The 1970’s gave us a long list of quality horses in Queensland. The decade started with the great horse Tails in full flight, and saw champions like Gunsynd and Dalrello carry the flag against the best the country had to offer. One of the greatest rivalries of the turf was born at that time, and few…
Blog posts
Charlton Boy - A Queensland favourite galloper of the 70's
The real future of Australian breeding
For years now we have heard of how well the Australian thoroughbred is going. Well, certainly we have Black Caviar, but she struggled to beat the best that England has to offer at Ascot. Sure there were excuses, but there will now always be that little question mark as to how superior she is to th…
Pedigree Analysis
There are plenty of people who claim to offer pedigree analysis. In fact, there are plenty of computer programs that will also help you find matings for mares, and a variety of other supposed functions. What do most mean by analysis? They will come up with pedigree ratings and nicks saying that a…
Integrity and Australian Racing
We all know stories of the old characters of the Australian turf. There were rogues that were always after an edge. Sometimes these plunges and scams came off, but other times they didn't. Plenty of the stories became folklore in Australian Racing, but then again so did Ned Kelly. No one today w…
A Small Dose of Red Anchor
During the Spring of 1984, one horse achieved feats that still send chills down my spine. Every now and again, someone will reply the old races and the mighty Red Anchor toys with his opposition. Just how good he was we will never know as he retired to a seemingly stellar stud career. And awaitin…
Elvstroem
I wrote the following piece at the retirement of Elvstroem. In it, I examined some lines that I thought would be most likely to be a success with one of the more high profile retirements in Australia in the last decade. It is important to look back over past successes and failures to see if we are…
Pacemakers a blight on Racing
Frankel's wonderful career came to a close in the Champion Stakes at Ascot. For me, it was a disappointment to see the jockey on Bullet Train manipulate the race. He clearly disadvantaged the performance of the runner up in the race, as well as giving his own mount no chance in the race. Not only…
Black Caviar
This piece was originally written for The Sportsman at a time before Black Caviar had won her first Group 1 race. Rather prophetically, we suggested that she was perhaps headed for greatness, but the comments regarding her pedigree and dosage remain valid.
The impressive filly, Black Caviar conti…
The Golden Slipper and Australia's Leading Sires
Federico Tesio proposed a concept that the English Derby was the race that influenced the breeding of the thoroughbred. In Australia, we need little speculation as just what race it could be that dominates our breeding industry. With the remarkable current success of Redoute’s Choice, the Golden S…
New Website
I am pleased to announce some new websites that we have just launched.
http://progoldthoroughbreds.com is the new home for Progold Thoroughbreds, an Australian based thoroughbred racing consultancy. If you want to know how to select or breed a better horse, you need to talk to Progold Thoroughbreds…
A History of Golden Slipper Winning Stallions - the 1970's
The 1970’s began with a brilliant precocious colt called Baguette winning the Golden Slipper. The decade was one for fillies and geldings, but like the diamond that gave Baguette his name, the colts that won in the 70’s were largely shining lights. Baguette won the Golden Slipper en route to the 2…
Cape Blanco
Irish Derby winner, Cape Blanco has an interesting female family. Parts of this article appeared in The Sportsman.
Cape Blanco is out of a rather unusually bred mare in Laurel Delight. She is by Presidium, a son of General Assembly by Secretariat. Interestingly Presidium is a half brother to th…
Crystal Lily
With last season's Golden Slipper winner, Crystal Lily returning to racing, it is a good time to have a look at her pedigree. Portions of this blog appeared in The Sportsman.
Crystal Lily is by Stratum, a son of Redoute’s Choice. Stratum won the 2005 Golden Slipper beating the fillies Fashions A…
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