New for 2014 War standing at Blue Gum Farm
With spring upon us and the weather warming up the thoroughbred breeding industry is in full swing. Foals are being born, weanlings are developing into next year’s yearling sale prospects and new stallions are beginning their breeding career. Everyone is keeping busy with the goal in mind to breed, race or sell the next champion.
Belmont Bloodstock have been on the road this week and visited several of Victoria’s breeding operations; Blue Gum Farm, Glenelg Park, Limerick lane and Woodnook Farm. A summary of what we saw at each farm and their developing progeny follows.
Blue Gum Farm
Philip and Patti Campbell were kind enough to show us around the well-known Blue Gum Farm where we inspected two of their stallions War and Canford Cliffs.
War new to Blue Gum for 2014 is an outstanding individual by champion sire More Than Ready out of the Zabeel mare Deedra. He is an impressive physical type possessing a lot of power and class. Standing at $8,800 he represents great value for money and we are very pleased to have booked mares in to him for his first season. If his progeny look anything like him they will be very well received in coming years.
Canford Cliffs is eye catching, he is a very good looking stallion with wonderful movement and presence. His good looks are backed up by his incredible race performance. The European Champion Miler won 5 Group 1 races including 3 at the famous Royal Ascot carnival.
His progeny are very promising possessing his great movement and plenty of scope. We saw a cracking foal out of the stakes winning mare Exceedingly French and a very nice yearling for next year’s Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale out of the stakes placed Encosta De Lago mare Sorenstam.
Other nice types heading towards Melbourne’s Premier Yearling Sale next year through the draft of Blue Gum included yearlings by Sebring, Helmet and I am Invincible.
Glenelg Park
Danny and Sarina Swains Glenelg park has some promising individuals developing including a very nice Wanted foal out of the Lonhro mare Sunwise as well as a great Helmet colt out of the stakes winning mare Locus Standi owned by Mr kuek in Malaysia.
Limerick Lane
Gerry Ryan’s Limerick Lane is lucky enough to have a Wanted filly out of Virage. Beautifully bred with incredible residual value the future is bright for this filly. Virage is the dam of Group 1 winner Virage De Fortune and multiple stakes winner Avenue. We also saw a lovely 2yo by Street Cry the first foal out of Avenue. Other nice types included a Charge Forward filly out of the Fastnet Rock mare Zaira. A Bel Esprit filly out of Soul Mama and a colt by Reset out of Single View.
Woodnook Farm
Owned by Bob Scarborough Woodnook Farm has a quality draft of yearlings coming through for the 2015 sales series, current standouts include a Street Cry filly out of the Blue Diamond Group 1 winning mare Sleek Chassis who sadly died earlier this year. A cracking colt by Helmet out of the Distorted Humor mare Gaudeamus and a lovely filly by Fastnet Rock out of the Group 3 winning Encosta De Lago mare Lectrice.
We look forward to seeing all these horses develop in coming years, particularly those entered for sale next year.
