The 2019 Inglis Premier Sale, which kicks off next Sunday 3rd March, continues to present itself as a fantastic opportunity for trainers and owners to support the Victorian breeding industry and chase lucrative VOBIS incentives. Past Victorian-bred graduates of this sale include Black Caviar, Ringerdingding, Rock’N’Gold, Tropezina and Cliff’s Edge, as well as Sunday’s Hong Kong Classic Cup winner Mission Tycoon. This year’s edition features 786 lots from 79 vendors, 57 of those being Victorian farms. Established Victorian based stallions represented include Written Tycoon, Artie Schiller, Brazen Beau and Turffontein. Furthermore, five of the 22 first season sires are Victorian...
February 15, 2019
With the first ballot order released earlier this week, the countdown to the inaugural VOBIS Sires Showdown is well and truly on. At Caulfield on Saturday 27 April, a field of eligible Victorian bred two-year-olds will contest over 1200 metres for the $1 million prizemoney on offer. To be eligible for the race, the contestants must be the progeny of a Victorian stallion nominated to the VOBIS Sires program, as well as nominated for Super VOBIS and VOBIS Gold. The announcement of this new race caused quite a stir at the 2018 Yearling Sales, as trainers and syndicators battled it...
February 8, 2019
Showdown’s impact on Victorian breeding was profound and he deserves the honour of having the new VOBIS Sires $1 million race named after him, writes DANNY POWER. Studmaster George Smith remembers the day he first laid eyes on Showdown. The chestnut stallion stepped off a float at Stockwell Stud where Smith was the stud manager. It was the winter of 1966 and the English horse was everything he expected. “He was built like an Australian sprinter, a Star Kingdom type. His only fault was he was a little splayed in front, and most of his stock were. It didn’t stop...