Needs Further Dominates Tassie Awards

Media Release - Sunday September 15

It was a Needs Further domination at the Tasmanian Horse Of The Year Awards, Armidale Stud's outstanding young stallion stamping his name on all seven equine award categories.

Needs FurtherHis daughter Mystic Journey (last year's TTC Tasmanian 2Y0 Of The Year) won every category she was eligible for, honoured with the titles of DRC Tasmanian 3YO Of The Year, Armidale Stud Leading Tasmanian Filly Or Racemare (a nomination to the exciting Alpine Eagle part of the prize) and Ladbrokes Tasmanian Horse Of The Year.

Defeated only once in the eight races she contested over the course of the season, the Adam Trinder trained star wrote her name into history as the inaugural winner of the rich All-Star Mile; a dominant victory off a wide run from a tricky gate on the back of a easy Gr.1 Australian Guineas win.

Her successes, which also included wins in the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Classic, the Listed Thomas Lyon Stakes and the Listed Jim Moloney Stakes, enabled her dam White Gold to be crowned Grenville Stud Tasmanian Broodmare Of The Year - making her owner Ralph Zito, co-breeder of Mystic Journey, exceptionally proud.

"Well earned with the best still to come!" he enthused, adding that he has enjoyed watching the success not only of Mystic Journey but of her sire, a horse he has long been a fan of.

"When we first inspected him before he had even served mares we thought he looked amazing," he recalled, "and now, well he is a colossus, the spitting image of Encosta de Lago."

Which is why Zito is excited that White Gold is paying a return visit to Needs Further this spring... whilst her daughter Gold Phoenix was amongst the first to be served by him this year.

Not only will that foal be a highly prized full sibling to Mystic Journey, it will also be a 3/4 to Mystical Pursuit who was last night crowned TTC Tasmanian 2YO Of The Year.

By Needs Further out of White Gold's daughter Oh So Gold (by former Armidale Stud star Savoire Vivre), Mystical Pursuit won all four of her juvenile starts including the Listed Elwick Stakes and Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes.

With the success of Mystic Journey and Mystical Pursuit - along with Needs Further's other 28 2018/19 winners (including the black type performers Deroche and Our Long Sali) of 54 races, it is no surprise that he earned two titles - Tasbreeders Leading Overall Tasmanian Sire Of The Year and Magic Millions Leading Tasmanian-based Juvenile Sire.

All in all a great night celebrating a great season for Armidale Stud and we are hoping that the fun continues today with Mystic Journey returning to the scene of her two greatest successes as she lines up favourite in the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Bred Comeback King Globe wins Cranbourne Cup
The super-talented Globe put a troubled 14 months behind him with a powerful all-the-way win in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
Another Feature Win for La Crique
La Crique sprouted wings in the Pukekohe straight on Saturday to come from a near-hopeless position and win the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in a photo finish.
Armidale Stud's Proud Cox Plate History
Saturday afternoon, across Tasmania racing fans will be crowding into their local TABs or sitting at home, glued to their television sets or computer screens, excitedly anticipating cheering on the much loved Betty - Mystic Journey - in the Group I WS Cox Plate.
Yes Yes Yes Filly wins $100,000 Crystal Slipper
The $100,000 WATC Magic Millions Crystal Slipper (1100m) at Ascot on Saturday drew a competitive field of 13 and Yes Yes Yes filly Yes Queen produced a brilliant performance to score a dominant debut victory.
Winning Run Continues for Needs Further
One weekend, three states, three winners.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Barnstorming Win by Headwall in the Warra
The super-consistent Headwall reaped a just reward in the $300,000 Group III Snap Print Solutions Wollongong The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange.
The Journey Continues
On a quest for the Cox Plate and to take her place as the best in Australia, the Adam Tinder-trained Mystic Journey took her first steps to the spring with a convincing win in Saturday's Group II PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Xtravagant Gelding Nadal Brilliant in Meteorite
Ciaron Maher has a stranglehold on pop-up and slot races and was back in the winner's circle again after the inaugural running of the $1,000,000 The Ladbrokes Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne.
Aussie Mare Youngstar Produces Exciting Japanese G3 Winner
Australian Group I winning half-sisters Youngstar and Funstar are both at stud in Japan and the former has a very smart two year-old colt in Eri King, who made it three wins from three starts when taking out the Group III Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nissai Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.