Our Owner of the Month award winner for May is Mill Park Stud part-owner of Foxy Frida. We talked to Mill Park principal Peter Watson about Mill Park and Foxy. Peter’s father-in-law bought and developed Mill Park’s Meningie property in the 1960’s where it was initially a sheep and cattle property. Over time the cattle made way for thoroughbred horses and the Mill Park breeding story began. The property has seen some lovely horses over the years, with the likes of Divine Madonna and a string of horses in the ownership of SAROA member Harry Perks who has had recent wins with Pimms Party and Legless Lady. Mill Park enjoyed a great Adelaide carnival with Foxy Frida winning the listed Centaurea Stakes and Away Game following a second in the Oakleigh Plate with a second in the SAROA Sangster Stakes, both Group 1’s. Peter explained to us that Mill Park handle their broodmares slightly differently to some other local studs. Mill Park bring their mares back from interstate studs after a 40-day positive test usually with foal at foot and send them back interstate in July to foal down and then be serviced again, all being well. The reasoning is that foaling down can take place at the stud where the service will take place under conditions that are more closely monitored. Mill Park has for some time returned excellent sales results around the country supported by the performance of their progeny on the race track. Foxy Frida (by Foxwedge) has begun her racing career very well with a record of 6 wins and 6 seconds from 16 starts and earnings of more than $550,000. As well as the Centaurea Stakes, she ran second in the listed Queen of the South stakes and won the Gold Bracelet at Bendigo for the Andrew Noblett stable. Foxy’s dam Family Portrait (by Excellent Art) is also the dam of eight-time winner Ritratto (by Fiorente) who has amassed over $280,000 for the Mick Huxtable stable. Peter tells us there are two good looking filly half-sisters back at Mill Park. The granddam is Amen Ruby (by Rubiton) whose other progeny include the Choisir mare Angel of Hope, who is the dam of Angel’s Wish (by Magnus) an eight-time winner and the promising Hope At Hand (by Impending); as well Amenzel (by Snitzel) winner of 6 and over $125,000 The third dam is Golden Prayer a Group 2 winner by Amen Brother, who left 10-time winner Pray in Vain (by Kenvain); the Umatilla mare Act of Devotion who is dam of El Milagro (by Encosta Da Lago) who is in turn the dam of two stakes winners, Inner Time and Tequila Time; as well as Pardees (by Rubiton) dam of dual stakes winner Pardoe. We are confident that Mill Park will continue to be a source of quality thoroughbreds congratulations to Peter and the rest of the Watson family.

Manhatten Times getting the job done. Listen to Shannon talking about his racing story. Our Owner of the Month award winner for February is Shannon Martens part-owner of Manhatten Times, Shannon has this to say about his racing story: Hey Richard here’s a couple of paragraphs on myself and Manhatten! My first ever horses were with you and Sanguine, from there I went to Leon Macdonald’s stable and have been with him since 2011, got the privilege to own and race On A Dream and now Manhatten Times so I have been extremely lucky in my eyes with my horses ! Manhatten Times was purchased from the 2020 Adelaide sales for $70k, his name had to be spelt with a “E” rather than an “A” because of copyright issues with the paper in America, I’m pretty sure! To date he has the stats of 10-4-1-1 with around $240k in earnings. It is worth noting that Manhatten Times has $96,000 in Racing Rewards bonuses. He is by Manhattan Rain out of the Flying Spur mare Daily Flyer. He was bred in SA at Willow Grove Stud by the Satchell family. The dam is also the mother of Table of Wisdom (by Duporth) a winner of 8 races and almost $170,000 and Manhatten Times’ stable mate Daily Spirit (by Zebedee) who has earnt almost $150,000 The grand-dam who comes from the well performed St Klaire family, is Gemadaily (by Strategic) whose breeding barn exploits are highlighted by Daily Flyer. The third dam St Katherine (by Barathea) left three stakes winners and the fourth dam St Klaire (by Bletchingly) also leaving three black type winners, Bonanova, Fraternity and Telesto each winning a Group 1 along the way. Manhatten Times is a relatively lightly raced three-year-old and at the moment the sky is the limit for Shannon and the other owners. We look forward to seeing how he progresses.