This week on Dunstan Horse Feeds’ Meet the Breeder, we spoke with Ian Scott, who together with his brother Dave bred Omega Boy, the winner of last Saturday’s Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m).
Tell us the story of Omega Boy
Omega Boy’s story really began when his dam, Bit of Crumpet, came up for sale. I bought her and initially tried her as a racehorse. She showed some promise and had placed, but unfortunately she damaged a knee after hitting a fence, and we never really got to see the best of her. I always felt she had more ability than she was able to show before the injury.
In the end, her racing career didn’t amount to much, so we decided to send her to stud. I sent her to Time Test, and Omega Boy was the result.
How did you get into thoroughbred breeding?
It really started with my uncle and auntie, the Campbells. When they moved up near us they became our next-door neighbours, and that’s where it all began for me.
We had a mare called Miss Kiwitea, and we bred from her. She went on to become the dam of Tit for Taat and left a number of winners including Bill’s Girl and Miss Kewpie. Altogether her progeny won 51 races, so she was a very good mare for us.
Unfortunately we ended up losing that family through a bit of bad luck. Miss Kewpie, for example, got away from the track one day and was run over on the Pioneer Highway after going underneath an articulated truck.
So we’ve certainly had our ups and downs over the years.
How many mares do you currently breed from?
At the moment, I just have the one!
What else is included in your bloodstock portfolio (foals, racehorses, stallion shares, etc.)?
I’ve also got a couple of young ones coming through at the moment. One is Cheeky Devil, a three-year-old filly currently with trainer Lauren Brennan. She’s by Contributor and out of ShortBlackMini, whose dam produced the legendary Sir Slick, so she comes from a very good family.
The other is a Proisir filly out of a Savabeel mare. She has already won a race, but she had to have a bit of a reset after getting cast in her box, which slowed her up for a couple of runs. But two very exciting fillies to be apart of.
Do you seek advice on your breeding decisions?
No, I just tend to do it all myself.
What do you love most about the thoroughbred breeding industry?
What I love most about the thoroughbred breeding industry is the opportunity it gives people. You don’t have to be a massive, powerful stud farm to get involved or to have success.
I’ve had a couple of mares whose families weren’t particularly strong on paper. Miss Kiwatia, for example, didn’t have much of a pedigree behind her before we got hold of her, and it was the same with Bit of Crumpet.
If you study the pedigrees and take your chances, things can come together. Of course, breeding is always a bit hit and miss, but sometimes things go your way — and fortunately that’s been the case for me.
What advice would you give someone entering the industry as a breeder?
Back your own instincts. At the end of the day, you live by your own decisions and results, so you have to trust your judgement.
I’m also not a big believer in getting too caught up in linebreeding. You can end up getting too close with some of these pedigrees, especially with the Danehill line — there are so many stallions by Danehill now.
Your proudest moment as a breeder so far?
Probably when Tit for Taat was named Horse of the Year for the 2002-2003 season. I always felt he was a bit underrated, but he was a champion three-year-old, and not many horses are able to perform at that level and go on to do more afterwards.
He was just a very good horse. Travelling wasn’t always easy for him, but he still managed to win a Group Two race in Brisbane, which was a fantastic achievement.
If you could breed from any past or present mare and stallion, who would they be?
I wish we got the opportunity to breed form Miss Kewpie. She was a lovely type and its such a shame we didn't get to see the best of her. I really do believe she would have made a great broodmare.
