Beside her ability to spot talent in horseflesh, proven by a succession of stars, Jean Feiss has also displayed a real talent for naming them.
Named yearlings are retained where appropiate but she does not hesitate to change them with an eye to simplicity and impact and almost always achieves that aim.
However with one Jean,the consummate professional,made it personal.
The result was the Addington debut winning filly, Without You.
“I decided that this time I would go close to home and so I named her with Bill in mind” she said.
Bill and Jean in Happier Days
Bill Feiss,her late husband, died in 2021.The couple had always been so close, especially in their racing interests, that it was a huge jolt.
“We always raced them together and now Bill’s not here to share so I thought I would just make this one a memory.”
The Feiss racing system may have confused fans at times. Their first G1 winner in New Zealand,Willow (also Natalie’s) ran in just Bill’s name as did some who followed including Vincent,while the majority ran in Jean’s name.But they always raced as a couple.
The naming of the Captain Crunch filly is a small but notable gesture how the partnership is sadly missed.
“It will be three years next month since Bill went and hopefully Without You will be racing in Auckland features (Caduceus) about that time. She is a nice filly at this stage and should get better”
Nathan bought a half -sister by Vincent at the sales this year who has been syndicated among stable patrons.
This is a tribe which goes all the way back to Grice family stars like the great mare Haughty etc but this branch has been based with the Flemings,stalwarts of Taranaki harness and racing for decades.Because of the strength of the background pedigree it keeps producing smart racehorses with the right crosses and often at appealing prices.
Meanwhile Jean considers she has just “lucked out” with the name of her latest high priced purchase the Melbourne Nutrient sale-topper from April at $220,000 she named Andretti.
“I never intended buying him. In fact I suggested to my son Matthew we go out there for a bit of a look but mostly for a day out.
“When I saw this colt I did a double take and asked what he was by.Bettor’s Delight. And nominated for all the right races. So I went and had a think and and another look and decided to go back and try and buy him.
Andretti
Most opposition came from Geelong-based Danny Zavitsanos of Team Zav one of the biggest harness-owning operations in Australia who raced 2019 NZ Cup winner, Cruz Bromac from All Stars and since stars like Petracca and Mach Dan.
“Danny was the underbidder. He told me he just hoped he could outbluff me but couldn’t” Jean said.
She had decided to name the colt Andretti after the famous car race driver before checking out the meaning of the dam’s name,(Ah)La Vitesse, which she found also had a speed aligned association. Andretti is a close descendant of Changeover from a Well Said mare who was from a half-sister to that star.The name augurs well for the future,
Jean has given a Scottish tinge to some of her recent youngsters,perhaps not surprisingly as she raced the brilliant and durable (in US) mare MacKenzie in her filly days. She retained the registered name of Macleod (Vincent from a sister to Ohoka Punter) for one of the yearlings purchased and named the recently-trialled McGregor after the martial artist fighter Conor.
“Rex” and “Toby” are two others waiting to be named, Rex a $180,000 sales buy here by Captain Treacherous from a sister to Dream About Me;and Toby a Bettor’s Delight-Some Legend colt whose granddam was from the American import by Niatross,Shebeatross.He is from a half-sister to Bit of a Legend and London Legend.
How good they may be remains in the future. But that they will have the right names for any given situation and especially a winning one is a certainty.
Without you,Bill-but far from forgotten.