For those with a passion for delving into pedigrees it is always a delight to examine some of the bloodlines imported into Australia by Gooree Stud principal Eduardo Cojuangco who died during the week at the age of 85.
Invariably the best of the Gooree breds trace back to some of the most influential mares in the Stud Book.
Some stallions that have carried the red and black stripe silks with distinction include Smart Missile, Hallowed Crown, Northern Meteor, Prized Icon, Your Song, Needs Further and the Australasian record-priced Zabeel colt Don Eduardo.
The tragically short-lived Northern Meteor and his nephew Smart Missile descend from the wonderful broodmare Rough Shod whose daughters Moccasin, Thong and Gambetta shaped the breed.
Northern Meteor and Smart Missile come from the Moccasin side of the family
In last weeks Best On Breeding we shared Gooree Stud’s disappointment in losing the outstanding mare Shower Of Roses during the birth of her first foal.
The loss of Northern Meteor in 2013 after four seasons was another painful shock but disappointments have not been reserved for the breeding shed.
Imagine the crushing blow for connections when Smart Missile was lining up for the 2011 Golden Slipper only to be withdrawn at the barriers on vet’s advice.
I doubt I have seen many more crestfallen jockeys than Glen Boss who walked back to the saddling enclosure to watch Sepoy, who Smart Missile beaten in the Todman Stakes, stroll home in the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.
A son of Fastnet Rock, Smart Missile showed he was something special from day one by winning the Listed Breeders’ Plate at Randwick.
Given a spell by trainer Anthony Cummings, Smart Missile made his 2011 bow in the Group II Todman Stakes at Rosehill where he ended the winning streak of Darley’s Blue Diamond winner Sepoy who was undefeated in four starts and then would go on to win his next six starts.
Smart Missile did not run again that season, but he kept his unbeaten record at his first start at three in the Group III Run To The Rose where he defeated Foxwedge and Helmet.
He was to lose his perfect record at his next start when beaten by Manawanui in the Group 1 Golden Rose.
Sent to Melbourne, Smart Missile was never a factor in the Group 1 Rupert Clark Stakes and Group 1 Caulfield Guineas where he pulled up distressed after finishing fifth behind Helmet and never raced again.
Retired to stud at Arrowfield, Smart Missile was coveted by breeders from day one.
In his first five seasons at a fee of $22,000 the son of Fastnet Rock covered 196, 196, 210, 202 and 153 mares.
Even though he was honoured as the leading first crop sire of 2015-16 with seven winners from 49 starters, it became clear that Smart Missile wasn’t producing the precocious two-year-olds the market craves and his popularity sank to the extent he covered just 63 mares in 2017.
In stepped Olly Tait’s Twin Hill’s Stud and Smart Missile was off to Cootamundra. It coincided with Smart Missile firing off a volley of stakes-winners including his first Group 1 winner with the filly Maid Of Heaven in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick.
So, with his service fee reduced to $13,200 in 2018, Smart Missile was suddenly back in favour and incredibly he covered a career high 222 mares that year.
He had seven stakes-winners in 2017/18 and again in 2018/19 one of which was the Mitchell Freedman-trained filly Broadwayandfourth who powered home to earn her first stakes win in the Listed Crockett Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last October.
That earned her a shot in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, but it may have all come a bit quickly for the filly as she finished midfield behind the winner Exceedance.
After taking some time to find her form, Broadwayandfourth scored over 1100 metres at Caulfield on May 30 before a luckless fifth at Moonee Valley last week.
We will be banking on the 3yo daughter of Smart Missile returning to her best in Saturday’s Listed A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
A homebred for Bungan Street Thoroughbreds, Broadwayandfourth is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the Listed SAJC Dequetteville Stakes winner Broadway Harmony who had a Dissident colt sell for $160,000 to Teng Long/Legends Bstock/ McKeever Bloodstock out of the Esker Lodge draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
A daughter of Statue Of Liberty (USA), Broadway Harmony has a yearling colt by Wandjina and foaled a Dissident filly on September 12.
