ABOUT 50 years after his Derby winners of the
1960s, the Wodalla-sired sister and brother Hayworth and Champollion, respected
breeder Bert Wicks received a posthumous honour when Methuselah led all the way
to take the 2012 $100,000 Listed Tasmanian Derby in Hobart on Sunday.
Bert died in October 2010 and Methuselah, a three year-old gelding by Armidale
Stud's prolific winner getter Savoire Vivre (GB) was one of the last horses he
bred and sold, making $30,000 to the bid of Redgum Racing Victoria at the 2010
Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale.
Raised at Armidale Stud, Methuselah is out of the winning Weasel Clause mare
Dazzling Vintage, a sister to Tasmanian Derby-Gr.3 winner Father Floyd and also
the dam of multiple winner Stella's Rose (also by Savoire Vivre).
Like many of the better runners by Savoire Vivre(pictured), Methuselah has a dam with a
double cross of Star Kingdom, this time via Weasel Clause (a son of Marscay)
and his second dam Midori Miss, a stakes placed daughter of Top of the Pack
(Kaoru Star).
Savoire Vive, a son of champion sire Sadler's Wells and the English Triple
Crown winner Oh So Sharp (Kris) was Gr.2 placed in the UK in only three starts
and is the sire of more than 110 winners of $5.3m since retiring to stud in
2002 including more than 30 individual winners of more than $800,000 this
season. He has six yearlings at the Tasmanian Yearling Sale at Launceston on
February 21.
The major event of the day, the $150,000 Bow Mistress Trophy-Gr.3 (1200m)
brought more good news for Armidale Stud as it was won by Rebel Bride, bred by
Mr. P.F. Sholly of Victoria.
The four year-old daughter of former Armidale sire Telesto (USA) (Mr.
Prospector) and the Blazing Sword (Marscay) mare Striking Sort, has now won
seven of nine starts and defeated the Gr.2 winner and $1m earner, Lady Lynette,
bred by Armidale Stud and by another resident sire in Ladoni (GB) (Danehill).
Telesto, now at stud in the Philippines, has one yearling in the Tasmanian sale
and Ladoni has two.
- David Bay
News from Armidale Stud
