As showcased in the equestrian world at the Paris Olympics, bloodlines and pedigrees play a huge role in equine success at the elite level. The same can be said of the racing world, and the team at Griffiths de Kock Racing knows what to look for when it comes to picking a winner.
Based southeast of Melbourne in Cranbourne, Griffiths de Kock Racing has had a spectacular 12 months, winning group and listed races with a high return on investment for many owners.
According to Racing.com, the stable currently stands at a recent win rate of 14% runners-to-winners, and a 36% placings-to-runners rate. Australia has the richest racing prizes of any globally, and Victoria has the highest prizemoney on offer of any state, with more than $300 million per annum.
Griffiths de Kock Racing’s bloodstock team includes Robbie Griffiths, Mathew de Kock, Peter Ford and Corey Smith – and they have been very busy at the major yearling sales throughout the year. Here, they have presented a stellar collection of youngsters for your consideration.
STAND-OUT SALES HORSES
Kristen Manning, known for her astute pedigree analysis, provides an in-depth pedigree explanation of why these horses stood out to her at the sales.
OLE KIRK X LUNAR IMPACT (BY REAL IMPACT)
This bay colt is by a very exciting first season sire, a Group 1 Caulfield Guineas and Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes winning son of Champion Sire Written Tycoon and a full sister to Black Caviar. This fellow is bred on the highly successful Written Tycoon/Redoute’s Choice cross; one which produced the recent New Zealand Group 1 winner Velocious.
It is a cross that provides for the duplication of the wonderful mare Best In Show (one of the great modern day line-breeding forces), grandam of Written Tycoon’s great grandsire Try My Best and fourth dam of Redoute’s Choice. Over 9% of the 231 winners combining Written Tycoon and Redoute’s Choice are stakes winners!
This colt is the first foal produced by a quality race mare, Lunar Impact, a tough winner of the Group 3 Western Australian Oaks. Her dam, Moonsong by Redoute’s Choice, won at Sandown and also produced the Group 1 placed Man Of Choice, whilst her Group 1-placed grandam Moon Magic is the grandam of the Listed winning Hong Kong Derby placegetter Playa del Puente.
OLE KIRK X SUPARA (BY DOMESDAY)
This grey filly is another nice Ole Kirk, line-bred to the great mare Best In Show via her great, great grandson Domesday. The Written Tycoon/Domesday cross has not been tried very often (they stood in different states) but the first four runners are all winners! A descendant of the legendary mare Pretty Polly, she is the fifth foal for a talented race mare, Supara, a Canterbury winner who – after working hard in the running – finished a close second in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes.
Her first two foals to race are both winners and are both still racing well – the four-year-old Brosnan (a $1.05 million yearling) a Group 1 and Group 2 placegetter who won at Flemington aged two, and the New Zealand based three-year-old Superbly Written (an $800,000 yearling by Ole Kirk’s sire Written Tycoon) an impressive last start winner at Riccarton.
Supara is one of the six winners produced by the four times stakes-placed, multiple city winning Encosta de Lago mare, Unabated, who produced another two stakes performers.
FARNAN X THEATRIC (BY CASINO PRINCE)
What a great record Golden Slipper winners have at stud, and Farnan – who also won the Group 2 Todman Stakes and the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes – is a very exciting first season sire.
This bay filly is the fourth foal for the two times sprint-winning Theatric, whose first two to race have both shown talent: the city placed winner Ma Comet (a $625,000 yearling now based in Hong Kong) and the recent winner Canggu.
Theatric’s dam is a half-sister to the Group 3 mare November Flight, dam of the Group 3 Skyline Stakes winner Ashokan and of the highly promising young stallion Pierata, winner of the Group 1 All-Aged Stakes and the Magic Millions Guineas.
Dual Group 3 winner Our Playboy also hails from this family, one which has as its ancestress the Golden Slipper heroine Century Miss.
She is another one boasting a cross of Best In Show, noting that Farnan’s sire Not A Single Doubt fared particularly well with this line-breeding; he and Last Tycoon combining in the pedigrees of 13 stakes winners, including the Group 1 gallopers Espiona and Shout The Bar.
“This bay filly is the fourth
foal for the two times
sprint-winning Theatric…”
HANSEATIC X DARCIBELLE (BY DARCI BRAHMA)
The very fast Hanseatic by Anamoe’s sire Street Boss from the family of Black Caviar is a young stallion many people are talking about and judging by the quality of this bay colt he has plenty to offer.
As a descendant of Best In Show, he can boast amongst his relations the star stallion Redoute’s Choice and fellow big race winners Manhattan Rain, Hurricane Sky and Umatilla.
