Respected breeder Ian Smith has established a winning formula at his thoroughbred nursery on the rich alluvial river flats of the Manning River just minutes from Wingham, on the NSW Mid North Coast.
The Edinburgh Park brand is renowned for success and what world champion sprinter Silent Witness started back in 2003 has now become a steady stream of stakes horses with the latest star performers being Assimilate and Zizzis.
A consistent program of improving and updating the Edinburgh Park broodmare band
combined with astute matings utilizing the best stallion talent in the country
has led to ongoing success.Bred and offered for sale by Edinburgh Park at the 2016 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Sebring colt Assimilate caught the eye of the stallion makers and was knocked down to China Horse Club / WinStar Farm for $420,000.
Sent to Peter and Paul Snowden, he won his first two starts as a two year-old before finishing second to Addictive Nature in the Group III ATC Ming Dynasty Stakes and fifth in Trapeze Artist's Group I ATC Golden Rose Stakes during the spring.
Last Sunday, Assimilate confirmed his stakes potential with a barnstorming win
in the Listed Canberra Guineas over 1400 metres.Newgate Farm's Henry Field, a part-owner of the striking chestnut, said the son of Sebring is up to winning a good race in Sydney over the carnival.
"The horse has got talent. He finished fifth in the Golden Rose and Paul and Peter have always had a good opinion of him," Field told Sky Racing.
"He's a beautiful horse with a great pedigree and it was a wonderful ride by Tye (Angland).
"We will find a nice race through the (Sydney) carnival for him."
Assimilate is the second foal and second winner for stakes-winning Commands mare Jester's Girl, who was covered again by Sebring last spring.
Also bred and sold by Edinburgh Park is Sizzling filly Zizzis, who made it two wins in as many starts when taking out the $200,000 Magic Millions 2YO Classic at Morphettville on Monday.
Prepared by Patrick Payne for a big team of Prime Thoroughbreds owners, Zizzis scored a bold front running debut win at Bendigo last month giving connections the confidence to send her to Adelaide for this lucrative sales incentive race.
In a competitive field of 14 featuring two time stakes-winner Nomothaj, Zizzis
proved much the best, powering clear under Billy Egan to score a dominant
victory in the 1200 metre dash."We were really happy with her first up win and thought she had come on well since then," said Payne.
"We love the Sizzling breed, they are very sensible and make good racehorses. They just want to please you.
"We'll take her home now and see how she pulls up before working out where we go next."
A $120,000 Magic Millions purchase for Prime Thoroughbreds from the Edinburgh Park draft, Zizzis has already won nearly $150,000 and is the third winner from Senro Kisaki, who was covered again by Sizzling last spring.
Edinburgh Park have three entries for the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, all lovely fillies by Choisir, Sebring and Snitzel. Click here to see the draft.
