The majority of studs have a heartrending story among abundant stress-free deliveries at this time of the year. The foaling barn doesn’t discriminate between champion mares and those that retired without any fanfare. Neither do vets or stud hands on foal duty.
Gold Front Thoroughbreds
Breera-based Gold Front Thoroughbreds celebrated the arrival of an Awesome Rock full-sister to G2 WATC Derby winner Awesome John on August 2, however, their mare Alta Sull’Amore (Sepoy) died on the weekend after foaling a colt by Sessions.
“It’s very sad to lose a mare like that,” Gold Front’s Sue Olive said. “We sent out a request for a foster mare and they’re bonding…so far so good.”
Farewell filly by Winning Rupert
Robbie Gardiner and his daughter Rikki have welcomed this filly from the last crop of Winning Rupert (Written Tycoon) in West Pinjarra. Her dam Rain Lily (Akeed Mofeed) is an unraced full-sister to Adelaide black-type mare Raging Queen.
The filly’s new-season 2yo half-sister by Aysar was purchased by Mark Grantham and Byerley Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Winter Sale in June. The family goes back to Nullabor (Military Plume) who won the LR Ascot Stakes (1000m) on debut as an odds-on favourite for trainer Marcus Forrest in 1993.
Ruby Racing & Breeding
“This lovely Spirit of Boom filly was safely delivered by the wonderful team at Willow Park Stud,” the O’Bree family posted on Facebook Her dam Thesecondatportsea (Churchill) scored a running double at Doomben and Eagle Farm and her younger half-sister Earthstorm (Calyx) was runner-up to Bustling (Frosted) in the G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) of 2024.
A Ruby Racing-bred graduate, Earthstorm was recently sold for $155,000 as a racing and breeding prospect to Vahala Racing Stables. Second-dam Bombay (Encosta de Lago) was a $30,000 buy for Bridie O’Bree from Coolmore Stud at the 2021 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale when she was carrying Earthstorm.
Ridgeport Farm
Sunny winter days, glowing mums and bouncing babies. What’s not to like about this time of year? This beautiful Playing God colt from Express Time (War Chant) arrived safely and is everything and more you could wish for. In short, we are chuffed with a capital C.
Ridgeport Farm’s first Playing God foal from Express Time is a filly and she sold for $300,000 to Neville Parnham at the Perth Magic Millions in February. Their dam won 11 races and earned minor black-type while banking over $360,000 for a Parnham stable syndicate.
Send landscape images to: karlo@bigpond.net.au
