Triple Honour died aged 16 over the weekend having been lovingly cared for by Clare Oxley in his retirement. The news prompted a moment of reflection for Waller about his very first Group 1 winner, a horse who would change not only his career but his life.
"A sad day today saying goodbye to Triple Honour, a special horse who has given us great memories. He was respected by so many and importantly in his life after racing he continued to capture hearts," he posted on social media.
Since that day at Randwick in 2008, Waller has gone on to rewrite the record books as the dominant trainer of the past decade. His Group 1 tally now stands at a remarkable 117, and among the illustrious company, Triple Honour, who he purchased for $50,000 at the 2006 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, holds a very special place.
Triple Honour (NZ) when racing (red and silver silks)
Triple Honour was offered through the Widden Stud draft on behalf of his breeder, Suman Hedge, whose life would also be forever changed by the son of Honours List (Ire).
"He was such an important horse for me in so many ways," Hedge told TDN AusNZ.
"I love him so much. It was quite sad. You know it will happen at some stage, but it is still a bit of a shock when they go. It was a hard day, but I decided to celebrate his life rather than commiserate his loss."
"I love him so much. It was quite sad. You know it will happen at some stage, but it is still a bit of a shock when they go. It was a hard day, but I decided to celebrate his life rather than commiserate his loss." - Suman Hedge
Hedge was working for Iskander Racing in 2002 and trying to break into the thoroughbred world, when he took the leap of faith to become a breeder, paying $19,000 for a mare by Nassipour (USA) called Myrrh (NZ).
"Sheriff Iskander bought a big percentage of Honours List, and with that, he told me that I should get involved and get a share in this horse. I didn't have the money, so my parents actually bought a share in the horse through their super," Hedge said.
"We then had to buy some mares and at that stage I didn’t have the confidence to do it myself. Paul Higgins was standing Honours List and was buying some mares for Sheriff, he said to me, 'I’ll shortlist a bunch of these and if something falls within your budget', which was about $20,000, 'you can have a look at it and see if you want to go ahead.'
"When Myrhh went through, she was only a small mare, but she was in foal to Testa Rossa. She was at about $16,000 when he said to me, 'What do you think of this?' I had a quick squiz at the page and she was out of a stakes-winning mare and it was a good New Zealand family, so I put my hand up and got her for $19,000."
The game-changer
That Testa Rossa foal, a colt, would sell for $260,000 as a yearling, setting Hedge on his way in his career, but it would be his half-brother who would change the game for him.
"He would have been the third foal from her that I’d bred. He was born in New Zealand because I had sent the mare over there to be served by Thorn Park," Hedge said.
"He was born at Mapperley Stud over there and right from the beginning, he was a lovely horse. We then brought him back to Australia and he went to Widden Stud. They grew him out from about six months old until he was sold as a yearling."
Triple Honour (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of Suman Hedge
Hedge knew the ambitious young New Zealand trainer who purchased the Honours List yearling well.
"I’d known Chris for a couple of years prior and at that stage, he was still trying to get that breakthrough," Hedge said. "It was a big deal for him to come up with the money he needed to buy the horse.
"He was an interesting horse. He didn’t show a great deal early doors. He was a pretty lazy trackworker and I was ringing Chris and asking him if the horse had any ability and he said he hadn't been showing a great deal."
"He was an interesting horse. He didn’t show a great deal early doors. He was a pretty lazy trackworker." - Suman Hedge
Triple Honour saved his best for the racetrack and when he debuted at Newcastle in March of his 2-year-old season, he bolted in by 4.3l. He then returned in July to win back-to-back races at Canterbury and Rosehill.
After a curtailed 3-year-old spring campaign because of the Equine Influenza outbreak, he returned in the autumn, winning a race at Rosehill and then running fourth in the G2 Golden Rose S. and a narrow second in the G1 Randwick Guineas.
