Boom Time for Flying Spur

Champion Sire Flying Spur retired from stud duties five years ago and, now 25 years-old, he lives happily at Arrowfield Stud, which his outstanding racing, breeding and sales success helped to build. We visited him a couple of days after his son Boom Time won the $3 million MRC Caulfield Cup G1:

Arrowfield Stud: Hey Spur, how are you this morning?

Flying Spur: I’m great, just enjoying the sunshine here with my old mate Iceman – what’s up?

AS: Well, quite a lot actually – one of your sons, from your second last crop of foals, has just won the Caulfield Cup!

FS: Er, what? The Caulfield Cup? But isn’t that a 2400-metre race, and one of Australia’s Big Cups?

AS: Spot on Spur, and Boom Time won it brilliantly. Mind you, he surprised almost everyone – he started at 50/1.

FS: Well, well, you just never know, do you? Who trains him?

AS: David Hayes, his son Ben and nephew Tom, and David owns him too, so a wonderful result for Lindsay Park. 

FS: I remember David, he trained Sleek Chassis for me too – lovely bloke, good on him. So who’s Boom Time’s mother?

AS: A nice bay mare called Bit Of A Ride, won seven races…remember her?

FS: Ah, I think I met quite a few mares like her in my time!  But good on her too, well done! 

AS: In fact, you’ve met a few members of her family and sired a couple of Boom Time’s smart relatives, Group 1 winner Magnus – he’s doing a good job at stud too – and stakeswinner Arctic Flight, both out of….

FS: ….Scandinavia, I’ve got you now. Isn’t that also the family of…

AS: Yep, Black Caviar – pretty amazing, eh?

FS: So where does Boom Time’s stamina come from? 

AS: Good question! It might even be you – you’ve sired several stakeswinners around 2000 metres, and Boom Time is your fourth stakeswinner at 2400 metres or more. He’s certainly improved the further he’s gone, and now he’s going for the Melbourne Cup.

FS: Well, that’s one trophy I know I don’t have in the cupboard. It would go nicely with Forensics’ Golden Slipper, Mentality’s Randwick Guineas, Sleek Chassis’ Blue Diamond, Magnus’ Galaxy, Alverta’s Coolmore Classic, All Time High’s Thousand Guineas and Inspiration’s Hong Kong Sprint. And all the rest!

AS: Nothing wrong with your memory, Spur! Something else to tuck away – you’re now ninth on the Australian Sires’ list with just over $2 million and only three winners this season.

FS: Gee, what are the rest of my kids doing? Gone on holiday?

AS: Hate to break it to you Spur, but your youngest kids are now five-year-olds, just a year younger than Boom Time. And you’ve been sitting on 99 stakeswinners for nearly two years now…

FS: …so time’s running out. I get the message. Still, 99 is pretty good – and how many Group 1 winners now?

AS: Thirteen, not as many as Redoute’s Choice, but still ahead of Snitzel – only just!

FS: That young whippersnapper! Where’s he on the Sires’ table?

AS: Easy old boy, he’s already won his first Premiership and is on top again this season, with Not A Single Doubt chasing him.

FS: I knew they’d go far, those boys. I never told Redoute’s Choice this, but he’s all class, the only other stallion I ever looked up to. Apart from Dad.

AS: And now, like Danehill, you’ve sired a Caulfield Cup winner. 

FS: How about that? Hey, better go now and catch up with my old mate. Thanks for the update!

AS: Good on you Spur, and maybe you’ll get that 100th stakeswinner yet!