With Royal Ascot out of the way and the last Australian Group I race of the season run and won, we move to the 'quiet time' of the year for people involved in the bloodstock world.
So at the risk of being somewhat
self-indulgent, I thought it might be a good opportunity to give our audience a
glimpse into my world at Daybreak Farm where we do our bit to rehome and
retrain some very lucky thoroughbreds.
My world has revolved around thoroughbreds since I took my first job with the
late Bede Murray at 15 as a strapper and trackwork rider. 12 years spent
working hands on with horses in some of the best stables in the country
included a lengthy stint riding work for Gai Waterhouse, which only ended when
I was three months pregnant with my twins Jack and Jasmine.
During my time with Gai I was also working in the pedigree department at Inglis
during the day, so it was a total immersion in bloodstock - from riding the
finished product in the mornings to evaluating foals and yearlings in the paddock
on the many inspection runs for Inglis that covered the countryside far and
wide.
Long story short, thoroughbreds have been and are my life and the creation of
Breednet was an extension of that passion that remains to this day.
A move out of the city five years ago and a return to my home town of Milton
has allowed me to take that passion in another direction at Daybreak Farm and
with two keen riders in Jack and Jasmine to keep me company and pursue the
dream we now have a stable of performance horses competing in showjumping at
varying levels, five out of the six being thoroughbreds.
Meet the Daybreak Farm Team
El Shazzar (2009 Snitzel x Elishir)
Magic Millions $130,000
A gentle giant who towers above all else at 17.3 hands. He's like no other thoroughbred
I've ever seen and those ridiculously long legs are now put to good use over
the jumps! He's the regular ride for Jack now that he's moved up from his
former star pony Daybreak Prince.
Daybreak Del Pietro aka Piazza San Pietro (g2007 Pins x Ascona)
A promising Kiwi bred stayer who bowed a tendon ending his career, he was given
to us by the late Bede Murray. 'Pie' has been Jasmine's horse since she was 12
and she has trained him from straight off the track to competing at Pony Club
State Championships and State Interschools. Currently spelling at Bella Lodge
he is due back in two weeks time.
Daybreak Charisma aka Half Irish (g2009 Half Hennessy x Wild Irish Girl)
Bred by the Murray family, Henry was a good winner at Nowra and Moruya before finding his way to us and given I used to ride his grand-mother Pride of Court when I was 16, he was a hard one to say no to.After 18 months with us learning his new trade, he is currently for sale (click here to see his ad on Horsezone) and is being ridden at the upcoming Pony Club State Championships by another member of our Lake Conjola Pony Club.
Daybreak Missy aka Mrs Bloom (m2009 Lonhro x Audacious Amber) Inglis Easter
$90,000
Racenet Syndications bought her as a yearling and I had a share in her when she was racing so was no small leap to take her on when the racing side of her life was done. She won at long odds at Scone one day paying for my new fridge so felt I owed her something!
She has been jumping with us for the past four years, albeit with a year off
for a catastrophic leg injury that nearly cost the mare her life and me my
sanity, but all's well that ends well and this year I've made the decision to
return her to the bloodstock world and she will go to stud. Nicconi has been
chosen as her first partner!
Lunar Rise (g2009 Starcraft x Spirited
Dancer) Inglis Easter $380,000
'Lenny' came to us through bloodstock agent Duncan Ramage, who wanted an active
and mentally fulfilling home for a horse he told me was a 'nice person'. Lenny
is more than nice, he's gorgeous, if all off the trackers were like this one
everyone would have one. He is steadily coming to hand with his flatwork and
jumping although his laid back attituded had us wondering early when we spent
more time picking up rails after him than building the course. He's a work in
progress and just about ready to go out and compete in public.
Croissant (g2008 Oh no, we've gone to
dark side!! a warm blood by Vivant, the warmblood equivalent of Redoute's
Choice)
Reality is there are very few thoroughbreds comfortable jumping 1.20 plus
courses so we have recruited the talents of 'Andy' to teach Jasmine to jump the
big fences. They are three months into their partnership and we're headed in the
right direction as we aim towards Pony Club State Championships and NSW State
Interschools next month.
Daybreak Farm is the culmination of a lifetime dream with special thanks to Tim
Hessell and his team at Equestrian Services for delivering us a world class
arena to give our horses the very best chance of achieving success. Also thanks to local earth moving company Rockhouse Excavations for creating the space to make it happen.
