Invigorated by a sequence of very positive developments both on and off the racetrack, the Young-based outfit is eagerly awaiting the upcoming year, confident in the knowledge that racing and breeding indicators give good reason for it to adopt a very positive outlook.
One of the few remaining family establishments on the Australian thoroughbred
landscape with respected studmaster John North at the helm, the name of Bowness
Stud frequently surfaces at the pointy end of domestic racing competition and
bloodstock trading. Home to three stallions that include Bon Hoffa, sire of recent Group 1 MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Bon Aurum, the stud also enjoys a very healthy profile as a significant yearling sale consignor, constantly offering drafts full of quality offspring by a wide selection of the region's most commercial stallions.
It is, however, on the back of Bullet Train (GB) that the stud's hopes most firmly rest.
A Group winning three-quarter brother of world racing legend and freshman sire sensation Frankel, Bullet Train is one of the 2016/17 racing season's most notable first season sires, a contingent of young stallions for which every passing month takes on more and more importance and exposes them to closer and closer scrutiny.
Fortunately, a growing weight of evidence suggests that this
wonderfully-credentialed stud prospect is headed in the preferred direction.Amongst the more recent developments very much in the young stallion's favour is the fact that Bullet Train is already the sire of some very promising young turf gallopers in North America — including his initial black-type winner!
The stallion's first handful of runners in the northern hemisphere — bred during his debut season at stud in Kentucky — already include Whiskey Train, an impressive winner of the Listed Armed Forces Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Florida earlier this month.
Whiskey Train is one of two real eye-catching 2-year-old winners for Bullet Train so far to race in the United States, both having produced whirlwind finishes to score over a mile on turf.
The manner of their victories was very much in keeping with members of the Sadler's Wells breed and confirmed that, without any reasonable doubt, bigger and better successes are set to follow.
This month has also witnessed some very promising developments involving Bullet Train on the local front.
Following a highly satisfactory debut yearling sale series when the breed sold to $150,000 (colts) and $110,000 (fillies), the recent Inglis Ready-to-Race Sale saw yet another member of Bullet Train's first-crop realise a significant six-figure sum.
Catalogued as Lot 78, the colt had impressed in his Cranbourne breeze-up and went on to fetch $180,000 (off a $13,200 service fee) when bought by veteran Kiwi bloodstock agent Anton Koolman.
The youngster filters in to a domestic racing industry with 110-plus first-crop 2-year-olds by Bullet Train already in the system, and spread far and wide around Australia.
These include juveniles in the care of Chris Waller, Darren Weir, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, Gerald Ryan and their ilk, as well as the likes of Neville Parnham, John Zielke, Chris Munce, Lloyd Kennewell, Kent Fleming and Neil Godbolt in a wide range of training centres interstate.
They commence their racing career at a time when the Sadler's Wells sireline is not only accepted as the main source of Classic-Cup winners in these parts, but also as the new force to contend with in 2- and 3-year-old sprint competition at the highest level.
Primarily through the deeds of Medaglio D'Or (USA), but also those of High Chaparral (Ire), Artie Schiller (USA), Tavistock (NZ), Teofilo (Ire) and Co., Sadler's Wells maleline descendants have taken a foothold in events which would never have been previously expected.
In more recent seasons, Vancouver has emerged as the first unbeaten Golden Slipper winner for the line, while Astern looks set to take all before him in the current 3-year-old generation.
Other representatives seemingly with still untapped talent include Omei Sword, Flying Artie, Good Standing, Veladero, Battle Brewing, Demonstrate, etc etc.
The breed's increasing strike-rate in local Pattern Race company has established members of the Sadler's Wells sireline as a predominant force in all forms of local thoroughbred competition, and Bullet Train is well placed to play his part.
Quite understandably, Bowness Stud waits in anticipation for it all to unfold.
