On Saturday night in South Melbourne, the Victorian breeding and racing community rallied together to support the Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (TBV) annual awards celebration.
The TBV ceremony honours and celebrates the achievements of Victorian-based breeders, stallions, and employees, as well as the Victorian-bred stars of the racetrack, in the 2023/24 season across several award categories.
Tycoon Champion of Victoria for the ninth time
Saturday night proved a good one for Yulong. Its General Australian Champion Stallion, Written Tycoon, was crowned the Champion Victorian Sire, sponsored by FlyIRT, for the ninth time.
Written Tycoon, who is serving a private book in the upcoming season, had yet another outstanding season on the track. His daughter, Lady Of Camelot, joined her paternal brother, Capitalist, as winners of the G1 Golden Slipper.
Meanwhile, in Victoria, Southport Tycoon claimed the G1 Australian Guineas.
Written Tycoon | Standing at Yulong
Yulong was also acknowledged as the breeders of the Belmont Bloodstock Agency-sponsored 2023/24 Champion Victorian Bred 3-Year-Old: Veight (Grunt {NZ}).
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained runner is a son of Yulong’s foundation sire, Grunt (NZ). Veight was offered by Yulong at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, where he sold for $100,000 to Sledmere and Cangon. Veight won the G3 McNeil S. and the G2 Australian S., ending the season by beating the older horses in the G1 George Ryder S.
Bella-beautiful
Mother and daughter duo, Bella Orfana (Star Witness) and Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai), were fittingly acknowledged. Bella Nipotina, bred by Michael Christian’s Saconi Thoroughbreds, was honoured as the TAB.COM.AU Sponsored Champion Victorian Bred Racehorse.
Bella Nipotina
The daughter of Pride Of Dubai, trained by Ciaron Maher, had another memorable campaign, securing several Group 1 placings and adding two more elite-level victories to her CV in the G1 Doomben 10,000 and the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara.
Her late dam, Bella Orfana, who sadly passed away in April this year, was posthumously declared the Champion Victorian Broodmare, sponsored by Avenel Equine Hospital. She was also owned and bred by Christian’s Saconi Thoroughbreds.
Royal Crowned Champion
The newly formed Lovatsville also had plenty to cheer about. Its first-season sire, Royal Meeting (Ire), was awarded the Champion Victorian First Season Sire trophy, sponsored by FlyIRT.
Royal Meeting produced this season’s G1 Blue Diamond S. victress, Hayasugi, who also swept the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) and the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies). He is also the sire of the winners Royal Majesty, Body Of Venus, and Take A Bow.
Lovastville Stud founder and CEO told The Thoroughbred Report, “We’re thrilled to have Royal Meeting on the Lovastville roster. We’re very appreciative of Aquis and Leneva Park, who created opportunities for the stallion going forward. Quite importantly, the shareholder group has supported him strongly, and the reason he’s having success is down to them.
Royal Meeting (Ire) | Standing at Lovatsville
“He covered more mares in his second and third season than in his first, which speaks for the quality of the foals on the ground, but also because he’s got those numbers behind him.
“Royal Meeting’s Blue Diamond winner, Hayasugi, was a $47,500 purchase. Another winner, Take A Bow, was purchased for $40,000. She won in Queensland and they think she’s a stakes horse. Then there’s Royal Majesty, trained by Chris Bieg, who was a $65,000 yearling.
“He’s also got horses like War Council, who sold for $7000 as a weanling and then didn’t meet his $40,000 reserve as a yearling. He hasn’t won yet, but he’s been metro-placed and has over $80,000 in prizemoney.
“We’re thrilled to have Royal Meeting on the Lovastville roster. We’re very appreciative of Aquis and Leneva Park, who created opportunities for the stallion going forward.” - Sam White
“Royal Meeting has had some humble opportunities compared to some other high-profile stallions, but he’s capitalised on them. He's upgrading his mares, and that’s all there is to it.
“He’s got a good percentage of winners to runners, which puts him at the pointy end of the stallion standings, alongside the prizemoney his progeny have earned in their first season.”
