Friday, January 3, 2020 | Dedicated to the Australasian bloodstock industry - subscribe for free: Click here DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX EVERY MORNING Family ties prove the Read Tomorrow's Issue For: winning formula for Steve Moran What's on Metropolitan meetings: Canterbury Park Mitchell Bloodstock (NSW) Race meetings: Albury (NSW), Father-and-son operation cite patience Muswellbrook (NSW), Cranbourne (VIC), and honesty as keys to success Stawell (VIC), Gatton (QLD), Esperance (WA), Te Aroha (NZ), Omakau (NZ), Barrier trials / Jump outs: Flemington (VIC) MORNING BRIEFING Leonardo Da Hinchi to stand at stud in WA Group 2 winner Leonardo Da Hinchi (Hinchinbrook) will stand at stud at Gold Front Bill and James Mitchell MITCHELL BLOODSTOCK Thoroughbreds in Western Australia alongside Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Awesome Mitchell Bloodstock in September 2018. Rock (Fastnet Rock) this year. The son of the late BY CHRIS HUMPLEBY | @ANZ_NEWS We spoke for half an hour in mid-December, Hincinbrook (Fastnet Rock) and three-quarter nfortunately, I am not affluent shortly after the duo had inspected 500 Hunter brother to champion sire Snitzel (Redoute’s enough to afford a bloodstock Valley-based youngsters ahead of the Magic Choice) won twice as a two-year-old and went on agent. But if I did stumble across Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. the finish second to subsequent Group 1-winner the financial wherewithal to At a time of year whereby industry Brutal (O'Reilly) in the Antler Luggage Plate Uremedy this situation, James Mitchell is just the professionals are forgiven for being highly- (Listed, 1400m) before winning the Bill Stutt Stakes sort of agent I would employ. strung in the build up to a blue-chip (Gr 2, 1600m). No service fee has been confirmed Working alongside his father Bill, the former auction, not to mention the rigours of the for Leonardo Da Hinchi but it is expected to be Caulfield-based trainer who relinquished Christmas countdown, Mitchell is engagingly around the $5,000 mark. his licence in 2005, Mitchell founded relaxed. Continued on page 3>> Morning Briefing page 7 >> Follow us @anz_news: click here | 1 | Brought to you by Family ties prove the winning formula for Mitchell Bloodstock | 3 | Friday, January 3, 2020 << Continued from page 1 And in a line of work whereby hot air on racing together and I was quite young when he retired. and bluster is all too frequent, he is also refreshingly honest. In addition, “Even so, I always thought it was pretty crazy the way dad – and all Mitchell is a fine advocate of patience and subtlety in an age of the cut and trainers – lived their lives. The hours are madness and your busiest day is thrust and the here and now. a Saturday, which is usually a day for spending time with your family or In respect to all three of these attributes, it would seem he is a chip off going to watch your kids play sport. Things like that didn’t appeal to me.” the old block. While Mitchell acknowledges the unglamorous, day-to-day tasks “We’re probably reasonably similar people – neither of us would be of running a modern business fall into his lap, the division of labour is regarded as high-stress individuals and we take everything in our stride,” otherwise balanced, creating an important blend of youth and know-how Mitchell says of the working relationship with his father, a brother to Artie that makes Mitchell Bloodstock an attractive proposition to their client and Harry Mitchell of Yarraman Park Stud fame. base. “We’re pretty relaxed and we get on pretty well. We just get in and get He says: “Bill is of the generation where technology can be a little bit the job done, although there are some afternoons where we like to discuss foreign to some of them, so that’s more my area. I tend to take care of emailing business on the golf course as well. updates and the admin side, but we certainly split our roles pretty evenly. “We’re pretty open in terms of our discussions – there is not much we “There is a good cross-section of knowledge and experience and of feel the need to hold back on and our opinions are both valued. youth and keenness, which we’re finding a really good mix.” “We’ll both speak our minds, which makes for a really comfortable That mix will be casting an expert eye over the Gold Coast catalogue working environment as we’re always on the front foot.” this year having purchased four yearlings from the corresponding sale in Proof of a successful system behind the scenes is usually borne out in 2019. front of house and Mitchell Bloodstock can reflect on a commendable first They included two youngsters