Iamishwara wins Hauniu Farm Weight For Age Classic 21-2-14
Photo courtesy of Race Images
The win by outsider Iamishwara (Keeninsky – She's Heroic) in the Group One Haunui Farm Weight-For-Age Classic may have been disappointing for punters but it certainly made the day for retired Papakura farmer Bob Killick.
"That's a good win eh, it was pretty exciting, fancy a Group One winner," enthused 70 year-old Killick who bred the Keeninsky five-year-old.
"I always thought he would be a good horse he was a lovely animal, but unfortunately I had to sell my half-share when he was a yearling, as my late wife was not well."
Iamishwara has lived up to that reputation with a workmanlike race record. He may not have performed well in Group One company before, but has still managed to win 11 races from his 55 starts, including a win in the Listed Opunake Cup. The start prior to the Otaki feature he was second in the Group Two Taranaki Cup and earlier this season was placed in the Listed Levin Stakes.
He is the eighth foal of the Clay Hero(AUS) mare She's Heroic, her seventh winner and her third stakes performer. She has also left She's Prestigious, a full –sister to Iamishwara – who won a couple and was third in the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes along with He's Heroic (Zerpour [IRE]) who won eight and was third in the Group two Counties Cup.
She's Heroic was placed, her dam Kiwi Fauna (Imperial Seal [GB]) didn't win and her neither did her dam Silver Fern (Sovereign Edition [IRE]), however she was a three-quarter sister to the champion filly Sheralee.
Keeninsky (Stravinsky [IRE]-So Keen) was a dual Group One winner winning the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes at two and the Telegraph Handicap at three. He stood at The Oaks Stud for five years before relocating to Indonesia. Iamishwara is his first Group One winner, he also left the Listed Wanganui Guineas winner Fiddler.
As a young man Killick was apprenticed to Takanini trainer Ray Wallace, he rode a few winners before he grew too big, but he always kept an interest in horses and either had one or two in work or bred one or two.
Around the turn of the century he bred and raced a horse called Classy's Magic (Masterclass [USA]-Fancy Belle) and he trained it at Bruce Wallace's (Ray son also a trainer) private track at Takanini.
"I bought the mare for $300, she was from the Belle family, and she was in foal to Masterclass whose fee was about $5,000, he was a great little horse and I had a lot of fun training him. He won 11 races and over $100,000, and the mare left another couple of winners."
It was through this connection with the Wallaces that Killick came by She's Heroic.
"Bruce gave me the mare and I decided to get her in foal, she had left a nice foal by Keeninsky and I liked him so decided to go to him again. At the time Nathan Hall was riding a bit of work for Bruce and doing a bit of farrier work and he decided to go halves with me in breeding a foal.
"The mare was kept at my place in Ponga Road, and I raised the foal here, but when my wife got sick I decided to sell my half share to a mate of Nathan's and they then took him to the sales."
"I have sold my farm now, and kept the house and four acres, so I think my days of having horses are past, but I still love them and enjoy watching the races, and I think there will be plenty more excitement with Iamishwara," he said with pride.
- Michelle Saba
"That's a good win eh, it was pretty exciting, fancy a Group One winner," enthused 70 year-old Killick who bred the Keeninsky five-year-old.
"I always thought he would be a good horse he was a lovely animal, but unfortunately I had to sell my half-share when he was a yearling, as my late wife was not well."
Iamishwara has lived up to that reputation with a workmanlike race record. He may not have performed well in Group One company before, but has still managed to win 11 races from his 55 starts, including a win in the Listed Opunake Cup. The start prior to the Otaki feature he was second in the Group Two Taranaki Cup and earlier this season was placed in the Listed Levin Stakes.
He is the eighth foal of the Clay Hero(AUS) mare She's Heroic, her seventh winner and her third stakes performer. She has also left She's Prestigious, a full –sister to Iamishwara – who won a couple and was third in the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes along with He's Heroic (Zerpour [IRE]) who won eight and was third in the Group two Counties Cup.
She's Heroic was placed, her dam Kiwi Fauna (Imperial Seal [GB]) didn't win and her neither did her dam Silver Fern (Sovereign Edition [IRE]), however she was a three-quarter sister to the champion filly Sheralee.
Keeninsky (Stravinsky [IRE]-So Keen) was a dual Group One winner winning the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes at two and the Telegraph Handicap at three. He stood at The Oaks Stud for five years before relocating to Indonesia. Iamishwara is his first Group One winner, he also left the Listed Wanganui Guineas winner Fiddler.
As a young man Killick was apprenticed to Takanini trainer Ray Wallace, he rode a few winners before he grew too big, but he always kept an interest in horses and either had one or two in work or bred one or two.
Around the turn of the century he bred and raced a horse called Classy's Magic (Masterclass [USA]-Fancy Belle) and he trained it at Bruce Wallace's (Ray son also a trainer) private track at Takanini.
"I bought the mare for $300, she was from the Belle family, and she was in foal to Masterclass whose fee was about $5,000, he was a great little horse and I had a lot of fun training him. He won 11 races and over $100,000, and the mare left another couple of winners."
It was through this connection with the Wallaces that Killick came by She's Heroic.
"Bruce gave me the mare and I decided to get her in foal, she had left a nice foal by Keeninsky and I liked him so decided to go to him again. At the time Nathan Hall was riding a bit of work for Bruce and doing a bit of farrier work and he decided to go halves with me in breeding a foal.
"The mare was kept at my place in Ponga Road, and I raised the foal here, but when my wife got sick I decided to sell my half share to a mate of Nathan's and they then took him to the sales."
"I have sold my farm now, and kept the house and four acres, so I think my days of having horses are past, but I still love them and enjoy watching the races, and I think there will be plenty more excitement with Iamishwara," he said with pride.
- Michelle Saba
