South Sydney stalwart George Piggins bobbed up at Gosford on Thursday with a promising homebred named Blakey Boy.

Blakey Boy (3g Prince Of Praise – Miss Dieu D’Or by Dieu D’Or) was racing for just the second time and he overhauled odds-on favourite Observer for a one length victory in the Gosford Quarries Maiden Plate (1100m).

Bred by Piggins and his wife Nolene, the gelding is by former NZ based sire Prince Of Praise.  The best of his Kiwi bred stock was Skoozi (Please) and he was a stakes winner at Trentham, Caulfield (2) and Dubai.

“We bought Prince Of Praise in 2001 and stood him at our property in Bowral until 2006,” Nolene said.  “He only covered couple of our mares every year and then we got an offer from Marie Hutchison who is based between Goulburn and Canberra.”

Blakey Boy was only the third winner sired by Prince Of Praise from his spell in the Southern Highlands.  He is the last foal from Miss Dieu D’Or who died in December.  Her previous winner was Catto (Pre Catalan) and that was at Kempsey in May 2002.

But breeding thoroughbreds is only a sideline for Piggins.

The revered Rabbitoh grew up in Mascot and liked to get about on a horse during the 1950s.  Rugby League was also a passion.  He represented South Sydney in 251 games between 1964 and 1978 and then coached the club before taking over as chairman.

Piggins was at the helm when South Sydney was threatened with expulsion from the NRL.  He led the “Save our Souths” crusade that kept the club alive and kicking during its darkest hours in 1999.  

Blakey Boy is trained by Souths supporters Jim and Greg Lee at Randwick and sports the famous club’s red and green colours.  “He will win better races than a Gosford maiden,” Nolene predicted.  “We’ve given him time to mature and that will start starting paying off this year.”

Prince Of Praise stands at Forestdale Stud and broodmare owners can contact Marie Hutchison on (02) 4849 4506