Stakes success starts up for Gold Coast owner-breeder
Gold Coast owner-breeder Glenn Heran celebrated his first black type success as an owner and breeder yesterday when his 5YO gelding Startsmeup prevailed in a spectacular finish to the $200,000 BRC George Moore S. G3.
Pictured: Startsmeup, the latest addition to the Arrowfied/Bellerive list of graduate stakeswinners, parading as a 3YO at Flemington. (PHOTO: Sportpix)
Glenn says, “I’m pretty stoked about it, he could never get his nose in front before and this time he did.”
In fact, a nose was the winning margin, after jockey Brad Stewart steered a never-less-than-resolute Startsmeup through the field with enough momentum to withstand Phelan Ready’s late burst.
Startsmeup is the 6th stakes-winning graduate of Arrowfield & Bellerive Studs this season alone, and one of 65 stakes performers offered under the two banners since 2007. He is also the 40th stakeswinner for the wonderful former Arrowfield sire Danzero, now standing at Rosemount Stud in Victoria.
Bellerive Stud presented Startsmeup as a yearling at the 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, but he was passed in at $47,500. Bellerive’s manager Brian Gorman remembers him as “a big, slow-maturing type with everything in the right place, lovely bone and a great walker.”
Glenn recalls, “I said he’ll make ten times that money on the racetrack, so I’ll keep him.” A second attempt to sell the colt as a 2YO also failed and so he has raced 31 times in the name of Heran Racing for 7 wins, 12 placings and prizemoney of just over $700,000 – comfortably exceeding Glenn’s prediction.
Despite his size and evident immaturity, Startsmeup raced seven times at two, for a couple of stakes placings and an outstanding fifth from a wide draw in Military Rose’s 2010 Magic Millions 2YO Classic (R) LR. He returned a year later to split Torio’s Quest and Top Drop in the Magic Millions Guineas (R) LR, and competed at the 2012 meeting in the Magic Millions Cup, this time beaten a half-length by Spirit of Boom.
In all, Startsmeup had compiled eight Group & Listed stakes placings before his victory yesterday. It’s likely he will have another start in Brisbane before his fourth Magic Millions raceday appearance, in the $400,000 Magic Millions Cup on 12 January.
Glenn acknowledges the work of trainer Gillian Heinrich who has prepared Startsemup for the past 12 months. “I’ve admired her ever since she beat us in the Magic Millions with Military Rose, she’s a very astute trainer and she’s done a fantastic job with our horse.”
Glenn, who shares his racing interests with brothers Martin and Stephen, says, “We’ve been in horses for about 20 years and have five nice mares. I like breeding, it’s like having a punt but it’s an educated gamble. You follow trends in the game, see what works and what doesn’t, and you pitch yourself against other people’s ideas.”
Startsmeup’s dam Bluevien (by Bluebird) was bred in Victoria by Tremon Thoroughbreds and is the only non-winner among eight foals left by the Italian Group 3 winner Genevien, imported to Australia by Trevor Gluck in 1988.
Bluevien has also been a fine producer, with three winners from three foals to race: Startsmeup, Surf’s Up (by Flying Spur) and Gorgonzola (by Hussonet). Her unraced 2YO filly by Flying Spur, named Miss Challenger, is in training with John Sadler for Heran Racing. Bluevien unfortunately slipped to Danzero earlier this year and is now in foal to Commands.
Follow the progress of the Arrowfield & Bellerive yearlings towards the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast on the Arrowfield Blog and view the two consignments here .
