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Playing By The Rules

Jul 26, 2024

Will Hudson aids us with programming and identifies who he thinks is the best placed horse each weekend. Luconi, Saturday 27th July, Kembla, Race 8: Luconi was an extremely impressive winner on debut at Scone. The further he went the more dominant he was, so the step up from 1200-1500 metres looks sure to bring about further improvement. It’s never easy for horses stepping outside of maiden grade for the first time because they’re forced to take on much more seasoned rivals, but a Class 1 race restricted to horses that have only won one race is about as gentle a progression as you can find. He’ll need a bit of luck from barrier 15 but Jean knows how Gai and Adrian like our horses ridden, and he’s got a significant amount of upside on only his second career start so I expect him to be hard to beat.

Under The Radar Stallions We Love

Jul 5, 2024

Come sale time we love hunting for progeny by young stallions who we've had successful exposure to, as often we don't have to pay up for the level of confidence we have in the individual before us. It is the benefit we have with our scale which in a way, helps us beat the market while at the same time creating value for our owners. Zoustar is a stallion we caught on too early and we have had six Stakes winners by him in the last two seasons as an example - North Star Lass, Platinum Jubilee, Zia, Zoumon, and highly promising 2YOs, Espionage and Clean Energy. Currently there are three stallions who we have more than our fair share of exposure and success with, and hence we have targeted their yearlings this year providing they stack up on type to meet our expectations. We can then go in to bid with confidence knowing: a) the ones we have seen previously by this stallion, that look like this, can gallop b) the stock of this stallion clearly appreciate our Tulloch Lodge training & education system Shhhhhhh: Please don't tell anyone, but three stallions we feel the general market has not discovered yet are: MAURICE:  2024 - we secured 7 yearlings for the stable at an average of $241,000 Success: we have trained three of Maurice's 9 Australian Stakes winners including Kibou, Ganbare and Azula RUSSIAN REVOLUTION:  2024 - we secured 5 yearlings for the stable at an average of $160,000 Success: we have trained four of his 11 Stakes winners including Red Resistance, Rise Of The Masses, The Instructor and Russian Roni.  WRITTEN BY:  2024 - we secured 5 yearlings for the stable at an average of $150,000 Success: we have trained 2 of Written By's 3 Stakes winners to date including Straight Charge and The Novelist. Russian Revolution x Miss Aubrey Colt: Purchase Price: $150,000 Magic Millions 2024 Shares Available: Yes Colours Available: No At Magic Millions January we secured a Russian Revolution colt out of Miss Aubrey for $150,000 based on the thinking we have outlined above. His shape, size and action is exactly what we saw with the other 4 Stakes winning colts by Russian Revolution in our stable, he looked a very likely type and now he is doing 'likely' things. Check out his sale page and pedigree here. Watch his latest video update here. Having been bought so early this colt is a long way through his education and is currently in the stable in his second preparation and is really impressing Adrian, Gai and those that ride him. His pedigree is a proven getter of fast horses, with his grand-dam a full sister to Court Command, and he is a very interesting mirroring of great speed influences Nureyev and Danehill 4x4 in his bloodline grid. Based on his price and what we have seen so far, we think this colt is outstanding value, so Gai, Adrian, Claudia and Bruce jumped on a video together to tell you more: For more information please touch base with our bloodstock team. Claudia Fitzgerald - claudia@gaiwaterhouse.com.au or 0422 545 990 Emma Coleman - ecoleman@gaiwaterhouse.com.au or 0474 161 041 Bruce Slade - bruce@kestrelthoroughbreds.com.au or 0400 505 238 Bring on the Magic Millions we say! Happy Racing, Gai & Adrian

