Australian born, Newmarket based bloodstock agent Stuart Boman has been engaged by Ontrack Thoroughbreds to assist the company in its expanding European operations.
Ontrack Thoroughbreds managing director Grant Morgan confirmed that Boman will initially be co-hosting the upcoming Royal Ascot tour. Boman will also play a role with Ontrack to identify potential European horses in training suitable for the Australian market. “Stuart has an amazing resume and I feel he will be a tremendous asset for us,” said Grant Morgan. “I have known Stuart for more than 25 years having worked with his father Ken Boman at Australian Associated Press. “Stuart has an amazing knowledge of racing and breeding throughout the world and has a great eye for a horse. “His contacts in Europe will prove to be a massive asset for us in both our bloodstock and racing tour divisions,” said Morgan. Having originally cut his teeth working under Gai Waterhouse, Stuart went on to complete a law degree before completing the prestigious 'Darley Flying Start' programme sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. That was followed by a stint with John Messara's Arrowfeld Stud, before moving to the UK. Boman is based in Newmarket with his English born wife Alice Lukey-Smith. Since settling in Newmarket, Stuart and Alice developed the highly regarded publication ANZ Thoroughbred News and parent company Bloodstock Media. ANZ Bloodstock News was recently brought out by the prestigious UK racing media company Racing Post. Stuart is an associate partner in Blandford Bloodstock and attends most of the world's leading thoroughbred sales. In recent years he has purchased yearlings in Australia for leading Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker. Morgan believes that Boman will add another dimension to what is already an outstanding Royal Ascot Tour. “Stuart's primary role on our tour will be to host stud and stable visits at Newmarket and provide expert commentary for the group. “I am very pleased to of secured Stuart for the tour and I know it will enhance the experience of all our guests,” said Morgan. Promising stayer Arctic Shock remains on target for a tilt at the $500,000 Group One Schweppes Oaks in South Australia.
Arctic Shock ran fifth in the traditional Oaks leadup, the 1800 metres Schweppervescence Stakes at Morphettville last Saturday and it was a good enough run to suggest she proceed to the big race. "The run was even and she did enough to suggest we carry on and head to the Oaks in a fortnight," said Ontrack's Grant Morgan. "She probably settled a pair further back than we would have liked and as a result when the pace went out of the race rider Jason Holder was forced to make his run a little earlier than most of her rivals. "She ended up coming out wide whereas the winner and runner-up were able to save ground and find runs closer to the fence. "Arctic Shock was genuine to the line and we are hoping that with a steadier tempo over 2000 metres she can settle a little bit closer and finish off strongly. "She has been up a while now but the Group One is the last chance she will have as a three-year-old to race her same sex and age so it's full steam ahead." Trainer Chris Meagher said Arctic Shock had come through the trip to South Australia in good order and it was now a matter of keeping her happy before heading back to Morphettville. "She's well into this preparation so she doesn't need a lot of work to keep her up to the mark." Eye Will continued the great run by Ontrack Thoroughbreds with New Zealand-sourced horses. The daughter of Tavistock cleared maidens at only her second start when capturing the 1300 metres Maiden Handicap at Goulburn on Saturday. Eye Will was one of five yearlings purchased by Ontrack’s Grant Morgan from the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale at Karaka and is now the fourth winner from the group. “I’ve long been a fan of the Premier Sale at Karaka and we’ve bought some nice horses from there over the years, but the 2017 sale offered tremendous value. “We’ve had three city performers in Tavisan, Arctic Shock and Makfi Amour and both Tavisan and Arctic Shock have black type placings on the board. “Like all of our New Zealand purchases, Eye Will was left there to be broken in and educated and I have to give credit to young Matamata trainer Jacob McKay for the fantastic job he does with our horses. “Eye Will trialled twice in New Zealand so by the time she got to Bjorn Baker at Warwick Farm she was pretty much the complete package. “At the 2017 sale I bought two Tavistock yearlings – Tavisan and Eye Will – and there’s every reason to believe that both horses will only improve with time and racing. “Eye Will’s full-brother Tavsomefun is a four-year-old and he took five starts to break his maiden and then backed up and won again at 1700 metres so this filly has it all in front of