Waikato breeder Strykes stakes success

She may have been a gangly weak foal that was unwanted as a yearling, but now Danger Strykes (Astern[AUS]-She Is Stryking[AUS]) is a stakes winning two-year-old following her win in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m).

“We couldn’t sell her as a yearling, no one wanted her,” Di McDonald, who bred the filly in partnership with Guy Mulcaster, said. “So I am pleased for the syndicate that bought her and am delighted to have bred a stakes winner.”

By Darley sire Astern (Medaglia d’Oro[USA]-Essaouira[AUS]), Danger Strykes has had two starts from the stable of Tony Pike. She debuted for third over 1000m in February and was put aside. She reappeared last month to win a 950m trial on the synthetic track at Cambridge before heading to Whanganui to take out the Castletown Stakes.

It is not surprising that Danger Strykes is a two-year-old stakes winner as Astern (AUS) won the Gr.2 ATC Silver Slipper and Gr.3 Kindergarten Stakes at two, and at three went on to win the Gr.1 ATC Golden Rose and the Gr.2 ATC Run to the Rose, and was placed in the Gr.1 Coolmore Stakes.

While her dam She Is Stryking was stakes placed at two running third in the Listed CRC Murdoch Newell Stakes and fourth in the Gr.2 WRC Wakefield Challenge Stakes. Her dam Fashion Gala(AUS) was placed at two, while her mother Fashion Victim won the Listed VRC Maribyrnong Trial Plate at two.

According to McDonald, an accomplished horsewoman and mother to the Champion jockey James, she likes to have a bit of an interest in breeding horses.

“In years gone by my father always bred horses, I always thought it was a mugs game,” she said with a chuckle, “But now it’s good to have a little interest.

“Guy sourced this mare in 2018 in foal to Astern(AUS) and I just went along for the ride.”

And what a ride it has turned in to. Following the mating to Astern(AUS), She Is Stryking went to Almanzor(FR) and produced a spectacular colt. He sold at the Easter sale in Sydney this year for $A380,000. She was then scheduled to go to the ill-fated Roaring Lion(USA), but returned again to Almanzor(FR) and produced another magnificent colt, before visiting the young Dundeel stallion Super Seth (AUS).

“We thought we would strike while the iron was hot and sold the weanling at the Magic Millions Gold Coast weanling sale last month for $180,000,” McDonald said.

“But I have already spent some of that money buying an Exceed and Excel(AUS) mare Liesele(AUS), in foal to Zousain(AUS), for $A80,000, she will go home to New Zealand as they do better in New Zealand.”

Liesele is a winner of nine races including the Listed MRC Alinghi Stakes, and is out of Love’s Here (AUS), a stakes placed Dehere(USA) mare.

Although McDonald wasn’t hands on with Danger Strykes, she was reared at Wentwood Grange where She Is Stryking resides, she is looking forward to having Liesele at home in Tamahere.

“I love the foals,” she enthused, “we have a family property of 40 acres it’s what’s left from Dad’s dairy farm.

“My brother Alan Powell and I have leased a mare from Sir Peter Vela, Belle Chantecler (Redoute’s Choice[AUS]- Grace and Power[IRE]) and we have her at home in Tamahere. Alan always likes to have a little dabble he loves it, so I just go along with him, we are not to serious. We have a Per Incanto (USA )weanling filly and she is back in foal to that stallion.”

McDonald also has a small share in Just Fabulous (O’Reilly-Fabulist) a winner of four races who was placed in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes, and she will also go to stud this year.

 “The numbers just keep creeping up on you, you start off with one and before you know it you have five and then it’s seven,” she exclaimed.

“That sounds like more than a little interest. Maybe now that She Is Stryking is the dam of a stakes winner and in foal again, I should sell her too!” – Michelle Saba, NZTBA