Matings mix: Briarwood Farm

Cover image courtesy of Briarwood Farm

Lisa McMaster and her husband Gavin have slowly but surely been adding to their broodmare band ever since they decided to change tack when Peter Moody – then their biggest client – walked away from racing in 2016.

Until then, Briarwood Farm, which is located at Cora Lynn – about one hour south-east of Melbourne - was largely an agistment and spelling operator.

Since that moment of reckoning, the McMasters have dived headfirst into breeding and tracing their own horses. They have been supported greatly by a Hong Kong client, Mr M F Tung, who races horses with the ‘Tan Tat’ prefix.

The results have been mixed, and they continue to learn, but both have racing pedigrees that would match any top broodmare and their passion and work ethic is typical of those that work in the industry.

Lisa grew up working on the family racehorse agistment property, where they spelled horses for legends Angus Armanasco and Geoff Murphy. The operation expanded into breeding and stallions and moved to a larger farm where they stood a number of stallions, including 1973 Victoria Derby and Cox Plate hero Taj Rossi.

Lisa worked alongside her parents for many years, acquiring skills that she puts to good use today. She learned the aspects of a breeding operation, including foaling down mares, matings and preparing yearlings for the sales.

Gavin, meanwhile, is the grandson of Lindsay Woods, a former jockey and trainer.

After owning and operating automotive repair centres for many years, Gavin transitioned into life on the farm.

The McMasters love what they do and, with the breeding season fast approaching, they have just finalised their mating plans for their broodmare band.

Speaking to TDN AusNZ, Lisa described how she goes about selecting a sire.

“We don’t have the means at this point to utilise big service-fee stallions, so my choices are mostly speculation about what stallions I think will be successful and then I usually use them in their third and fourth year at stud, when service fees are more negotiable,” McMaster said.

McMaster relies on the intelligence of breeding-specific tools, such as G1 Goldmine and Pedigrees 360.

“I have a bit of an obsession with studying pedigrees as many others do, so based on my knowledge of nicks, I compile a list of stallions for each mare. I then refine that list by utilising pedigree software, drilling down into the mating with individual stakes winner statistics throughout the pedigree in question,” she explained. “This process lasts for months and I will quite often not think about any of it for weeks and then come back with fresh eyes and reassess.

“I know when I have settled on a mating because if feels right and I don’t feel the need to revisit. Slowly but surely, I get to this point with each one.”

McMaster said Mr Tung doesn’t get involved in the breeding process, instead entrusting them to make the call on which stallions his mares will be covered by.

Secret Selection to visit Saxon Warrior

In 2016, the McMasters took a punt on a nicely-bred unraced mare named Secret Selection. Lisa was eager to get a Redoute’s Choice mare and they paid $200,000 for her, purchasing privately. Secret Selection is out of G1 Railway S. winner Covertly (Metal Storm {Fr}), who has thrown Listed winner Bombay Blitz (Snitzel).

After buying Secret Selection, the McMasters sent her to be covered by Hallowed Crown. The resultant foal was sold at the Inglis Premier Sale in 2018 for $120,000. He made his way to the Singapore stables of Michael Clements, where he races as Big Hearted, and in 2020 he won the Listed (SIN-G1) Singapore Gold Cup.

In 2019, the mare had a Fiorente (Ire) gelding named Back Me Up Benny, which has had one start for Denis Pagan.

Secret Selection has a rising 2-year-old by Hallowed Crown – a brother to Big Hearted – who has been race educated, and in 2022, she was covered by Impending.

The mare will be covered by Saxon Warrior (Jpn), whose dam, Maybe (Ire) is by Galileo (Ire).

“Secret Selection is a Redoute’s Choice mare from a prominent Western Australian family. She has produced Big Hearted, a G1 Gold Cup winner in Singapore and $1 million in prizemoney,” said McMaster.

“She is booked to Saxon Warrior for the coming season. Statistics show that Redoute’s goes very well with both Deep Impact and Galileo and the horse really took my eye when I inspected him at Coolmore.”

Temple Of Bel has a pending date with Impending

Temple Of Bel (Bel Esprit) notched three wins, and placed at Listed level, amassing $316,325.

“She should have had some Group wins next to her name, she was so competitive, she’d go within a length or two in Group 1s and Group 2s. She’s a lot more talented than her record suggests,” McMaster said.

The 7-year-old will be covered by Darley’s emerging sire Impending - a Group 1-winning son of brilliant stallion Lonhro.

“She has a beautiful physique, her size and strength should stand her in good stead as a broodmare. She is booked to Impending this year. Bel Esprit goes well with Lonhro and Encosta De Lago and a duplication of Vain is a plus,” McMaster explained.