bought in conjunction with McEnnis full year of action in 2019. Racing - a $300,000 Sebring (More Than Ready) filly from the draft of In addition to the third Group 1 success of Hong Kong sprint stalwart Newgate Farm as well as Rosari Farm’s Deep Field (Northern Meteor) filly, Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook), whom Bill bought for NZ$200,000 at the who fetched $100,000. New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale in 2015, the duo purchased 12 In training with Chris Waller and Michael Continued on page 4>> yearlings, eight foals and almost a dozen mares. The latter included Set To Unleash (Reset), dam of Group 3 winner Houtzen, who is carrying a sibling to the star speedster being back in foal to Yarraman’s flagbearer I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit). She was picked up for $900,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, while they went to $600,000 to secure Noondie (Flying Spur), dam of Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) winner Booker (Written Tycoon), at the Leading to Success Inglis-run Chairman’s Sale. James describes Beat The Clock as ‘an amazing horse and one that we Two-year international hang our hat on quite regularly’, but was the former bloodstock consultant management and leadership with Inglis, who had previously cut his teeth at Waikato Stud and Little programme for the global thoroughbred racing and Avondale in New Zealand, always destined to go into business with his dad? breeding industry “It’s hard to say it was a long-term goal – we didn’t plan that far ahead,” Mitchell says. Includes the Graduate Certificate in Management “I grew up in racing with Bill being a trainer, but we had never planned (Thoroughbred Industry) accredited by UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School Craig Rounsefell www.godolphinflyingstart.com Godolphin Flying Start graduate 2007 Apply now! Applications close Monday, February 10th 2020 Beat The Clock MITCHELL BLOODSTOCK Follow us @anz_news: click here | 3 | Brought to you by Family ties prove the winning formula for Mitchell Bloodstock | 4 | Friday, January 3, 2020 << Continued from page 3 Freedman respectively, Mitchell like becoming nice 1200-metre horses, but can end up only being an reports both fillies to have furnished well in recent months, which is 800-metre performer.” reflective of how Mitchell Bloodstock approach this auction - one that is The Mitchells have viewed an array of prospects during their synonymous with speed and precocity - from an alternative tact. inspections in the Hunter Valley and while they are admittedly forgiving “While we appreciate there is a huge amount of prize-money in the when it comes to first looks, James predicts a robust auction to be in the early two-year-old races, and the Magic Millions initiative is a fantastic offing on the Gold Coast. raceday and a credit to the company, it’s not really top of our priority list “I see no reason why it won’t be a strong sale,” Mitchell says. to have horses in those races,” Mitchell says. “The catalogue is full of nice horses across all levels of the market. We “We just like to see horses that are athletes and they will tell us how certainly think there will be horses you can buy in the $100,000-120,000 far we can take them each time they go to the trainer. If a horse shows us range. that he needs to be in the paddock to furnish over the spring, that’s what “There should be something for everyone, which is what Magic we’ll do. Millions intend when they put the catalogue together, and they’ve “There’s no major rush and our clients are appreciative of the longevity certainly done that.” of the horse. This, and the health of the horse, will take precedence over Expanding on their extensive groundwork prior to the auction, trying to win a particular race.” Mitchell continues: “Pre-sale inspections depend on the size of the In terms of their target market, Mitchell continues: “We are always catalogue, but we like to complete them for this sale as there are so many looking for value for our clients, so we’ll be shopping in that $150,000- yearlings on offer. 300,000 range and looking for quality. “It’s a hectic time up at the complex on the Gold Coast and it’s nice “Attributes we particularly look for are a good hind-leg, a deep to see the horses when they’re relaxed. They tend to walk a bit better and girth and a bit of length – something that will keep growing and you can get a good look at them without a million things happening in the furnishing. background. “We’d certainly prefer a horse with athleticism and a bit of length and “Our second-look list tends to be reasonably long.