Peter Walsh is living the dream as the owner-breeder of Amelia's Jewel and, under different circumstances, could be campaigning a mare that will stake her claim for champion miler in Saturday's $3,000,000 Kennedy Champions Mile at Flemington.
Nearly thirty years ago, Walsh, with long-time friends Brian Bradley and John Ciprian, purchased a filly by Sydney Cup winner Marooned for $14,000.
She was named Marooned Lady and won two of her twelve starts, including the Group III WA Sires' Produce Stakes.
Marooned Lady over-achieved in the broodmare paddocks with 14 foals in her first 16 seasons, and her influence is still strong today. The three friends kept her last foal, Harpoon, a daughter of High Chaparral (IRE), which won two races and is the dam of She's Fit (Pride Of Dubai), who won the $300,000 Group III West Australian Oaks (2400m) in March.
But we are getting way ahead of ourselves.
Bradley, Walsh and Ciprian bred and raced many of Marooned Lady's progeny, including the Perth Magic Millions winner Gambei (Dehere), who is the dam of Listed Hobart Guineas winner Reprisal (Galileo) and three stakes-placed performers Hifalutin (Peintre Celebre), Europa Point (Rock Of Gibraltar) and Pickin' Time (Fastnet Rock).
Lou Luciano trained Marooned Lady and some of her best performers, including the 2004 Group II Perth Cup winner King Canute (King Of Kings) and his full-brother Redwoldt, who won the Karrakatta Plate the same year.
Marooned Lady's fourth foal, a daughter of the champion miler Spinning World (USA), was consigned to the 2002 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. The chestnut filly was a $95,000 purchase for bloodstock agent Robert Roulston on behalf of a group of owners headed by Grant and Annabelle Ahearn.
Named Special Harmony and trained by Lee Freedman, she was among the best of her generation, banking almost $1.9 million with ten wins highlighted by the Group 1 VRC Oaks, Group 1 Thousand Guineas, Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Stakes, Group II A.V Kewney Stakes, Group II Edward Manifold Stakes, Group II Angus Armanasco Stakes, and Group II Moonee Valley Oaks.
Following the sale of Woodlands to Darley in 2008, a cashed-up Bob Ingham and Sheikh Mohammed went toe to toe at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, undoubtedly one of the most surreal sales this millennium.
With Darley not buying yearlings by Coolmore stallions, Bob Ingham purchased a barn full of Encosta de Lagos.
While the majority proved of little account, he hit the jackpot with the $1.5 million Encosta De Lago x Special Harmony filly, Little Surfer Girl.
A seven-time winner of three Listed Stakes, Little Surfer Girl returned over $420,000 on track and a good deal more in the breeding shed.
Her first two foals by Fastnet Rock, Catch A Wave and Palmateer, have made a promising start to their broodmare careers, producing the talented Waverider Buoy and multiple stakes-placed Cigar Flick, respectively.
The pot of gold came with the sixth foal of Little Surfer Girl, Fangirl.
The Chris Waller-trained daughter of Sebring has carried the all-cerise to victory in the Group 1 ATC Vinery Stud Stakes, Group 1 ATC Winx Stakes, and Group I ATC King Charles III Stakes with an overall record of seven wins, four seconds and three thirds from 22 starts with earnings of $7,233,565.
From the penultimate crop of Sebring, Fangirl has not dodged a soul this season. She finished a troubled fourth at her most recent start in the Cox Plate won by Romantic Warrior (IRE) from Mr Brighside and Alligator Blood.
At her previous start, Fangirl gave Mr Brightside a two-and-three-quarter length hiding in the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick.
A return bout against two of the most popular horses in Australia, Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood, as well as the Tasmanian legend, The Inevitable, last start Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes winner, Pride Of Jenni, Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero, Victoria Road, and Group III winner Banker's Choice, in Saturday's $3million Kennedy Champions Mile, is a fitting finale to the Flemington carnival.
It would also put a stamp on a wonderful week for the Ingham family after the Debbie Kepitis homebred Riff Rocket scored a dramatic win in the Victoria Derby, and the same colours were carried to success by the $525,000 Zoustar filly Mumbai Muse in Thursday's Group III Red Roses Stakes on Oaks Day.
Little Surfer Girl is still going strong. She has a yearling filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) and foaled a Home Affairs colt on September 10.
