YEARLING BUYS:
JYMCAREW
Cost: $50,000
Won: Gr.1 Canterbury Guineas & $467,555 Testimonial
ZABRASIVE
Cost: $NZ95,000
To date: 1st Rosehill Guineas, 4th Randwick Guineas & $375,000 from only six career starts
DELAGO BOLT
Cost: $70,000
To date: Listed Black Opal Stakes & more than $320,000
BUTT I’M READY
Cost: $150,000
To date: In first six starts is a city winner, placed in the Listed Black Opal Stakes & won almost $100,000
OFFSHORE SHAM
Cost: $32,500
To date: In only two career starts this filly has already won $64,000 and shapes as a highly promising three-year-old.
MILITARY GAL
Cost: $120,000
To date: In only 11 career starts this highly promising filly has more than recouped her purchase price and with three city wins already to her name she is a highly promising young mare. To date her earnings top $125,000.
BEFORE TOO LONG
Cost: $40,000
Won: Gr.2 MVRC Champagne Stakes & almost $280,000
FOREST EXPRESS
Cost: $2400
Won: Gr.3 Vanity Stakes & $311,800 before being sold privately
PERFECT CRIME
Cost: $28,000
Won: $1 million Heroic Championship & almost $690,000
DOWN THE WICKET
Cost: $38,000
Won: Listed Black Opal Stakes & more than $300,000
FLEUR ROYALE
Cost: $38,000
Won: Three races, 2nd Listed Widden Stakes, 2nd Listed Gimcrack Stakes & almost $150,000
MIMZICAL
Cost: $12,000
Won: Six races (five in Sydney and Melbourne) & more than $200,000 before being sold for $75,000
CHAUD ROCHE
Cost: $28,000
Won: Five races, placed in the Listed Canterbury Classic & won almost $200,000 before being sold for $110,000
CIGAR ROYALE
Cost: $46,000
Won: 2 races, 3rd in Listed T.L. Baillieu & almost $90,000
YOBURG
Cost: $40,000
To date: Won seven races & more than $210,000
PRIVATE PURCHASES:
ABSOLUTE CHAMPION
Absolute Champion was purchased privately by VCB for a Hong Kong client before being crowned the world’s best sprinter in 2006.
Won: Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, Gr.1 Cathay Pacific HK Sprint, Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup
LAURA’S CHARM
Laura’s Charm was purchased privately by VCB for Patinack Farm.
Won: Gr.2 Sunline Stakes
KISS ‘N CHASE
Kiss ‘n Chase was purchased privately ahead of the yearling sales for Mark Gold and some close friends after they asked for VCB to make an assessment of the younger full-sister to their promising racehorse Kick ‘n Chase.
To date: In seven starts to date the filly has won on three occasions and has already been earmarked for stakes company. Testimonial
STALLION PROSPECTS:
MEURICE
Purchased privately by VCB and Damon Gabbedy for Gai Waterhouse who was looking for a young stallion prospect.
Won: In his ensuing four starts the colt won the Gr.2 Todman Stakes, ran third in the Gr.1 Golden Slipper, second in the Gr.1 AJC Sires Produce Stakes and won the Gr.1 Champagne Stakes before being sold to Darley Australia for a reported $12 million.
UPGRADING BREEDING STOCK:
SYDNEY’S DREAM
Client: Dean Fleming (Tyreel Stud)
Cost: Private
Dean Fleming was looking to purchase a Gr.1 winner or proven Gr.1 producer. Through VCB he purchased Sydney’s Dream (a Gr.1 winner in South Africa) who had a foal at foot that was later to become the Gr.1 winner and now stallion Charge Forward. Her subsequent four foals sold for more than $4.5 million through the auction ring before Sydney’s Dream was sold for $850,000. Testimonial
BOURGEOIS
Client: Reavill Farm
Cost: $55,000
At the time of purchase Bourgeois was carrying a Redoute’s Choice foal that was to sell for $320,000. The colt, named Stratum, won the Gr.1 Golden Slipper and was sold to Widden Stud. Bourgeois’ subsequent four yearlings since being purchased have sold for a collective $1.67 million.
