This week on Dunstan Horsefeeds’ ‘Meet the Breeder’, we caught up with Matthew Goodson, who, alongside his partner Di, bred Old Fashioned, winner of last week’s Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m).
Tell us the story of Old Fashioned
He’s the grandson of the first ever filly we bought, Mary Agnes (Zabeel ex Tearrunner). She was a talented mare but had injury issues. We sent her to a range of stallions and she did best with the Sadlers Well line, leaving Time Lord to Guillotine and Contrary Mary to Rip van Winkle. Contrary Mary won her first start at Pukekohe, coming from last in a strong 1200m maiden and then did a tendon. I’ve always liked Proisir and we got a cracking colt as her 1st foal but he got a kick and was dead in the paddock a few days later. It was a mating we wanted to repeat, which gave us Old Fashioned.
How did you get into thoroughbred breeding?
My grandparents had a small farm in Hurleyville and were mad fans. When Granddad died, Nanna (Mary Agnes) moved close to us in Palmy and I picked horses to keep her company. The likes of Drum and Deb’s Mate were heroes like Hadlee and the All Blacks. Di and I met when we lived in New York and we had a great day punting the Europeans at the Breeders Cup meet at Belmont Park. She liked horses thanks to the Darwin Cup party! Back in NZ, we decided to have a crack by buying a couple of well-bred fillies and seeing what happened.
How many mares do you currently breed from?
9 right now, split between Haunui and Coolmore. That’s about as many as we can keep a handle on.
What else is included in your bloodstock portfolio (foals, racehorses, stallion shares, etc.)?
9 mares quickly turn themselves into lots and lots of foals, yearlings, slow maturers in the back paddock and racehorses! I think we bought the first share in Almanzor when he came here and have half-shares in Hello Youmzain and Storm Boy.
Do you seek advice on your breeding decisions?
I’ve always been a pedigree nut and do them myself. I try to get a combo of strong tail female lines and dominant stallion crosses. Proisir adds Fairy King to the Sadlers Wells/Nureyev in Contrary Mary. On type, Richard & Judy Collett were great when we started, Gordon Calder has been a huge help and we also lean on Mark Chitty at Haunui and Niall Power at Coolmore. Leaning on the inside ring at Karaka for hours on end is the best DIY education to see what a stallion leaves.
What is the best breeding advice you have received?
Strong female families always have a good horse in waiting.
What do you love most about the thoroughbred breeding industry?
It’s an emotional roller-coaster. The thrill and build-up to a race of a horse you own and bred is like a kid waiting for Xmas and then it’s all suddenly released. Dealing with disappointment and the huge high of triumph. Buying and selling at the sales has its own buzz but to me it’s the crunch-point of the race. Di loves seeing the foals.
What advice would you give someone entering the industry as a breeder?
Get good advice in the areas you aren’t expert. Forget the nosebleed money at the very top end but give yourself a decent chance by at least playing mid-market, while looking for an angle – that’s the best quality vs cost trade-off.
Your proudest moment as a breeder so far?
Sherwood Forest winning the NZ Derby. His half-sister Aethelflaed running 2nd in the VRC Oaks in her 1st prep and now Old Fashioned.
If you could breed from any past or present mare and stallion, who would they be?
No brainer – Sir Tristram and Eight Carat!!
