The legacy of the late Helsinge in Australia began with her first foal Black Caviar, who needs no introduction, and it continues to this day with Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) set to contest Saturday’s G1 Golden Rose S.
Though she never made it to the racetrack, Helsinge herself was from a talented family. Her dam Scandinavia (Snippets) was a dual Group winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter, who also produced Sun Stud resident Magnus, multiple stakes winner Wilander (Exceed And Excel) and G1 Sires’ Produce S. runner-up Scandiva (Fastnet Rock).
Helsinge with Brigite as a foal
She was purchased for $115,000 at the 2005 Inglis Broodmare Sale by Peter Ford who sent her to Rick Jamieson’s Gilgai Farm in Nagambie and for her first covering, he opted for Bel Esprit.
A year later Helsinge gave birth to a brown filly and that filly went on to put Gilgai Farm on the map.
The unbeaten Black Caviar
Jamieson said when she first arrived at the farm, he never imagined Helsinge would be as good a producer as she was but he did think she was a very nice mare.
“You never think they’re going to achieve that sort of level but she was always a really good looking mare,” he told TDN AusNZ.
“Her temperament was good as gold. She was a bit of a loner, she would keep to herself a bit but she was always pretty gentle.”
“You never think they’re going to achieve that sort of level but she was always a really good looking mare." - Rick Jamieson
After Black Caviar was foaled, Helsinge went back to Bel Esprit which resulted in three-time winner Moshe and then she visited then first-season sire Casino Prince and the product of that became champion colt All Too Hard who now resides at Vinery Stud.
All Too Hard’s success on the racetrack was evidence that Black Caviar wasn’t just a freak of nature, but that Helsinge was just a standout broodmare and Jamieson said that was very important for her career, and the farm’s, going forward.
All Too Hard | Standing at Vinery
“That was really the icing on the cake and it just showed that she was an exceptional broodmare,” he said.
As for how he comes up with his matings, Jamieson said: “I’m a genetic breeder so I look for different strengths in her pedigree and I try to reinforce them and that’s how we came up with Black Caviar and All Too Hard.”
When Helsinge went back to Bel Esprit for the third time, a filly named Naturale was produced. Retained to race by Jamieson and Gilgai, she never made it to the track however she is still making it as a broodmare with her first foal, a colt by Written Tycoon, set to line up in Saturday’s stallion-making Golden Rose.
Already a stakes winner after taking out the Listed Talindert S. on debut, Ole Kirk has likely done enough to secure himself a spot at stud already, but a win in the Golden Rose would almost guarantee him a career as a stallion.
Ole Kirk wnning the Listed Talindert S. on debut
Gilgai is now lauded as one of the leading nurseries in Victoria having produced the likes of Jameka (Myboycharlie {Ire}), The Quarterback (Street Boss {USA}) and Lucky Bubbles (Sebring) but Jamieson said none of that success would have been possible if not for Helsinge.
“She put Gilgai on the map,” he said. “She made Gilgai.
“Unfortunately she died young but her legacy lives on through her progeny.
“I’ve got two fantastic daughters out of her, one being Naturale whose first foal was Ole Kirk and the other one is Brigite who is a sister to All Too Hard. Danny O’Brien has got her first foal by Cable Bay and by all reports he can run too.”
While Helsinge is important for Gilgai overall, she is personally very special to Jamieson.
“She meant everything to me,” he said “She really made the farm and every time I drive on to the farm I think of her. We’ve got her tombstone here and she was just a super individual.”
