27 Mar 2010
Dual Group One-winning son of Montjeu ticks every box for Sir Patrick Hogan, by Adrian Clark - NZTM
Leading New Zealand thoroughbred breeder Sir Patrick Hogan announced today that the dual Group One-winning racehorse (Lord) Tavistock has been secured by Cambridge Stud and will have two more race day outings in Australia before being retired to stand at stud this year.
Sir Patrick is bullish about the prospects of Tavistock.
“The buying strength at Karaka this year told us that it’s the classic middle distance horse which is the most in-demand,” Sir Patrick told New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing today.
“What we do best, better than Australia, is breed the classic, weight-for-age and middle distance horses. This horse is exactly what everyone is screaming out for.”
Sir Patrick has been impressed by Tavistock’s brilliance.
“He’s one of two Montjeus to show an enormous turn of foot,” he said, referring to the Group One-winning Wall Street as the other.
“What’s more, Tavistock performs best on a hard, fast track.”
This season Tavistock has been twice successful at Group One level in New Zealand over 1400 metres. The first was during the spring when he outgunned Horse of the Year Mufhasa in the Hawkes Bay Mudgway Partsworld Stakes at Hastings in 1.22.09. More recently Tavistock beat a star-studded line up in the Waikato Draught Sprint during February. Coming from a rearward position at the turn, Tavistock scorched home to grab Wealth Princess and Mufhasa in an electric time of 1.21.30.
Now racing in Australia as ‘Lord Tavistock’, the four-year-old won his second race at Flemington when coming from the back to beat Vigor and Dao Dao in the Group Two VRC Blamey Stakes (1600m). As a three-year-old under the care of Mick Price, Lord Tavistock won the VRC Henry Bucks Best Dressed Plate (1400m) at Flemington.
Trained throughout this campaign by Andrew Campbell, Lord Tavistock will have two more runs for his present owners before retirement. The first will be in Saturday’s A$400,000 George Ryder Stakes-Gr.1 (1500m) on Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens. Safely through that run Lord Tavistock will have his final appearance in the A$300,000 All-Aged Stakes-Gr.1 (1400m) on Sydney Cup Day at Royal Randwick.
The sire line and female family of Tavistock works on every level for Sir Patrick Hogan.
“Montjeu is a Champion Stallion and it’s a proven cross with New Zealand bloodlines,” said Sir Patrick referring to Montjeu’s success in this part of the world through the deeds of Group One winners Tavistock, Wall Street (WRC Thorndon Mile-Gr.1), Nom du Jeu (Australian Derby-Gr.1), Roman Emperor (Australian Derby-Gr.1) and Sharvasti (Avondale Cup-Gr.1).
“And look at the sensational start High Chaparral (like Montjeu, a son of Sadler’s Wells) has had with three individual Group One winners this season,” added Sir Patrick.
Tavistock is from the Quest for Fame mare upstage.
“The sire of the dam is very important for me; Quest for Fame fits into the pedigree very well,” said Sir Patrick.
“It’s a sire line which oozes speed. Quest for Fame is by Rainbow Quest who, in turn, is by Blushing Groom. Stravinsky (60 SW) is from a Blushing Groom mare and I believe this is where he inherited his turn of foot.”
Sir Patrick is quick to point out the presence of the world-class broodmare, Mrs Moss, as Tailstock’s third dam.
“Mrs Moss is a prolific ancestress. To January her descendants have numbered 166 individual winners and collectively they’ve won 442 races.”
Mrs Moss left the Japan Cup-Gr.1 winner Jupiter Island. A current racetrack star from this family apart from Tavistock is Precedence, the Bart Cummings-trained Zabeel horse who furthered his preparation for the Sydney Cup with a winning effort in the Listed Manion Quality Cup at Rosehill Gardens over the weekend.
The Tavistock syndication happened with 48 hours, with Cambridge Stud holding 50% of the shares, an ownership policy which mirrors Sir Patrick Hogan’s previous stallion syndications which includes, of course, both Sir Tristram and Zabeel.
Sir Patrick Hogan and Cambridge Stud manager, Marcus Corban, travelled to Australia last week to run their eyes over Tavistock.
“He has a great attitude and marvellous temperament both on the lead (without a bit), in his paddock and around other horses,” Sir Patrick reported.
“He’s a lovely looking horse, has a good strong male type head on him, good rein, high wither, nice length, an excellent set of legs with nice bone, very good set of knees and joints, and stands 16.00hh (measured),” he added.
New Zealand Bloodstock Agent Phil Cataldo negotiated the Tavistock purchase. A service fee for the young stallion will be announced at the end of his racing career next month.