Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday October 11

With the defection of Pericles to the Hill Stakes at Rosehill, it leaves the door ajar for another son of Street Boss (USA), Another Wil, to register his first Group 1 success in the Hyland Race Colours Toorak Hcp (1600m) at Caulfield.

Though Another Wil's dam Arohanui may not have matched the deeds of Pericles dam Accessories (GB), the daughter of Bianconi (USA) provided untold joy for Colin and Janice McKenna.

Another Wil (image Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

Arohanui was one of the first horses Ciaron Maher bought for McKenna's. She won at Kyneton and Cranbourne and was never off the board in five starts.

That's the beginning of the journey.

Advertisement

Arohanui only had five named foals before she died in 2021.

Her first foal, Aroha Te Mana (Von Costa de Hero), was a 3-time winner.  

Then came Wil John. The son of Reset provided his owners with some magical moments, including wins in the Grand National Hurdle and Thackeray Steeplechase and an emotional success under 70kgs in the 2021 Jericho Cup at Warrnambool.

Wil John bowed out with 12 wins and eight places from 32 starts, with earnings of over $700,000.

Third foal Wahine Toa (Dalakhani) banked over $315,000 with four wins and seven places from 24 starts, earning black-type when third in the Listed VRC St Leger at just his third start.

Next came Another Wil. There are few more honest horses racing than this lightly raced 5-year-old gelding, who made his debut as a June 3-year-old with a luckless second at Werribee.

The son of Street Boss (USA) won four on the trot in a campaign that started at Sandown in January and culminated in his first stakes win in the Group III Doncaster Prelude on March 30.

Another Wil wins the Doncaster Prelude (image Steve Hart)

It earned him favouritism for the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick, missing a place for the first time. On a heavy track, he was far from disgraced in finishing seventh, beaten less than two lengths behind the winner Celestial Legend, with Pericles second and Militarize third.    

Off the scene for 21 weeks, Another Wil returned to winning form over 1400m at Caulfield, then added the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes at Caulfield.

Ciaron Maher purchased Arohanui for $30,000 at the 2010 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

Her dam Tiffany's Best was a hard-knocking daughter of  Soviet Lad. In a 39-start career, Tiffany's Best won six and placed 13 times, including a second in the Listed Bagot Handicap (2500m) at Flemington.  

Tiffany's Best had ten foals, all made the racetrack, with seven winners. Her daughter Xaar Best (Xaar) was an 8-time winner and multiple stakes-placed over the hurdles.

Another daughter, Tiffany's Lass (Artie Schiller), won four races and finished fourth in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks.

Tiffany's Best's dam  Magic Breakfast (Lunchtime) is the half-sister to Group 1 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes winner Alf and Group III BATC Doomben Stakes winner Gladful.

Trained by Dave O'Sullivan, Alf (Masterclass) crossed the Tasman after winning The NZ Magic Millions.

After separating Laurie's Lottery and Iglesia (sire of Written Tycoon) in the Group II Todman Slipper Trial, Alf bypassed the Golden Slipper to triumph over Mossman in the Group 1 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes and earned his way to Hong Kong.

There have been many success stories for the Antipodeans in Hong Kong. Alf was not one of them.

He took 27 starts to ring up number one in the former colony, a feat he could not equal in a further twelve starts.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Another Wil Continues on Winning Way in Testa Rossa
The odd-on favourite Another Wil overcame a frightening moment when severely checked at the 250m before drawing clear for a well-deserved success in Saturday’s Listed Millennium Testa Rossa Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Doncaster Smokie a Watch Horse on Saturday
At the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale on April 7 and 8 it will be wall to wall bluebloods, but the most interesting horse in the Ciaron Maher stable is one whose pedigree would not have made the grade at Australia’s premier yearling sale.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Pelzter added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Another Wil Rises to the Occasion
It was looking dire for Another Wil when locked away on the fence with 200m to run of The Damien Oliver (1400m) at Flemington, but this was a race he was destined to win.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.