Julian Blaxland - Blue Sky Bloodstock & Newington Farm
TDN AusNZ: Where are you from and what is your earliest racing memory?
Julian Blaxland: I grew up outside Bungendore in Southern NSW and then in Sydney. My earliest racing memory would be going to Scone races as a 6-year-old and being sent home by my mother because I refused to wear a beanie on my head. It was three degrees and I was a petulant child.
TDN AusNZ: Which is your favourite racehorse of all time? Why?
JB: Probably Prompt Response. We’d bought her sire Beneteau as a yearling and her dam Prompt (Exceed And Excel) through the broodmare sales. So genuine and so competitive from her first to her last start.
TDN AusNZ: Do you have a favourite day on a racecourse? Why?
JB: Derby Day in Melbourne. It’s Christmas Day for racing folk! You get to catch up with so many friends over the weekend plus we’ve had good success in recent years highlighted by Sunlight’s (Zoustar) Coolmore win. Regardless, even a bad day on the track is still a good day on Derby Day.
Julian Blaxland and Kacy Fogden
TDN AusNZ: Could you tell us how you got into this industry, about your job now and what you love most about it?
JB: My first racing job was as a strapper and then as a very poor track rider for Gai Waterhouse. I apologise to anyone that had a horse in work with Gai around 1998. Despite my efforts, Gai was dominant then and still is today.
My job these days is split between being a bloodstock agent with Blue Sky Bloodstock and running our spelling property Newington Farm in QLD. I help Anthony and Sam Freedman buy their yearlings in the first part of the year and buy and sell racing and breeding stock for clients the rest of the time.
The farm is getting bigger all the time with local and interstate spellers and we also prepare and sell around 20 race fillies and mares at the Magic Million Broodmare Sale each year under our Blue Sky Premium Consignment.
The people and the horses, that’s what I love about my job. So many wonderful versions of each we come into contact with throughout the year.
Written Tycoon | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
TDN AusNZ: Who do you believe to be a value sire for the upcoming breeding season? Why?
JB: To be honest I think a lot of the stallion fees are too high this year in light of the COVID-19 situation. We’ve just had an economic shutdown across the globe and fees have hardly changed for the 2020 season. Written Tycoon is as good as any I’d say. Proven stallion, an outcross and a reasonable fee.
TDN AusNZ: Is there a stallion that you consider to be under the radar?, and why?
JB: Maybe Street Boss (USA). He can get you a real one and is at a reasonable fee.
TDN AusNZ: Which stallion, ever, do you think was the best type?
JB: I Am Invincible is a stunner, and passes it onto the majority of his stock.
TDN AusNZ: Which first-season sire do you believe is most exciting
JB: A tie between Pierata and Castelvecchio. Both were proper racehorses.
Extreme Choice x Set To Skelter (colt)
TDN AusNZ: What was your favourite weanling, yearling or mare purchase this year?
JB: Anthony Freedman and I bought an Extreme Choice colt, half-brother to Prophet’s Thumb (I Am Invincible) at the Inglis Classic Sale from Bell River Thoroughbreds. Lovely colt and he looks quick.
TDN AusNZ: Who do you think is a rising star within the industry? (Person not horse).
JB: My wife Kacy Fogden – She’s been training under a year, her stats are great, and she has real talent.
TDN AusNZ: What positive change would you like to see in the industry?
JB: A national racing body that operates like the AFL or similar. We have such a wonderful product/industry that employs hundreds of thousands of people. States trying to outdo each other is counter-productive. We could be so much more if we all swam in the same direction.
Julian (left) with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
TDN AusNZ: If you weren’t in this industry what would you do?
JB: I always wanted to be professional bareback bronc rider, but I’m 41 now so ’d likely be retired and possibly quite broken down by now. Alternatively I’d be a farmer of some sort. Cattle most likely. Who doesn’t like cows?
TDN AusNZ: How did you keep busy in isolation?
JB: We have around 60 spellers on our farm and a baby due in July so it’s always busy. There is a new online auction starting every five minutes somewhere so keeping up with all of the above is plenty to keep one occupied!
