A youngster with a difference resumes for Purdon Racing at Alexandra Park on Friday.
He has the appropriate name of Just Us Two being raced by Lynne and Stu Dobson whose father Ian dominated harness racing for so long and whose partnership naturally followed his passing.
Stu is already celebrating a G1 victory as co-owner of Shezsofast in the Caduceus Classic last Friday along with Jim Gibbs, whose renewed enthusiasm for ownership after retiring has already paid off, and John Fairweather.
Just the Two of Us was foaled in Australia.But oddly his Kiwi official breeders here know less about him than almost anyone.
But Nathan Purdon knows enough to suggest he will ultimately end up in good company.
“He is not a “go bang” type of youngster. He will take his time to work into things though he is not badly placed on Friday. I think that time is the thing on his side “ Nathan said
Just Us Two has something to live up to in maturity though.His dam,Dancing Diamonds, who was sold to Australia in foal in 2022, has already left two million dollar earners in Rock Diamonds and Princess Tiffany both when she was in the ownership of Braeden and Caroline Whitelock.
They trod different paths. Rock Diamonds, a typical Rock n Roll Hanover,built into a rock solid 221 start career in Australia winning 70 races to march into the seven figure squad.It was an accumulation,though he won the Sky Four Year Old Series in Perth at G2 level.
Princess Tiffany got to the million well before her 46th and last career start including 25 wins and four Oaks events at three including the New Zealand, New South Wales and Queensland versions.She also cracked the 1.50 barrier
Her first foal Queen Lizzy, trained by Mark Jones, bought for over $270,000 as a yearling and now two, is already a winner.
Mark and Nathan are preparing her next foal, Lady Di,retained by the Whitelocks, who have a younger full sister, Captain Kate.
Just Us Two is listed as being bred by Phil Creighton and Stu Gillan, long time friends and associates but thereby hangs a tale. Put simply, you could have fooled them.
They developed this family over many years stamping their own versions with Asabella whose first three foals were Code Red, Ohokas Bondy (winner of the WA Slipper and its first 12 starts in Perth) and Dancing Diamonds.After a botched sale for the latter filly, Phil came in as a partner with the Whitelocks to balance the budget and she proved an outstanding racer, especially as a two year old when she won six of nine starts.
Things then became complicated. The Whitelocks had the breeding rights to Dancing Diamonds with Phil to get the second foal to race -the right call since that was Princess Tiffany-but then the arrangement ended.
So how Creighton and Gillan found themselves the official breeders of Just Us Two (and listed in Australian records as being Victorian based!) when they had nothing to do with the mare’s activities for some years is a mystery. Phil himself puts it down to a “glitch” but naturally saw no sign of the $100,000 Just Us Two fetched as a yearling in Australia. He was selected by that most astute of judges, Jean Feiss, as agent for the Dobsons.
“I think it came about because it was the last sale of the series,they were keen to buy and Jean was on the spot” said Nathan, Jean also buying the top lot for herself at that sale, racing as Andretti. Just Us Two is a brother to Princess Tiffany.
The Whitelocks had a deplenishing sale in 2022 which resulted in Dancing Diamond and Princess Tiffany from this family relocating to Australia where results have been a little mixed.
The purchase of the Dancing Diamonds filly Alosa for $120,000 at the sales some years ago is another Australian source these days while Princess Soso, a sister to Princess Tiffany, has not raced there yet and the Benstud- owned Tiffs Little Sister,a G2 winner here at 2, has slipped her foal twice in her breeding career so far.
Another Group 1 for Princess Tiffany. Phil and Margaret Creighton and Stu Gillan are centre, the Whitelock family to their left
Wingate Farm offered a so far unnamed King of Swing colt at last year’s Nutrien Sydney sale fetching $A85,000-good work for a first season sire. He was by Rock n Roll Hanover soit is a return of that blood in this case.
Phil has retired from a successful commercial breeding career.He and Stu’s last raced foal from Asabella (her 9th) Hands On, running 1.51.6 at Menangle
Dancing Diamonds has added to her $350,000 stake earnings with a remarkably productive breeding career.She had a named foal every year from 2013 to 2020 when a later foal interrupted the cycle.She then had another four in succession-10 in all,most of them on due date.
She has proven herself many times and now Just Us Two steps up for the next generation. Even if, officially, nobody seems to know who bred him.
PIC: Just Us Two’s sister Princess Tiffany was bigger than she seemed with strength in all the right places.