her. “I thought she represented good buying at $120,000 and she should have good residual value as her dam was by the champion sire Danehill and her second dam On Air is a Group One winner having captured an AJC Australian Oaks,” said Grant Morgan. The win by Eye Will continued a good run by Tavistock in recent days and the stallion has sired five winners in the last five days. Congratulations to our owners: Steven Bell, Kevin Dupe, Ken Gordon, Bebe Mawer, Ken Stocks, D'Arcy Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd (Manager John D’Arcy), Brendan Scanlan, Paul and Karen Davis, Wayne and Paddi Muller, Malcolm Borger, David Lewis, Lynne Zahra, Charlie Buchanan, Geoff Radburn, Vin Harink, Dennis and Del Bates, David Worthley, Bayle Girls Racing (Manager Pam Bayles, Hans Katala, Troy Mansell, Mark Snowden. Emerging stallion Brazen Beau’s freshman season just gets better with another exciting prospect unveiled at Terang yesterday. Sartorial Splendor, a colt by Brazen Beau from the Rubiton mare Personal Ensign, made his debut for Caulfield trainer John Sadler and the result was a highly impressive win. In spite of jumping from the outside barrier, Sartorial Splendor was heavily backed and he never gave his army of supporters any reason for doubt, showing great speed to cross over and lead before kicking away to win by more than two lengths. “Sartorial Splendor is Brazen Beau’s third winner from his first crop of runners in Australia and his first runner in the Northern Hemisphere was a winner last week so he’s off to a flying start. “I was really impressed by Sartorial Splendor when he was offered by Blue Gum Farm at last year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale and it comes as no surprise to see that he’s grown into a lovely two-year-old. “John Sadler bought him for $120,000 and he’s a half-brother to a very good two-year-old performer in Fontiton while his mother won twice at two. “When you see the prices being paid for Brazen Beau yearlings this year, this colt looks to be a bargain buy. “On what he did at Terang it’s easy to see him making the step to city company in Melbourne. “We’ve bought some lovely Magic Millions yearlings by Brazen Beau this year and they are all shaping up well and there’s plenty of confidence in the industry to say that his second crop are going to be even better than his first. “If that confidence is well placed, then look out for the Brazen Beau youngsters next season,” said Grant Morgan. Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes and New Zealand-bred horses are a pretty formidable combination.
On Saturday, Hawkes and his sons Wayne and Michael saddled up Kiwi-bred colt Brutal for an emphatic win in the $3 million Group One Doncaster Mile. A son of champion stallion O’Reilly, Brutal was purchased out of the 2017 Premier Sale at Karaka by Hawkes Racing for $220,000. It continued a proud recent record for Karaka graduates in the Doncaster, with Sacred Falls (NZ) (O’Reilly) winning it in 2013 and 2014 and Kermadec (NZ) (Teofilo) in 2015. Both of those horses now stand at stud. “Hawkes Racing has a great record when it comes to finding a good horse at the New Zealand sale,” said Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan. “The best buy John Hawkes made in New Zealand was in 1994 when he bought a Zabeel colt from Sir Patrick Hogan on behalf of Bob and Jack Ingham. “That colt was Octagonal who was second in the Golden Slipper at two and won the Group One Sires Produce Stakes at his next start,” said Grant Morgan. Octagonal retired to stud after 28 starts with a record of 14 wins (10 Group 1), 7 seconds (6 in GI or GII races) and a third. He ended his racing career with a stakes tally of A$5,892,231, the highest of any galloper in Australasia to that point. “Over the years, John and his sons have handled the careers of many of Australia’s best racehorses and their skill was on show in the Doncaster when Brutal scored at only his seventh career start. “He’s now had four wins and two placings from his seven runs and it was that ability to identify the talent in a young horse and get the best out of it that led Ontrack to partnering with Hawke Racing at this year’s Premier Sale at Karaka. “We bought a lovely So You Think colt out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Saint Angers and he’s getting broken in by young Jacob McKay in New Zealand and will head over the Tasman during the winter. “The So You Think cross with Redoute’s Choice mares produced Group One winning colt Inference for Hawkes Racing and this colt will get every chance with the stable. “Having bases in Sydney and Melbourne is a great plus with Hawkes Racing and Brutal has benefitted from that having started in Victoria before shifting to their Rosehill base,” said Grant Morgan. Ontrack Thoroughbreds has added new Gold Coast trainer Greg Hickman to its trainer roster.
