Breeder

Leggy, I hope you are proved correct with this "It would be a heist alright if they can pull it off. I doubt it though and it will certainly take years if it happens and the clubs will then just walk away and de-register so they are not bound by the Act."

It would to give the name and full breeding Slim Dusty.

Agree Dopey. If you got him at the right price and had some patience he could be OK. Also would need to check fertility --seems strange to me he is being sold by a big stud without trying him ( maybe just selling on behalf)

Here is a photo of Spiritjim https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=spiritjim+horse&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=nStV1b_Jt0nBfM%3A%2CE8BJmFafxNHJFM%2C_&usg=AFrqEzew1zypfcGDNAA8mJo-uGz1XLEbzw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj7oP--m_vcAhUGyLwKHTmzAtUQ9QEwAnoECAAQBA#imgrc=nStV1b_Jt0nBfM: Here is his race record details : https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/834665/spiritjim/form

Anyone interested in a staying stallion, might look at this one in the up coming Inglis Spring Sale ( Sept 7) https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2018+Spring+Thoroughbred+Sale/catalogue/30 Will be interesting to see what he goes for given it is a low level sale and very late in the year to be selling a stallion.

Derryn was certainly a serious race horse. Just a couple of slightly better rides or barrier draws and he would not be here. Raced against the best in Aussie

Are you saying I'm 6 years too late with my comment or Deep Impact is 6 years too late? If it is my comment then a quick look at his major successes shows that until the last couple of years most were in Japan or a few Japanese owned which travelled out of Japan for one race in Hong Kong or Dubai, for example. But if you mean DI is 6 years too late --yes he is 16 this year but that still gives him a few years. Despite the success of Sunday Silence and Northern Taste I do not think the rest of the racing world has really appreciated the strength of the Japanese breeding industry. A little bit like the German horses until recent years.

Depp Impact is really starting to shine on the world stage. Study of Man (by Deep Impact) won the French Derby ( Prix du Jockey Club) over night.

Thanks for the correction Louise. I was obviously getting mixed up with one of the other stallions that shuttled down here which ended up in Turkey.

The last thing I read about where Mastercraftsman was, he was in Turkey .

The owners of Thunder Down Under have a suitable property to stand him at so what have they got to lose? If you look at the sale of Monaco Consul for about A$40k then TDU would not sell easily as a stallion in Australia and if he did, would not sell for much, based on MC's price. So as I say, they really have nothing to lose .

War Decree looks like a worthy replacement. From the same very good female family as Postponed

The thing that surprises me about this issue is that NZF did not tell Sir Patrick it had to be authorised and just got on and authorised it. The guys running the Informant are experienced journos --you would think they would know of the requirement ( I would think a large percentage of Joe public would know of it since every billboard , advert in the newpapers, on radio, on TV has the note at the end of it). Also I think Sir Patrick did an advert last election (stand to be corrected on that) --what happened on that occasion ?

While I agree Woodbine that the changes you outline are good, having this wording in the Budget is making Peters ( and the industry by implication) look a bit stupid. "by virtue of its bloodlines, looks and racing potential” Who included the word "looks" in there ?

This article by Byron Rogers ( an Aussie living in the US) about his on going development in the use of new computer technology for horse selection is worth a read https://www.performancegenetics.com/single-post/2018/03/05/AI-and-Racehorses-Teaching-a-computer-to-understand-a-good-cardio-in-thoroughbred-racehorses