Tradewind blows them away in Eureka Stockade

As is often the case in racing, things didn’t actually go to plan for the bulk of the runners in the rich VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade (1400m) on Ballarat Cup Day.

In the field of seven, Swettenham Stud was represented by two three-year-olds – last start Listed winner Shelby Cobra (Toronado) and South Australian visitor Tradewind (Trust In A Gust).

The Mike Moroney trained Shelby Cobra was sent out as the $1.65 favourite, while Morphettville trainer Ryan Balfour’s Tradewind was the $31 outsider.

Shelby Cobra finished a disappointing second last, while Tradewind scored by a short neck from Sirileo to pick up the $96,250 winning prizemoney, plus an owners’ bonus of $23,000.

It was the colt’s second win from his four starts.

Tradewind was bred by Victorian Jen Fitzpatrick and foaled down at Sally Watkins’ Willaroon Park and sold for $18,000 through Kayley and David Johnston’s Rushton Park draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Adelaide yearling sale.

With owners finally allowed back on the track, there was no happier person at Ballarat than Jen who bred the colt from Bikini Dancer (Bernardini x Post Thyme).

Originally trained at Cranbourne by Mick Kent, Jen became a part owner of Bikini Dancer late in the mare’s racing career when she was bought by Chris Hyland who raced her four times before being retired.

Jen also kept a share in Tradewind when the colt went under the hammer.

“I am the breeder and an owner,” a proud Jen said.

“I also got the VOBIS nominator’s bonus and it is an absolutely wonderful scheme and I’ve always nominated my horses for the VOBIS scheme because it is just such a great incentive for us breeders.

“And we are so proud that he won the same race that Trust In A Gust won seven years ago. To have him emulate his sire made us all so proud.”

Jen also bred and races the first foal out of Bikini Dancer, Reard (Reward For Effort) which has won two races from eight starts.

With two wins from each of the foals, Jen is full of praise for Bikini Dancer.

“And I just met her new foal on Sunday as it was the first time I could get out of Melbourne back up to the country,” Jen said.

“She has got a beautiful Magnus filly now.”

Jen bought Bikini Dancer at the sales when the mare was retired as she was impressed with the pedigree and wanted to breed from her.

At the moment, Jen also has another broodmare Kobe Queen (Fusaichi Pegus x Queen Isolt) and has had a few others over the years which is now surprise as her uncle and aunty, Ray and Nola Thompson, owned a Scone property which is now the broodmare farm for Arrowfield.

“I was always involved in breeding through my aunt and uncle and it was a wonderful start for me,” Jen said.

“I learnt a lot from them and have been so grateful in recent years to Sally Watkins at Willaroon for the care she gives to my mares and their progeny.

“And I was so happy that Ryan Balfour bought the horse because he is such a good trainer and for me it’s the future going forward that is the most important thing for my horses.”

And Bikini Dancer was booked into Trust In A Gust this week and Jen is hoping everything goes to plan.

She said Swettenham Stud’s Adam Sangster sent her a lovely message after Tradewind’s victory in Adelaide.

“I have always loved Trust In A Gust as a racehorse and going to Swettenham on their open day I went along with an open mind and I was looking for two stallions for my mares,” Jen said.

“All of the stallions were so impressive but I was really impressed with Trust In A Gust and he’d just let down and he looked absolutely amazing.

“I thought he was a very good match for Bikini Dancer and the pedigrees all worked out and my other mare went to Toronado.”

Jen said another of the owners, Brad Thomas of X Factor Pedigrees, advised Balfour to buy Tradewind because of the “perfect pedigree match.”

Thomas also bought into the colt and told four of his mates to also take a share.

He also was a part owner of the dual Group 1 winning Trust In A Gust and is a Ballarat local who admits to having a slight biased toward the stallion when looking at his progeny.

Thomas said with his genetic rating system, Trust In A Gust came up with what he described as 100-plus with Bikini Dancer.

“I have an association with Dave Mee of Pinhook Bloodstock and he gets me to do the ratings on his yearlings and he was at the sale and I was home at Ballarat doing all the work on the catalogue,” Thomas said.

“I said to Dave you need to buy this horse, find someone to buy it and he said I think Ryan Balfour might buy so I’ll go talk to him.”

Balfour wanted a commitment before buying the colt that he would have owners so Thomas guaranteed to take 50 per cent. Jen was always going to stick with the colt if given the opportunity.

Jen said they all realised that Trust In A Gust’s progeny would be three-year-olds and she believes he’ll be a good stallion who will hopefully get more support after Tradewind’s victory.

Tradewind was heading back to Adelaide on Tuesday where he will be spelled and will return for the autumn where he’ll target some more VOBIS races.

Rushton Park’s Kayley Johnson said Tradewind was foaled down at their property and then sent back to Willaroon Thoroughbreds where the foal was raised prepared for the yearling sale.

The colt was then sold through Rushton Park’s draft and it was memorable for Kayley who said Jen loves her horses dearly.

“She cried her eyes out when we sold him,” she said.

“She just loves them so dearly and was very keen to keep a share in him.”

Jen admits she has been overwhelmed in recent days and said Tradewind’s victory just reinforced what a wonderful industry she is involved in.