Trainer David Harrison is weighing up whether to keep stable star Settle Strada in work or spell him for the Ascot summer carnival.
Settle Strada cut Perth’s winter season sprints to ribbons in the Beaufine Stakes, Bolton Sprint and Belmont Newmarket before landing a fourth Listed victory in the Goodwood Sprint (1300m) on Saturday.
Settle Strada (5g Strada – Unsettled by Thunder Gulch) won a Bunbury maiden in October 2011 and raced through the grades with an earlier four-timer at Belmont twelve months ago.
“He relaxes in front now but he’s a better off with a sit,” Harrison explained. “Depending on the handicapper, we will either keep him in training or go for a spell and come back for Ascot.”
Weight permitting, Harrison is looking at the LR Farnley Stakes (1400m) and the LR Hannans Hcp (1400m) in September.
Taunton Vale studmaster Kent Johnston offered Settle Strada on behalf of Boyanup breeders Wayne and Jane Beynon at the 2010 Perth Magic Millions but he failed to make a $20,000 reserve. They kept a share with Harrison and the partnership has been rewarded with 9 wins and over $368,000 in prizemoney.
“We nearly lost Settle Strada to colic as a foal,” Jane Beynon recalled. “We took him up to Murdoch University and they helped him pull through.”
The Beynons are based at Einoncliff Park in WA’s south-west and they bought Settle Strada’s dam Unsettled for $19,000 at the Inglis 2009 Sydney Autumn Sale. She was sold with a bay colt at foot by Widden sire Strada and in foal to Darley sire Tiger Hill.
The Tiger Hill is now known as King Of Wu and he won a Pinjarra maiden for trainer Ted Martinovich in June. “Unsettled has a yearling colt by Discorsi and he will be entered for the 2014 Perth Magic Millions,” Beynon continued. “Unsettled has gone to Eliza Park to be covered by Magnus.”
“We’ve had a bit of bad luck with the mare – her first Discorsi foal died and she had a an accident after been covered by Henny Hughes last year.
“You have to accept there will always be setbacks breeding racehorses but watching Settle Strada has made it all worthwhile.”
– Karl Patterson