For those readers who regularly check out our ‘Nicks that Click’ stories, the Group I results at the Melbourne Cup Carnival highlighted some things we probably already knew, but it’s nice to be reminded that what you thought was gold, is actually delivering.
G1 Victoria Derby (2500m) – Johnny Get Angry (NZ) (3g Tavistock x Luminova, by Zabeel)
Johnny Get Angry became the seventh stakes-winner bred by Montjeu’s Group I winning son Tavistock from a daughter of Zabeel.
The direct nick has produced 71% winners to runners with 49 winners from 69 runners and the stakes-winner to runner strike rate is 10% with those stakes-winners including four Group I winners.
If we broaden the search to look for all stakes-winners that feature Tavistock and Zabeel in their pedigree we bring in three more including Australian Derby winner Tavago.
Sadly, Tavistock died prematurely at Cambridge Stud at the end of 2019, so there are only limited numbers of his offspring to come, however if you are shopping for a Tavistock at Karaka 2021 this nick will be one you’ll be giving a lot of thought to.
She became the 20th stakes-winner bred on the highly successful Fastnet Rock x Galileo cross that has now produced eight Group I winners.
There have been 61 winners from 85 runners bred this way, the nick running at nearly 72% winners to runners and 23.5% stakes-winners to runners!
G1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) – Arcadia Queen (5m Pierro x Arcadia, by Redoute’s Choice)
Arcadia Queen is one of nine stakes-winners – three of them Group I winners – bred by Pierro from daughters of Redoute’s Choice.
There have been 31 winners from 39 runners, so the nick produces nearly 80% winners to runners and the stakes-winner to runner strike rate is 23% !
G1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) – Twilight Payment (IRE) (8g Teofilo x Dream on Buddy, by Oasis Dream)
Twilight Payment is the second Group I winner in 2020 bred this way joining three year-old filly Tawkeel, who won the Group I Chantilly Prix Saint Alary in France.
There have been only 16 named foals bred this way with 13 of them racing and eight saluting highlighted by four stakes-winners, so that’s 30% stakes-winners to runners and well worth a mention.
Teofilo no longer shuttles to Australia but he does have some Group I winning sons at stud here in Kermadec and Palentino, so there might be food for thought here especially when you consider Oasis Dream is by Green Desert and thanks to I Am Invincible and the Helsinge dynasty we are not short of his blood in this country!