Larneuk Stud Bred Duo Chasing $500,000 Melbourne Cup Country Final

Sponsored Content - by Tara Madgwick - Monday October 28

Two mares bought for $800 and $700 in 2014 have proven an amazing investment.

As breeder and owner of promising gallopers O’Tauto and Starspangled Rodeo, Larneuk Stud’s Neville Murdoch is looking forward to the Flemington Carnival with both horses set to target the $500,000 Melbourne Cup Country Final on Oaks Day.

O'Tauto is a homebred for Larneuk Stud chasing the $500,000 Melbourne Cup Country Final next weekTrained by Greg Eurell, four year-old O’Tauto is by Larneuk’s prolific sire of winners O’Lonhro and was retained to race by Mr Murdoch.

A winner on debut as a late juvenile, O’Tauto has not looked back proving a highly talented performer with two wins and four placings from seven starts including a third to The Inevitable in the Group III VRC C.S Hayes Stakes.

Spelled after an unplaced run in the Group I VRC Australian Guineas, O’Tauto indicated a good run at Flemington is to be expected with a sensational first up second in a $100,000 race at Geelong last Wednesday.

“After that run in the Guineas we discovered he had a couple of bone chips in his fetlocks, so we took those out and gave him a good long spell,” Murdoch revealed.

“His run at Geelong was outstanding being first up over 1500 metres and the horse that beat him, Harbour Views, has won five from five so it was a very strong race.”

With over $200,000 in prizemoney already, O’Tauto is a horse with a very bright future in keeping with his classy Black type pedigree.

O’Tauto is from Taut, a half-sister by Strategic to stakes-winner Trim, the dam of current Group III winner Manicure, while another of Taut’s half-sisters is the dam of Group I VRC Makybe Diva Stakes winner Gatting.

O'Lonhro is the sire of O'TautoTaut has been a good producer for Larneuk Stud and has a two year-old filly by Ilovethiscity, a yearling filly by Cluster and produced a colt foal by O’Lonhro last week.

Trained by Joseph Waldron, five year-old Teofilo (IRE) gelding Starspangled Rodeo is another lightly raced prospect with great form leading into the $500,000 Melbourne Cup Country Final.

Bred by Larneuk Stud and co-owned by Mr Murdoch, Starspangled Rodeo started his racing career in New Zealand and won three of five starts for the Baker and Forsman stable before coming across to Australia earlier in the year.

Second at his first two starts for his new trainer, Starspangled Rodeo was most recently beaten narrowly in a $100,000 lead up race for the Country Final at Seymour last week.

A half-brother to smart winner Suncraze, who has won nearly $600,000 in prizemoney, Starspangled Rodeo is from Sunstyle, who is also doing a great job for Larneuk Stud with a two year-old colt by Ilovethiscity, a yearling filly by Cluster and she was covered last spring by Wolf Cry.

“We bought his mother from the Inglis Broodmare Sale in Sydney for $700 in foal to Teofilo and he was the result,” Murdoch said.

“We always really liked him, so we kept him.”

For the record, O’Tauto’s dam Taut was also bought from an Inglis Sale for just $800 in 2014 and the success of these two broodmares will give hope to all breeders with a limited budget dreaming of producing a runner in Cup Week!




 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Spring Trial Watch – Caulfield
With a plethora of Group racing for colts and geldings last weekend and fillies to take centre stage Sydney on Saturday for the Group II ATC Furious Stakes it was interesting to see a Caulfield trial on Tuesday morning that featured six stakes-winning 3YO’s.
Winning Debut for Blueblood Frankel Filly
We usually associate the Mark Walker stable with the tangerine colours of Te Akau racing, but it was John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds colours in the frame for the astute Kiwi trainer trainer at Benalla on Tuesday carried by blueblood Frankel filly Chateau Eze.
First Foals for Lofty Strike
One of the most interesting young stallions that we saw on the recent Victorian stud tour was at Swettenham Stud and it has not taken long for the big baldy face of Lofty Strike to find it’s way on to one of his first foals.
Five Lots Announced for Tattersalls Online Barrier Trials Pop-Up Sale
Tattersalls Online, Europe’s leading online thoroughbred sales platform, will break new ground when offering for auction five lots who took part in the ITM Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Leopardstown Racecourse earlier this week. The sale which takes place on 3rd – 4th September can be viewed on the Tattersalls Online website www.tattersallsonline.com.
One to Watch – Ballarat
An Ole Kirk filly from a famous female family started a short priced favourite at Ballarat on Monday and duly got the cash.
Tara Talks Racing - We Chat with the Breeder of Raging Force
The Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes was won last Saturday by exciting Cosmic Force gelding Raging Force, so this week we’re chatting to his breeder Dr Richard McClenahan of Mullaglass Stud, who has a self-confessed ‘mare addiction’!
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 2
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Vale, G1 winning horseman Tony Dennis
A member of one of New Zealand racing’s most famous and successful families has died, with the recent passing of Tony (Anthony) Dennis, aged 86.
Zoustar 7YO Chasing G1 for Cambridge Stud
South Africa will tackle the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday night and earlier in the day a horse named after one of their favourite sons will be vying for Group One glory down the road at Ellerslie Racecourse.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 1
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.