Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
There were celebrations aplenty in the Schick and Davison households last weekend after Callsign Mav (Atlante [AUS] - Raadisi) won the Gr.1 MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.
“A Group One is a Group One and worth celebrating,” Windsor Park Studmaster Rodney Schick said.
“Dad was happy, I was happy, Sims (Davison) was happy, and we celebrated well. Dad felt very proud of the win, being Sims step-father and seeing us boys breed a Group One winner together. Even though we don’t have the mare anymore and Mapperley doesn’t have the stallion anymore, you gotta love those Group Ones!
“It topped off a great day after She’s Licketysplit had represented Turn Me Loose so well running third in Gr.2 MRC 1000 Guineas Prelude. That was a fantastic run, she will be better off at the weights in the 1000 Guineas.”
It was the fourth Group One race of the season in Australia and the second won by a New Zealand-bred horse after I’m Thunderstruck (Shocking x Primadonna Girl) won the Memsie Stakes a couple of weeks ago. The other two Group One events have been won by Anamoe (Street Boss x Anamato), a descendant of the renowned Belle family.
It was the fourth Group One win for Callsign Mav who was victorious in the Gr.1 HBJC Tarzino Trophy twice, and the Gr.1 HBJC Windsor Park Trophy before heading to Australia last spring where he raced amongst the best.
He lined up in races like the Cox Plate and the All Star Mile, but once back to handicap conditions and on a softer track he showed his quality and bounced back into Group One class.
The now six-year-old has won eight races and been placed nine times from 25 starts and was not only the first Group One winner for his ill-fated sire Atlante (AUS) but he was also his first ever winner.
Atlante a son of Fastnet Rock (AUS) and the More Than Ready (USA) mare Readyforcatherine (AUS) won the Gr.1 CJC New Zealand 2000 Guineas before he retired to Mapperley Stud in 2015, where he sired two crops before his demise.
Callsign Mav was bred by Windsor Park Stud and sold as a weanling for $3,000. He was the fifth foal from the three-time winning Volksraad (IRE) mare Raadisi, who was jointly owned by Margaret, Lady Trotter and Windsor Park Stud.
According to Schick, Steve Till bought Cremisi for Lady Margaret for $20,000. She was an impressive type of mare from a good Australian family descending from one of the original mares bred by Sir Tristan Antico of Baramul Stud in Hot Rhythm (AUS). Cremisi was unraced but was a half-sister to five winners.
Cremisi produced eight named foals who all raced, with five of them being winners including the Group One winner The Party Stand (by Thorn Park [AUS]) who has gone on to produce a stakes performer in Petition. Another winner was Crimson Lady (by Volksraad [IRE]) who won twice and was Group Three placed twice in South Australia, she in turn is a full sister to Raadisi.
“Steve liked Raadisi so much when she foaled here that he bought a half share and raced her with Lady Margaret, she was a typical of a lot of Volksraads, she wasn’t very big, so was a good mating with Atlante,” Schick recalled.
“When Simms bought Atlante to stand at Mapperley we took a 12.5% share, so we sent a few mares there. I really liked Atlante, he was a lovely looking horse and a good racehorse so it was nice to be able to breed a Group one winner by him with Simms.”
Raadisi has since died, she had one more foal after Callsign Mav, Bo Jackson by Mongolian Khan (AUS) who was also a winner. -Michelle Saba, NZBTA
