December 17th, 2007

Outstanding mare Redaspen, a daughter of Swettenham Stud's blue blooded sire Bianconi, strolled away with the Grade Two La Prevoyante Handicap (2400m) at America's Calder Racecourse over the weekend.

The Grade Two victory continues a golden run for Danzig's red hot sire son who last month was represented by the impressive Sandown Guineas victor Schilling - a handsome black colt who's got a bright future for master Melbourne trainer Mick Price.

While Schilling and his other Australian progeny continue to race with great distinction, it was the efforts of Redaspen that has tossed the Swettenham resident into the headlines again.

A recent addition to the stables of Rebecca Baker, Redaspen cruised home three-parts-of-a-length clear of Green Girl, while Dalvina was another length and a quarter back in third place.  Redaspen, whose record reads out at nine wins and 14 minor placings from just 24 lifetime starts. Her stakes earnings have rocketed to $459,473 (A$533,035).  

The Equivine Farm bred and owned performer was ridden confidently and cleverly throughout the race by Eddie Castro.

"The owners were considering retiring her," trainer Rebecca Baker told reporters. "But this race was coming up and a personal friend of ours recommended sending her to us and taking a shot."
"We ran her going shorter (in distance) and she ran well. She never had been this distance before, but Eddie rode her perfect and she got a great trip."
"Now I guess we'll have to talk about her future," she summed up.

Redaspen is one of two winners from the dual winner Goldie Pops - a half sister to Grade Three winner Appealing Missy - a mare who'd go on to throw two stakes performers including Statement.

Bianconi, the sire of Redaspen, is best know in Australia as the sire of Australasian stakes winners including Above Deck, Schilling, Mr Martini, Leigh Valley, Valparaiso, Classiconi and Taken at the Flood.
As well as his stars in Australia, New Zealand and the United Stakes - Bianconi has had winners in England, France, Canada, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain - while his three runners in Hong Kong are all impressive winners.

November 18th, 2007

Bianconi has another top class individual to his credit when Schilling took out the Group Two $401,000 Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Sandown on the Lakeside course on Saturday.

A handsome colt that's almost black , Schilling is prepared by the Caulfield based Mick Price and he proved a shade too strong in the concluding stages to score by a half-neck over Masked Assassin in the feature three-year-old event. 

Only having his sixth start and winning his third race, Price, will send him to the paddock for an immediate spell with bigger races in the autumn his next goal.

"Straight to the paddock now," Price told TVN, 

"He's done a great job and come a long way in a short time."

"We'll set him for the Group One Australian Guineas now," Price added.

"He's a lovely colt. He's a beautiful looking horse."

"He's my black beauty," Price added with a laugh.

Price said the ride the colt was given by Damien Oliver, who had won earlier in the day on Star Rose and Escadaire, was first class.

"It was a great ride and everything's good."

The end of the race was a thrilling one with Schilling (ex Meet My sis by Prized) got up by a half neck to beat a gallant Masked Assassin (Danzero - Duk Duk by Claudius) with Wind Shear (Flying Spur - Kajar by Quest for Fame) only a short-neck away back in third spot.

"I didn't want to run second - particularly to my next door neighbour," Price said while grinning at Peter Moody who's runner Masked Assassin was grabbed in the shadows of the post.

"It's a super result. The Sandown Guineas is a nice race to win," Price summed up.

Price said he joked with Damien Oliver before the race, saying he owed him a win in the rich Group Two Sandown Guineas.

"Chattanooga got beaten a head in this race a few years ago by Over and Damien (Oliver) rode Chattanooga that day and I was telling him, don't do this to me again. Don't get beaten in another photo."

Schilling is yet to miss a cheque after six career runs and his earnings have shot to over $300,000.

Bred by Stuart Ramsey and from the American bred Prized mare Meet My Sis, Schilling is named after famous US baseball pitcher Curt Schilling.  

The two legged Schilling was a key member of this year's World Series winning team, the Boston Red Sox.

Schilling was Bianconi's twelfth stakes winner and he stands at Swettenham Stud in Victoria for the bargain basement fee of just $9,900.00 (inc gst)

August 1, 2007

Swettenham Stud's blue blooded sire Bianconi has had a big few days with a stakes winner in the US as well as a number of impressive winners and a sale topper in Australia.

