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...
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Who are we highlighting this week? - 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.
Expensive North Pacific Salutes at Geelong
The highest priced yearling for first season sire North Pacific, promising two year-old filly Angel Ladder opened her account with a tenacious win at Geelong on Friday.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 25
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
Spring was in the air at the Warwick Farm trials with some of the big banger older stars in action and some exciting rising three year-olds that include a filly that has potential superstar written all over her.
Hello Youmzain Filly Chasing Another Stakes Win
The Lisa Latta-trained pair of Platinum Diamond and Brutiful Lass will bid to end their juvenile season in perfect fashion at Otaki on Saturday when they tackle the Listed Phils Electrical & Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m).
Lookalike Star Turn Colt Franks Hot Form Race
When Angel Ladder won the first race at Geelong coming out of the VRC Next Gen Series Sprinters Final won by Jimmy Recard, you would think punters would have looked closely at Redders in the following event coming out of the same race, but he slipped under their guard.
Spring Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
Spring was in the air at Warwick Farm on Friday morning with a couple of heats for Group and Listed winners that included Lady Shenandaoh, Ceolwulf, plus Cups contender Sir Delius (GB).
Inglis Digital Now Online - G1 Winner Velocious the Star
The G1-winning Champion 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) has been joined by a host of outstanding racing and breeding prospects in a tantalising Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale catalogue.
St Mark’s Basilica Filly Impressive at Ascot
Due back at Coolmore Australia this spring, St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) had an impressive new winner overnight at Ascot in the UK where Princess Petrol stormed to victory.
Kiwi stayer Mark Twain on Comeback Trail
One-time Melbourne Cup fancy Mark Twain will make his first public appearance for more than 12 months when the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained gelding has an exhibition gallop at Te Rapa on Saturday.