Breeding Partnership Behind WA Star Delightful Peg

A lifelong friendship between West Melton trainer Tony Barron and Southland breeder-owner the late Peter Marshall has proven the foundation for one of Western Australia’s emerging stars, Delightful Peg.

The four-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight continued her outstanding run of form at Gloucester Park last Friday night, making it three wins from as many starts this campaign when she captured the Mares’ Free-For-All. In doing so, she accounted for a strong field including Fakenit, Penny Black and Wonderful To Fly.

Barron reflected on the origins of the family, which traces back to a successful and long-standing breeding partnership.

“Peter and I bred Delightful Peg’s dam Elite Medley,” he said. “She was a pretty nice filly. I thought she would be a Southland Oaks filly but she kept doing things wrong in her races.”

“She went a 1:57.8 mile rate at her last start at Forbury and I retired her.”

From that decision has come a highly productive broodmare, with Delightful Peg the fourth foal from Elite Medley. Offered through the 2023 NZB National Yearling Sale at Christchurch, she was secured for $20,000 by clients of Leeston trainer Brad Mowbray.

Barron recalled her early development.

“She was a funny little thing. Brad had a lot of trouble with her early on, but once he got her organised she was away.”

That progress soon translated to racetrack success. As a three-year-old, Delightful Peg captured the Group 2 Southern Oaks at Invercargill, defeating a high-quality field that included Captain’s Mistress.

Her continued development saw her sold last October to a syndicate from the powerful stable of Gary Hall Senior, and her recent treble at Gloucester Park has lifted her earnings to just under $90,000.

Elite Medley has proven consistent at stud, also producing Mary Austin, a four-race winner across New Zealand and Victoria, and Major Medley, a winner at Winton as a three-year-old.

“I sold Elite Medley in foal to Always B Miki to ‘Ox’ McEwan about three years ago,” Barron added.

The family traces back to Port Medley, a granddaughter of Meddlesome, who left 11 winners including the brilliant sit-sprinter Lively Medley, renowned for a remarkable sequence of 15 consecutive wins in Western Australia.

“It was a great family to us. Peter Marshall and I had a lot of winners out of that family.”

Barron also reflected on the origins of their association.

“Peter was one of my first owners. He lost a foal at Nevele R Stud one year and they offered him one of their colts.

“We bought a horse called Bo Scot’s Medley and he was the start of it. He won six and we just kept going back and buying them. We bought a nice filly off them named Christy Breanna and she left a couple of nice horses.”

Beyond the racetrack, Barron paid tribute to Marshall’s lasting contribution to the industry.

“Peter was great for harness racing in Southland and New Zealand.”

Through both performance and pedigree, Delightful Peg now stands as a fitting continuation of a partnership built on friendship, horsemanship, and a shared eye for a good family.