All’s Well That Ends Well

The arrival of a new generation of foals every spring is the source of much delight and excitement to their owners, but the path from cute furry foal to stakes-winner is not always smooth which is why the win of Danawi in the Group III ATC Ming Dynasty on Saturday was quite possibly the highlight of the year for Stud Manager Scott Holcombe and his team at Milburn Creek Thoroughbreds.

Situated on the Southern Highlands of NSW, Milburn Creek Thoroughbreds is owned by well known Sydney owner breeder John Muir and his wife Trish. The Muir's love their horses and none more so than former star racemare Secret Admirer, who won over $1.4 million for the couple on the track with highlight wins in the Group I ATC Epsom Handicap and Flight Stakes.

Retired to stud in 2013, Secret Admirer went to champion sire Redoute's Choice in her first season, a mating that ultimately ended in disaster with a difficult foaling resulting in the loss of the much longed for filly foal and very nearly the mare as well.

Secret Admirer regained her health and was subsequently covered by Exceed and Excel with strapping colt Danawi the result, but his success in the sale ring ($400,000 Inglis Easter) and now as a racehorse on the track appeared a forlorn hope in the weeks after he was born.

"He was born a heavy first foal that was very down on both hind bumpers," revealed Scott Holcombe.

"We placed hind shoes on him and they normally improve dramatically, but after a couple of weeks we x-rayed his hind fetlocks and it looked like we were in a lot of trouble.

"Debbie my wife suggested speaking to our friend James Balfe, the former farrier at Coolmore, whom she had worked with previously.

"We sent James video of the colt, plus X Rays and advised our insurance company we wanted more time as they were beginning to fear he was a lost cause.

"Secret Admirer and the colt travelled to James' farm where he worked with him daily making special shoes and continued to come up with different shoes as well as doing massaging stretches!

"This colt would not be here without James Balfe and his skill and persistence. He kept telling me 'I will win with this foal we just need to be patient with him!'"

Secret Admirer is now in the position of having produced a stakes-winner as her first living foal and has since had two more foals, a colt by I Am Invincible that made $560,000 at Inglis Easter this year and a yearling colt by Snitzel.

The reality is all foals are not born perfect, but it just goes to show that patience and a good management strategy can turn a potential tragedy into a stakes-winner!