The Feel Good Foaling Story of the Year

A big thank you must go to Dr Joan Carrick who played a major role in maintaining the health of the pregnancy and Dr Lucy Brock who helped to get Asia pregnant to start with.

Without the dream that Neale Bruce had, to have another go at trying to get Asia in foal and carry to term, this would not have happened. 

These are the dreams that keep the industry alive.

The filly will be a week old tomorrow and has really gone from strength to strength. She was quite slack in the pasterns when she was born, but is now perfect and has really filled out. 

She is very active and does laps around Mum every now and then showing off at how fast she can run!!

Asia has been the best mother ever. She can be a bit of a clingy, matey mare but she is just besotted with her new and very long awaited baby and could not be more calm and content. She seems to also be feeding the filly well as she has certainly grown and put on weight.

John Vincent sent Neale and email the other day congratulating him on the result. As you know he had a long association with Asia's breeder Jim Fleming. John had been looking through some old notes he took when he visited English Wonder just after Asia was born.

These are his remarks:

I have just looked at my Diary of 1997, and have noted the report said." November 17th 1997" English Wonder foaled a bay filly by Danehill, Down on all joints, Windswept Hocks, other wise ok !! That was Asia of course.

Then a few days later I visited Woodlands Stud where she was born, and my notes read, English Wonder hasa small, but neat, and correct filly foal, light of bone, but will beok.

So much water has gone under the bridge since then Neale, Asia as you would know,turned out a more than useful race mare, contesting many, many, group or listed races, eventually winning her Gr 1 race, the South Australian Oaks, beating the very good mare Tempest Morn, trained By Gai Waterhouse.

The rest is history, she turned out to be disappointing as a brood mare for Tyreel, conceiving so many times, but failing to carry beyond 38- to 45 days.

I hope your filly can win many races, and that her days at stud will be more fruitful than her Mums.

I'm sure you and your staff will think of a lovely name for her, Dream Ahead, from Asia, "your dream has come true", once again congratulations Neale.

Best Wishes. John Vincent

In his description of Asia, John has almost captured our filly to a tee, apart from the fact she does not have wind swept hocks. Asia was also born on the 17th November!! Asia is branded 7/7 and won her Group I (her only win) at start 17.

The stars aligned for this baby!