There is a feeling of euphoria at Windsor Park Stud these days, which is not surprising when you consider the results of the past couple of weeks. You can tell by talking to anyone involved there that it's been a phenomenal spring.
"It's an amazing result for everyone" Windsor Park General Manager Steve Till enthused, "it certainly gives you a boost at this time of the year to get the kind of results we have."
"So You Think (High Chaparral – Triassic) in the Cox Plate and now Monaco Counsel (High Chaparral – Argante ) in the VRC Derby it's unbelievable.
"I am lucky enough to have been at Windsor Park when we had some really good big wins before, in the 80's and 90's in the days of Star Way and Kaapstad, but never anything like this. When Might and Power won the Caulfied Cup and Melbourne Cup double we thought that was pretty special and pretty hard to beat. But we haven't had anything to match a W.S Cox Plate winner and a VRC Derby winner a week apart.
"And to make Saturday even more special, Thorn Park's son Centennial Park (ex Trephina) won the last event at Flemington, the Group Three AAMI Business Insurance Stakes over 1400 metres.
"We all knew that Monaco Counsel was the real deal, we did that mating with a classic horse in mind, and from the time he was a foal he has shown that class. Centennial Park's win, on the other hand, is a credit to the training ability of David Payne.
"He has had leg issues and David has done a fantastic job nursing him through those. He will spell now and be set for the Group One Doncaster Handicap in autumn."
"We took Centennial Park to Sydney to sell as a yearling but he failed to make his reserve, so we decided to leave him with David Payne. When he started to show some ability, David's good client John Cordina purchased him."
Windsor Park purchased Trephina (Last Tycoon-Procrastinate) from the Sydney Yearling sales and despite the fact she had scars on her hind legs, they still had to pay around $160,000 for her.
"She was from one of those good iconic Australian families that we wanted to have a filly for the stud, so we had to bite the bullet and pay the money. She won one race but she is certainly making a name for herself as a broodmare," he added.
Trephina's first foal by Montjeu was purchased by Danny O'Brien for $70,000 and is Ballack, the winner of five races including two at Group Three level. Her next foal Novatech (Kaapstad) was purchased by Te Akau Stud for $50,000 and he has won two races. Magus Equine of Hong Kong paid $260,000 for her King's Chapel colt, subsequently named Green Cash, who at three has had three starts for a win and a second. At Karaka last summer Gary Hennessy paid $390,000 for a full brother to Centennial Park, and he was a trial winner last week at Rotorua.
Her yearling filly by Falkirk will be retained by Windsor Park and she is due to foal at any time now to Falkirk again. She will then visit the stallion of the moment High Chaparral.
The dam of Trephina, Procrastinate (Jade Hunter- Reigntaine) is herself a stakes winner of six races. She is also the dam of five stakes performers including the five times group one winning mare Laisserfaire (Danehill) and her brother Foreplay, Personify (Galileo) and Time Thief (Redoute's Choice) and Patasi (Danehill Dancer).
Procrastinate is a half sister to Galapagos Girl (Dehere) and Kampaign(Kampala), being out of Reigntaine (Century – Rainbeam) a sister to Centaine.
Argante, the dam of Monaco Consul is also in the foaling paddock and will return to High Chaparal. Her foal is by King's Chapel and will be a close relation to Monaco Counsel having been bred on a similar cross. King's Chapel is by King of King's who, like High Chaparral, is a son of Sadler's Wells. Her Golan yearling is to be sold at Karaka this summer.
There will be no High Chaparral yearlings for sale in the Southern Hemisphere this year as he did not shuttle here in 2007, and according to Steve Till there are only about 75 High Chaparral foals due.
"Its very rewarding for those people that sent their mares to him last year and it's great that most are faithful Windsor Park clients. Hopefully they will be well rewarded next year for their continued loyal support as it's always difficult to get mares to a stallion in that fourth year.
"We haven't had a stallion here that has achieved what High Chaparral has in his first season. It will be really interesting to look back in a few years time and see what he has achieved with his first crop. After all, its only spring - imagine what his progeny will be like in the autumn!"
