Our Owner of the Month award winner for September is Peta Southern-Ninnis part owner of Montepulciano, who was nominated by husband Paul Ninnis who told us:

I’d like to nominate my wife Peta Southern-Ninnis as owner of the month for our horse Montepulciano, also co-owned by quite a number of SAROA members and trained by Richard & Chantelle Jolly.

Montepulciano is a 6 year old by All Too Hard is out of the mare Tendue, making him a half-brother to our previously owned horses, Alcohol and Alcobro, both of them brought us much excitement and success. He is named after the red wine variety Montepulciano, due to this relationship, and much to the consternation of some race callers.

Showing early ability, he broke his maiden at his fifth try, and although starting his career in reasonably consistent form, didn’t return to the winner’s stall again until his 24th race (albeit this period did see him competing in the traditional big 3yo distance races, including the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas, a creditable 2nd in the Group 3 Chairmans, and the Group 1 SA Derby).

His breakthrough has occurred during his current preparation, with the engagement of jockey Kayla Crowther, and a change of training tactics, including longer breaks between races, and a change of training environments during this time, which includes rides through Kuitpo forest.

This all seems to have done him a world of good, and has seen him in career best form, registering 3 wins and 4 2nds in his 9 races this preparation, taking his records to 34-5:7:7

So crack a bottle of Montepulciano and raise a glass to Monty!

As Paul mentioned Monty is by All Too Hard out of the General Nediym mare Tendue. He has now won almost $280,000 and shows ability over middle distance journeys. As Paul mentions the mare Tendue has been a real source of good horses for the Jolly stable. She passed away in October this year after producing nine to race so far with two more unraced progeny.

Alcohol (by Bianconi) won six races and over $350,000, his full brother Alcobro won four times and earnt almost $130,000. Other prominent progeny include Couperin (by Ne Coupez Pas) trained by Sue Grills, that won five and $90,000 and Think We’re Due (by So You Think) trained by Andrew Noblet winner of five and $280,000.

Tendue, a breeding blue hen, is out of the imported Common Ground mare Marie Rambert who is also grand dam of another former Richard and Chantelle Jolly trained Hypercane (by Toronado out of the full sister to Tendue in Empowering) winner of four and $167,000. She has also produced Rambert (by King Charlemagne) six-time winner of almost $130,000 and Bravado Lass (by Zariz) a seven-time winner of almost $145,000.

Clearly the best performers of the family are multiple winners and as Montepulciano is relatively lightly raced, more wins could be on the horizon for his connections including Peta and Paul.