THOROUGHBRED Breeders Australia has welcomed an announcement by Federal Agriculture Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce confirming the approval of government funds for an industry led research and development levy.
"The breeding and racing industry is very important to regional Australia and to me personally," Mr Joyce said at Tamworth racecourse last Wednesday.
"Breeders made it very clear to me that this levy was needed and I went in to bat for it in Cabinet. There was some opposition but I'm glad I was able to deliver on it," he said.
Under the levy – included in the recent Federal Budget and will begin in the new financial year – breeders will pay $10 per mare and $10 per stallion return. This will fund research and development with the Federal Government to match every industry dollar. It’s expected that about $1 million will be spent each year on research that benefits the Thoroughbred breeding industry.
Welcoming the confirmation, TBA chief executive Tom Reilly said getting the government to commit to this important levy was a TBA board priority when he joined the organisation.
“The TBA is in the process of selecting the board which will oversee the spending of the funds and there will be a strong presence of breeders to ensure the money goes towards projects that return real benefits to the breeding industry,” he said.
Among the areas likely to be the focus of research are the prevention and management of exotic and indigenous diseases, improving the conception rates of mares and stallions, and efforts to reduce foetal loss caused by contagious diseases.
11 inductees to Australian Racing Hall of Fame
WORLD champion turf mare Winx is one of 11 new inductees into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame announced last week.
Winx joins fellow champion females Sunline and Black Caviar as the only three horses to be inducted into the Hall of Fame while still racing. Trained by Chris Waller, Winx (Street Cry) is currently spelling ahead of a spring campaign in which she will attempt to join the legendary Kingston Town as the only horse to win three Cox Plates.
Winx is one of four horses inducted – the others being Melbourne Cup winners Archer, Light Fingers and Saintly. Archer also has the distinction of being the winner of the first two Melbourne Cups run in 1861 and 1862.
One of the most eminent racehorse owners of the modern era, Lloyd Williams, is among the associates inducted along with the Western Australian based Lee-Steere family and prominent Victorian steward Edward Spencer (Alan) Bell. A distinguished contributor to Australian racing, Lloyd has owned five Melbourne Cup winners during his renowned career, as well as achieving success in the Sydney Cup, Adelaide Cup, Brisbane Cup, Golden Slipper and both the Victoria and AJC Derbies.
Two jockeys, Tommy Corrigan and John JJ Miller, and two trainers, Brian Courtney and Des Judd, were also inducted
Choisir sons to stand in Queensland
TWO Group winnings sons of international sprinter Choisir have been secured for stud duties in Queensland.
Defcon will stand at Eureka Stud, Cambooya, at a fee of $8800 (inc. GST), while Worthy Cause will stand at Clear Mountain Fairview Stud, Greenmount at a fee of $5500 (inc GST).
With a powerful physique to match the juvenile speed befitting a son of international multiple Group 1-winner and former star Australian sprinter Choisir, Defcon should be popular with broodmare owners. "We really like his profile to make a sire. Defcon had really high class 2YO ability and retired with the speed, natural talent and a pedigree to make an important impact as a stallion," said Eureka Stud's Scott McAlpine.
By Choisir from the winning Encosta De Lago mare Nuclear Force, lightly raced Defcon recorded brilliant performances as a 2YO winning the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m) as well as finishing a close-up second in both the Group 2 ATC Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) and Group 3 ATC Canonbury Stakes (1100m) in Sydney. He then returned as a 3YO to win the Group 3 MRC McNeil Stakes (1200m) in Melbourne.
"Our ownership group has elected to retain the majority of Defcon and stand him at one of Queensland's pre-eminent studs in Eureka," said bloodstock agent James Harron, who bought the colt for $340,000 as a yearling. "I know first-hand how much natural ability this horse had as a juvenile and we will be getting right behind him in the next phase of his career," he said.
Worthy Cause will begin stud duties at Clear Mountain Fairview in 2017 after an accomplished career on the track. From the stable of Queensland’s top juvenile trainer John Zielke, Worthy Cause showcased his outstanding ability from the time he won on debut.
He won as a 2YO, collected Group honours as a 3YO and continued to record black type success as a 4YO at Flemington. His biggest win came in the Group 3 GCTC Gunsynd Classic for 3YOs (1800m) followed by a third in the Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas to Winx – the first win of her subsequent unbeaten run of 17 consecutive races and now rated the best turf horse in the world. Sandwiched between Winx and Worthy Cause in second place was Ulmann who had finished fourth behind Worthy Cause in the Gunsynd Classic. This season, Ulmann has been a consistent black type performer having won Listed races at Flemington and Warrnambool and been placed second in the Group 2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley and most recently third in the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben last Saturday, May 20.
By Choisir from the winning Grand Lodge (USA) mare Tahnee Tango, Worthy Cause flaunts a pedigree of top class sprinters and champions that includes three Group 1 winners, namely Shogun Lodge, Referral and Singing The Blues – all half siblings to Worthy Cause’s grand-dam Tahnee.
