Barneswood Farm experienced one of its most memorable days in racing at Riccarton on Saturday.
The South
Island operation, owned by Ashburton's Sarah Green and her racing partner Ger
Beemsterboer, picked up two wins and a placing in the space of four races at
the premier meeting, including victory in the Group I Gavelhouse.com New Zealand
1000 Guineas (1600m) with the Peter and Dawn Williams-trained Media Sensation.
"It's a day I will never forget and to be there to share it with family and friends was just spectacular," Green said.
"We had Caprikosa in race four and she fought hard and came second. Race five was the (Listed) Barneswood Farm Welcome Stakes and to see Miss Federer win was fantastic.
"Then we had Vendima, from Neill Ridley's barn, and to win with her was great and then of course Media Sensation. It was an unbelievable day."
It was the second victory in the 1000 Guineas for the Barneswood Farm-Williams combination after winning the race previously with Planet Rock.
"We were lucky enough to win the 1000 Guineas with them (Peter and Dawn) in 2011 with Planet Rock and I believe Peter and Dawn have won the race twice, both times being with our horses. So that's an incredible thing to share with them."
Green said she has a long association with the Williams' and it was great to experience a number of highs with the training partnership last week.
"I've known Peter and Dawn since I was a little girl and for the last 12 years we have had horses with them. Over and above everything else we consider ourselves great friends with them. They are just wonderful people and have done a fantastic job.
"It was also very special for Dawn to bring up her 1000th win as a trainer earlier in the week with another one of our horses (Jip Jip Rock)."
Not only do the Williams' train the majority of the Barneswood Farm racing team, they also play a major role in the acquisition of racing stock for the Green and Beemsterboer partnership from New Zealand Bloodstock's Yearling Sales.
"We have had some good horses with Peter and Dawn," Green said. "They are the ones that go to the sales with us and they choose the horses for us. We're just the lucky ones to be associated with the horses and Peter and Dawn.
"I have such utter faith in what they choose for us and they haven't put us wrong, we couldn't be happier. It is a big outlay ($425,000 for Media Sensation and $290,000 for Planet Rock), but we have had the results."
The catalyst for the establishment of Barneswood Farm occurred about a decade ago at a dinner with Ger Beemsterboer, a client of her husband Chris' grain and seed exporting business.
"My father and brother were both owner-trainers, so it has always been there in the background for me," Green said.
"It didn't come about until many years later when I was out for a business dinner with my husband and Ger Beemsterboer, my Dutch racing partner.
"Ger and I were sitting side-by-side and we were talking away and Ger said 'you love horses don't you?' I said 'I do' and he said 'why don't we buy a horse together?'
"So it started out very small and it has grown from there.
"We've had Barneswood Farm for about ten years now. It started out as just an agistment place for our own horses to spell, but when Peter and Dawn made the move north we had less horses to bring down.
"The majority of use (it gets) at the moment is we trial crops for our business."
Green and Beemsterboer have been active at the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales in recent years with an eye to expanding their broodmare band in the future.
They continued that trend this year, purchasing a Sacred Falls filly out of Waikato Stud's draft for $210,000 and a Zoustar filly out of Dave Duley's Lansdowne Park draft for $650,000.
"We
probably have only five broodmares, but going forward when we go to the sales
we only look at fillies. We only purchase one, maybe two a year to race and in
the hopes of getting black-type then being able to breed in the future."
While traditionally Barneswood Farm have been buyers at New Zealand Bloodstock's Karaka Sales complex, they will try their hand as sellers this week at the Ready to Run Sale of two-year-olds.
"We have got one for sale this year, which is the first time at Karaka," Green said. We'll be heading there to sell him and we'll definitely be looking through the book and possibly look at purchasing a filly as well." – NZ Racing Desk