Leading the way for the sire is Redaspen - a star five-year-old mare by the sire in the United States.  Not content with three stakes wins already on her record, the classy mare added the Mrs Penny Stakes at Philadelphia.  Handled beautifully by Victor Molina the Tim Woolly trained mare cruised home to beat Royal Pleasure by three parts of a length in a performance that delighted favourite punters. 

With 22 runs under her belt, Redaspen's record reads out at eight wins and 12 minor placings for stakes earnings of US$333,313 (A$388,772).

It's not only in America that the progeny of the outstanding Danzig sire are racing with great success. His performers in Australia have also been winning plenty of races of late.

One trainer loving the stock of Bianconi is Terry Mathrick, who celebrated winners by the sire in Victoria.

At Sale, the talented three-year-old gelding Streetfighter lived up to his name with a breathtaking eight length win in his first up run and just the second of his career.  Rider Ivan Culliver hardly had to move on the lightly raced performer as he raced to the lead in the straight and then streaked clear of his rivals in the 1422 metre contest.  

From the Voodoo Rhythm mare Super Rhythm, Streetfighter looks a galloper with loads of ability and Mathrick is confident he will be winning much better races in the future.

The promising three-year-old colt Elf scored a thrilling win in the Petstock Animal Supplies Handicap (2100m) at Geelong.  With Ivan Cullivan again in the saddle, the Mathrick prepared runner proved too strong for the favourite Moonfleet Glory.  Elf has won two of his past three starts and has three wins on his career resume from just 15 outings. He looks a stayer of some promise.

The bay colt is a real Swettenham success story. He is from a daughter of the stud's former champion sire and Golden Slipper winner Rory's Jester.

Meanwhile, on Sunday a weanling colt by Bianconi sold for the top price of his age, $47,000, at the Magic Millions Perth Mixed Thoroughbred Sale at Belmont.  The outstanding looking youngster was picked up by local buyer Graham Jordan.

Swettenham Stud's Adam Sangster said the future looked good for Bianconi.

"Already having proved himself as a Group One winning sire, Bianconi still has the best to come," Sangster commented.

"Bianconi's earnings for the season just finishing are over $1.25 million and he still has only had just 149 career runners in the Southern Hemisphere." 

"Importantly, he has the big foal crops about to surface. I'm very much looking forward to the next few seasons."

Bianconi stands this spring at just $9,900 at Swettenham Stud.

December 19th, 2006

It didn’t really require Taken at the Flood’s win in Saturday’s Listed Christmas Cup at Rosehill to remind us of the skill of his trainer Paul Cave at preparing stayers. It is something racing folk have known for some time.

The victory, the sixth by a Cave-trained horse in the STC’s feature Summer staying event, came just a few weeks after stablemate Respect had taken out the Queensland Cup over 3200m. Paul Cave is a master of his craft.

However, you do need a good memory to recall much about Paul’s first Christmas Cup winner way back in 1981, the former New Zealander Prince Weyand, which was owned by colourful Sydney racing identity Tim Bristow and which carried his blue and white hooped colours. Prince Weyand ended his career going over the jumps in Melbourne.

Seventeen years later Cave’s second Christmas Cup winner, the grey Kenmare mare Lahar, showed a good deal more class retiring with prizemoney earnings of well over $600,000. In addition to her Cup win, Lahar has the distinction of being one of the few horses to have dead-heated for a placing in the Melbourne Cup-Gr 1, when joint third with Zazabelle to Rogan Josh in 1999.

Lahar was also second to Intergaze in the Doomben Cup-Gr 1, a Warwick Farm quinella, third to Tie the Knot in the Sydney Cup-Gr 1 and fourth in the Brisbane Cup-Gr 1. At stud, Lahar has done her owner John Thompson proud as the dam of the promising three year old filly, Diatreme, a daughter of Thompson’s outstanding galloper, Diatribe.

Even so, Cave’s next Christmas Cup winner, Pasta Express, ranks at the head of the group and possibly as the best horse to pass through his stable. Pasta Express, by the Bletchingly stallion Rigoletto from the Nassipour mare Nassipoint, converted his untapped staying potential into reality with his Christmas Cup win over Yippyio in 1999. The previous year, the inexperienced Pasta Express had been runner up in the Summer Cup at Randwick.