- Michelle Saba
"It's an amazing result for everyone" Windsor Park General Manager Steve Till enthused, "it certainly gives you a boost at this time of the year to get the kind of results we have."
"So You Think (High Chaparral – Triassic) in the Cox Plate and now Monaco Counsel (High Chaparral – Argante ) in the VRC Derby it's unbelievable.
"I am lucky enough to have been at Windsor Park when we had some really good big wins before, in the 80's and 90's in the days of Star Way and Kaapstad, but never anything like this. When Might and Power won the Caulfied Cup and Melbourne Cup double we thought that was pretty special and pretty hard to beat. But we haven't had anything to match a W.S Cox Plate winner and a VRC Derby winner a week apart.
"And to make Saturday even more special, Thorn Park's son Centennial Park (ex Trephina) won the last event at Flemington, the Group Three AAMI Business Insurance Stakes over 1400 metres.
"We all knew that Monaco Counsel was the real deal, we did that mating with a classic horse in mind, and from the time he was a foal he has shown that class. Centennial Park's win, on the other hand, is a credit to the training ability of David Payne.
"He has had leg issues and David has done a fantastic job nursing him through those. He will spell now and be set for the Group One Doncaster Handicap in autumn."
"We took Centennial Park to Sydney to sell as a yearling but he failed to make his reserve, so we decided to leave him with David Payne. When he started to show some ability, David's good client John Cordina purchased him."
Windsor Park purchased Trephina (Last Tycoon-Procrastinate) from the Sydney Yearling sales and despite the fact she had scars on her hind legs, they still had to pay around $160,000 for her.
"She was from one of those good iconic Australian families that we wanted to have a filly for the stud, so we had to bite the bullet and pay the money. She won one race but she is certainly making a name for herself as a broodmare," he added.
Trephina's first foal by Montjeu was purchased by Danny O'Brien for $70,000 and is Ballack, the winner of five races including two at Group Three level. Her next foal Novatech (Kaapstad) was purchased by Te Akau Stud for $50,000 and he has won two races. Magus Equine of Hong Kong paid $260,000 for her King's Chapel colt, subsequently named Green Cash, who at three has had three starts for a win and a second. At Karaka last summer Gary Hennessy paid $390,000 for a full brother to Centennial Park, and he was a trial winner last week at Rotorua.
Her yearling filly by Falkirk will be retained by Windsor Park and she is due to foal at any time now to Falkirk again. She will then visit the stallion of the moment High Chaparral.
The dam of Trephina, Procrastinate (Jade Hunter- Reigntaine) is herself a stakes winner of six races. She is also the dam of five stakes performers including the five times group one winning mare Laisserfaire (Danehill) and her brother Foreplay, Personify (Galileo) and Time Thief (Redoute's Choice) and Patasi (Danehill Dancer).
Procrastinate is a half sister to Galapagos Girl (Dehere) and Kampaign(Kampala), being out of Reigntaine (Century – Rainbeam) a sister to Centaine.
Argante, the dam of Monaco Consul is also in the foaling paddock and will return to High Chaparal. Her foal is by King's Chapel and will be a close relation to Monaco Counsel having been bred on a similar cross. King's Chapel is by King of King's who, like High Chaparral, is a son of Sadler's Wells. Her Golan yearling is to be sold at Karaka this summer.
There will be no High Chaparral yearlings for sale in the Southern Hemisphere this year as he did not shuttle here in 2007, and according to Steve Till there are only about 75 High Chaparral foals due.
"Its very rewarding for those people that sent their mares to him last year and it's great that most are faithful Windsor Park clients. Hopefully they will be well rewarded next year for their continued loyal support as it's always difficult to get mares to a stallion in that fourth year.
"We haven't had a stallion here that has achieved what High Chaparral has in his first season. It will be really interesting to look back in a few years time and see what he has achieved with his first crop. After all, its only spring - imagine what his progeny will be like in the autumn!"
- Michelle Saba
