27/05/15
Very rarely in mainstream media in the thoroughbred racing industry do you see a negative breeding story, as particularly where breeding is concerned, it’s best that it’s all kept positive. But sadly the facts and realities are that in Australia – and in particular in Queensland – there are a plethora of stallions that are no hope of improving the thoroughbred gene pool. In fact it’s my considered opinion that a large percentage of stallions currently standing in the State of Queensland should have been gelded a hell of a long time ago.
If ever the Queensland thoroughbred breeding industry needed to stand back and smell the roses and take a real good hard look at itself – let me assure them – “now is the right time”.
Last Saturday, Doomben 10,000 day, really reinforced just how bad the Queensland thoroughbred racing industry is going. Of the nine races that were run on the day, on one of Queensland racing’s biggest showcase race days of the year, just one winner was trained in Queensland.
The simple facts on the matter are these. On Doomben 10,000 day last Saturday after scratchings there were 119 starters across the nine races. Of the 119 starters some 57, or 47.90%, were either 1) trained in Queensland, or 2) were trained at Murwillumbah by Matt Dunn who has runners most Saturdays in Brisbane. So if those Queensland trainers and Matt Dunn cumulatively supplied 47.90% of the horses at the meeting and if the thoroughbred industry is “bounding along,” which are the two words that Racing Queensland Chairman Kevin Dixon used about the thoroughbred industry in a RadioTAB interview a few weeks ago, how is it that they only trained one of the nine winners on the day – or a lousy 11.11%?
Just so the figures go up publicly to negate any statement about any “negativity” happening – here are the number of starters from each race that are either 1) trained in Queensland, or are 2) trained by Dunn at Murwillumbah.
RACE
No OF QLD HORSES TO TOTAL STARTERS
WINNER
TRAINER OF WINNER
1
3/7
Faust
K. Goldman – Goulburn
2
5/12
Peace Force
G. Ryan – Rosehill
3
10/13
Into The Red
K. Wood – Eagle Farm
4
5/11
Strawberry Boy
C. Waller – Rosehill
5
7/16
Upham
P. Moody – Randwick
6
10/16
Look to The Stars
C. Conners – Warwick Farm
7
6/13
Bohemian Lily
G. Waterhouse – Randwick
8
3/16
Boban
C. Waller – Rosehill
9
8/16
Najoom
G. Waterhouse – Randwick
So as stated earlier only one of the nine winners was trained in Queensland.
Breeding wise, here are the three placegetters in each of the nine races at Doomben last Saturday with their sire:
RACE
PLACEGETTERS
1-2-3
SIRE
STAND IN QUEENSLAND
1
Faust
Baligari
Jetset Lad
Librettist
Purrealist
Elusive City
No
No
No
2
Peace Force
Solicit
Tukiyo
Bernardini
Street Cry
Haradasun
No
No
No
3
Into The Red
Bymonashee
Delectation
Not A Single Doubt
Monashee Mountain
Shamardal
No
Yes
No
4
Strawberry Boy
Lucky Lago
I’m Imposing
Redoute’s Choice
Encosta de Lago
Danehill Dancer
No
No
No
5
Upham
Redoubtable Heart
Master of Arts
Mastercraftsman
Redoute’s Choice
Mastercraftsman
No
No
No
6
Look To The Stars
Blueberry Hill
Cylinder Beach
I Am Invincible
Myboycharlie
Showcasing
No
No
No
7
Bohemian Lily
Col ‘N’ Lil
Whatalovelyday
O’Reilly
Bradbury’s Luck
Domesday
No
Yes
No
8
Boban
Charlie Boy
Generalife
Bernadini
Myboycharlie
Lonhro
No
No
No
9
Najoom
Miss Cover Girl
Awesome Rock
Northern Meteor
Monashee Mountain
Fastnet Rock
No
Yes
No
So of the 27 placegetters from across the nine races on Doomben 10,000 day, only three, or a pathetic 11.11% of all placegetters were bred in Queensland, which conversely means 88.89% of all placegetters were not bred in Queensland. To my way of thinking, as a realist, that is telling one and all that “the Queensland thoroughbred breeding industry has a plethora of crappy sires whose progeny cannot cut the mustard on a black type day of racing in their home State”.
On the day a total of $1,833,000 in prizemoney was distributed by the Brisbane Racing Club for placegetters (first, second and third). Into The Red was the only Queensland trained winner (Race 3) on the day and he earned $64,000 for his victory. Jetset Lad, Tukiyo, Bymonashee, Blueberry Hill, Cylinder Beach, Col ‘N’ Lil, Whatalovelyday and Miss Cover Girl were the only other placed horses that are trained by Queensland trainers and/or Dunn. In race order, Jetset Lad earned $12,500 for running third, Tukiyo collected $15,000 for her third, Bymonashee earned $20,000 for his second placing, Blueberry Hill won $50,000 for finishing second, Cylinder Beach won $25,000 for his third, Col ‘N’ Lil earned $35,000 for her second, Whatalovelyday earned $17,500 for third and Miss Cover Girl earned $25,000 for her second placing in the final race on the card. So Queensland and/or Dunn trained horses earned $264,000 ($64,000 plus $12,500 plus $15,000, plus $20,000 plus $50,000, plus $25,000, plus $35,000 plus $17,500, plus $25,000) of the available $1,833,000 meaning Queensland trained horses got to keep just 14.40% of top three prizemoney, which conversely means 85.60% left the State. That’s deplorable.
The only three Queensland bred horses that were even good enough to run a place on the day were Bymonashee, Col ‘N’ Lil and Miss Cover Girl. Bymonashee earned $20,000 for running second in Race 3, Col ‘N’ Lil earned $35,000 for running second in Race 7 and Miss Cover Girl earned $25,000 for running second in Race 9, so Queensland bred horses only got to keep a pathetic $80,000 ($20,000 plus $35,000 plus $25,000) which is 4.36% of the available top-three finish prizemoney (80,000 divided by 1,833,000) even though they had 47.90% of the horses at the meeting.
So to summarize all the aforesaid, Queensland and Matt Dunn trained horses represented 47.90% of starters at the meeting but they supplied:
1 – only 11.11% of winners on the day (one of nine)
2 – only 33.33% of the 27 placegetters on the day (9 placegetters from nine races).
3 – won only 14.40% of the available first, second and third prizemoney ($264,000 of $1,833,000)
4 – and Queensland bred horses earned 4.36% of top-three prizemoney paid out on the day.
They are the simple proven facts. That tells me that Queensland stallions need a big cull and studmasters need to stop accepting mediocrity and buy better stallions, or Queensland broodmare owners, in even greater numbers will send their mares interstate to more commercially viable stallions that have better proven statistics than the Queensland rubbish.
Today on www.brisbaneracing.com.au there’s the first montage of photos from Doomben 10,000 day last Saturday. On www.sydneyracing.com.au there’s the story on Boban’s breeding, whilst on www.melbourneracing.com.au Victorian racing is perused.