The Christmas Cup was a turning point for Pasta Express and the following season he went on to win the Chelmsford Stakes-Gr 2 and the Hill Stakes-Gr 2 at weight-for-age before a second to Coco Cabanna in the AJC The Metropolitan–Gr 1. Pasta Express contested two Melbourne Cups and was retired after finishing down the track behind Ethereal in 2001 after a creditable eighth to Brew the year before.

The fourth Christmas Cup winner for the popular Warwick Farm trainer was the good mare Airlie Bird, a daughter of the versatile sire Zoffany and the stakeswinning War Hawk II mare, Always Summer. Airlie Bird retired with a fine record of 9 wins from 29 starts and added to her Cup win with a victory in the Epona Stakes-L during the 2003 Golden Slipper Festival. 

Now also at stud, Airlie Bird produced a Galileo filly in 2006. An Oaks contender one day perhaps. 

Sadarar’s win in the Christmas Cup in 2003 provides further proof of Cave’s mastery at training stayers. The gelding, sired in England but foaled in Australia, had not raced for five weeks before landing the 2400m Rosehill feature. Racing in the same colours as Taken at the Flood, Sadarar was by the high class UK racehorse Rock Hopper, twice winner of the Hardwicke Stakes-G2 as well as the Yorkshire Cup-Gr 2 and Princess of Wales’s Stakes-Gr 2, from the imported Hallgate mare Our Rita. That mare is also the dam of Run Rita Run, the Paul Cave-trained runner-up to Railings in the 2005 The Metropolitan-Gr 1. 

Which brings us to Taken at the Flood. Like Sadarar, Saturday’s winner is the product of a mare imported by owner/breeder and loyal stable client, J T Crisp, who also deserves our warmest congratulations. Let’s face it. Few among us are prepared for the daunting dual challenge of breeding and racing stayers these days, let alone managing it as successfully as Mr. Crisp has done in recent years.

As a son of the five furlong winner Bianconi, Taken at the Flood’s stamina is not so apparent as Sadarar’s at first glance. But one lesson the study of Dosages teaches us is that stallions can sometimes sire in a different manner to the way they performed on the track. And so it seems with Bianconi, whose best progeny, the likes of Above Deck, Mr. Martini and Taken at the Flood, have proven quite adept at middle distances. That is where the influence of Bianconi’s world famous dam, Fall Aspen, a daughter of Classic chef-de-race Pretense, comes into play. It is not the total picture when it comes to Taken at the Flood’s stamina, as we will see, but it is significant.

Taken at the Flood’s dam Golden Hanoof was placed over 2400m in France and possesses a fine pedigree, being a daughter of the Seattle Slew stallion, Slew o’ Gold, and the Northern Dancer mare Hanoof. Golden Hanoof is a half-sister to the stakeswinner Ville d’Amore, the dam of Group One winner Loving Claim and the NZ-based stallion City on a Hill. 

A little further back, Hanoof’s dam, Little Bonny, placed second at the highest level in the Irish Oaks and Prix Vermeille and was sired by the Ebor Handicap winner Bonne Noel, a rare sire son of the short-lived Santa Claus. Hanoof would have been very proud of her great-grandson on Saturday.

The late Rosehill trainer Cyril Kearns made a habit of winning feature races at Christmas time with those good horses Sandy’s Hope, Royal Display and Zephyr Bay, and jockey Ray Selkrig rode 11 winners of the AJC Anniversary Handicap in January. Now, Paul Cave is “officially” a member of that same club.

And, by the way, Paul, I have my eye on this yearling colt….. 

I love a stayer too!

- John Hutchinson

September 20th, 2006

At Rosehill on Saturday, Mr Martini scored a gutsy all-the-way win in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m).

Trained at Warwick Farm by Marc Conners, Mr Martini was ridden by Darryl McLellan, jumped from a wide gate to make his way across the face of the field to take up the running inside the first furlong.

McLellan had Mr Martini relaxed well in front and slowed the speed at every furlong until the 800m when he started to pick the pace up again and held off Vanquished (Hector Protector - Exuberance by Last Tycoon) who made a late charge but failed by a neck to overhaul the Bianconi five-year-old.

