BALLYMORE STABLE PASSES THROUGH THE $6M SEASON MARK

Whichever way you look at it, the season just completed in Australia and New Zealand was a successful one for Ballymore Stable.

The win of She’s A Thief at Caulfield on the last Saturday of the season was significant for several reasons. It was our 35th metro winner for the season and our strike-rate of 15.10% the best in Melbourne’s top 10 city trainers.

Fifth on the Melbourne Metropolitan trainers’ list and with prizemoney of $5,332,138 in Australia and $726,395 in New Zealand.

The prizemoney generated for our owners is an achievement we are extremely proud of, especially given the relatively low numbers we operate both stables on.

She’s A Thief is a good example of how we operate. Purchased for $30,000 as a yearling at the NZB Sales at Karaka by Paul Moroney, she won at Group level as a two-year-old in New Zealand and her earnings now exceed $275,000 and she has more than one friend.

The best example from last season was undoubtedly Alabama Express, the son of Redoute’s Choice a Sydney Easter yearling and subsequently sold to Yulong in a multi-million dollar deal after winning at Group 1 level.

“It was such a pity Alabama Express got sick and was unable to continue his career on the track as I have no doubt he was a genuine Group 1 colt,” Moroney said.

“He was the only three-year-old male to win at weight-for-age last season, is a gorgeous individual and I am delighted he is still in Victoria at Yulong and I’m confident he will prove a great success for them.”

Alabama Express was not our only high level success for the year.

Tofane completed her early education at Matamata before transferring to Australia and the daughter of Ocean Park was identified early on as an elite performer by Pam Gerard.

It continues the flow of winners for us out of New Zealand as Mike Moroney notes.

“Pam identified pretty early on that Tofane had talent and her judgement was spot on with the mare eventually getting the breaks at the highest level in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick after some unlucky runs in Group 1 races and we are hopeful of adding more feature races to her record later this year,” Moroney said.

“Apart from supporting racing in New Zealand, one of the advantages of having the base there is that we are able to identify these type of horses and then nurture them into stakes performers.

“Harlech is a Group winning example of this and the now four-year-old son of Darci Brahma is training well at Flemington and preparing for the rich spring races.”

Moroney rightly points out that the Australian racing model is one of few racing jurisdictions going forward with prizemoney levels for owners.

“Apart from the earning potential, it also highlights the potential in investing in colts,” Moroney says. “We purchased Tivaci and Alabama Express as yearlings for less than $300,000 each and both went on to win at Group 1 level and both are now at stud.

“With the way we have the two stables it gives New Zealand owners a great base to invest in these sorts of horses.”

And while the local results have been excellent, there has also been some significant results internationally.

It was good to see a lot of mares we’ve bought and raced have gone on to do well at stud.

“This year’s Irish Oaks winner Even So is one, last year we had Exceedance win the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Derby day and we trained his dam Bonnie Mac.

“We also trained the dams of Castelvecchio, Dreamforce, King's Legacy and the South African Group 1 winner Mississippi Burning last season and it is always satisfying to see the horses we have trained go on to success.”

The opportunities to exploit the two stables is one Moroney is keen to expand.

“We have the opportunity to start horses off in New Zealand and then filter them in to Flemington if they warrant the trip,” Moroney said.

“We’ve always been big buyers of yearlings in New Zealand and we look forward to continued and new support from New Zealand owners and breeders as we aim to exploit the Australian prizemoney.”