“Impending has made a good start and he was a better three and 4-year-old, he got better as he got older, and my guess is his progeny will be the same. I don’t think they’re 2-year-olds, I think they will come into their own when they are three.”

Temple Of Bel was covered by boom Newgate Farm resident Russian Revolution last season, and, understandably, McMaster is very much looking forward to that foal.

Temple Of Bel has an unnamed Pride Of Dubai filly on the ground and she is with Chris Waller.

Overshare to cover Tan Tat Beauty

Stratum mare Tan Tat Beauty won in stylish fashion on debut in July 2016, but injury brought about a premature end to her career. At her second start, she ran second at Moonee Valley, before having just a further three starts, one of them in Listed grade. Her dam, Tan Tat De Lago (Encosta De Lago) was a dual stakes winner.

Tan Tat Beauty was covered by Flying Artie last season, while in 2021 she slipped to Pride Of Dubai. In 2020, she had a colt by Dissident; he is in the paddock and has been race educated. In 2019, the mare produced a Street Boss (USA) filly; she is named Tan Tat Magic and, although unplaced in two starts for Moody, McMaster claims she has her share of ability.

Tan Tat Beauty is also the dam of Tan Tat Beau (Brazen Beau) a gelding that has had two starts for two seconds. He is with Aaron Bain in Gawler.

Now an 8-year-old, Tan Tat Beauty will visit Overshare – a son of the all-conquering I Am Invincible. A first-season 2-year-old sire, Overshare now stands at Widden Victoria and has had two winners from six runners.

“Tan Tat Beauty possessed a lot of speed but her career was cut short by injury. She is a smaller-size mare but she has strength and quality on her side. I have chosen Overshare for her this year. The Overshares I have seen are imposing types with a lot of substance so this will complement the mare in physical terms. Overshare has made a great start to his career and the stats around double cross Redoute’s are positive,” McMaster said.

“I’ve had two or three by Overshare here at the farm and they’re just really imposing, but not too big. They’ve still got quality about them; lovely size and strength and good heads. The fact that he’s out of a Redoute’s Choice mare, that’s always a big plus.

“I think he could be the son of I Am Invincible that will surprise us all.”

Tan Tat Harmony to see the Tiger

Another horse whose career on the track was cut short due to injury is Tan Tat Harmony (Brazen Beau), a daughter of Tan Tat De Lago. She had just eight starts, winning three in a row after her debut, and ran second at Caulfield.

Tan Tat Harmony was served in 2020 by Grunt (NZ), a multiple Group 1 winner who stands at Yulong Stud in Victoria with first-crop yearlings.

McMaster has opted to send her to Tiger Of Malay, who resides at Newgate Farm. He is a son of one of the hottest stallions in the land, Extreme Choice.

“Tan Tat Harmony is a city-class mare who also had her career cut short when she sustained an infected leg in work which nearly claimed her life. She has good size and substance and will visit Tiger Of Malay this year who I am told has a strong physique.

“Obviously, being a son of freakish stallion Extreme Choice is a huge attraction but I also love the fact he is out of a More Than Ready mare. Stats around I Am Invincible and More Than Ready are excellent, as are Encosta De Lago and More Than Ready,” McMaster commented. “He has a lot of strength and is a lovely physical type. He’s got a beautiful head on him.”

Tiger Of Malay’s dam, Sambar (More Than Ready {USA}) has thrown two other stakes winners – Samizdat (Not A Single Doubt) and Samovare (Savabeel). And, his third dam, Red Spice (Red Anchor {NZ}) produced Listed winner Nevet (Zeditave).

“I like a stallion with a strong female family and this horse ticks that box. That to me is a clincher.”

Classic Achiever also to be served by Overshare

A daughter of the great O’Reilly (NZ), Classic Achiever (NZ) never made it to the races.

In 2019, she had a Pride Of Dubai colt named Fronto (he is an unraced 2-year-old gelding with John Sadler), before missing to Brazen Beau in 2020. In 2021, she had a colt by Pride Of Dubai, while last season she was covered by Doubtland.

Like Tan Tat Beauty, Classic Achiever will visit Overshare.

McMaster said: “Classic Achiever is an O’Reilly mare that I have very high regard for. She is a small but strong mare, however, she produces foals with a lot of size and scope, magnificent types. I have a feeling this mare will be an outstanding producer as her career unfolds. She will also be visiting Overshare this year. Stats around O’Reilly, I Am Invincible and Invincible Spirit and Redoute’s are excellent, as is No Excuse Needed and Redoute’s.”

Table: Briarwood Farm’s mating plans for 2022