Vale, David Benjamin

Media Release - Monday January 22

David Benjamin, a noted marketing innovator in the thoroughbred breeding industry, passed away on Friday.

Benjamin played a pivotal role in establishing the now iconic hospitality area at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale, and Ray Knight, who worked with him at Fieldhouse Stud, said he was a brilliant marketer.

David Benjamin passed away on Friday.   Photo: Trish Dunell

“He was before his time in many ways. He was very good with marketing and promotion, and always led a pretty good ship,” Knight said.

“He started the tents and hospitality areas at the national sales when they were originally at Trentham. It started out as feeding the staff lunch and it developed into what it has become today.

“I don’t know if David had seen it in the States, he may have because he spent a lot of time in the States.

“Part of his legacy is what we are seeing throughout Australasia now (in sales hospitality).”

Knight said Benjamin was also a great promoter of stallions, most notably with Grosvenor, who he syndicated.

“He was very good at promoting his stallions. He was very much into his promotions and was very good with the clients,” he said.

Advertisement

“I took over as manager of Fieldhouse when it was sold, and we topped the averages the first year they had it at Karaka. Grosvenor was top of the pops at the time and even though David had sold the farm, he was still the manager of the Grosvenor syndicate and had an ongoing presence in that.

“He did some amazing promotions. We did a promotion for his first crop of yearlings – ‘Grosvenor, the ultimate stallion’, which included the ‘ultimate car’ which was a Rolls-Royce, and the ‘ultimate woman’ who was Miss Universe at the time, Lorraine Downes. It got a lot of publicity.”

Benjamin went on to establish the revered Fayette Park Stud, near Tirau, in the late 1980s, which he ran until health issues led him to sell the property to Gary Harding in 2004.

“It was a lovely property. He was very good with what he built and did, but his health wasn’t that great,” Knight said.

“He has been struggling with his health for some time. It was a bit sad in recent years that his health was as it was, but he kept in touch with everyone and what was going on.”

Throughout his years in the industry, Knight said Benjamin was ably supported by his wife Masey.

“Masey, his wife, was very integral in everything that went on,” he said. “She is a very good horsewoman in her own right, as is their family.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Commemorative Retired to Stud
Watching the progress of Godolphin horses as they start stepping our for their new trainers has been interesting to say the least and will get more so this weekend when we see Tom Kitten go around in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, but one horse we won’t be seeing again is Commemorative.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.
Wootton Bassett Juvenile G2 Double
Wootton Bassett (GB) featured in Ireland overnight at The Curragh with two stakes-winning juveniles, Constitution River taking out the the Group II Futurity (7f), while the Group II Debutante (7f) went to the filly Composing, who comes from the family of Amelia’s Jewel.
Future Bright for Danica Guy
Group Three winner Lupo Solitario has returned to New Zealand, and the care of his former trainer Danica Guy, following a six-month racing stint in Hong Kong, while the stable are also excited about a first starter this weekend by Justify (USA).
Spring Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
There was an interesting set of trials at Hawkesbury on Monday that featured heat winners including Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as well as the Waterhouse Bott stable Cups contenders Sir Delius (GB) and Vauban (FR), plus we may have seen an Everest horse.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 22
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First Stakes Success For Cafe Millenium
While having just turned 5, former Sydneysider Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt), who now calls Lindsay Park home, broke through for his first black type victory on Saturday, winning the Listed SAJC Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville in impressive fashion.
First Southern Hemisphere foals for Paddington
A four-time Group I winner by champion French sire Siyouni, European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park.
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 23
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Idyllic Prince Stakes - Phanta Leads a Sweet Trifecta for Gingerbread Man
Yarradale Stud's senior stallion Gingerbread Man achieved a rare career high for any sire when the son of Shamardal provided the trifecta in Saturday's Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes over 1300m at Belmont Park.