His lightly-raced dam Darcibelle, by one of New Zealand’s best stallions, Darci Brahma won twice and was city-placed from just six starts, and she is doing a great job at stud with her first four foals all being winners – including the stakes-placed metropolitan winners Unstoppabelle and Danny’s St Darci.
Her three-year-old, Don’t Be Dramatic, is showing good potential; five starts so far for three wins and two seconds. Darcibelle’s dam, Royal Season by Royal Academy, also did a great job at stud with eight winners from nine to race, including the Group 2 winner Twilight Royale – whose daughter is one of our best three-year-olds, last spring’s Group 2 Sandown Guineas winner Serasana.
Also from this branch of the internationally prolific Best In Show family is the Hong Kong star Designs On Rome, the Group1 Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow, and the homegrown superb talent Giga Kick.
HANSEATIC X ARGEMONE (BY LONHRO)
Another nice one for Hanseatic, this brown/black colt – who has inherited the dark coat of his superstar dam sire Lonhro – is the fourth foal produced by a lightly raced and placed daughter of the dual Group winning Red Ransom mare, Romneya.
Her first foal, Chicalote, bolted in with an Echuca maiden at just his second start whilst her second foal, Griezmann, is also a member of our stable and showing plenty of talent too!
This is one of Australia’s best speed families. Romneya is a daughter of the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude winning Danehill mare, Mannington, whose dam is the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes winning Marscay mare, Bint Marscay.
The mares in this family make wonderful broodmares – Mannington produced the Group 1 VRC Derby winner Benicio, whilst Bint Marscay’s three stakes winners include the Group 1 Coolmore Classic winner Bollinger.
SO YOU THINK X GOLDEN HALO (YOUR SONG)
A star both on the track and off, the dual Group 1 W.S Cox Plate winning globe-trotting champ So You Think is an outstanding stallion. Based at Coolmore Stud, he has sired 55 stakes winners, 11 of whom are Group 1 winners including two of the best currently racing: Think It Over and Think About It.
Bred on the same So You Think/Fastnet Rock cross as the Group1 mare Palaisipan, this bay/brown colt is sadly the only foal produced by the city winner Golden Halo. Her winning dam Santenay boasts a 100% record – all five of her foals to race were winners, including the stakes-placed city winner Saint Valorem and the metropolitan winning dam of the Group 3 placed Wanalirri.
Santenay’s dam, Raise The Play, also did well at stud, with all five of her foals to race being winners – including the Group 2 winner Bellini Rose, who is in turn dam of the Group 1 South Australian Derby winner, Howard Be Thy Name.
Whilst So Your Think did not quite manage a Group1 Melbourne Cup victory (he was a game third behind Americain) there is a winner of that race in the family: the mighty mare Ethereal, who also won the Group 1 Caulfield Cup, Group 1 Tancred Stakes, and Group 1 Queensland Oaks.
This is one of New Zealand’s finest families, and this colt is also able to boast amongst his relations the big race winners Romanee Conti, Grand Echezeaux and Darci Brahma.
DUNDEEL X AUTUMN WILD (BY SNITZEL)
By one of Australia’s most in-form stallions – a six times Group 1 winning son of High Chaparral – this colt is bred on the same Dundeel/Snitzel cross as the recent Group 1 Randwick Guineas winner Celestial Legend, who veteran trainer Les Bridge declared the best he has trained.
This fellow is the second foal of a two time winning mare whose dam was one of the best sprinters of the early 2000s, the Group 1 Lightning Stakes, Group 1 Australia Stakes, and RL Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner, Regimental Gal.
The best runner produced by the wonderful galloper General Nediym, she did a great job at stud with her seven winners, including the Group 3 winner Lilliburlero and the stakes-placed dam of the Group 2 juvenile, Souchez.
SYNDICATIONS
Shares in racehorses offer a more accessible way to venture into the sport of Kings and Queens, and from a small investment and affordable ongoing monthly fee, groups of friends and family can own and race a share. Who knows, a Blue Diamond winner or a Melbourne Cup could be in your future. Plus, there are plenty to choose from as possible stallion prospects.
Griffiths De Kock racing takes great pride in ensuring all horses that finish racing with them, receive the best rehoming support possible. Robbie and Shiranee Griffiths have a long history of supporting equestrian clubs in Victoria and many of their beloved horses successfully transited into pony club, Olympic discipline and adult riding clubs. EQ
If you want to know more about buying an affordable share or setting up a family or friends syndicate then ring Corey Smith on 0439912370, or email corey@griffithsracing.com.au
