Victorian breeder Ken Breese led the cheer-squad when Flemington specialist Gail stormed home at headquarters on Saturday.
Gail (5m Bianconi – Girls Day by Encosta de Lago) is owned and trained by Robbie Griffiths in partnership with leading tipster Deane Lester and she has now earned $240,000 since winning her maiden at Seymour two years ago.
Breese operates Toolora Lodge south-east of Melbourne and he sold Gail for a mere $10,000 at the 2008 Inglis Autumn yearling sale. “Good luck to Robbie and Deane,” Breese said on Monday. “We’ve been breeding from the family for three generations and still own several of her relations.”
Gail’s victory in the VRC Lachal Hcp (1700m) also marked another milestone for Bianconi. He has now sired the winners of 850 races in Australia and, apart from his local scorecard, the Swettenham Stud resident has sired the winners of another 478 races world-wide.
Bianconi (Danzig) shuttled to Swettenham for the first time in 2000 and has been based at Nagambie permanently since 2003.
Breese and his wife Jenny go way back with Gail’s family. They raced her third dam Rich Habit (Karaman) who was a Listed winner of the 1988 Talindert Hcp at Flemington. She was a regular ride for Robbie’s brother Rod Griffiths and also finished second to Startling Lass in that year’s G3 Blue Diamond Prelude.
Rich Habit was a star at stud foaling 9 winners. The majority were sold as yearlings at Oaklands Junction but Breese did keep her Century filly Richelle and she also saluted at Flemington in January 1996.
Richelle was just as productive at stud with 8 winners from 8 to the races. Her Encosta de Lago filly Girls Day won a Bendigo maiden before retiring to Toolora Lodge and that’s where Gail enters the picture.
“Girls Day was a lovely mare but we lost her in March,” Breese recalled. “Gail was her second foal and we will keep her last two fillies by Kempinsky and Churchill Downs to maintain a link with the family.”
The Kempinsky is a three year-old named Rustana. Trainer Bruce Purcell has covered all the bases later this week by nominating her for Seymour (Thursday), Geelong (Friday), Flemington (Saturday) and Bairnsdale (Sunday).
Their residual value will continue to rise thanks to Gail and her very promising half-brother Edgewood. Griffiths produced him first-up at Bendigo in April and he bolted in by three lengths.
“Robbie has been a great supporter of Toolora Lodge,” Breese admitted. “I know he’s in two minds whether to retire Gail or keep her in work. If she were still mine, I would definitely race on for another season!”
GAIL
Bianconi mare wins at Flemington