The Warwick Farm trainer has recently established a satellite stable at the Gold Coast and plans to have a much greater presence in Queensland. Greg Hickman plans to campaign his classy stallion Pierata in Queensland during the Winter Carnival and is in search of an elusive Group 1 for the smart son of Pierro. Hickman is no stranger to the Group 1 winners circle having prepared Royal Purler and Mirjulisa Lass at the top level. “Ontrack Thoroughbreds started with Gold Coast trainers but now has horses trained across all the major eastern states and when Greg announced his new stable in South East Queensland, we were keen to be involved. “Greg is a hands on trainer who has achieved tremendous success in the tough Sydney market for more than 20 years. “He’s never had a big team and currently has only 25 horses at his Warwick Farm stable, but he’s never been without a topliner and his honour roll includes Perfect Flight, Sportsman, Sir Dex, Royal Purler, Mirjulisa Lass and Private Secretary. “Greg has appointed a talented young horseman in Beau Dunn to handle the day to day running of his Gold Coast stable and he’s got a resume that belies his youth. “Beau has had experience with James Cummings and Godolphin, Peter Snowden and Mark Newnham as well as spending time training in Mongolia for China Horse Club and is a very capable horseman. “Greg has leased a small number of boxes at the Gold Coast and this will ensure all horses in the stable receive plenty of one on one attention. “With the Turf Club expressing a desire to develop new training facilities for its trainers and the recent stakes rises for Queensland racing, it’s a good time for Greg to expand his operation. “The proximity to racing over the New South Wales border is also a bonus and the ability to be able to move horses between Warwick Farm and the Gold Coast is something else that appeals. “Greg has won big money Magic Millions races with Pierata and Private Secretary and he’s proven season after season that he can travel horses and come up with the right results,” said Grant Morgan. Ontrack will be looking to place both unraced and tried horses with the Hickman Gold Coast stable in the coming months. Hickman joins Toby Edmonds (Gold Coast), Chris Meagher (Eagle Farm) and David Vandyke (Sunshine Coast) as the primary Queensland trainers for Ontrack. Ontrack Thoroughbreds’ genuine mare Cymbalism continued her great Queensland form when winning her first Saturday city race at Doomben. The daughter of Denman took her record to five wins and seven minor placings from 20 starts when scoring a dominant win over 1200 metres. Ontrack’s Grant Morgan identified the fillies and mares’ race for No Metropolitan Wins as perfect for Cymbalism and his confidence was boosted when rain arrived in South East Queensland in the days leading up to Saturday’s race. “I thought it was the ideal race for her and my confidence rose when she drew an inside gate and the rain arrived. “She ran third to Slow Burn and Noire on a slow track at Canterbury early in her career and on Saturday Noire came out and was placed in the Group Two Emancipation Stakes. “Cymbalism showed good form on synthetic tracks in Victoria and that convinced me she would have little trouble with rain affected ground.” That judgement proved perfect as Cymbalism settled nicely behind the leader for jockey Ronnie Stewart before forcing her way clear early in the run home and scoring with authority. “My only slight query was dropping back to 1200 off her 1350 metres win at Doomben but the rain turned into a more testing event and she was very convincing, running the fastest 1200 metres time of the day. “Her form since heading the Meagher Racing’s base at Eagle Farm is fantastic with three wins from six starts and there’s a strong case to be made that a couple of ordinary rides cost her the chance to better that record. “We’ve been giving her little breaks at Kilto Park in between runs and that seems to be suiting her so we will race on and try and pick off some further wins with her while she’s in such great form,” said Grant Morgan. Congratulations to our owners: Mark Walker, Andrew Dean, Beau River Racing (Matt Shaw), Chris Burdon, Dennis and Margaret Frew, Mark Ostermeyer, Russell and Jacqui Pawley, Andrew Tranter, WBC Racing (Nick Wood), Lang Brothers Racing #4 (Stu Lang), Ryan Lawlor, Andrew and Carmela Connor D & R Syndicate (David Ewbank) and Lisa Saxton. |
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