Beginner’s luck smiles on Southland breeders

It was a case of beginner’s luck for Southland brothers Justin and Brad Morris and their mother Linley, whose first ever broodmare Flashahope ranks as the grand-dam of the Group 1 winning Western Australian juvenile D Mac.

Sold by the Morris family to a client of Perth trainer Gary Hall Senior following a first-up second at Winton in April, the Downbytheseaside colt has demonstrated in two starts in his adopted country that he is a cut above the average.

D Mac spaced his rivals in a prelude of the Golden Slipper at Gloucester Park on September 12 in a 1:56.4 rating over 2130 metres from the mobile.

Starting at cramped odds in the Group 1 $150,000 Final a fortnight later, the colt duplicated the feat after working to the front in the early stages and reeling off his last 800 metres in a flying 55.6 seconds.

The win vaulted D Mac’s stake earnings over the $100,000 plateau.

D Mac has now been spelled and gelded with the WA Derby his main mission next year.

Justin Morris, a Woodlands tanker driver, said that Flashahope was given to them by their grandfather Ronny MacDonald, who trained successfully at Invercargill for many years.

“Ronny trained a good horse called Mai Mai, who won a heat of the Inter Dominion, the NZ Flying Stakes and the Cambridge 4YO Classic,” Justin said.

Another smart performer prepared by MacDonald was Classy Topic, a close relative of D Mac and the winner of seven races in NZ and a further 42 races in North America.

MacDonald bred the first foal out of Flashahope named Flashsafelybye, who won at the NSW provincials, before gifting the mare to his grandsons.

Flashahope produced seven foals for the rookie breeders, three of whom emerged successful in Beejay’s Lad, a winner of 17 races in NZ, NSW and Queensland, the multiple Adelaide victor Flashing Good Time (13 wins) and Beejay Fella.

A non-winning daughter of Flashahope was Flashonbye (by Washington VC), who ran third in the Group 3 Nevele R Stakes at Addington as a two-year-old.

At the stud Flashonbye’s first two foals were of little account, but her third foal in Sporty Charlie has won six races to date for trainer-driver Brad Morris.

D Mac is her fifth issue.

“We only breed Flashonbye every second year,” Justin explained.

“She has a Capt Midnight yearling colt in the paddock who has been handled only.

We are going back to Downbytheseaside this season and we’re hoping for a filly.

She hasn’t had a filly….she just keeps producing colts.”