Lookout (Snippets - Lawarra by Zephyr Zip) was a half-head away in third spot.

Mr Martini (ex Posy by Marauding) has continue to improve each start under the care of Conners and he looked well placed on the limit weight after his second to Activation in the Listed Premier's Cup at Rosehill two weeks earlier. 

Conners told TVN that he plans to give Mr Martini one more run before the Group One Metropolitan Hcp (2400m) at Randwick on October 7. 

"It could be the Queen's Cup but I'm not sure yet," he said. 

July 2nd, 2006

The main meeting in Queensland on Saturday was held at the picturesque track at the Sunshine Coast, Caloundra and Swettenham Stud's Bianconi produced another strong winner with Simplex who took out the Sunshine Coast Classic (1300m).

Ridden by apprentice Danny Peisley, Simplex led throughout.  Jumping away well from barrier six, Simplex, found the front with ease.  Peisley caught his more experienced rivals napping when he gave the Bianconi colt more reign and slip away to open up a five-length lead rounding the corner. 

Although he was tiring near the line, Simplex (ex Bunglung by Yonder) had enough in reserve to hold off the Nellie Got There (Brahms - Nellie de Air by Air De France) to score by 2-1/2 lengths with Donald Victor (Iglesia - Lunch at Lowther by Lunchtime) three-quarters of a length back in third. 

Trained at Eagle Farm by Les Ross the victory was the colt's maiden win at his seventh outing. 

Simplex was purchased by Brisbane owner Malcolm Gray from a Victorian breeder for $20,000 as a yearling and the speedy colt is half-brother to Gray's former talented sprinting mare Quintex. 

June 18th, 2006

At Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, Bianconi, sired a race to race double including the Listed stakes event the W J McKell Cup with Taken At the Flood.

The Victorian trained Sporting News (ex (Framed by Tate Gallery) was ridden by Sydney's leading rider, Darren Beadman, giving him a quartet of winners for the day. 

In a very competitive event, Beadman, had Sporting News travelling behind the race favourite  Amianan (Belong to Me - Hig Heels by Canny Lad).  Once they swung for home, Amianan, appeared to get very tired and Beadman changed direction taking Sporting News back closer to the rail.  In a driving finish Sport News had the barest margin over Amianan, who got going again late in the straight.  Eastwest Dancer (Orpen - Pepper Mission  by Straight Strike) was three-quarters-of-a-length away in third.

The following race was the feature of the card, the Listed WJ McKell Cup (2400m). 

Ridden by James Innes, who gave the Paul Cave-trained Taken At The Flood a beautiful run midfield before peeling out in the straight and sprinting clear of the pack. 

Sprinting quickly, Taken At The Flood, put a couple of lengths on his rivals and never looked like getting beaten and he had too much in reserve for Brave Lancer (Bahhare - Fine Talk by Lord Ballina) and scored by a half-length with another neck to Verb (Zabeel - Darra Princess by Vain) in third.

The win was the four-year-old son of Bianconi's fourth from eight starts this campaign and his first over 2400 metres.

Taken At The Flood gave Bianconi his 11th stakes winner with the McKell Cup success. 

May 24th, 2006

Bianconi is riding high after his first Group One winner as a sire on Saturday when classy Victorian galloper Above Deck raced to a commanding two length win in the Doomben Cup in Brisbane.

The Magic Millions National Sale features a number of quality lots for buyers looking to get their hands on a future star by Bianconi.

Bianconi has two yearlings catalogued for the National Yearling Sale - one colt and one filly.

The colt - a Super Vobis qualified youngster - is a half brother to the Group Two winner Rain Dance Lady being from the top producing Century mare Butterfly Lady.

Other members of his black type packed family include the stakes winners Rain Gauge, More Rain, Rain Amore, Rain at Bay and the out and out champion Rain Lover.

His filly yearling entry also hails from a top family - a family that includes Covetous, Periscope, Tropical Affair, Princess Talaria, Winged Beauty, Arcadus and present day stakes star Matras.

As well Bianconi is represented by two weanlings - both colts in the Weanling section of the sale.

