Bowness Stud graduates just keep making their way into the winners circle, the likes of recent Group One winners Funstar, Youngstar and Trapeze Artist, proof positive of the great job done by John North and his team who take another strong draft of horses to the 2020 Magic Millions.
What appeals to you most about the MM sales and race series?
The venue has a pleasant holiday atmosphere that provides a relaxed environment to catch up with old friends and other industry participants. The race series has plenty of prizemoney on offer to a broad spectrum of buyers, giving everyone a chance to win serious money. In general the most precocious early going types come to the Gold Coast in January.
How would you sum up your farm and the service you offer?
Wonderful fertile country of large acreage. We believe the horse is a natural herd animal who should not be confined to a small area and forced fed. The quality pastures and grazing space provided to our horses is one of the key ingredients that allows us to continue to supply top class Group winning racehorses of the highest calibre into the marketplace.
How many mares did you breed with in 2019, who is the best known?
We bred over 120 mares this year. Purple Blood (in foal to Snitzel) is a favourite, her Group Three winning daughter Sookie has produced the recent Group One winner Shadow Hero. We also have Sookie’s 3/4 sister in foal to Pierro and Purple Blood’s other daughter Kaitlin Cove has a lovely Capitalist colt in the sale.
Beautiful Gem (also in foal to Snitzel) was a wonderful race mare and her dual Group Three winning son Gem Song has done a good job on the track this year.
How would you summarize your draft this year?
Collectively, they are the best group of yearlings we have ever presented at this sale. We have some beauties by the new boys Capitalist, Extreme Choice and Flying Artie, some by the proven sires Zoustar and Deep Field and other top shelf running types by Divine Prophet, Air Force Blue and Myboycharlie. There is definitely no tail in the whole draft.
What product would you stockpile if you found out they weren’t going to make anymore?
Peanut Butter! You could live forever on it.
What would you choose as your animal sidekick if you were in a movie?
A working Kelpie dog.
In 40 years what will people be nostalgic for?
Old fashioned homemade cooking.
Are there enough opportunities for young people to enter the thoroughbred industry?
Yes. There are plenty of opportunities for people with a genuine love for the animal and who have a desire to learn coupled with a good work ethic.
The Bowness Magic Millions draft…
Lot 51 bay colt by Zoustar from You’re Dreamin (by Commands): dam, a city winning half-sister to the stakes winners Johnny Reb and Power Of Pegasus, has produced five winners from as many to race.
Lot 395 bay colt by Deep Field from Idriess (by Anabaa): half-brother to four winners out of a daughter of a Blue Diamond Prelude-Gr.3, 1100m winner Card Queen, also dam of Magic Millions Classic-RL, 1200m heroine Karuta Queen.
Lot 426 chestnut colt by Capitalist from Journey (by Jeune): son of a Belmont Oaks-Listed, 2000m winning granddaughter of the WA Oaks-Gr.1, 2400m winner Hasty Departure.
Lot 430 chestnut colt by Capitalist from Kaitlin Cove (by Snitzel): his dam is a winning half-sister to the Group Three winner Sookie, in turn dam of this year’s Spring Champion Stakes-Gr.1, 2000m winner Shadow Hero. Third dam is the terrific filly Victory Vein.
Lot 657 bay colt by Divine Prophet from Pure Intentions (by Cape Cross): half-brother to multiple city winner Arizona Wildcat out of a daughter of the Group Two mare Prefer An Angel, also dam of Group Three winner Cute Emily.
Lot 699 chestnut colt by Extreme Choice from Rosarino (by Perugino): his speedy stakes winning dam has produced five winners including the stakes placed Heavy and the metropolitan winner Anna’s Joy.
Lot 952 bay colt by Flying Artie from Permaiscuous (by Danzero): half-brother to four winners including the city winners Cleansing Ale and Dancing Fighter out of a Group Three winning daughter of the Listed winner Permai.
Lot 1045 bay colt by Air Force Blue from Charlotte’s Star (by Stratum): out of a winning half-sister to the South African Group Three winner Flying Tristram from the family of Dance Hero.
Lot 1054 bay colt by Myboycharlie from Cover Charge (by General Nediym): half-brother to the Group One placed Californiatreasure out of a city winning half-sister to the Group Three winner Classy Dane and the Listed winner Zester.
Lot 1062 bay colt by Deep Field from Diame (by Fastnet Rock): dam is a daughter of the Epona Stakes-Listed, 1900m winner Great Anna whose dam is the Herbert Power Handicap-Gr.2, 2400m winner Great Vintage.
