Andersons celebrate Bonaria's Group 1 victory
“We’re over the moon to breed and race a Group 1 winner, it’s one of the most prized races for mares in Australia and it’s made her a very valuable broodmare. Fantastic!”
That’s how Robert Anderson sums up the experience of winning Saturday’s $500,000 VRC Myer Classic G1 with Bonaria, the 26th Group 1 winner – and the third this season – by champion sire Redoute’s Choice.
Robert adds, “I’ve been a great fan of Redoute’s Choice for years, and he’ll be a great broodmare sire too.”
Bonaria is the first Group 1 winner for Robert and his wife Deb as owners and her victory is the result of a Spring campaign focussed on one race.
Robert explains, “We’ve been planning this for months, the mile at Flemington suits her perfectly.
“I was a little concerned about jumping from barrier 13, because it’s very hard from the outside, but it’s better for her than drawing one.
“She has a big, long run and needs a lot of pace. Once she gets her momentum going, she doesn’t want to be interrupted, and she’s very determined.”
A discussion with trainer Pat Hyland will decide Bonaria’s programme, but she will most likely go the spelling paddock and return in the Autumn for the Coolmore Classic and Queen of the Turf Stakes in Sydney.
Robert has a successful professional life as director of GWA Group Ltd and active investor in several other businesses, but breeding and racing thoroughbreds has been his enthusiastically pursued hobby for around 30 years.
“I always loved horses as a kid, played polo cross and studied breeding around the world. I started with tried horses, then bought cheap yearlings and won a few races with them.
“Later I was able to buy into better families and I now keep about 25 mares, buying a couple of yearlings and a couple of mares each year, sometimes in partnership with Widden Stud.”
Their latest purchase from the 2013 Tattersalls Broodmare Sale is Transfix (by Pivotal), a half-sister to Hooray, the 2010 champion 2YO filly in Europe.
Robert and Deb also have two mares based at Brent & Cherry Taylor’s Trelawney Stud in New Zealand.
Robert’s advice about broodmares is straightforward. “Every year you have to cull, you can’t fall in love with your mares. If they can’t leave good types and good performers you have to move them on.”
Decidity, also the dam of Group winners Time Out and Legally Bay, has a 2YO Stratum filly named Splendido retained by the Andersons, has recently foaled a Stratum colt and visits Sebring.
The Redoute’s Choice/Last Tycoon cross which produced Bonaria has an impressive strike rate. So far the combination is responsible for 10 stakeswinners, including two other Group 1 winners, Dariana and Master of Design, from only 41 named foals.
