Apgold Videos

[BenScadden]

Yes, very small world, Don. I loved Lil when I saw her as a yearling and was keen on getting an Artsplace filly from a broodmare perspective. I like the family and Elizabeth Denover has done a terrific job. She's one of those rare 'no-miss' broodmares. I've just been lucky Lil is now showing a bit on the track and has hopefully justified the gamble to buy her as a yearling.

Triplev ... you're right, our colt certainly has quick feet ... a real 'dancer' ... very, very light on his feet. I really do like him but I'm biased ... and we can all be experts before they hit the track.

It's funny you mention George Aiken, as David Aiken trains my horses when they're good enough to race in Melbourne (Sapphire Lil being the most recent). David also trained Itsallgreektome and Fifteenletters for me. David's one of the few trainers I know who has a really strong interest in pedigrees. I guess he certainly has the right bloodlines for it!!

[triplev123]

G'day Ben,

He got me in straight away because I'm always very taken with horses that are light on their feet.
I can't say I know David but years ago I got to know George and David's brother, Mike, when they ran what I think was then called the Foster's APG...way back in the early days under the Parramatta Livestock banner. That was the first time that I ever sold a yearling that I'd bred myself. Last that I heard Mike was working for one of the big Sydney Daily Newsapers...might have been the Telegraph? Via the e-mail I've also gotten to know a friend of David's from the US, Jimmy Cruise. Jimmy used to train...might have also owned(?) Ultra Jet and I understand he and David have been friends ever since then. It's a small world.

[BenScadden]

Yeah, that's right ... Jimmy Cruise has trained horses for the owner of Ultra Jet for many years.

[justdoit]

Why not in the premium sale?

Lot 130
Star Chaser-CCullen

[mango]

Not all horses are nominated for the premium sale, so when going through the sale book you could easily swap some around on pedigree. Also some are nominated and don't make the sale due to conformation faults and so on.

[BenScadden]

It's impossible to judge a horse's conformation from a video ... maybe that colt toes out really bad ... looking at the video, it appears his hocks may be a bit dodgy ... you could even suggest the near-side one is curby ... but, again, I defy anyone to make a definitive judgement on a horse based on a 30-second video. All these horses were inspected by a team of professionals who would have seen a lot more of the horse than what's evident on a brief video

[Don Corleone]

Totally agree Ben. A few years ago I once heard a buyer saying he watched the sales videos of several horses and none of the In The Pockets were any good as they looked 'terrible'. Out of those he looked at on that years video, there came 6 Group 1 winners by In The Pocket. I hope he has had better luck since. The videos are merely a introduction for the yearling and a way to get a potential buyer interested. We can see what we want to see into them. As Oscar Wilde was once reputed to say "We are all in the gutter but some us are looking at the stars" Some remain looking at the gutter.

[mango]

Hi Ben
I agree that it would be hard to pick on a horses conformation on a 30 sec video. Whats your opinion on the N.Z video as it shows the horse walking towards and away from you.

[triplev123]

Right on the money there Mango. For various reasons some yearlings simply just don't get nominated even though by rights they should have been.
Some Vendors do have a thing about the Premium angle and so don't want to support it for whatever reason. Personally I don't understand that...but their choice obviously.
We've got a couple of yearlings that are up for sale this year and I think they would've gone straight in but the logistics conspired with external non-horse related commitments around about those dates to make it impossible...so we put them all into Sydney instead.
Next year will be another story because our decks will be well cleared by then. I think we've definitely got two, maybe even three candidates and rest assured, they will all be nominated. Should I keep my fingers crossed for a slot in Barn D ?

[Flashing Red]

I love watching the videos from Hanover Shoe Farms - their yearlings look like machines!