The changing equine world
own brilliance to his foals and in that respect is also looking good value at a fee of $6000.
After a very pleasing response from buyers to his first crop at sales over the first half of this year, Melbourne and Australian Cup winner Shocking is about to embark on the next important stage of his stud career with twoyear-olds stepping out this spring. While he showed his best at middle and longer distances, given the smart types he has left to date it would not surprise to see some early form from Shocking’s first runners.
Shocking’s 2014 fee remains unchanged at $12,000, which is also the case for his younger associate Jimmy Choux, who will stand again at $10,000. Last spring the resemblance of first crop foals to the former champion three-year-old was striking and it will be interesting to see how they continue to develop in their summer sale preparations.
This time last year Pentire’s quality son He’s Remarkable was preparing to put Mapperley Stud back on the map in the stallion business and he carried out his task admirably with an introductory book of nearly 80 mares. With the blood of champion sire Zabeel on his mother’s side an additional attraction, the handsome young stallion will again stand at $4500.
In a continuation of the sad period endured of late, the racing community lost another popular member with the death last week of Joy Robinson in a tragic motor accident.
Joy grew up in the Matamata district as the daughter of successful Walton owner-trainer Ian Signal, best known for his fine stayer of the last 1960s-early 1970s, Johnny Cash. That was the genesis of a life-long involvement in racing for Joy, who for the past two decades worked as administration manager for former Matamata trainer Roger James.
She continued in that role when Roger relocated to Cambridge, having also been involved in racehorse ownership with a number of smart gallop and harness performers, including the New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Elevenses.
Joy’s enthusiasm made her a familiar sight at the country’s racetracks as she followed her own racing interests as well as those of the James stable, playing a key interactive role with clientele.
The tragic irony of Joy’s death is that, making her return home from a day’s work, it occurred when her car collided with a loose racehorse on Hinuera Road West. With admirable compassion, however, her husband Mac has said that he and daughter Melissa bear no animosity with regard to the circumstances of the accident.