Fastnet Fillies Rock & You Get The Lot

Jun 6, 2024

The next group of owners to race a stakes winning FASTNET ROCK filly, and later offer her off the track as a broodmare prospect, are going to "get the LOT".   We think we have just the yearling filly in our care by FASTNET ROCK out of a winning LONHRO mare and she still has 40% remaining to fulfill her ownership.   What We Know: You see, we know that Fastnet Rock has been an Australian Champion Sire on multiple occasions. His class is now being carried through his daughters where this season 2023/24 he is set to be crowned Australian Champion Broodmare Sire for the very first time, a title held by either Redoute's Choice or Encosta De Lago over the past 8 seasons, and Danehill and Zabeel before that.    We have felt the positive effects of his classy daughters first hand, the two best 2YOs in our stable this season, Group 1 Golden Slipper winner LADY OF CAMELOT & Magic Millions winner and Group 1 Golden Slipper 3rd STORM BOY, are both out of Fastnet Rock mares. Platinum Jubilee is another, the $3.5m racefilly sold from our stable at last week's Magic Millions Broodmare Sale.   Of course breeders have full appreciation for Fastnet Rock as a broodmare sire and are willing to pay handsomely for his daughters in the marketplace, for all levels of racetrack performance. Importantly the breeders with some of the deepest pockets, those with equity in Australia's two highest priced stallions I AM INVINCIBLE & ZOUSTAR, are chasing Fastnet Rock mares as they are proving potent when crossed with their own successful stallions:   Zoustar/Fastnet Rock mares =  51 runners 40 winners (78.4% winners to runners) 6 stakes winners (12% stakes winners to runners) 11 stakes horses (22% stakes horses to runners) 3 Group 1 winners - Joliestar, Zougotcha & Climbing Star Note: 50% Group 1 winners to Stakes winners is incredible & three of Zoustar's 7 Australian Group 1 winners are out of Fastnet Rock mares.   I Am Invincible/Fastnet Rock mares =  54 runners 41 winners (76% winners to runners) 4 stakes winners (7.4% stakes winners to runners) 15 stakes horses (28% stakes horses to runners) Fastnet Rock's potency with Justify should be noted also, given his success across all continents and Coolmore's global business approach.   Justify/Fastnet Rock mares =  19 runners 14 winners (74% winners to runners) 4 stakes winners (21% stakes winners to runners) 5 stakes horses (26% stakes horses to runners) Note: including Justify's best Australian colt and filly to date; Storm Boy & Learning To Fly. Supply Constraints: The only problem for breeders in hot pursuit of Fastnet's daughters is, supply. Only two Fastnet mares were offered at the Inglis Chairman's Sale: $450,000 for Rocket Science - a two time winner and 4th in a Group 3 in foal to Justify $525,000 for Star Rockette - unraced and in foal to Kingman At Magic Millions only three young mares by Fastnet Rock were offered as maidens off the track or in foal for the first time: $120,000 for Fastina - off the track where she had had two starts for a 5th and a 7th $370,000 for Exile - a winner at Kyneton in foal to Street Boss $220,000 for Tapestries - unraced and in foal to Pinatubo   What You May Not Know: Unfortunately the shortage of young Fastnet Rock mares for sale in Australia is only going to get worse. At the age of 23 last season, Fastnet Rock failed to achieve a pregnancy and Coolmore have since pensioned their Champion stallion.   His fertility was declining ahead of his pension and in the last two breeding seasons Fastnet Rock has produced just 16 fillies according to the Australian Studbook: Born in 2023 - current foals = 5 fillies Born in 2022 - current yearlings = 11 fillies What a talented racing daughter of Fastnet Rock could make off the track at auction is anyone's guess, and unfortunately we won't know anytime soon as his stakes winning daughters in Australia over the past three seasons (4) are already controlled by leading Australian breeders:   PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE - GSA Bloodstock (Jonathan Munz) SNEAKY FIVE - Rosemont Stud HELLFEST - Godolphin BRIGHT BLUE SKY - unfortunately passed away for Te Akau   Our job therefore, is to race the next top performing filly by Fastnet Rock out of Tulloch Lodge so we can find out and, just as importantly, send this great racehorse and stallion out with a bang. VIDEO: YEARLING SPOTLIGHT - Fastnet Rock x Archangel '22 Filly Gai, Adrian, Bruce and Emma preview the beautiful Fastnet Rock x Archangel filly in this week's 'Yearling Spotlight' video below. The long and the short of it is that a filly like this is in limited supply (on of 16), and she is the best & highest rated Fastnet Rock filly we have seen at the yearling sales in the last three years. As you have seen from the 2024 broodmare sale results above, she has a good base of residual value to fall back on, but we think she can do much better than that. This Fastnet Rock filly is one we have loved all the way through and she is currently in the stable awaiting your inspection. Fastnet Rock x Archangel '22 Filly Purchase Price: $300,000 Magic Millions  Shares Available: 40% available Raised at: Coolmore Expected Racing Profile: Lovely style of filly with the strength to come early, and the scope to make a Guineas filly as a 3YO. Colours: Gold, Purple Star, Gold And White Stars Sleeves, Purple Cap. Education Progress: In for her second education preparation at Randwick. Sireline: By Champion Sire and Broodmare Sire, Fastnet Rock. Think fillies by this incredible stallion like Atlantic Jewel, Mosheen, Shoals, First Seal, Catchy, Amicus amongst his 23 Group 1 winning daughters. Damline: From a Lonhro mare who comes from a very fast, good looking/selling and current Australian family via Sretan Angel.  The Cross: Fastnet Rock has had 7 fillies run out of Lonhro mares for 3 (43%) stakes performed fillies and 2 stakes winning fillies (29%) - proper ones too in SERENE MAJESTY & BRIGHT BLUE SKY. See her sales page and pedigree here. View footage of her walking here. Watch her gallop from Tuesday morning here (please note she is furthest from the camera). For more information or to reserve your share in a filly that we think will sell out this time in, please contact our friendly bloodstock team: *Please note Claudia Fitzgerald  (Miller) is currently on annual leave Claudia Fitzgerald - claudia@gaiwaterhouse.com.au or 0422 545 990 Emma Coleman - ecoleman@gaiwaterhouse.com.au or 0474 161 041 Bruce Slade - bruce@kestrelthoroughbreds.com.au or 0400 505 238 We look forward to the challenge of making this lovely daughter of Fastnet Rock a Group 1 winner, let alone a stakes winner. Let's make it happen, Gai & Adrian

