The connections of Full Tilt (NZ) (Charm Spirit) have been left wondering what might have been in her own racing career, but they have no doubt that her Group One pedigree and talent will make her a real drawcard in the 2024 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
The filly was bred by Dean Hawkins and Nick Hewson, who shared ownership with a large syndicate. She is by Charm Spirit out of the stakes-performed mare She’s Slinky (NZ) (Handsome Ransom), which makes her a half-sister to Hawkins and Hewson’s Group One winner Lickety Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose).
Lickety Split’s 11-start career is headed by an outstanding win in the Group One Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie as a two-year-old. She also placed in the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m), Group Two Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) and Group Three Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).
Lickety Split was trained by Andrew Forsman, who also oversaw the career of her talented half-sister. Full Tilt showed real promise as a two-year-old, placing in two of her first three starts behind the likes of subsequent stakes performers Viva Vienna (NZ) (All Too Hard), Ethereal Star (Snitzel) and Solidify (NZ) (Redwood). She later finished a gallant fifth in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1200m) on an unsuitable Heavy8 track.
“She certainly had a lot of ability, and Andrew rated her as one of his best two-year-olds,” Hawkins said. “She raced on a very wet track that autumn and finished fifth in a stakes race, and then she had a hairline fracture after that as well. Andrew was of the opinion that we never saw the best of her afterwards.
“She’s owned by a massive syndicate including our vet, Andrew’s parents, Nick’s cousins, some various other family and friends and a couple of people who also raced Lickety Split. With such a large syndicate involved, it’s just been decided that we’ll sell her unreserved, and this sale was picked as the best place to put her on the market.
“Being a half-sister to a Group One winner gives her plenty of appeal as a broodmare prospect. There’s also quite a bit going on in the family. Lickety Split is in foal to Anamoe, and we sold her half-brother by Circus Maximus for $200,000 at the Karaka yearling sale earlier this year. I believe the half-sister Kayden’s Joy (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) was bred to The Autumn Sun last spring. So it’s a family that has a fair bit going on and has the potential to develop further.
“Nick and I bought She’s Slinky together and we’ve had a huge amount of fun breeding Lickety Split and then this filly Full Tilt. We’re looking forward to following her progress.”
Full Tilt is one of a host of quality off the track fillies and mares in the 58 Lot 2024 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus. Bidding is now open and the first lot closes from 7pm on July 10.
