George, with partners Wally Baines, George Brajovich and his wife Gillian paid $6000 for a tried horse named Little Imagele (Imagele), who in 1981 swept all before him claiming five wins in succession, culminating in the G1 Western Mail Classic (now Kingston Town).
George drove the horse side of the business from his Ascot stables and Wally continued their retail business enterprise, firstly as a publican, before purchasing an IGA Grocery Store.
Their tireless work at searching for that special click in pedigrees produced a plethora of winners, including 1995 Railway S. winner Jacks Or Better (Curravilla {Ire}) and Vega Magic (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who awarded them with wins in the G1 Goodwood and Memsie S., and an unlucky second to Redzel (Snitzel) in the inaugural $10 million The TAB Everest.
The brothers bred Vega Magic from their mare Admirable (Magic Albert), but unfortunately George was thwarted by a degenerative illness from training Vega Magic and the horse was transferred to Sean Casey.
Vega Magic
Sadly, George passed away earlier this year after a long battle with sickness. Casey won last autumn’s G3 Roma Cup with Vega Magic and in a new partnership with his son Jake, they prepare, Dom To Shoot.
The Daly brothers paid $135,000 for Dom To Shoot’s dam Princess Rouge (Pins) at the 2012 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. Princess Rouge, showed plenty of promise, but injury restricted her career to a mere four starts for two seconds.
The brothers bought Princess Rouge on the strength of the talent of her full brother Pin Rouge, who they paid NZ$200,000 for in 2007. He won 10 races, including the Listed 2013 Bunbury S. Princess Rouge looked promising as a broodmare carrying the bloodlines of G1 winners Glamour Puss (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) and Vision And Power (Carnegie {Ire}).
Promising bloodlines
Dom To Shoot is the second foal from the mare. “He only turned three years old on the 11th of the 11th,” Wally said. “That happens to be Maureen and mine’s wedding anniversary, so he has a special place in our hearts. I have seven or eight horses by Dom To Shoot’s sire Shooting To Win. I really like them. He is a full brother to Deep Field and some people think he was a better racehorse.
"I have Charlton Eddie (by Shooting To Win out of Refemme) and his full brother. Both are showing promise. Dom To Shoot had a nice gallop on Thursday and everything is going well. The only thing is he is always the best man and we want him to be the groom.”
Shooting To Win | Standing at Darley
Dom To Shoot was the $5 equal favourite when storming into third place (beaten 0.9l, from 11th on the turn) to Watch Me Dance (I’m All The Talk) in the G2 WA Guineas at his last start on November 21.
He had no luck as a $2.50 favourite, rattling into seventh place from 11th on the turn in the Listed Fairetha S. at his previous start. He ran the fastest final 600 metres of 33.96s. Daly scratched Laverrod (Toronado {Ire}) from last Saturday’s G1 Winterbottom S. because of a wide draw in 15. He had no issues with Dom To Shoot drawn in seven.
Knuckey to steer
Natural lightweight Peter Knuckey takes the reins from heavyweight jockey Paul Harvey to ride him at 52kg. “The weight is an advantage,” Daly said. “He will be finishing off strongly and I think he can be in it. George won this race with Little Imagele all of those years ago. Little Imagele was a great horse and it would be a very special win for me, if this bloke can do it."
Watch Me Dance’s jockey Shaun McGruddy has been on a strict diet since her win in the G3 WA Champion Fillies’ S. three weeks ago to ride her at the 50kg limit.
Watch Me Dance
McGruddy is chasing his maiden win in the Kingston Town on the star filly. Watch Me Dance, if she is successful will complete a hat-trick for 3-year-old fillies, following Kay Cee (Playing God) (2019) and Arcadia Queen (Pierro) (2018). Perfect Reflection (More Than Ready {USA}) was the first filly to win the WA weight-for-age championship in 2015.
Three-year-olds have the best record in the Classic having won 18 times since its first running in 1976. Watch Me Dance also will be the seventh WA Guineas winner to win the double in the same year, after Arcadia Queen, Ihtsahymn (Ihtiram {Ire}) (2013), Playing God (2010), Megatic (2007), Old Nick (1998) and Importune (1984).
Lightweight
A lean but keen McGruddy said he normally rides at 54kg at this time of year and at 56kg in the winter. He sought advice from Steven Parnham, who wasted hard to ride Kay Cee on 50kg last year.
“Steve (Wolfe, trainer) indicated after she won the Champion Fillies' that he was looking at the race,” McGruddy said. “So I have had three weeks to work at it. I have been doing extra sessions of training with my trainer Matt Fuller and spending time in the spa. I have cut my meals to smaller portions, cutting out all breads, pastas and salt.
