Owner of the Month for November – Harry Perks with Goldrush Guru

The Magic Millions/Atkins Photography SA Owner of the Month award winner for November is Harry Perks with Goldrush Guru. Harry shared this with us:

I am a classic case of the old adage that it has taken me almost 50 years of racing & breeding to be an overnight success.

Goldrush Guru’s story started in 1982 when I purchased the in-foal broodmare Belubula 1975 by Folkestone (USA) from Leloch (NZ). Belubula won 3 races at 1900m & 2000m in Sydney and was Gr 3 placed in the AJC Surround S (Gr3).

In 1987 my partners and I purchased the stallion Don’t Say Halo (USA) to stand at our 100-acre Macclesfield property Toorak Park. Mated with Don’t Say Halo (USA) Belubula produced the filly Proud Halo in 1987  who we raced. Proud Halo won 4 races from 1200m to 2000m inclding 3 in Adelaide from only 24 starts.

She became a wonderful broodmare for my partners and I and produced 6 winners   (2 Group winners and 2 Group Placed winners) including Australia’s Champion 3yo 1997-98 in Gold Guru (by Geiger Counter).

Gold Guru raced against Champions and won 8 races incl the Australian Derby (Gr1), (Tie The Knot was second), STC Ranvet S (Gr1) defeating Might & Power (NZ) and the MVRC AAMI Vase (Gr2) on Cox Plate day in faster time than the Cox Plate over the same distance (which was won by Dane Ripper). If only? He is the best horse I have bred & raced up till now.

Proud Halo when served in 2002 by the Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) produced the filly, Glory Guru. She was unraced but is now the dam of 8 winners to date incl Gamblin’ Guru (Gr3) and in 2014 she produced the filly Glam Guru by Medaglia D’Oro (USA). She is a great looking mare, hence her name and had good ability winning 2 races in a short career and beaten a bob of the head in the VRC Wakeful Stakes (Gr2) by Luvaluva.

At Stud, Glam Guru lost her first foal, a colt by American Pharoah (USA). Returning to him the next year in 2021 she produced a magnificent bay colt by the Kentucky Derby winner.

(American Pharoah in fact won the US triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup Classic all in 2015 and his record stands at 11 starts for 9 wins and a second. It really comes as no surprise that he has been able to sire a quality stayer and he is also the sire of the brilliant but ill-fated Riff Rocket)

That colt is now Goldrush Guru. His bloodlines are bursting with stamina and winning the Victorian Derby with him in such a dominant way was a fantastic thrill and great achievement by all involved.

Having bred 2 previous Victorian Derby winners in Warning (by Declaration of War) who I sold as a yearling and Rebel Raider (by Reset) who I bred and raced I think maybe Gold Rush Guru with his handsome looks and huge heart lung capacity might be the best of them yet. We have much to look forward to and can only dream.

Harry has done most of my breeding analysis for me, with the family tree for Goldrush Guru laid out for us back to his foundation mare Belubula.

Goldrush Guru’s record sits at 8 starts for 4 wins, 2 seconds and a third and earnings of a touch over $1.5 million.

Rebel Raider went on to have a very successful stud career and one imagines that Goldrush Guru may have that in store for him after he completes his racing career.

We congratulate Harry for bringing another Victoria Derby trophy back to South Australia.

As an aside, Don’t Say Halo, sired 24 stakes-winners of 42 stakes races around Australia, a great selection by Harry and his partners.