In this week’s Dunstan HorseFeeds Meet The Breeder we chat to John Maclachlan, who bred Gr. 3 Cambridge Breeders' Stakes winner I'munstoppable (Charm Spirit x Sisterella {Rip Van Winkle}) at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Tell us the story of I’munstoppable?
I’munstoppable was named by my then 3 year old granddaughter Charlotte who lives in Epsom , London (close to the race-course , Charlotte is the fillies number 1 fan). The filly is closely inbred to Green Desert , Sadler’s Wells and Machiavellian. Just to prove the lottery of breeding we have an older ¾ sister (Arabia) obviously equally inbred who battled through 25 plus starts to finally win 2 on the synthetic track at Riccarton !
How did you get into thoroughbred breeding?
My introduction to breeding came through the late Peter McKenzie and his friend David Coddington after they imported the stallion Balios to NZ. I owned a share in a stallion before I even owned a mare. I leased a mare from Taranaki identity Jim Norman. The resulting colt was sold to Ray Harris for very little money . Named Scotch Mist he won 9 races including a Group 1 – the Great Easter at Riccarton. Most of his wins were as a 2yo – not bad for a supposedly staying bred horse !
How many mares do you breed from?
I try to breed 2 foals each year but this year have ended up 3 weanlings – colts by Proisir and Ace High and a Shocking filly (a Rich Hill trifecta!)
What else do you have in your bloodstock portfolio (youngstock, racehorses, stallion shares etc)
I have shares in Shocking and US Navy Flag. We have a Proisir 2yo in training with Dawn and Peter Williams who also train the 2yo ½ brother to I’munstoppable by Belardo called Lachie – he also started last Saturday at Te Rapa for a pleasing first start 4th – he has come home for a spell. We bred and raced with a syndicate of friends I’mintowin [ Contributor / Beguile ] – he won and was stakes placed as a 3yo last season before we sold a 50% share in him to clients of the Waterhouse Bott stable (Darby Racing). He won 1st up on a Saturday in Sydney last November and after a break is about to start racing again.
Do you breed to trade or breed to race? How do you decide on what to keep and/or sell?
After many years of breeding to trade primarily through the yearling sales We have now switched our emphasis to breeding a few to race ourselves and with friends and hopefully some fun and celebrations !
Do you have a favourite cross?
Try to make our emphasis towards breeding potential classic or Cup horses. I am not a fan of the Australian obsession with 2yo speed or for that matter the type of horse that fits that scene. I have a bit of an obsession with breeding horses with a duplication of the mare Special in the top and bottom of the pedigree.
Proudest moment as a breeder? You can have more than one! 😊
Celebrating success with family and friends. Having your first ever foal win a Group 1 makes the game seem easy – 40 years on you appreciate how fickle the game really is. To emphasise that point last year we lost (with a broken leg at weaning) the Proisir ½ sister to I’munstoppable !
Finish this sentence: The best part of being a thoroughbred breeder is…
You acquire the skill of extraordinary patience and hopefully wisdom if you want to stay long term in the wonderful game.
