26 August 2009 -
Highview Stud’s Brent Gillovic had an extra “spring” in his step recently following the Listed win by Moti (NZ) at Royal Randwick.
A smart purchase by the Waikato studmaster four years ago at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling and Broodmare Sale now sees Moti’s dam, It’s Spring Again, as a valuable member of the Highview Stud broodmare team.
“I went to the sale with the aim of buying three or four good quality broodmares, and I ended up with seven,” Gillovic revealed to New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing.
“Three were Fayette Park’s Goree Stud mares and It’s Spring Again was one of these,” added Gillovic.
“Naturally being by Last Tycoon I was attracted to the mare on paper, but she was also a very good looking type,” said Gillovic.
“She has won three races as a three-year-old and was fourth on two occasions at group level,” added Gillovic.
More than justifying her $65,000 price tag, It’s Spring Again produced a filly by Don Eduardo that year which was sold by Highview Stud in 2007 for $190,000.
Her 2006 colt by Johar clipped the ticket at $57,500, and Gillovic is expecting that her 2008 Danroad colt bound for Karaka next year will command more than his fair share of attention.
“She has a cracker colt by Danroad that will head to Karaka next year,” Gillovic enthuses.
“We haven’t finalised who she will go to this year, but it will either be Align or Danroad,” said Gillovic.
Aside from the fact that It’s Spring Again, is now a proven black-type producer, the popularity of her future offspring is somewhat assured through the bloodlines and deeds of her prolific sire Last Tycoon.
“It’s Spring Again was great value at $65,000 considering now what Last Tycoon has achieved as a broodmare sire,” said Gillovic.
An impeccable international sire, Last Tycoon’s statistics remain solid: 81 SW (4.9%) from 1651 foals, among them 18 G1 winners, but remarkably his success as a Broodmare sire has now surpassed his efforts as a stallion.
In total as a broodmare sire Last Tycoon counts a remarkable 112 stakeswinners worldwide, 20 of these at Gr.1 level. Boasting a winners-to-runners ratio of 61.9%, his progeny throughout Australasia have generated a tick over $35million in earnings.
