Goodwood Stud principal
William Fell was still coming to grips with the reality of being the breeder of
the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby winner hours after the race."I'm still a little speechless," the Manawatu stud owner said after watching the son of Haunui Farm's Iffraaj frank his Gr.2 Avondale Guineas win with another dominant performance.
It was a great result for the Haunui stallion with another of his offspring, Jon Snow sticking on gamely for third behind the Busuttin-Young trained visitor Rising Red.
"He really did come out of the blue with his Avondale Guineas win - I am very, very happy," he said. "It is also so good to have the Haunui Farm-Iffraaj connection as we have had a lot to do with the Chitty family over the years and we have a share in Iffraaj."
In addition to being slightly gobsmacked, Fell was also wondering whether he might have earned another honour.
"I wonder who is the youngest person in the world to breed a Derby winner," the 30-year-old pondered.
With reliable memory and the usually voluble Google not volunteering any suggestions Fell has decided that he will claim the title until proven wrong.
Youngest breeder or not, the fact remains that Gingernuts is the first Group One winner produced under the Goodwood banner. The stud has gone close previously with the Group Two winner Serena Miss, who was also Group One placed,while Gr.3 Wellfield Desert Gold Stakes winner Nicoletta has the potential to add to their record with the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks on her radar later this month.
William and his late father
Rex created Goodwood in 2007. The Fell family name was already well established
through Fairdale Stud, where Rex and his brother Gerald had enjoyed a fruitful
45 year partnership.Double Elle, the dam of Gingernuts, was bred by Fairdale Stud and leased to former AC Milan goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac who, at the time, had a number of horses in training with Chris Waller in Sydney.
The Generous mare won five races before retiring to stud and, in addition to Gingernuts and three-time winner Runway (by Pins), has also left the interestingly named Rideitlikeustoleit. The five-year-old daughter of Alamosa has racked up three wins this season.
Double Elle was among a number of mares Goodwood Stud decided to quit at the 2014 Mixed Bloodstock sale.
"She was a lovely mare but for us going forward and breeding commercially to sell, it was a strategic decision to sell her, along with some other mares at the time," he said.
Goodwood offered Gingernuts as a weanling at the same sale where he was knocked down for $5000 to bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo on behalf of South Taranaki trainer and dairy farmer Bill Thurlow.
The following November he was back at Karaka in the Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs under Thurlow's Stainley Park banner, where he caught the astute eye of David Ellis.
Ellis bought just two horses at that Ready to Run Sale with Gr.1 Levin Classic winner Hall Of Fame, a son of Savabeel, purchased for $230,000 by the Te Akau supremo, 80 lots prior to securing Gingernuts for $42,500. The rest, as they say, is history - though in the case of Gingernuts the story may just be beginning.
Double Elle's story still has chapters to unfurl too. She was purchased in foal to Iffraaj for $3000 by Taranaki breeder Chris Thompson and the subsequent colt foal was purchased through Gavelhouse by Te Akau Racing. Thompson has retained a share in the younger brother to Gingernuts, now named Griffin.
The mare currently has a filly at foot by Jakkalberry. The Novara Park stallion's first crop made a huge impression at Karaka this year, and Double Elle is again in foal to the globe-trotting Group One winner. The resulting 2017 foal will belong to Novara Park principal Luigi Muollo.
Fell is pragmatic about the decision to quit the mare in 2014.
"We still have access to the family through the Pins mare [Runway], which is owned by good clients of ours," he said.
"I don't look back and regret it as we will always be the breeder of the Derby winner,"- NZ Racing Desk
