Photo: Race Images
The past 12 months have been very rewarding for Pencarrow Stud, with last Saturday’s Listed Sky City Horizon Uncle Remus Stakes winner Pericles (Rubick) being the farm’s sixth stakes winner in that period.
“I don’t think we have ever done better than that,” stated manager Leon Casey Casey in a big call considering the Sir Peter Vela-owned Pencarrow has produced 20 individual Group One winners in more than 35 years of operation.
“That sort of success keeps reinvigorating the broodmare band. Five of those six have been through the sales and gone into various stables and systems to come through as stakes winners.”
Casey also believes results of that magnitude contributed to Pencarrow’s success at the recent National Yearling Sales, when 19 yearlings were sold for an aggregate of $4,300,000. The Pencarrow draft included a half-brother to Pericles by the Caulfield Guineas winner Ole Kirk that sold for $200,000 to Go Racing and Stuart Boman’s Blandford Bloodstock.
“I think the buyers take notice of your form from the sales, just like punters take notice of trainers or jockeys who are in form, and that’s where they look,” Casey added.
Apart from Hall of Fame stayer Ethereal’s grandson Pericles, the past year’s list of stakes winners are Gr. 1 South Australian Derby winner Dunkel, Gr. 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes winner Zourion, and Group Three winners Pearl of Alsace (Cuddle Staes), Star of Justice (Barneswood Farm Stakes) and Churchillian (Anniversary Handicap).
Pericles, trained at Matamata by Pam Gerard and Mike Moroney, broke through for his first win at his fourth start in December over 1230m. He failed on a heavy track at his next start before winning at Pukekohe Park over 1400m in late January.
Last Saturday he reverted to 1200m and came with a big late run to down Just A Floozie and No Rain Ever in the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes.
Racing in the Fletcher Tartan colours made famous by the likes of Hall of Fame Champion Sprinter Mr Tiz, Pericles is by Rubick, the sire of The Everest and Gr. 2 Todman Staes winner Yes Yes Yes and nine other stakes winners. He is the first foal of the unraced O’Reilly mare Empyrean.
According to Casey, Empyrean showed potential but as the last filly out of Ethereal, it was decided to keep her unraced. At the grand old age of 26, Ethereal is enjoying retirement at Pencarrow.
Ethereal needs no introduction after winning the Queensland Oaks late in her three-year-old career, then reappeared in the spring of 2021 to add the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double. The following autumn she took her Group One tally to four with victory in the STC BMW Stakes.
At stud she left six winners from nine foals, including the stakes winner Seraphim and the stakes-placed winners Uberalles, Imperium and Duquesa.
“This family does seem to have some favourite lines that work well with it, particularly Encosta de Lago and Redoute’s Choice,” Casey said. “That’s how we came up with Rubick, who is by Encosta de Lago out of Sliding Cube, a half-sister to Redoute’s Choice.
“We work together when it comes to the matings – Sir Peter loves his pedigrees, and I know the lots of characteristics in the different families that get passed on, so that’s where I have an input. Between us we come up with a list of about 22 matings each year.”
Getting back to this incredible pedigree, Ethereal is by Rhythm out of Romanee Conti, the daughter of Sir Tristram who was able to win over 1150 metres at two and go on to win seven races up to 1800 metres. She was successful in New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong. Besides Ethereal, she left six other winners including the stake-placed Velvet and Satin.
Romanee Conti is a half-sister to Grand Echezeaux, herself a Group One winner and the dam of the multiple Group One winner Darci Brahma and stakes winner Burgundy, both of whom became highly successful stallions.
She also produced Our Echezeaux, who left the stakes winners Cote D’Or, Dolmabache and Pure Elegance, the latter two being by Redoute’s Choice.
They in turn are out of Richebourg, the foundation mare to whom Pencarrow owes so much of its success. She won five races in Australia including the Gr. 3 VRC Tranquil Star Stakes.
By Vice Regal out of the Wilkes mare Mary Mead, Richebourg was one of the first fillies purchased by Sir Peter and his brother Phillip, having first set eyes on her when she was paraded as a yearling at Chequers Stud by a very youthful Leon Casey.