The son of Invincible Spirit (Ire) is standing the 2024 season at a fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
Toronado VOBIS hero
Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (Ire) was crowned the 2023/24 VOBIS Sire of the Year, sponsored by Racing Victoria. The star’s top-earning VOBIS horses were Celui, trained by Brent Stanley, who took home $45,000 in VOBIS bonuses, while the Pat Carey and Harris Walker-trained Diamond Decorator was close behind with $44,000. The progressive Modown secured $19,800 in VOBIS bonuses for the Charlotte Littlefield stable.
Toronado | Standing at Swettenham Stud
Coleman pride of Kulani Park
Rhys and Chloe Smith, operators of Kulani Park, were represented through the deeds of Coleman (Pierata), who was crowned the Champion Victorian Bred 2-Year-Old, sponsored by Inglis Sales.
Coleman | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Bred by Kulani Park, the son of Pierata was presented by the farm at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was purchased for $550,000 by Matt Laurie Racing and Justin Bahen.
Coleman won the G3 Chairman’s S. this season, was the first colt home in the G1 Golden Slipper, and was also placed in the G1 Sires’ Produce S.
Godolphin Champion Breeders
The Champion Victorian Breeder, sponsored by TAB.COM.AU, was awarded to Godolphin. The Victorian-based arm of the operation, Northwood Park, was proudly represented by the recently retired G1 The Galaxy winner, Zapateo, by Northwood Park’s resident sire, Brazen Beau.
Champion Victorian Breeder was awarded to Godolphin | Image courtesy of Godolphin
Street Boss (USA), who shuttles to Northwood Park, sired Traffic Warden, who won the G2 Sires’ Produce S. at Flemington, then placed fourth in the G1 Golden Slipper S., and second in the G1 Sires’ Produce S. in Sydney.
Bastille brings joy to Pope family
The deeds of iron filly Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau) saw her breeders, Des Pope and family, awarded the 2023/24 Leading Victorian Small Breeder, sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research and Barastoc.
Bold Bastille | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Bold Bastille was purchased by Lindsay Park Racing and Group 1 Bloodstock (FBBA) from the draft of Blue Gum Farm at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $270,000.
Trained by Ben, Will, and JD Hayes, the daughter of Brazen Beau won the Listed Furphy Plate and the Listed Redoute’s Choice S., alongside the VOBIS Gold Rush, earning over $690,000 and $42,000 in VOBIS bonuses from five starts.
McKinnon recognised for Service to Industry
Dr Angus McKinnon OAM was honoured with the Service to the Industry Award, sponsored by Inglis Sales, presented by the Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital. The distinguished veterinarian has made significant contributions to equine reproduction over the past 40 years.
Dr Angus McKinnon OAM
After graduating from Melbourne University in 1978, McKinnon earned his diploma in Large Animal Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College in Canada.
Upon returning to Australia, McKinnon co-founded the Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital with Dr Jim Vasey. He has also played a key role in founding SBS Australasia and has been a notable editor for the "Equine Reproduction" publications.
In 2018, McKinnon was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his dedication and service to the veterinary science industry.
Titter a Rising Star
Sophie Titter, who works for Two Bays Farm in Victoria, was the recipient of the Victoria’s Rising Star award, sponsored by the Stud Staff Support Line.
Titter was described as someone whose dedication to horses and her junior staff is second to none. “She always puts the animals first and tackles every task with enthusiasm,” it was noted.
Sophie Titter | Image courtesy of Two Bays Farm
A representative from Two Bays Farm also praised her, saying, “Sophie is always punctual and polite. She brought innovative New South Wales ideas to Victoria, making a real impact. Recognising young talent like her is vital to keep them motivated in our industry. As a small boutique farm, having staff like Sophie is essential for maintaining high-quality standards and helping junior team members grow.”
Rosemont reap VOBIS Awards
The Victorian-based Rosemont Stud was awarded the Racing Victoria VOBIS Nominator of the Year for 2023/2024.
A fond and long-time supporter of the VOBIS program, Rosemont Stud was prominently featured in this year’s $1 million VOBIS Showdown. The winner, Stanley Express, is a son of Starspangledbanner, who formerly stood at Rosemont. The second-placed Symphony Of Colour is by the resident sire Shamus Award, and the third-placed Stormbourg is by Rosemont’s promising first-season sire, Strasbourg.
