Good Things Come in Threes!

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday May 16
They say good things come in threes and that was certainly the case for the Liston family and their team at Eddington's Three Bridges farm in the past week.

Firstly, the farm-grown filly Sopressa took out the Australasian Oaks at Morphettville.

Scone Cup winner Sedanzer was bred and sold by Three BridgesThen the Three Bridges bred and sold Sedandzer (image Steve Hart) won the Scone Cup Scone Cup and then, last Saturday, another Three Bridges farm product Leicester won the South Australian Derby.

Both classic winners were pin-hooked weanlings which clients placed at the farm and let them grow out to become mature racehorses. Only Leicester raced as a two-year-old and that was in the last month of his juvenile season.

Sopressa (So You Think) was bought for $70,000 by Ballarat's Danny and Dianne Molloy of Dowling Park at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale from the Bucklee Farm draft…having been bred by long time Victorian breeders Cathy Webb and Ken Dean.

Leicester (Wanted) meanwhile was bred at Yarraman Park and bought by bloodstock agent Paul Willetts together with West Australian businessman Gary Johnson for a mere $10,000 at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.

In both cases the buyers were loyal clients of Three Bridges, so the youngsters were shipped over to Eddington and left to grow out. Leicester is pictured as a weanling below with Sopressa beneath him .



Three Bridges' Toby Liston said patience was critical with both star horses.

"We gave them both plenty of time to naturally grow into racehorses. Neither had a yearling preparation and, interestingly enough. Leicester stepped onto the track only as a late two-year-old while Sopressa made her debut last spring as a three-year-old."

Liston is now thrilled that the results prove that all the hard work and effort are paying off in Group 1 rewards particularly for their owners.

"(Leicester co-owner) Gary Johnson is our biggest client and supporter of the farm. He believes and trusts in us and has confidence that our systems work.

"Gary started with a fifty percent share in one horse with us and now he has roughly 60 with us!

"He has been pretty lucky too, having had eight horses with Spicer Thoroughbreds for eight winners. That includes Queensland Derby bound Lucky For All and the Caulfield Cup favourite Kings Will Dream. But to his credit he makes his own luck as he gets good people to look after his horses."

The similarities between the two classic winners is astonishing. While both grew up at Three Bridges, they were both broken in by neighbour Bruce O'Dell and both sent to the Darren Weir stables.

"It's a good local story for the area as (trainer) Weiry bought his nearby Baringhup farm from us and the breaker Bruce O'Dell is just over the road," Liston explained.

Just to confirm their parallel equine careers, the two horses raced against each other earlier this year in a Terang maiden.

In that race, Leicester prevailed with Sopressa runner-up. Saturday's Caulfield winner Exceltara was third stamping the extraordinary quality coming out of a seemingly innocuous western Victoria country maiden.

"The winning post is our greatest advertisement, as that is how you are judged by the industry," Liston said.

"You need to keep getting winners and now we have now raised the SA Oaks and SA Derby winners…it's been a huge couple of weeks!" Liston exclaimed.

TBV News
Advertisment
More Reading...
Bryce Bevan Appointed Head of Digital at Magic Millions
Magic Millions' commitment to conduct online thoroughbred auctions has received a huge boost with today's announcement that Bryce Bevan has been appointed as Head of Digital.
Promising Victory For Too Darn Hot’s Ripley
Racing in the same Qatar Bloodstock coloured silks worn to victory on Friday night by West of Swindon (Wootton Bassett) in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, 3yo Too Darn Hot colt Ripley highlighted his future potential with a two-length maiden victory at Rosehill on Wednesday.
Hellbent Winner Impresses at Sha Tin
Astute trainer Mark Newnham paid $425,000 at the 2023 NZB Ready to Run Sale to secure a promising two year-old by Hellbent and Invincible Ibis delivered on that promise when scoring a last to first win at Sha Tin on Wednesday.
Godolphin’s Lonhro Filly Proficient On Debut
From the penultimate crop of Darley’s Champion Sire Lonhro, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained 3yo filly Proficient started the race favourite, winning the Sportsbet Race Previews Plate (1000m) at Sandown Hillside in a fighting finish. 
First Win for Storm Boy Half-Brother by Pierro
Progressive Pierro colt Shangri La Boy is a very different horse to his older half-brother Storm Boy and while that Group winning colt is covering his first book of mares at Coolmore this spring, this fellow is on his way with an impressive maiden win at Rosehill on Wednesday.
420k NZ Ready to Run Purchase Looks the Goods
Progressive three-year-old Sulek notched his first victory when landing the MRC Foundation Pin & Win Plate (1400m) at Sandown on Wednesday for trainer Dominic Sutton.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 1
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
King’s Legacy Filly Salutes for Yulong
The first stakes-winner for her sire King’s Legacy when winning the Group III SAJC David Coles AM Stakes (1200m) last season, Steel Trap was subsequently purchased by Yulong privately and she posted her first win in their colours at Sandown on Wednesday.
Talented So You Think Mare Goes Two for Two
So You Think is setting the pace for winners this season as we head into October and one of those promising winners is talented four year-old mare Enamorada, who made it two wins in as many starts when saluting at Sandown on Wednesday as favourite.
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.