The highlight for the farm last month was the win in the Group Three Launceston Cup of Larry's Never Late (Pentire-Laebeel) His dam Laebeel is now owned by LA and we're very proud to be selling a half brother to Larry by O'Reilly at next month's Australian yearling sale.
Sam has been busy finalising a large entry for the New Zealand Bloodstock National Broodmare and Weanling Sale on 3-5 May as well as putting the finishing touches to our draft of three yearlings for the Australian Yearling Sale which gets underway in Sydney on 6 April.
Can't Keeper Down (Keeper-Ashley Downs) who the farm have leased to the Kilmore syndicate looks to be returning to the kind of form which bought her a close second in the Group One New Zealand Oaks last season judging by her recent second at Otaki in the St Leger Trial.
Aspinal (Pins-Clermont Rose), pictured left who was group two placed earlier in the season resumed from a decent summer break to run second in a near track record run race at Matamata on Breeders Stakes day.
Towkay
Winners over the last month have included:
Madam Butterfly (Towkay-Golden Butterfly) the Sue Harty bred mare won at Awapuni on 13 February.
Tycoon (Towkay-Clermont Lass) his 1400m win at Rotorua on 12 February was the LA breds fifth career success.
Esteem Power (Towkay-Dolphin Miss) looks another real headline act in Singapore to follow in the hoof prints of Ace Aliado, given that his latest win was his third in just 5 starts.
Mount Surplus (Towkay-Certaine) won over 1000m in Hong Kong.
Swift Strong (Towkay-Cajun Affair) successful over 1200m in Malaysia.
Australian Yearling Sale
LA takes a select draft of three yearlings across the Tasman to the Australian Yearling Sale which starts in Sydney on 6 April. The half brother to Larry's Never Late (LOT 9) is certain to be popular with buyers while completing the LA draft are a Zabeel filly (LOT 346)from the much sought after family of Legs, Guyno and Sixty Seconds and a Darci Brahma colt (LOT 176) from the family of Don Gordon's fine taproot mare Phareno.
Weanlings
LA will be taking 13 weanlings and 4 broodmares to the National Sale. Elusive City had a tremendous sale at Karaka and with the fine form of his progeny continuing in Hong Kong since then, it seems an opportune time for us to sell an Elusive City - Clermont Lassweanling colt at Karaka. A half brother to group winner Iguazu this is the direct family of Aspinal and Grand Dancer. Please let us know if you'd like to see a picture of him as he is a strong atheletic colt with a lot going for him.
Other weanlings in our draft sure to attract interest include group winner Eloa's half brother by Savabeel along with two Towkay colts, out of Haldane and one out of the stakes placed mare, Sonia Blade.
Buyers looking for a young broodmare with plenty of upside should check out the winning Volksraad mare Kim Possible. From the family of Rios, Black Mamba and Roman Emperor she will be sold with a Falkirk filly at foot and in foal to Stratum. The stakeswinning mare Stateswoman who carries her first foal by No Excuse needed is another mare in our draft with real upside.
Other News
As a shareholder in the successful local racing partnership The Homebush Syndicate, LA were delighted to assist in sponsoring last weekend's time honoured Lowland Stakes at Hastings, particularly given that the great filly Lowland was bred and raced by Sam's grandparents Alistair and Nancy Williams. Congratulations to the Vela's and their filly Posavina who won the group three feature
One of Hong Kong racings current stars Brave Kid (Elusive City-Gordons) was purchased as a yearling by the Homebush Partnership before been on sold to clients of John Size's stable.
By now most will be aware of the hugely successful results Towkay has enjoyed with mares carrying the blood of Fair Trial. Interestingly Mount Surplus who won in Hong Kong last week has two strains of Fair Trial through his broodmare sire Centaine and Pakistan 2.
Three-year-old Rampant (Towkay- On Honeymoon) pictured left, who has shown enourmous ability has developed enormously during a six month spell at the farm so much so that his trainer Guy Lowry almost failed to recognise him when down from Hastings last week!
The second career win of the LA bred Dane Fantasy (Danasinga-Eva's Belle) at Rotorua last month reinforced the significance of the loss of his mother after only three live foals. Her two other live foals are the recent group three Hong Kong winner Special Day's and the four time winning Towkay gelding Towcutter.
