Promising colt Overshare records his first black type victory in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (Racing Photos).
‘Making’ your own stallions can be a tricky business, but Spendthrift Australia’s Garry Cuddy swears by it.
Spendthrift Australia has spent millions at major yearling sales in recent years, buying a collection of well bred colts: immediately followed by the crossing of fingers and toes that some of those buys will achieve black type success on the racetrack.
It certainly worked in terms of Spendthrift’s excursion to Sydney for the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where the farm purchased a Redoute’s Choice colt from Champion Filly, Crossyourheart, for $725,000.
The colt, named Swear, went on to win on debut as a 2YO, resumed at three with victory in the Group Three Ming Dynasty and ran Yankee Rose to a half length when second in the Group One Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m last spring.
Swear has subsequently been retired to stud, standing his first season this spring at a fee of $8,250 on Spendthrift’s Share the Upside program and $5,500 on live foal terms. Not surprisingly, interest in the stallion has been substantial.
So, it’s fair to say that Cuddy was in a buoyant frame of mind on Saturday night, just hours after the farm’s 3YO colt, Overshare, had produced his first black type victory in the Listed Essendon Nissan McKenzie Stakes over 1200m at Moonee Valley.
It was some win too. Pinging out of the gates early, Overshare maintained his lead throughout and, despite the close attention of favourite and last start stakes winner, Bandipur, went on to record a gritty win.
Purchased for $320,000 from the Victoria Park draft at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Overshare is by the Yarraman Park based stallion, I Am Invincible from the Group Three Doomben Roses runnerup, Savannah’s Choice and has now raced on five occasions for $122,700 in stakes. Winning over 1100m at Canterbury in June, Overshare resumed with a solid fourth behind Menari in the Listed Rosebud at Rosehill earlier this month.
Following Saturday’s victory, co-trainer, Wayne Hawkes, wouldn’t be drawn on where the colt would head to next, but was obviously impressed by recent performances.
“His run in the Rosebud was pretty solid and the form around Menari is as good as what there is at the moment,” Hawkes enthused. “He (Overshare) is a great sort with a magnificent head and winning these kind of races is what it’s all about … he’s another promising colt that will eventually make his way to stud at Spendthrift.”
Cuddy, meanwhile, reckons that purchasing Overshare was a no-brainer for Spendthrift: “First off, in terms of conformation, he’s A plus,” Cuddy points out. “Secondly, he’s by I Am Invincible (22 stakes winners) and third, it’s a terrific pedigree … even better after Saturday!”
Savannah’s Choice is a half sister to six other winners including Champion 3YO Filly, Cesario, in turn the dam of Japan Cup winner, Epiphaneia and another Group One winner in Leontes.
The family also includes European Champions Anna Pavlova, Gothenberg and Fascinating Rock.
“Overshare is the first stakes winner from the colts Spendthrift purchased in 2016, but only three have raced at this stage for two winners, including Hulalai (a Street Cry colt who won at Rosehill last month) who is due to run in a stakes race next Saturday,” Cuddy adds.
“There’s nothing like adding that black type to a colt’s resume and Swear’s a perfect example. Interest in him has been tremendous – especially after breeders have had a good chance to look at him at our recent open days – and he’ll end up serving a very good book of mares.”
Swear is one of four filling the Spendthrift stallion ranks this season and will stand alongside Jimmy Creed, who recently posted his first stakes winner via 2YO filly Spectator (Grade Two Sorrento Stakes) and is leading the North American First Season Sires’ premiership … Group One winner Hampton Court … and proven Medaglia d’Oro stallion, Warrior’s Reward.
