Photo: Supplied
Off the back of Lucky Sweynesse's win in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint, we caught up with his breeder and Novara Park Stud principal, Luigi Muollo.
Tell us the history of Novara Park Stud and Explosive Breeding Ltd.
Explosive Breeding Limited was formed when my foundation mare Explosive by Exploding Prospect went to stud in 2004. She was a three win stakes placed mare and a full sister to The Red Express who won eighteen races.
Explosive foaled six fillies in a row and I retained them all. I now have around fifteen mares and fillies who have Explosive as their dam, grand dam or great grand-dam.
My first stallion share purchase was buying 5% of Per Incanto in 2011. I actually tried to purchase Per Incanto six months before Little Avondale purchased him but Shadwell were not ready to sell him. When I heard that he was coming to New Zealand I knew everything about him and had to back my judgement and buy some shares in him.
Novara Park was formed when I purchased our farm in 2014 to stand our foundation stallion Jakkalberry.
How did you get into thoroughbred breeding?
My father who passed away three years ago had been a breeder for many years and I would read all the breeding magazines and stallion brochures that would arrive home. Certainly watching my dad breed and race Kingston Bay who won two Group One races in Australia was something that showed me what could be done at the highest level. Explosive was my first mare purchase and her pedigree and performance was enough get me started.
Tell us a bit about the success Novara Park Stud/or Explosive Breeding Ltd has had.
Stud farm success comes from their stallions and or their broodmares that produce top class horses. I pride myself in stallion selection and my strike rate and record speaks for itself.
Per Incanto was a great choice . Sadly Jakkalberry died so early but he has shown an outstanding record to produce a top horse.
Sweynesse’s has been a successful stallion and continues to build. Last season not only was he the Leading New Zealand Sire in Hong Kong on earnings but he was the Leading New Zealand Sire there on winners to runners there also with 75%.
Staphanos got off to a great start with a Group One winning two-year-old and last month had his first classic performer with Basilinna running third in the VRC Oaks. His progeny will continue to excel as they step up in distance.
King Of Comedy who was at one point Timeform rated the Best three-year-old in Europe is by Kingman, the best young sire in Europe. His first yearlings will appear at Karaka in January and I think they will take the eye of many as they are very balanced and have plenty of quality about them.
Press Statement is a proven stallion and is value for money. He is a young stallion and his winners to runners from his first two crops sits at an amazing 73%.
My Explosive family has been one of the best families at stud in New Zealand in the last five years with an amazing strike rate at black type level. Descendants include three time Group One winner, the Derby King Explosive Jack, New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance and Champion Hong Kong Griffin, Pick Number One.
Tell us about Lucky Sweynesse.
Lucky Sweynesse’s dam, the New Zealand Broodmare Of The Year Madonna Mia was a very good race horse winning nine races including the Listed Wanganui Cup.
Madonna Mia’s first foal Signora Nera (a full sister to Lucky Sweynesse) was retained by me and after winning twice and placing in the Eulogy Stakes, I sent her to Chris Waller where she came second in the Listed Gold Bracelet and third in the Group One Queensland Oaks. She was then spelled and won her first start back by four lengths before injuring herself and was then retired. Waller said that she had come back better than ever but in horse racing these things happen. Signora Nera has a Wootton Bassett filly that I have retained, she has a Bivouac colt at foot, and she is in foal to Staphanos.
Lucky Sweynesse was very much like Signora Nera in type. Balanced and very athletic. While he has shown outstanding speed I think he could be competitive over 1600m as his dam had stamina as did his full sister Signora Nera.
Describe the feelings you get/emotions you go through each time he races.
As the highest ranked sprinter in the world, I take great pride as his breeder but also the fact he is a Kiwi-bred. As a Champion racehorse - owning his dam, his full sister, his full brother and his dam’s half sister certainly has big implications moving forward so it is really exciting every time he races.
How many mares do you breed each year?
On the back of Novara Park’s great success we have grown our broodmare band from 25 mares three years ago to 55 mares this season.
Do you breed to trade or to race? If both, how do you determine what to keep and what to sell?
Generally breed to sell and we try and retain a number of fillies from families that we are trying to establish. We normally sell what was born relatively early and keep those horses that need more time for the Ready To Run or the trial market.
Do you seek advice on your breeding decisions or how do you come to make your breeding decisions?
My breeding decisions are made on a balance of type and pedigrees. On type, I seek advice from Novara Park manager Tony Mudgway. He has over 40 years in the breeding industry and has taught me so much. On pedigrees, I spend hours researching and I look for what works around the world.
What do you love about the thoroughbred breeding industry?
I love that fact that you can breed a top class racehorse from a bargain buy mare that went to the right stallion!! Plus the people in the industry are genuinely hard working, talented and dedicated individuals.
What advice would you give someone entering the industry as a breeder?
Understand the risks and costs. Knowing difference between facts and spin to identify value for money stallions.
Proudest moment as a breeder?
That would be a close one!! Either Explosive Jack winning three Derbies out of a daughter of my foundation mare Explosive or Lucky Sweynesse being ranked the Best Sprinter in the World.
Finish this sentence: The best part of being a thoroughbred breeder is…
Knowing that a Champion can come from any mare or any stallion
