Photo: Grant Mathew for Race Images
A colt who failed to meet his reserve at Karaka in 2018 is rewarding his breeders Jomara Bloodstock Limited with a bit of excitement and a group of their mates with a load of fun.
The colt Scorpz (Charm Spirit[IRE]-Forbetterforworse[AUS]) is the latest stakes winner bred by Jomara after winning the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m), and now they are glad he didn’t reach his reserve.
“He was a cracking foal, and a nice yearling we were surprised that he didn’t sell,” recalled John Carter, who is part of Jomara Bloodstock with his brother Mark and sister Rachael.
“We are glad we didn’t sell him now, instead we kept 50% and syndicated the rest amongst a good bunch of guys including Stephen Marsh and gave him to Stephen to train.
“Kit Brooks broke him in for us, he does all our breaking in, and he maintained that he was the best horse he had sat on in a good while, he was adamant he was going to be a good horse and I am happy he was right.
“The more racing, he does the better he is getting it’s all very exciting.”
Scorpz is now the winner of two races, from just seven starts. He debuted in May in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes and was doing his best work at the end. Put aside, he resumed in September over 1200m and ran on for fifth. He stepped up to 1400m and was twice unplaced, so was tried at 1600metres and fought on gamely for third. With a gap of only three days between races he was impressive in winning over 1600m at Te Aroha in mid-November.
Just over two weeks later he won the Wellington Stakes, holding on gamely to win after hitting the front with 400m to run. He holds a nomination for the two Group One three-year-old features the Levin Classic and Vodafone New Zealand Derby, and will follow a similar programme to that of Crown Prosecutor whom Stephen Marsh trained to win the same race last year before winning the New Zealand Derby.
Scorpz is the fourth foal from the Dubawi(IRE) mare Forbetterforworse(AUS), and her third winner. She had already left a colt by Casino Prince(AUS) when the Carter’s purchased her at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Broodmare Sale for $75,000, and was in foal to Murtajill(AUS). The Casino Prince(AUS) colt El Novio (AUS) has won four races in Australia and the resulting Murtajill (AUS) foal a filly has won five races in Singapore as She’s The One.
Her third foal is by Zed whom they race and still have a significant shareholding in, is named Hillersden and is yet to win.
Following Scorpz Forbetterforworse (AUS) missed to Power(IRE) and then produced a Teofilo filly, who is in the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock yearling sale in the Book One draft of Hallmark Stud, it’s fair to say that she now has increased value and that will be reflected in her reserve.
This year she produced a colt to Astern(AUS), and is under cover to Charm Spirit(IRE).
Although she is unraced Forbetterforworse(AUS) is a half-sister the group one placed stakes winner Fast’N’Rocking(AUS) (Fastnet Rock[AUS]), and the listed winner Good’N’Fast(AUS) (Sebring[AUS]). Fast’N’Rocking(AUS) has won six races including the Gr.3 MRC HDF McNeil Stakes, Gr.3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes, and the Listed Weekend Hustler Stakes and Italktravel Stakes. He was also placed second in the Gr.1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes, ATC Todman Stakes, and third in the Gr.1 Winterbottom Stakes, Gr.1 MRC Sir Rupert Clark Stakes, and Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate.
Good’N’Fast won the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final Handicap, and the Gippsland Region 2YO Handicap, and also ran fourth in the Gr.1 MRC Caulfield Guineas.
Their dam For The Good Times was a stakes winning Hennessy(USA) mare who won five races including the Listed SAJC Malaysian Airline Stakes. This is the same family that produced the Group One winners Just Now and Shiva’s Revenge.
Jomara have around 15 mares in their band which are based at Sonia Waddell’s Riverdale Farm in Tamahere and they are no strangers to breeding stakes winners. Last season they were represented by Humidor (Gr.1 Memsie Stakes) and Bobby Dazzler (Listed Wanganui Guineas), whereas previously they have breed Luna Rossa, Zed, Zabene, and Knight’s Command. They have over the years added to their broodmare band to support Zed and the other stallions they have shares in.
Forbetterforworse is by Dubawi(IRE) and for that reason Carter said there is really no explanation needed why they purchased her.
“She was well bred, a good type and a half to two stakes winners,” he said.
“It’s rather a funny story, both Bruce Perry and I were out of the room when she went up for auction as we had both forgotten about her and gone to look at another horse. However, there was a disputed bid on her between the two bidders and she was re-offered for sale. And we ended up getting her and they both missed out.
“Scorpz is particularly good, and we are happy to get another stakes winner, hopefully Forbetterforworse is safely in foal, and we can look forward to another one. He’s a great natured colt, and we are looking forward to selling his half-sister at the sales, unless of course,” he quipped “we get a good offer for her!” -Michelle Saba, NZTBA
