Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
The emergence of Bourbon Empress (Proisir) has gone a long way toward confirming a future plan for Highline Thoroughbreds.
The Stephen Marsh-trained daughter of Proisir was bred by Cam and Eva Heron’s Cambridge operation and her victory in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mie (1600m) has all but decided the way forward for the mare’s dam Amiga Mia.
“She’s got an Ardrossan colt at foot and we’ve left her empty this year and thought we’d wait and see what happens with Sulabella, who has won five, and her sister Bourbon Empress,” Cam Heron said.
“We thought if either one of those could get black type, which Bourbon Empress has now, then then the mare would go back on an early cover next year to Proisir.”
Bourbon Empress was purchased by Marsh out of Highline’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $80,000 and she’s now won four of her 10 starts.
“Stephen and his team have done a great job with her over the last couple of years,” Heron said.
“They have been patient with her and are reaping the rewards now.”
Bourbon Empress’ dam Amiga Mia is a daughter of Conatus and the Encosta De Lago mare Amistosa, a half-sister to the Gr.3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) winner Saint Minerva.
“We bought her at Karaka at the old May Sale, she was an ex-Westbury mare and we got her for $500, it was a good buy and you win some occasionally,” Heron said.
“She was in foal to Cecconi and then we left her empty for a couple of years. At that stage, Proisir had arrived in New Zealand, so we sent her to him and the result was Pimlico.
“He was a good horse, he was third in a Group Two at Te Rapa (Waikato Guineas, 2000m) and got sold to Hong Kong.”
Highline is hoping its breeding success can be followed up in the auction ring with a strong draft headed to the upcoming National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
“We’re on the Proisir train and we’ve got a colt out of Tuppence (Lot 373) and a couple of big shot fillies,” Heron said.
The son of the champion stallion is from the family of the late, great O’Reilly and the multiple Group One winner and another successful sire in Ocean Park.
The first of Highline’s Proisir fillies through the ring will be Lot 113, a half-sister to the Gr.3 The Gong (1600m) and Listed Big Dance (1600m) winner Gringotts, while Lot 440 is a sister to the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) winner Dark Destroyer.
“We’ve got a good variety of other stallions with a really nice Too Darn Hot filly (Lot 88) and a Prague filly (Lot 213),” Heron said.
We’ve also got top colts by Anders (Lot 303) and Tassort (Lot 1), they are both nice, strong types so we’re really happy with the draft we’ll be taking.”