"I am not quite there yet, but I should be by Saturday. She might not be in the class of Kay Cee or Arcadia Queen, but she is a pretty tough filly and she deserves my best effort. Having drawn barrier five is a bonus.”
"She (Watch Me Dance) might not be in the class of Kay Cee or Arcadia Queen, but she is a pretty tough filly and she deserves my best effort. Having drawn barrier five is a bonus.” - Shaun McGruddy
The chances of Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) becoming the sixth horse to win the Railway-Kingston Town Classic double took a setback with her draw in 18. Sniper’s Bullet (Bite The Bullet {USA}) was the last horse to win the double in 2009, with other winner being Modem (Bletchingly Park {Ire}) (2004), Old Comrade (Old Spice) (2001), Island Morn (Marooned {GB}) (1994) and Better Loosen Up (Loosen Up {USA}) (1989).
The lightly-raced 5-year-old goes up 4kg on the weight she carried in the Railway to 57kg and will jump from 15, with the scratching of the three emergencies. No horse has won from gate 15 at the past 43 editions.
Peters' stars
Owners Bob and Sandra Peters have won the Kingston Town five times with Arcadia Queen (2018), Perfect Reflection (2015), Old Comrade (2000/01) and Old Nick (1998).
Peters prior three Railway winners Regal Power (Pierro) ran sixth to Kay Cee last year; Galaxy Star (Redoute's Choice) ran third to Arcadia Queen; and Elite Belle (Canny Lad) finished third to stable-mate Disposition (Reset) (2nd) and Moriarty (NZ)(Tanthem {USA}) (2014).
“It is the worst barrier you can draw at Ascot,” Peters said. “They have such a short run into the turn at the 1800 metres. It is going to make it very hard from out there."
Inspirational Girl (NZ) as a yearling
Peters is a strong supporter of Westbury Stud’s sire Reliable Man (GB). Inspirational Girl was bred by Jamieson Park and bought by WA bloodstock agent John Chalmers on behalf of Peters for NZ$190,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock's Premier Yearling Sale. Peters has bought yearling colts and fillies by Reliable Man at Karaka sales and also has sent mares to the stallion.
“Inspirational Girl and Leading Girl have done quite well,” Peters said. “The other sons and daughters of Reliable Man have not done much yet. I think they could take a bit of time. In saying that, Leading Girl was a stronger type than Inspirational Girl and came up earlier.
“Inspirational Girl was a bit lean and she had a few little things that went wrong. She needed time to get over them. I did not put her into work until later in her life. She has had a very similar preparation to Galaxy Star, who also was late to bloom.
"If you look at their careers you will see they followed very similar paths. Both had to perform well in a stakes race to get into the Railway.
Inspirational Girl (NZ)
"I have a mare in New Zealand named Dariana, who I have been sending to Reliable Man for the past few seasons,” Peters said. “She won a Queensland Oaks and ran second to So You Think in the Underwood S.”
Peters paid $800,000 for Dariana (Redoute’s Choice) in foal to Street Cry (Ire), through Belmont Bloodstock at the 2014 Inglis Sydney Broodmare and Weanling Sale. Peters said Galaxy Star (Redoute’s Choice) was in foal to Pierro.
On a sad note, dual Oaks (WA and SA) and Derby (WA and SA) winning mare Delicacy (Al Maher) died this year. She produced two live foals in a filly called Very Likely (Pierro) and a colt named More Likely (Pierro). “She died from a reaction to penicillin just before she was due to foal,” Peters said.
Dariana stays just across the road from Westbury Stud and has produced two fillies by Reliable Man in Reliable Choice (NZ) (2018) with the other filly (2019) is yet to be named. She was served by Reliable Man this season.
Peters’ other Kingston Town runner Truly Great (Dundeel {NZ}) ran an eye-catching seventh in the Railway, after his first stakes win in the G3 RJ Peters S. on November 14. But the winner of six of his 11 starts jumps 6kg on his Railway weight to 59kg in the Classic.
He is entered for the Perth Cup (2400 metres) on January 2. WA’s premiership leading jockey Chris Parnham is back on Truly Great, after Clint Johnston-Porter rode him in the Railway. He is drawn in nine.
“On his breeding the extra 200 metres will suit him,” Peters said. “He is out of Truly Special, a Jeune mare, and she stayed well, winning up to 2200 metres. She produced a WA Oaks winner in Special Alert. He is a son of Dundeel and his stock are going well.
“Truly Special foaled another Dundeel filly a only few days ago. If Truly Great continues to improve then he will go into the Perth Cup.”
