All’s Well That Ends Well

Tara Madgwick - Monday August 27
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.

Danawi returns to scale a stakes-winner!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!


Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.