The powerful group have breathed rarefied air in North America with their unbeaten American Triple Crown winner Justify (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) and Group 1 success in the Ogden Phipps S., and Personal Ensign S., with Abel Tasman (USA) (Quality Road {USA}).
The Club’s silks are also a familiar sight on the premier tracks in Australia and they have now also hit the bullseye in New Zealand with Madison County (NZ) (Pins) winning Saturday’s G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.
“2018 has given us unbelievable results, quite phenomenal, but 2019 could be completely different so you have to enjoy it while you can.”- Michael Wallace.
“2018 has given us unbelievable results, quite phenomenal, but 2019 could be completely different so you have to enjoy it while you can,” said Wallace, who is based in Cambridge, but spoke to TDN AusNZ from Lexington where he is attending the Keeneland November Sale.
“It’s great for the CHC owners to win a Classic at such an early stage and it’s great for New Zealand racing to be having this sort of interest worldwide.
“We’ve only had a few runners in New Zealand and it’s come along quickly from so few numbers.”
Madison County was a NZ$36,000 purchase out of Waikato Stud’s draft to the Select Sale at Karaka last year and emphasised the club buy at all levels of the market.
“He was bargain basement and it shows that in the latter days of the sale there are good horses to be had at reasonable prices.” - Michael Wallace.
“He was bargain basement and it shows that in the latter days of the sale there are good horses to be had at reasonable prices,” Wallace said.
“Fundamentally, it’s about the physical type and genetics – he’s by a very good stallion. We never go to any sales with set targets in mind, you have to see what the market’s like.”
Trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman will now ease up on Madison County with the Karaka Million 3YO Classic at Ellerslie in January the 3-year-old’s next major target.
“The money on offer is very enticing and being a gelding we’ll be chasing prize-money,” Wallace said. “
“He’s a very, very good horse who is lightly-raced and he’s only going to get better.” – Michael Wallace.
“He’s a very, very good horse who is lightly-raced and he’s only going to get better. He should get a good 2000 metres later on, but wouldn’t get much further I wouldn’t imagine.”
Michael Wallace
The club also races the multiple black type placegetter Caricature (NZ) (Power {GB}) and has a number of youngsters on their books to look forward to.
“We’ve got some nice 3-year-olds – Van Irving, Queen Of Diamonds is a filly we’ve got a lot of time for, a Per Incanto with Tony Pike and a Tavistock 2-year-old we paid a lot of money for has gone to Stephen Marsh. It’s a small, select group.”
Bred by Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan, the Tavistock (NZ) (Montjeu {IRE}) filly, named Heart Of The Ocean (NZ), was purchased for NZ$975,000 out of Cambridge Stud’s consignment.
She is out of the unraced Zabeel (NZ) mare Special Diamond (NZ), who is a member of the legendary Eight Carat family (GB) Pieces Of Eight {IRE}).
“We haven’t purchased bricks and mortar anywhere so far,” Wallace said. “Horse equity is what we’re after and we’re looking at every opportunity.
“In Australia, our focus is on colts and we were very fortunate to strike a horse like Russian Revolution.” – Michael Wallace.
“In Australia, our focus is on colts and we were very fortunate to strike a horse like Russian Revolution.
“Things are very lucrative over there and we look for stallion prospects and buying into Zoustar was another great investment.”
Zoustar (Northern Meteor) had split his first four seasons between Widden Stud in NSW and Woodside Park Stud in Victoria, but now is permanently based at Widden. China Horse Club and Baramul Stud’s Gerry Harvey bought Woodside’s shares in the stallion earlier in 2018.
