Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday October 26

Back in January 1971 Gold Vink broke her maiden in Brisbane at her 17thstart and retired some 18 months later with a record of two wins from 26 starts with earnings of $4,410. Hardly the record to inspire belief that she was destined to become a broodmare whose influence would spread throughout the world.

She is the dam of the dual Group 1 winner Bit Of A Skite and sand the Group II winner Shagolvin.

But it was two of her less successful runners on the track where Gold Vink left her mark.

Advertisement

Her daughter Polar Maid (Khairpour) finished closer to last than first in her three starts on the NSW country tracks of Coonamble, Narromine and Trangie.


Yet she became the ancestress of Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Polar Success, Group II winner Bring Me The Maid, Group III winner Bachman, multiple stakes-winner Ain’t Seen Nothin’ and Singapore Horse Of The Year Stepitup.

Polar Maid’s half-sister Olympic Aim (Zamazaan) was marginally better on the racetrack, winning four races in Western Australia, two at Pinjarra and two at Toodyay.

She left seven live foals, two of them stakes-winners including the top-class Circles Of Gold (Marscay), the winner of the 1995 Group I AJC Australian Oaks.

The success of Circles Of Gold at stud has been well documented. She is the dam of the world traveller’s Haradasun and Elvstroem, while her Group I placed daughter Hveger is the dam of 5-time Group I winner Highland Reel and multiple Group IIwinnerIdaho.

Highland Reel travels to Del Mar this weekend to defend his title in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

A year after foaling Circles Of Gold, Olympic Aim produced the Vain filly National Song.

After finishing seventh of 11 at Gawler, National Song was whisked off to stud.

She had a long career, producing 15 foals the best of which was the stakes-placed Made Of Gold mare Gold Anthem.

The third foal of Gold Anthem was Starspangledbanner who followed the path trailed by his sire Choisir and uncles Elvstroem and Haradasun in Europe by winning the Group I Golden Jubilee Stakes and Group I July Cup after winning the Group I Caulfield Guineas and Group I Oakleigh Plate at home.

The first foal of Gold Anthem was Gold Chant (El Moxie) a stakes-placed winner of five races.

Keeping the run of stakes-winner going, Gold Chant produced the Group I Thousand Guineas winner Amicus (Fastnet Rock) and the stakes-placed Ill Cavallo (Choisir) as well as a Snitzel colt that was knocked down to Shadwell Stud for $800,000 at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Consigned by Milburn Creek as agent for Makybe, the chestnut colt has been named Jawwaal (pictured as a yearling) and makes his career debut in Saturday’s $250,000 Inglis Banner (RL) at Moonee Valley.

The son of Snitzel has not been seen in public but has the polish of the team at Lindsay Park and has drawn well in barrier four for Regan Bayliss.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Melbourne Cup Dreaming for Kiwi Stayer
Peter and Shaun McKay are dreaming of a Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) tilt with their quality stayer Wolfgang, and he will start his journey towards the iconic feature at Wanganui on Saturday.
Promising Winner and a Star on the Rise
One of the bargain priced sires on the Newgate Farm roster, Cosmic Force has never lacked for company covering 100 plus books of mares in each of his five seasons at stud so far totalling nearly 700 mares.
Up and Coming Well Named - So Who Are These Guys?
The $250,000 Group III ATC Up and Coming Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday is a race well named with a field of eight colts and geldings set to line up and while none are stakes-winners yet, one of them will be after the weekend.
Tara Talks Racing – Stallion Parades, Old Legends and a Weekend Tip
We’re back in podcast land as the spring unfolds with plenty to talk about following our recent run of visits to the stallion parades, so what stallions did we like?
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 27
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 28
Here is the full list of 33 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sir Stanley Goosman’s Impact on the National Yearling Sale
Karaka 2026 will mark the 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand, and a prominent buyer during the history of the Sale was Stanley Goosman (later Sir Stanley).  He was a key player at the Sale during the World War II era, and headed the list of winning owners in New Zealand on 10 occasions.
Spring Trial Watch – Everest Contenders on Show
The Rosehill trials on Thursday morning featured a couple of key Everest contenders with Private Harry winning easily over speedy 3YO North England, while Lady Shenandoah was under a tight grip to finish third in a later heat.
G1 Plan for Kiwi Sprinter Niance
Six-year-old mare Niance will kick off a new campaign when she lines up in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on Saturday week.
Sire Power Highlights Quality MM Horses in Training Catalogue
An incredible selection of the country's best proven and hottest young sires will feature at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale in October.