Prolific Victorian nursery, BOMBORA DOWNS, is heading into the 2024 breeding season with arguably its strongest roster to date.
Fielding seven stallions for spring – “something for everyone” – Bombora will also introduce Snitzel stallion, KA YING MASTER, an absolute flyer in Hong Kong who won seven from 1000m to 1200m and over $HK9 million in stakes (approx. $A1.7 million).
“He (Ka Ying Master) was a bold, front-running type who ran competition off their feet,” Bombora Downs’ Christoph Bruechert is quick to point out. “What’s more he’s a half brother to stakes winners A Chance To Dream, Fast Love and Kiss Me Ketut.
“A lightning quick son of Snitzel, who won from 3 to 6 years, standing at $5,500 … what’s not to like?”
Also joining the Bombora team in ’24 are the Group 2 winners CLIFF’S EDGE and SOUL PATCH.
Racing against, and defeating, Australia’s elite, Cliff’s Edge was a multiple Group 2 and Group 3 winner – from 1200m right up to his success in the Group 2 Alister Clark over 2040m.
Shamus Award stallion, Soul Patch, was cut from a similar cloth, also winning at 2, capturing the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) at 3 and stretching that class to a placing behind Alligator Blood in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m).
“We couldn’t be more excited about getting Cliff’s Edge and Soul Patch on board,” Bruechert enthuses. “Both were outstanding racehorses who showed plenty early before maturing into Group 2 winners and Group 1 performers.
“What’s more, Cliff’s Edge and Soul Patch have some very exciting youngsters emerging from their respective first crops. Just Cliffy (by Cliff’s Edge) was second on debut and there’s terrific feedback from trainers, while Soul Patch has had a couple jump out which are likely to show up in the spring.”
About to embark on his second season at Bombora is the extremely well related Group 1 winner, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
A winner at 2 in England before going on to Group 2 placings at Newmarket that season, Cape of Good Hope won the Listed Blue Riband Trial at Epsom, was 4th in the Group 1 French Derby and placed in the Saratoga Derby in the US at 3.
Cape of Good Hope was then sent south where he won the ‘sire-making’ (Lonhro, So You Think etc.) Group 1 Caulfield Stakes, defeating the likes of Black Heart Bart and Harlem and 3-time Group 1 winner Gailo Chop.
“Forgetting for a minute just what a good racehorse he was, look at the breeding,” Bruechert reminds. “By Galileo, out of mare that has produced 4 Group winners to the superstar, including Champion Highland Reel.
“On top of that, Hveger (Cape of Good Hope’s dam) is a sister to Elvstroem and half to Haradasun.”
Similarly endowed pedigree-wise and one of the real quiet achievers of Victoria’s breeding ranks is Exceed And Excel stallion, DE GAULLE.
Unfortunately a tendon injury left the colt unraced, but connections must have wondered what could have been.
A striking type, De Gaulle’s sire, Exceed And Excel was a Champion Australian Sire and has 217 stakes winners on the scoreboard, while his dam, Response, won a Group 1 Rupert Clarke.
Response is also the dam of Golden Slipper winner Estijaab and Group winning sprinter, Remarque, while her $2.25 million Easter Yearling, Congregation, won his first 2 starts at 2.
“Breeders really should keep their eye out for this bloke (De Gaulle),” Bruechert adds. “De Gaulle stood privately for his first season and from 11 to the races, 7 have won and 2 placed. The second crop was a small book too and from that group he’s had 6 to the races for 2 winners and a placegetter.
“De Gaulle presents a real opportunity to access high class bloodlines at an affordable price point.”
As the name would suggest, FRANKEL MY DEAR is by the world’s most popular stallion and, as you can imagine, the family is pretty handy too.
We can’t seem to get enough of Frankel in our neck of the woods, while Frankel My Dear’s dam, Buenos Aires, was stakes placed and is the dam of French stakes winner Buenos Dios (plus is the granddam of dual Australasian Group 1 winner Mustang Valley).
Importantly, this is very much a ‘tested’ pedigree down under with close relations including Buenos Aires’ half brother Might And Power, Matter of Honour, Lucky Owners, Time For War, Mosheen etc.
“At his first start – down the Flemington straight – Frankel My Dear was beaten into 5th place by less than 2 lengths,” Bruechert recalls. “For his second start, he was beaten less than 4 lengths in the MVRC Mitchell McKenzie Stakes at Listed level … a couple of niggling issues curtailed his later 3yo racing career, but he broke through in the spring of 2018 with back-to-back wins at Cranbourne and Pakenham over 1200m. He never reached his full potential due to those earlier injuries, but everyone thought he had tons of ability.
“All I know is that he’s producing cracking types and wouldn’t be surprised to see a few winners this spring.”
Rounding out the Bombora roster for 2024 is yet another well priced/well peformed/well pedigreed type in Dansili stallion DANDINO.
Winner of 9 including the Group 2 Newmarket Jockey Club Stakes (along with 2 other Group wins in the UK), Dandino logged up quite a few miles in his career too, including a stakes victory in the US, a Group 1 placing in Canada and, memorably, a terrific second to Fawkner in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup.
Dandino would then come out the following season – as an 8yo! – to capture the Group 3 Queen’s Cup at Flemington.
Long one of the most sought out stallions on the planet, Dansili is the sire of 153 stakes winners, while his sire sons include Zoffany (62 stakes winners), Harbinger (28 stakes winners) etc.
“I reckon he (Dandino) is a doing a great job given his small books, especially when you look at his city winners like Adandiman, Dunalley, Shezadandi and co.,” Bruechert summarises. “Dandino won or placed in 18 black type races from 37 attempts and his globetrotting success is testament to his professionalism, toughness and temperament.
“Dandino has produced winners from 1200m to 2400m and they are tough and consistent as he was.”
For further information of this remarkably diverse and affordable lineup of stallions, contact Bombora Downs on 0460 836 092.
BOMBORA DOWNS 2024 ROSTER
Cape Of Good Hope $8,250
Cliff’s Edge $3,300
Dandino (GB) $5,500
De Gaulle $5,500
Frankel My Dear $5,500
Ka Ying Master $5,500
Soul Patch $6,600
(inclusive of GST)
