Seven days in … breeding - On show and on parade

In this edition:

The stallion parades may give the illusion that it’s about stud farms having another opportunity to convince breeders to send an extra mare or two their way under the guise of top-shelf hospitality.

And that’s certainly a motivation, but the weekend just gone is far more important to studmasters than just selling another nomination to one of their stallions.

It’s also a chance for Hunter Valley farms to sell the virtues of the industry to a wider audience by showing what goes on behind those flashy gates and beyond the manmade lakes and manicured lawns.

The Hunter Valley studs, as other farms around the country have done, threw open the gates to breeders, interested parties, media and increasingly to the general public at the region’s annual late August stallion parade weekend.

The communities of Scone and neighbouring towns are well versed on the economic contribution the thoroughbred industry makes to the region, but there are still segments who aren’t exposed or ignorant to its importance.

It’s not a cheap exercise to put on for the farms – some run well into six figures in terms of cost – but many now see it as their duty to showcase what they do as that dreaded phrase “social licence” hovers in the distance.

As such, some are even considering expanding what they do and how they do it next year for the greater good.

Politicians visited some of the parades at the weekend, including Coolmore’s, and their attendance at the event can’t be understated. When it comes to MPs being able to lobby racing’s case in Parliament at both a state and federal level, it’s much easier to prosecute if they have knowledge and experience to fall back on.

From start-ups such as Riverstone Lodge, to international giants Coolmore, Kia Ora and Darley, commercial success stories Arrowfield, Newgate and Vinery as well as Kitchwin, the family run Yarraman Park and Widden Stud, 17km off the beaten track with a history like no other, this week’s Rowe On Monday reflects on the annual Hunter shindig.

Rowe On Monday

Stallion star power and Hunter hospitality, more success for Mongolian owner

A stallion parade, particularly in a setting such as Coolmore’s on a Sunday afternoon, is a great place for healthy debate about all manner of things industry related including the respective merits of various sires.

What is the best year to send a mare to a stallion was one such topic of discussion as the sun was setting across the Hunter Valley, with many points of view offered.

Bren O’Brien set about trying to answer the question in this week’s Run The Numbers.

Run The Numbers

Is the first crop the deepest?

In breaking news, three-time Group 1-winning mare Sunshine In Paris, who was bought at auction for $3.9 million in 2023 as a late season three-year-old by agent James Harron for John Camilleri, has been retired to stud after sustaining an injury at trackwork on Tuesday.

She will join Camilleri’s select Fairway Thoroughbreds broodmare band at Segenhoe Stud in time for this year’s breeding season and in doing so ending what was to be a campaign aimed at a second shot at The Everest.

The Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Sunshine In Paris has proven to be a shrewd purchase, having banked $5.58 million in prize money when racing for her new owner, and Camilleri will no doubt give her every opportunity to succeed in the next chapter of her career by sending her to the best stallions available in Australia and possibly overseas.

Also announced on Tuesday were a range of initiatives to be undertaken by Tasracing, the state government and Magic Millions they collectively hope will stimulate the breeding and ownership segments of the market.

As well as an additional $1 million in TasBred bonuses up for grabs, Magic Millions has agreed to a five-year extension of its contract to run the annual Tasmanian Yearling Sale.

‘More viability, more sustainability’

$1 million TasBred boost heads incentives designed to reinvigorate Tassie industry

The Racing Australia board will meet next Tuesday where the Pattern is set to be top of the agenda, but The Straight reports that there won’t be a consensus reached between the Principal Racing Authorities on a way forward at the September meeting.

We could devote many more paragraphs to what has, hasn’t and is happening with the national black-type calendar, but we’ll leave it to the story below for now.