From Rogue to Racehorse

Tara Madgwick - Thursday February 21
A one time rogue headed for the broodmare paddock is now a Randwick winner thanks to an inspired purchase and the patience and skill of Adam Mackrell and his team at Bell View Park Stud.

Adam Mackrell spends a great deal of time looking for broodmare prospects worldwide to be astutely mated and on-sold by Bell View Park at the leading broodmare sales each year.

Eugene's Pick was a winner at Randwick on WednesdayWhile looking at gavelhouse.com New Zealand, Mackrell's attention was captured byan unnamed Mastercraftsman (IRE) filly from the family of Group I winners Bonanova, Telesto and Fraternity. She was a half-sister to six winners including the dam of current Group III winner Five to Midnight, but was offered as a breeding prospect only.

"I didn't mind her pedigree, so I asked an ex staff member of mine, Eugene Casement who lives in NZ to go and have a look at her," Mackrell recalled.

"Eugene inspected her and gave me a positive report, so we bought her off Gavelhouse for NZ$3,400."

She arrived back at Bell View Park on the South Coast of New South Wales and there was no plan to put her into work, however some further investigation revealed she was in fact sound to race, but had been a real handful to break in and train.

"We decided to give her a chance on the track so Peter (Ward) and our staff put a lot of time and effort into educating her," Mackrell said.

"Slowly but surely she came good mentally and we sent her to Robert and Luke Price to train and she was named her Eugene's Pick for obvious reasons."

Eugene's Pick ran third on debut at Kembla in May last year and then won at Kembla and Goulburn as well as placing two more times from six starts in her first preparation.

"Robert and Luke did a great job with her and in her first race preparation she won impressively twice and was placed at Rosehill. She went out for a spell and came back a much more mature horse and won second up at Randwick on Wednesday," Mackrell added.

Eugene's Pick led all the way to win the Benchmark 70 event over 1400 metres for fillies and mares by half a neck and has now won over $80,000 in prizemoney.

"Given her breeding, the fact that she keeps improving physically and is now straight forward to train, we are quite excited about her and hope her best is yet to come," Mackrell concluded.

Footnote: Mastercraftsman is the sire of the dam of Group I Blue Diamond favourite Loving Gaby, who is by I Am Invincible.



Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Winning Champion 2YO Velocious to be Offered on Inglis Digital
The G1-winning Champion 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) will be offered for auction in the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale.
Superstar for Mastercraftsman
Former Windsor Park shuttler Mastercraftsman (IRE) is no stranger to Group I success as a sire but may have soared to new heights with star filly Alpha Centauri, who posted her third consecutive win at the highest level overnight when winning the Group I Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.
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.
Saint Emilion Wins Group Three
Rugged front-runner Saint Emilion once again showed his penchant for the Ellerslie track when he led all the way to win the Group III OMF Stakes (2000m) on Tuesday.
Second Group One Win for Mastercraftsman Mare
The Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley-trained Danzdanzdance made it consecutive Group One successes when winning the Group I Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day in sensational fashion.
Danzdanzdance Glides to Group One Success
Four-year-old mare Danzdanzdance made light-work of her rivals in Saturday’s Group1 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham and could be New Zealand Racing’s next weight-for-age star.
Winning Hat Trick for So You Think Filly
So You Think has ticked over $12million in seasonal earnings with 150 plus winners including seven stakes-winners and while Covert Thinking is not among the luminaries by her sire, this tenacious 3YO has won three on the trot and landed her first metro victory on Wednesday.
Sword Poised to Strike
When the first crop yearlings by a young stallion are well received and go into the right stables that’s always a good sign and then a few months after that is when things start to get really interesting.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 2
Here is the full list of 44 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.