One of the colts is a half brother to top class Southern Queensland performer Picablu and rounding out the National Sale are the two mares entered for the Broodmare Sale following a date with the Danzig stallion at Collingrove last spring.

May 22nd, 2006

Collingrove Stud's resident Bianconi is the toast of the Victorian breeding industry this week following the runaway win of his son Above Deck in Saturday's Group One Doomben Cup (2020m).

Prepared by Jim Conlan, Above Deck extended his first class record this preparation when he powered away from Octapussy and Roman Arch for an effortless win.

Above Deck, a member of Bianconi's first Australian crop, becomes the first Group One winner for his sire and for his rider Mark Zahra.

Following the victory, Conlan immediately announced plans to set Above Deck for Australia's premier weight-for-age race, the Group One WS Cox Plate. He will also be nominated for the prestigious Hong Kong International meeting at Sha Tin in December.

Connections were thrilled with the way Above Deck quickened over the concluding stages to race past his rivals for a soft two-length success.

"I was worried when he got so far back before they got to the post for the first time," Conlan said.

"But Mark (Zahra) knows the horse very well."

"He will go straight to the paddock for a well deserved break.".

Above Deck boasts an imposing record of 10 wins and six minor placings from just 29 starts with prizemoney now soaring to $931,950.

May 7th, 2006

The main meeting in Queensland on Saturday was held at the Gold Coast and Bianconi provided the feature winner of the day when Above Deck took out the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) in very classy fashion.

Trained in Victoria by Jim Conlon, and ridden by Mark Zahra, Above Deck (ex Hafla by At Talaq) camped on the speed before exploding away to score by one-and-a-quarter-lengths over the QTC Oaks winner, Vouvray (Zabeel - Real Success by Success Express) with the Australian Cup winner, Roman Arch (Archway - Celestial Option by Clear Choice), the same margin back in third.

Having his 27th start, Above Deck, took his earnings past $600,000, enhancing his record to nine wins and six placings. 

Above Deck, is a much better horse going right-handed, with three wins at Rosehill, the Albury Gold Cup and the Listed JRA Plate at Randwick. His last start, Above Deck ran fifth to Australia’s top WFA horse, Eremein, in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick. 

Above Deck is was purchased from the draft of Ealing Park at the 2003 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.  He is the fourth foal of the At Talaq mare Hafla, whose dam Deck The Halls (Father Christmas) was among the best mares of her era. Hafla has an un-named two-year-old filly by Genuine, a weanling colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire) and was served last season by Niello.

A son of the hugely influential Danzig, Bianconi is out of the Kentucky Broodmare Of The Year, Fall Aspen (Pretense). Winner of the Group 2 Diadem Stakes at Ascot, his stock are showing they are well suited to Australian conditions.  Collingrove may well have pulled off a masterstroke by retaining him solely for Australia after having previously shuttled from Ashford Stud in Kentucky. Breeders have shown their support with 151 mares covered last year, 188 in 2004 and 171 in 2003. 

Above Deck was not the only Bianconi success story on Saturday. The Paul Cave-trained Taken At The Flood (ex Golden Hanoof by Slew O’ Gold) took his earnings to over $120,000 with a strong win in the Masterton Homes Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill. 

April 5th, 2006

BIANCONI was prominent with his progeny excelling in four states on Saturday with the most impressive being his stakes winner VALPARAISO in Western Australia taking out the listed Club Burswood Hcp (1400m) at Ascot. She was later sold in the Key Farm Dispersal Sale for $310,000 to the bid of John Chalmers.

Meanwhile at Caulfield, BENKO was impressive in winning the Kapalaran Hcp (1200m) for David Hayes and the First Tuesday Syndicate.

On the same day in Sydney stakes winner, ABOVE DECK coming off his Albury Cup win last week, ran a game second to Fooram in the LISTED Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill.

Yet in another state, KOSTA DIAMOND won the Deloraine Hcp (2100m) at Mowbray.

Bianconi continues to be popular with breeders and buyers and is certainly on his way up... with his biggest and best quality crops yet to hit the tracks. Bianconi has covered over 150 quality mares each year in his last three seasons at Collingrove.

Bianconi, a son of Danzig from Fall Aspen, is Collingrove owned and resides full time at Collingrove, Nagambie.