PIC: Steves Byrne and Thompson with Mark and Nathan after another award for Millwood Nike. Lightning can strike twice ?
One of the next “kids out of the blocks” two year olds to trial for our stable is the aptly named GEORGIE BEST a Bettor’s Delight youngster from a family owners and trainers have been associated with, both in recent years and past triumphs.
“He is a nice type we bought at the Sales and while we think he will be better at three we expect him to race well as a two year old” Nathan said
“He should be trialling in the near future”
Georgie Best has some power from the ownership ranks as well.Three of the partners in the youngster, Steve Byrne,Steve Thompson and Bruce Irvine,also raced Millwood Nike.
“We formed a larger syndicate and bought three horses from the sales. Nathan has retained a half share in one of them,Katama” syndicate manager Steve Byrne said.
All three have shown early promise. Katama is at present spelling after going through to one educational start before being put aside.The third a filly, Wat Next, a half-sister to the NZ Oaks winner, No Matter Wat, by Art Major, is a much smoother pacer than her sibling Mark and Nathan have reported and looks to have a bright future.
Steve Thompson and syndicate member,Murray Frost -whose son Matthew also has a share-have had an earlier successful racing and breeding association with the Georgie Best family, most notably through Chancellor Cullen 4th in the NZ Derby and in the Harness Jewels before being sold to Australia.
Chancellor Cullen had the misfortune to come out the same year as a powerhouse All Stars crop that included the Derby quinella (Fly Like an Eagle and Smolda) while the previous year Fly Like an Eagle, Albert Contador and Western Cullen had trifectaed the Harness Jewels with Chancellor Cullen again settling for 4th for Ken Barron.
He proved his class as a Group 1 winner in Australia though,in Perth in the McInerney Classic at four and also won a Kilmore Cup.
Steve Thompson and Murray had raced and bred from Nivea Franco the dam of Chancellor Cullen and other smart sorts. She is closely related to Georgie Best through a family that owes much to prolific breeder and harness enthusiast,Wayne Francis, including earlier star fillies like Nevermore and No Regrets from whom Nivea Franco and Georgie Best descend. Wayne bought into the family with Baylight. the dam of NZ Cup winner Globe Bay for Jack Carmichael and Stan Wheatley.The magnificent Cardigan Bay and his well performed relations were one generation back.
In that era Wayne invested heavily in proven families and outstanding racemares for both Nevele R Stud and latterly mostly for Spreydon Lodge from where the “Franco” line became a byword.
The family traces to Trilby one of those tireless campaigners in most parts of the country at the turn of the 20th century originally raced in Otago.She was by the Auckland Cup winning galloper,King Quail,a number of whose stock turned out competent trotters.
Close relations to Georgie Best – in whom Mike Skilling, John Cutler and Mike Pratt, longstanding acquaintances and friends among the syndicate also share-with Purdon racing in recent seasons have been Bollinger and Madrid and most notably Spanish Armada, the sensational filly of her time who has unfortunately,like several mares in this dynasty, yet to match her produce with her own performance. But many good performers have done a good job. The modern “Georgia” line has been produced by John Taylor in Cambridge through Georgia Brooke, who like Millwood Nike,had a dash of Albert Albert in her veins. The two Steves and Bruce would have noted that.
Galleon’s Cheer,winner of five from nine for Hamish Hunter, and managed by former Harness Racing New Zealand chairman Gary Allen was by Albert Albert and delivered this family a boost of unexpected strength early this century. She left the flying filly Cheer the Lady and a daughter,Galleon’s Surpreme,left Spanish Armada,both mares proving valuable commercial producers and also Surpeme Dominator a prominent free for aller in Australia.
“We like to keep it low key but it is a good little syndicate of good people and like most owners we are always hopeful” says Steve Byrne.
Millwood Nike is a hard act to follow. But then in racing, who knows ?