PURESPEED
Client: Corumbene Stud
Cost: $70,000
VCB purchased Purespeed when she was carrying a Peintre Celebre foal. VCB advised that Purespeed be sent to More Than Ready with the subsequent progeny being Sebring, Champion Two-Year-Old in 2008 and winner of the Gr.1 Golden Slipper, Gr.1 AJC Sires Produce Stakes and 2nd Gr.1 Champagne Stakes. Sebring has subsequently been sold to Widden Stud in one of the most significant stallion deals in Australian history.
SURREALIST
Client: Richard Turnley
Cost: $60,000
Surrealist was purchased at the 2002 June Sale when carrying subsequent champion and five time Gr.1 winner Racing To Win. Surrealist has developed into one of the most valuable broodmares in Australia.
EXACT
Client: Bill Betar
Cost: $80,000
Bill Betar was looking for thoroughbred investments that would turn a profit after more than 20 years of disappointing results. VCB advised him to purchase Exact and to send the mare to a young stallion called Redoute’s Choice. The yearling returned $2.3 million.Testimonial
TAMBOUR
Client: Michael Sessian (Segenhoe Stud)
At the time of purchase Tambour was carrying a Hennessy foal that was to be named Grand Armee, a subsequent seven time Gr.1 winner of $5.3 million. Tambour was purchased by Segenhoe Stud on the advice of both Vin Cox and Glen Burrows.
INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
MOONEE PONDS
Cost: $US45,000
Moonee Ponds was purchased as a yearling and raced in the United States. A stakes-winner of three races, she won almost $US140,000 and was sold in foal to Mineshaft for $US300,000.
FLEETING SPIRIT
Cost: $US130,000
The value of Fleeting Touch’s value skyrocketed when her half-brother Midshipman came out and won the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to stamp himself as the best two-year-old of his generation in North America. Her first yearling sold in 2010 for $500,000.
MAMBO CHATTE
Cost: $US250,000
Mambo Chatte was purchased in foal to Arch. Within six months of purchase her half-brother, Horse Greeley, became a graded stakes winner and the Arch weanling was sold for $US220,000.
KEYSTONE GULCH
Cost: $US180,000
Keystone Gulch has already made her purchase price look cheap with her half-sister Switch winning the Gr.2 Hollywood Oaks in 2010.
SELECTING MARES FOR STALLIONS:
KISMA (SUBSEQUENT DAM OF SHELLSCRAPE)
VCB selected a small group of mares for good clients Geoff and Mary Grimish who have a share in Dane Shadow. Included was Kisma who when mated to Dane Shadow produced the Gr.1 winner Shellscrape
STALLION SYNDICATION:
VCB Promotions is one of only two agencies in Australia that has an ASIC license to syndicate stallions. VCB Promotions has been involved in the syndication of a number of stallions including Barathea, Dr. Grace, Tierce and more recently Flying Pegasus.
RACEHORSES FOR HONG KONG, SINGAPORE, MACAU:
LUCKY RED
Region: Hong Kong
Bought out of a trial for Hong Kong, Lucky Red has subsequently won five races for his new owners and placed on four other occasions.
KENOBI
Region: Hong Kong
Bought out of a trial, Kenobi has won six races in Hong Kong and more than $A600,000 to date.
STEEL NERVES
Region: Hong Kong
Steel Nerves is a highly consistent performer that has won three races in Hong Kong and placed on a further 10 occasions after being selected from the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
NORDIC STAR
Region: Hong Kong
Stormpede was a juvenile winner in Australia before being purchased for Hong Kong client and being renamed Nordic Star. Under his new moniker he has won three races.
GRAND FALCON
Region: Macau
Known in Australia as Excelled, this gelding had won a jump out before being purchased for the Macau Jockey Club at the end of 2009 and in six subsequent starts has won once and finished second on a further two occasions.
FALSE ACCUSATION
Region: Macau
False Accusation was purchased out of Queensland in the middle of 2009 for clients in Macau. In only three starts he has already won once and placed twice and looks a great prospect.