A sixth in the G2 Hobartville S. followed before Triple Honour headed to the Doncaster with bottom weight of 51kg. A brilliant Glen Boss ride got the job done, as he beat Casino Prince and Pinnacles (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}). It began Waller's amazing association with the race, which he has now won on six occasions.
It was to prove the highlight of Triple Honour's career. He would return to win the G2 Premiere S. in the spring and a couple of years later, the G2 Eagle Farm Cup over 2200 metres, showing his great versatility. He would also run placings in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., G1 TJ Smith S. and G1 Doomben Cup.
A career built on Triple triumphs
With each success, Triple Honour helped build the reputation of the man who bred him.
"When he came about, I was really struggling to establish credibility, because I didn’t come from a traditional background, or from a horse racing family or have the horse handling skills," Hedge said.
"It was a battle to establish credibility and that horse really helped me so much. His success gave me that credibility, but more importantly, it gave me a lot of time to be able to learn a bit more and establish myself.
"I really think if it hadn't been for that horse, I doubt I'd still be in the industry. I probably would have ended up going off and doing something different. He meant that much to me."
"I really think if it hadn't been for that horse (Triple Honour), I doubt I'd still be in the industry." - Suman Hedge
Hedge has now built a career as a respected bloodstock agent, and Triple Honour has taught him well about those little moments that can prove defining to your future success.
Elite success sweet for half-brother
It was only a few hours after he learned of Triple Honour's passing that Hedge was reminded of the importance of racing's good fortune, when Elite Street (Street Boss {USA}) won the G1 Winterbottom S. at Ascot.
Back in February at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Hedge came together with McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock to purchase Elite Street's half-brother by Nicconi.
"Tony McEvoy is one of the few guys I knew who had made the trip over there and Damon Gabbedy who I really respect, was there as well. We went through the whole catalogue, looked at everything and it was quite a good catalogue," he said.
"There were half a dozen there who were quite nice. This particular colt had really good movement, as good a movement as I’d seen through the year."
Hedge, McEvoy and Gabbedy combined to see off the bidding of Gary Portelli and secure the Nicconi colt from the Dawson Stud draft for $160,000.
Now named Elite Icon, he has been making good progress in the stables of McEvoy and his son, Calvin.
"He has broken in really well. He's a big strong horse. We thought he might be up for the 2-year-old races but he went a bit shinsore last week. We aren't disappointed by that because he is a Nicconi and they aren't necessarily early horses," he said.
"We've been tracking his half-brother along the way. He might have had one start when we bought this horse and all of a sudden he has come out and won all these races. It was quite amazing on Saturday, I almost wish we had a filly now!"
Hedge believes Elite Icon will make an ideal late 2-year-old, early 3-year-old type, with expectations raised slightly based on what his half-brother, who is trained by Dan Morton, has been able to do.
Spring success continues
He will carry Hedge's crimson colours with silver epaulettes, which were recently sported by G2 Wakeful S. winner Victoria Quay (Dundeel {NZ}), who was sourced out of Magic Millions' Adelaide Yearling Sale, again in partnership with McEvoy.
Victoria Quay (crimson silks)
Hedge has been willing to cast his net far and wide in search of quality yearlings for his clients and that approach again secured a dividend last week when Zion (NZ) (Rubick) won a Bendigo maiden in impressive fashion for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
He was a $360,000 buy for Hedge and his trainers at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
"He's a horse that was one of the best movers at that Karaka Sale. He was a bit of a talking horse because he was such a flashy type," Hedge said. "Everyone was talking about this Rubick horse in the Waikato draft, which was full of Savabeels. He's a very talented horse but the key to him was moving him to Ballarat.
"He showed us really nice ability as an early 2-year-old and he was up and about in December last year and had one start at Canterbury and then had a really unusual injury, a high sprain to the hind leg. We gave him time to get over that.
"Ciaron and David felt he wasn't doing well in the city environment, so they moved him to the Ballarat stables and since they have done that and he is out in yards, he has been heaps happier. They have put tons of work into him, I just really hope we can get the results with him now."