Playing By The Rules

Apr 27, 2024

Will Hudson aids us with programming and identifies who he thinks is the best placed horse each weekend. Pulchritudinous, Saturday 27th April, Race 7 Morphettville, Group 1 Australasian Oaks: First things first, it’s pronounced puhl·kruh·choo·duh·nuhs and it means “beautiful”, despite not necessarily being the prettiest word. This New Zealand bred filly was last seen winning the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres at Trentham in mid-March. Prior to that she had won a Group 2 over 2000 metres, and simply put this filly has thrived since getting out to 2000 metres and beyond. She was purchased by Yulong Stud after her Oaks win, and we are the lucky beneficiaries as she is shaping up to be an extremely exciting filly. She’s taken everything in her stride since crossing the Tasman, and she hit the line strongly in a recent 1200-metre trial at Randwick which should fine tune her for this outing. She’s settled in well since travelling south to Morphettville, and her even temperament is another big plus that is going to stand her in good stead. She’s rated 98 and the next best on ratings is twelve points inferior to her on 86, which highlights how much better the handicapper believes she is to her rivals. They’re all carrying 56kg so on her rating she’s very well in at the weights, and for this reason she is well placed. Yes, she’s dropping back from 2400 metres which isn’t always ideal, but the six-week freshen up between runs should ensure there’s enough speed in her legs to cope with this. Tim Clark is travelling down to ride her which is another big sign in and of itself, and with even luck in running she should be extremely hard to beat.  

Playing By The Rules

Apr 19, 2024

Will Hudson aids us with programming and identifies who he thinks is the best placed horse each weekend. Kibou, Saturday 20th April, Royal Randwick, Race 10: This talented son of Maurice’s two trials this time in have been extremely encouraging. I love how he’s attacked the line in each of them, and he appears to have returned at the top of his game. He’s rated 86 so resuming in a Benchmark 88 Handicap is ideal from a placement perspective, and he won first-up in the same grade of race over the same distance last preparation so he’s really ticking all the right boxes. He was rated 82 on that occasion, so he has 2kg more on his back here which makes life slightly tougher. However, he was a Group 3 winner in his early three-year-old career before injury intervened so he’s a very talented gelding who will hopefully return to that higher grade later in his preparation. Regan knows him inside out, and whilst he might have to do a bit of work from barrier 13 he should be able to overcome this to be right there at the finish.

