High-profile Australian breeder and businessman Gerry Harvey has been a major supporter of the New Zealand racing and breeding industry in recent years, building his broodmare team to nearly 300. Included in the band, are a number of imports to his Westbury Stud base at Karaka.
Among some of those top end mares are the Group winners Royal Descent (Redoute’s Choice), Lotteria (Redoute’s Choice), Arapaho Miss (Danehill Dancer {IRE}), Fashions Afield (Redoute’s Choice) and Chinchilla Rose (Lion Hunter) as the showpiece Karaka farm continues its plan of significant investment.
Royal Descent pictured winning the Group 1 ATC Oaks
Multiple Group 1 winner
Former top race mare Royal Descent retired to stud in New Zealand after winning five races, including the G1 Australian Oaks by 10 lengths and recording Group 1 seconds in the ATC George Main S., (twice), Doncaster H., (twice), Epsom Handicap, Turnbull S., and she also finished third in the Queen Elizabeth. She earned A$2,700,000 during her decorated career.
“Royal Descent has a yearling colt by Swiss Ace from her first mating and has just produced an outstanding filly by Redwood to her second. The high-class mare will visit Waikato Stud sire Savabeel this season,” Westbury Stud General Manager Russell Warwick said.
“The way we work is that I spend a couple of months going through all the mares and then come up with drafts one, two and three. I then send them all to Gerry and have a talk about it before they’re all approved.”
“The way we work is that I spend a couple of months going through all the mares and then come up with drafts one, two and three.” – Russell Warwick.
The Royal Descent x Redwood filly
Dual Group 1 winner Lotteria won her first five starts for the Gai Waterhouse stable including the G1 Flight S., and G2 Surround S., before she was victorious in the G1 Myer Classic and the G2 Shannon S. She was also runner-up to Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {IRE}) in the G1 Cox Plate Gr.1.
“Lotteria has a 3-year-old Reliable Man filly named Victoria with Tony Pike at Cambridge, a Makfi 2-year-old heading to the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November and a yearling filly by Savabeel, while the grand race mare is due to foal to Redwood this season,” Warwick said.
Top-notch performer
Australia’s former Champion 2-year-old filly Fashions Afield is another prominent member of the broodmare team at Westbury. Out of Attire (USA) (Wild Again {USA}), daughter of the Group 1 winner Wrap Around (Bletchingly), she won four of her six starts as a juvenile including the G1 Sire’s Produce S., and finished second in the G1 Golden Slipper S., and the G1 Champagne S.
Fashions Afield winning the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes
Fashions Afield, whose daughter and G2 Todman S., winner will be served this year by Reliable Man (GB) (Dalakhani {IRE}). She was previously in foal to him, but unfortunately absorbed the pregnancy.
One of the more recent purchases for Harvey is the Group 2 winning mare Chinchilla Rose. She won five races including the QTC Cup Gr.2, AJC Surround Stakes Gr.2, G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes and the G3 Dane Ripper S. The mare is a sister to Group 2 winners Ferocity and Leone Chiara, who is the dam of the dual Group 1 winner and sire Star Witness.
“Chinchilla Rose is in foal to Swiss Ace at present and will visit Kementari’s half-brother Telperion in 2018.” – Russell Warwick.
Chinchilla Rose winning the Group 3 Sweet Embrace Stakes
“Chinchilla Rose was a A$380,000 purchase at the 2016 Gold Coast Broodmare Sale and has produced a Pierro filly and a Swiss Ace filly since arriving,” Warwick said. “Chinchilla Rose is in foal to Swiss Ace at present and will visit Kementari’s half-brother Telperion in 2018.”
Arapaho Miss the G1 VRC Oaks winner has proven to be a good producer since retirement. “She is the dam of De Little Engine, a stakes winner of A$750,000, while her All Too Hard 3-year-old De Little Sister showed good ability when narrowly beaten at Sandown on her debut as a juvenile,” Warwick said. “Arapaho Miss’s daughter by Reliable Man was sold to Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien for $120,000 at Karaka in January and the mare will return to the son of Dalakhani in 2018.”
Westbury Stud, in Karaka
New Zealand breeding successes
Since purchasing Westbury Stud, Harvey has enjoyed success breeding the G1 New Zealand Oaks winners Miss Mossman (NZ) (Mossman) and Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), high-class Australian sprinter Music Magnate (NZ) (Written Tycoon), Great Northern Guineas winner Swissta (NZ) (Swiss Ace) Listed New Zealand St Leger winner Daytona Red (NZ) (Sebring), G1 Caulfield Cup hopeful Night’s Watch (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) and possible Melbourne spring carnival contender Peaceful (NZ) (Savabeel). In Hong Kong, emerging stars Superich (NZ) (Red Giant {USA}) and Win Beauty Win (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) are also graduates of the farm.
“Peaceful is out of the Mossman mare Paloma from a strong black family and descending from the great race mare and producer Denise’s Joy,” Warwick said. “Paloma’s 2-year-old by El Roca fetched A$210,000 as a yearling on the Gold Coast and is showing excellent promise for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Paloma will return to Savabeel in 2018.”
The Paloma x El Roca yearling was a $210,000 Magic Millions purchase
“Paloma’s 2-year-old by El Roca fetched A$210,000 as a yearling on the Gold Coast and is showing excellent promise for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.” – Russell Warwick.
Rising New Zealand sprinting star Julius (NZ) (Swiss Ace) has won seven of his 12 starts, including the G3 Concorde H., and G3 Darley Plate. He is out of the Danzero (Danehill {USA}) mare Oh So Royal and was a $44,000 purchase for his Cambridge trainer John Bell.
“A half-brother to Julius by Reliable Man was sold at Karaka for $220,000 in January, while his dam, Oh So Royal produced a full-sister in 2017, which will be retained by Gerry to race in Australia and is due to foal to Reliable Man in September before returning to Swiss Ace,” Warwick said.
Reliable booking for mare
Another recent stakes winner bred by Harvey is Platinum Command (NZ) (Red Giant {USA}). Out the Encosta de Lago (Fairy King {USA}) mare Wednesday Rocks (NZ), she won the G3 Winter Cup and her dam is due to foal to Tarzino in 2018, holding a booking to Reliable Man this season.
Tarzino (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Redwood (GB) (High Chaparral {IRE}), Reliable Man (GB) (Dalakhani {IRE}), Swiss Ace (Secret Savings {USA}), El Roca (Fastnet Rock), Telperion (Street Cry {IRE}), Postponed (USA) (Summer Squall {USA}) make up the Westbury stallion roster.
Tarzino
