Photo: Trish Dunell
The well-performed Per Incanto (USA) mare Faithful Feat (x On Yer Feet) is providing two old friends with loads of fun and enjoyment.
The five-year-old was bred by Peter Hart and Ian McDonald and is raced in partnership with Peter’s wife Lynn and Melbourne-based son Blair.
The recent winner of the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m), Faithful Feat has now won seven races from just 15 starts and also has a Group Two placing for good measure.
“It’s very exciting, she gives us plenty to talk about around the dinner table,” Peter Hart enthused, “For Ian and I, who have been friends for well over 25 years, well it’s a lot of fun.
“There are so many options with a mare like her and that leads to lots of discussion as to what sort of races we should head for. Should we go down this track there’s lots of things to take on board and decide on what direction to take.
“We are very thankful to Peter (Lock) in this regard and to Sam (Spratt), we have learnt a lot about weights and ratings and all that.”
Ian MacDonald, a former board member of the Melbourne Racing Club, is passionate about thoroughbreds and always has a number of racehorses on the go. Hart worked for the MacDonald family in Melbourne many years ago and occasionally would take a share in one with very little luck.
“We had a horse called Another Liability,” recalled Hart, “It turned out to be a complete liability!
“I came back to New Zealand 17 years ago and about 12 years ago Ian came to New Zealand and met Catriona and Sam Williams.
“Ian is also in a wheelchair and he bought On Yer Feet (Snitze l[AUS] - Lady Firebird) and raced her here with all the stake money going towards spinal research through the Catwalk Trust. When she retired from racing and went to the broodmare paddock, I took a 50% share.”
The industry threw their support behind On Yer Feet and the Catwalk Trust during her racing career with NZTR waivering all fees, Majestic Horsefloats covering transport costs, Lisa Latta forfeiting her training fees and New Zealand Bloodstock covering her insurance.
“Although we have had our ups and downs, she has been relatively successful as a broodmare,” Hart continued. “We raced Mighty Feat, her first live foal, and took him to Australia as a two-year-old. He won a race but unfortunately he was involved in an accident and didn’t come back after that.
“The next foal was Faithful Feat, Sam introduced us to Peter Lock and we have a great relationship. He is great to work with and we all get along. He had trained Hyflyer who is a close relation and he knew a bit about the family. He said we should be prepared to wait and let her grow and Peter has been absolutely spot on as to where she races and her progression through the grades.
“We have a three-year-old Time Test gelding called Our Time who is also with Peter and a yearling filly by Per Incanto that we haven’t decided what to do with yet. On Yer Feet has foaled a colt to Per Incanto this year.
“Her other foal Lucky Feat, who we bred with Sam, didn’t race and has a Time Test colt at foot and is in foal to Almanzor.”
On Yer Feet also has a three-year-old filly by Per Incanto named Amrap and who is in work with John O’Shea in Sydney.
Faithful Feat commenced racing as a late three-year-old and won at her second start. She was put aside soon after and returned in the Spring of 2021 and found form going through the grades winning three races on end before running second in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic. Following another win in open company, she was put aside until this campaign where she won an open sprint over 1300m, also at Te Rapa, before her victory on the same track in the J Swap Sprint. She is now being aimed at the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile, the race in which her close relation Hiflyer was placed third.
Winning mare Lady Firebird (by Stravinsky [USA]) is the dam of Hiflyer, On Yer Feet and four other winners. She in turn is out of Miss Power Bird (by Mukaddamah[USA]) out of the Kaapstad mare Miss Priority.
Miss Power Bird was a winner of five races including the Listed How Now Stakes and she was the dam of six winners including Lady Zabella, the dam of the stakes winners Time For War (by Snitzel) and Lord Olympus (by Olympic Glory). She was also a half-sister to the Champion Miler in Hong Kong in Lucky Owners and Sumerha, the dam of the Champion Filly in Australia in Mosheen.
Their dam Miss Priority is a half sister to Might And Power, Matter of Honour and Bastet. -Michelle Saba, NZTBA