Wrap Up: Inglis Easter Sale 2024

Apr 12, 2024

Monday wrapped up the 2024 sales season and the team are buzzing with excitement over the yearlings we secured for the stable. We walked out of the Warwick Farm complex with 16 top-notch prospects in tow. We still have a handful of shares available in six of these beauties, so if you're looking to jump on the winning bandwagon, now's your chance. If you're curious about what makes our picks so special check out the video preview below where Adrian, Bruce, Claudia, and Emma spill the beans on why these yearlings are tailor-made for Tulloch Lodge. Lot 406 - I Am Invincible x Adrift Colt: Purchase Price: $1.15M - Segenhoe Stud Colours Available: No LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE PEDIGREE UPDATE: This colt's full sister SEASCAPE bolted in today on debut, winning by just under five lengths at Gosford. Watch the full race replay here. By Champion sire I AM INVINCIBLE out of a Group 2 winning ZABEEL mare (whom we trained) who has already produced multiple Stakes winner, ZARASTRO (full-brother), and SEASCAPE (full-sister) from just two foals to race. I AM INVINCIBLE crossed with ZABEEL = 100% strike rate of winners to runners From the family of Group 1 winner ENTRIVIERE Bred by astute breeder John Camilleri who bred WINX and our very own Golden Slipper winner, VANCOUVER A Golden Slipper / Coolmore Stud Stakes type View his sales page and pedigree here. Lot 89 - Farnan x Jennifer Eccles Colt: Purchase Price: $600,000 - Kia Ora Stud Colours Available: No By our Golden Slipper winner and Champion 2YO Farnan This colt is the spitting image of his father and the first foal out of Leading NZ 3YO filly and Filly of the Year, Group 1 NZ Oaks winner Jennifer Eccles A September foal, he is exceedingly athletic and looks an early comer View his sales page and pedigree page here. Lot 370 - Maurice x Valalie Filly: Purchase Price: $320,000 - Arrowfield Stud Colours Available: No This September born filly possesses the scope and depth we love to see at Tulloch Lodge The second born foal out of a Group 1 placed Snitzel mare By a sire we have a lot of time for thanks to our Group 3 winner KIBOU, Listed winner GANBARE and 2YO Stakes winning filly AZULA This athletic filly is from the same family as Champion racehorse and Group 1 producing sire DUNDEEL and Champion 3YO Filly in NZ, STARING View her sales page and pedigree here. Lot 172 - I Am Invincible x Mumbai Rock Filly: Purchase Price: $525,000 - Coolmore Stud Colours Available: No By our leading Champion sire in I Am Invincible Out of the Fastnet Rock mare Mumbai Rock who has had five foals to race, all winners including 3 Stakes horses 1 in 4 I Am Invincible racehorses out of Fastnet Rock mares win Black Type Bred on the same cross as QUEEN OF THE BALL and BODYGUARD View her sales page and pedigree here. If you would like additional information on our purchases, please contact our Bloodstock team: Claudia Fitzgerald - claudia@gaiwaterhouse.com.au or 0422 545 990 Emma Coleman - ecoleman@gaiwaterhouse.com.au or 0474 161 041 Bruce Slade - bruce@kestrelthoroughbreds.com.au or 0400 505 238 Happy Racing, Gai & Adrian

Playing By The Rules

Apr 6, 2024

Our Racing Manager, Emma Reeves, aids us with programming and identifies who she thinks is the best placed horse each weekend. Storm Boy, Saturday 6th April, Royal Randwick, Race 6: I am going on maternity leave in a couple of weeks so this will be my final Playing By The Rules for a few months, and therefore I’m hoping to go out with a bang via a Group 1 win. Ordinarily I would say stick with the proven horse as you just don’t fluke a Golden Slipper win, but I’m stepping outside of my own rule book. I wasn’t surprised by the result that day because Lady Of Camelot is just so fast and bombproof, so if you have a chink in the armour, she will find you out. With the way things played out in running, I thought Storm Boy’s effort was also top class, and that of a horse who will appreciate the slightly steadier tempo of a 1400 metre contest. James McDonald will be acutely aware of how this colt needs to be ridden and if the rain that’s forecast shows up, it’s going to be a real test of stamina for these young horses, blunting the turn of foot for the out and out speed horses. The track conditions and how they handle it is the real unknown, but I think people are too quick to write horses off and he did start very short priced favourite in a Golden Slipper so I’m sticking with him.

Playing By The Rules

Mar 29, 2024

Our Racing Manager, Emma Reeves, aids us with programming and identifies who she thinks is the best placed horse each weekend. Hawaii Five Oh, Saturday 30th March, Rosehill Gardens, Race 6: I was tempted to go with a couple of my old friends in Serpentine and Anode but they aren't perfectly weighted with one or two of their rivals so I'm going to cast my net a little wider and go with Hawaii Five Oh. This is a better example of us having to be flexible with a long range plan versus one following the script beautifully. Last preparation he was a revelation as a sprinter and did an incredible job against the best weight-for-age sprinters in the country. This time in he has simply returned a little dourer so rather than start him last week in the Group 1 The Galaxy over 1100 metres, he begins his campaign here. This is the most winnable level he has raced in since this time last year so if he brings his recent form, and that's the million dollar question, he won't be beaten.

