Well known thoroughbred industry personality Rodney Rae has been responsible for bringing the Oasis Dream horse Captain Gerard “down under” to stand the southern hemisphere breeding season at Lindsay Park Stud.

Rodney has also been particular, especially this year, as head of the Australian Jumps Racing Association.   Stallions, Graeme Kelly, spoke to Rodney about Captain Gerard, the situation surrounding jumps racing and other matters.

Q.: Being by Oasis Dream, Captain Gerard is an exciting addition to Lindsay Park Stud’s roster
A.: Oasis Dream is the new sire sensation in Europe. He currently has a stakes winners-to-runners ratio of over 10 per cent. He was a champion racehorse and has positioned himself to be a champion stallion. His performances are comparable to that of Redoute’s Choice, who is head and shoulders above any stallion in this country. Captain Gerard is a very fast son of Oasis Dream, who excelled as a juvenile. We believe he will suit the Australian market as he possesses the credentials to be successful.

Q.: Is Captain Gerard the first stallion you have been involved in standing
A.: No. I currently stand Group 1 winner Testafiable at Wyndholm Park Stud at Ballarat. Testafiable’s oldest progeny are weanlings and we are very happy with the type of foal he is producing. If they can run as well as they look we are going to have some fun.

Q.: How did you come to secure Captain Gerard for stud duties
A.: I endeavour to achieve a global view and understanding of racing and breeding. I have been watching Oasis Dream’s progeny with considerable interest for a period of time and concluded that he is a stallion with the world at his feet. He descends from a list of champion sires of sires and I believe it is reasonable to conclude that he will become a champion sire of sires.

Q.: Have you an arrangement with Mickley Stud where he stood the northern hemisphere season
A.: Yes, Mickley owns the northern hemisphere rights and I own the southern hemisphere rights in conjunction with some fellow partners in the stallion.

Q.: How was Captain Gerard received at Mickley
A.: He covered 100-plus mares in his first season, just concluded. It was an excellent start for him as he was strongly supported by English and Irish breeders.

Q.: What led to the horse standing at Lindsay Park Stud
A.: I wanted to stand Captain Gerard at a commercial farm with a strong history of standing successful stallions. On the basis that I have some good relationships at Lindsay Park it was a good fit. It is a famous farm and the Hayes name is anonymous with success. We are fortunate to be standing Captain Gerard at Lindsay Park and thankful to Sam Hayes for giving us the opportunity.

Q.: Do you expect to be standing more stallions
A.: Not at the present. I have the commitment now to two stallions and from a work and financial perspective that is a big investment. My focus is to ensure both stallions are given every chance to succeed.

Q.: How long have you been the principal of the Thoroughbred Racing Bureau
A.: I established the company in 2000.

Q.: What do the company’s activities involve
A.: It has been predominately a consulting company servicing businesses in the international racing and breeding industry. The focus and direction of the company has changed over the past two years as it is being transformed into an integrated racing and breeding operation.

Q.: Do you have overseas connections
A.:Yes, my work over the last 10 years has enable me to develop contacts throughout Asia and Europe. Going forward the Asian region will provide important export opportunities for my company.

Q.: You are also busy as president of the Australian Jumps Racing Association
A.: It has been a tough couple of years for everyone concerned with jumps racing but we remain firmly committed to ensuring the future racing landscape includes jumping.

Q.: How long have you been involved
A.: I have been a committee member for 10 years and president for the past eight years.

Q.: Has this season’s jumps racing helped to silence the critics
A.: We have been having a good season. We have introduced new obstacles, which are working very well and the fatalities we have experienced thus far cannot be attributed to the new jumps. This has led to us receiving the “thumbs up” at this stage. In terms of silencing the critics I am afraid they will never be silenced but hopefully they will be ignored for the pests they are. In the main, they are a disproportionately loud, small group of people with an extremist approach to horse racing in general. You only have to take a look at their websites .. . they are against jumps racing, two-year-old racing, thoroughbred breeding and so on and so on. They won’t be happy until horse racing across the board is banned and everyone is a vegan. We must treat them seriously though as they mean to do our industry serious damage.

Q.: How does the future of jumps racing look
A.: The industry needs to be strong. If it is, jumping racing will have a bright and successful future. It has been around for 200 years and we intend to make sure it is around for another 200 years.

Q.: Do you have family involved in the thoroughbred industry
A.: No. My entrée into the industry was going to the races with my great grand parents, grand parents and Mum and Dad. I just seemed to get hooked for life . . . the racing industry has the ability to do that to people. Once it is in your blood, once you are consumed by it, you’re gone and it becomes very much a way of life.

Q.: Do you have any interests outside the industry
A.: We have five children, which keep my wife Catherine (in particular) and myself on our toes. Their sport, which is great fun, takes up a fair bit of our time. The children, myself and our extended family have a strong devotion to the Collingwood Football Club and we are there supporting the Pies every time they play in Melbourne. It is a great family, tradition, probably more of a religion actually.

Tags: Lindsay Park Stud
Permalink| Aug 26, 2010

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