney for the 3YO Fillies Classic, The Adrian Knox (Gr3) Stakes. A great lead up run at Kembla Grange 2 1/2 weeks prior finishing 4th in a 1,600m Fillies Listed race had her ready. A good wet tracker she found the slow track to her liking and led all the way to win by 3 lengths at 40/1 after a superb Greg Childs ride.

As with a lot of the 3YO Fillies she failed to win another race. A good money earner though as she earned over $300,000.00 in prizemoney. In a sad end she died in a paddock accident before going to stud.