Playing By The Rules

Mar 22, 2024

Our Racing Manager, Emma Reeves, aids us with programming and identifies who she thinks is the best placed horse each weekend. Osmose, Saturday 23rd March, Rosehill Gardens, Race 3: I will let the two-year-olds do the talking for themselves, but don’t take that as a lack of confidence as I think this could be a very memorable, special Golden Slipper for us. The Epona has been a long-range plan for Osmose, Howgoodareyou too, but having placed in multiple Stakes races without winning one, it means Osmose is very highly rated but doesn’t incur a penalty. She’s therefore extremely well in at the weights in her grand final where she’s racing over an ideal distance in a race where she is set to peak. There does look to be a lot of speed here but with some luck in running, I think she will be hard to beat.

Playing By The Rules

Mar 15, 2024

Our Racing Manager, Emma Reeves, aids us with programming and identifies who she thinks is the best placed horse each weekend.  Anode, Saturday 16th March, Rosehill Gardens, Race 4: A very open race for my pick of the week this week but I felt that this colt was underestimated prior to his debut, and I think the same could be happening here. He hasn’t taken on the top tier proven colts just yet but outside of Coleman, who has a number of things to overcome this week, his main rivals are coming through the midweeks. We knew he would be vulnerable over 1000 metres first up, but I thought he did a fantastic job having been caught wide with no cover throughout. Although he’s drawn wide again, the tempo of a 1200 metre contest should allow him to get into a much more comfortable rhythm and being second up, I think he’ll be very strong at the finish and tough to run down.

Playing By The Rules

Mar 8, 2024

  Our Racing Manager, Emma Reeves, aids us with programming and identifies who she thinks is the best placed horse each weekend. So United, Canberra, Sunday 10th March, Canberra Cup: I’m extremely excited about the two-year-olds, the return of Red Resistance and don’t give up on Jon Bon, but I had to go with So United this week. I should start by saying that there might be a percentage of bias in this one though I am trying to bring it back to the black and white facts. Every year around July and August I start to think about some of the less obvious possible Magic Millions contenders that are currently in work. They’re often older, consistent Saturday class horses, whereas the glossy two and three-year-olds aren’t hard to find. In August of last year So United had been in work for a long time was almost always running top four but I felt a spell was on the horizon so after speaking with Gai, Adrian and David Mourad from Blueblood Thoroughbreds, we devised a Magic Millions plan. As I’ve said before, few horses stick to the plan because they’re living, breathing animals and we need to react to each individual but for whatever reason, things seemed to go perfectly to script with him. He won his first Saturday race and the preparation culminated with a win in the $1mil. Magic Millions Subzero. That might not sound as exciting as winning a Golden Slipper but for my role, these are what make it all worthwhile. So United is one of only four horses in this Canberra Cup field of 11 who’s suitably weighted according to his handicap rating and with these older, exposed stayers, I do think that’s quite relevant. Each of those horses, excluding So United, are also nominated for Randwick the day before so keep an eye on the scratchings at 7.30am Saturday morning. Two of those three finished 1-2.5 lengths behind him in the Parramatta Cup which isn’t a large margin but So United was first up off a freshen in the paddock and only one trial, so I expect there to be more improvement in him. The final one of the three is dropping back from finishing fourth in a Caulfield Cup which is certainly eye catching, but he is first up. So United hasn’t won at this level but we have so much success in this race and I think this is his opportunity.

Playing By The Rules

Mar 1, 2024

Our Racing Manager, Emma Reeves, aids us with programming and identifies who she thinks is the best placed horse each weekend.StormBoy, Saturday 2nd March, Royal Randwick, Race 4:I had hoped to bring you something a little less obvious, but I suppose ‘obvious’ is the purpose of this as I am looking for horses who fit every piece of the puzzle. How can I fault an unbeaten colt who’s putting a margin on his rivals, breaking the clock and is capable of sustaining pressure at both ends of his races? My mum was an amateur jockey in England and always told me that you can immediately feel a good horse underneath you because they have a naturally high cruising speed and they quicken off it, you’re simply a passenger. Every time I see this colt race or even trial, I think of that. It looks effortless. One thing I have learnt in my time with Gai and Adrian is that the best two-year-olds almost fly under the radar. That doesn’t mean that they’re bad trackworkers, it just means they go about everything with minimum fuss, so they aren’t necessarily the ones people are talking about straight out of the breaking in process. Maybe that coincides with my previous comments about it all simply being so easy for them. I simply can’t see him being beaten on Saturday.