Promising Perth pacer from embryo transfer mare

The gallant Brickie’s Dream, a son of Rock N Roll Heaven, has emerged as a promising prospect in Western Australia, notching back-to-back wins at Gloucester Park in June and shaping as a likely contender in upcoming cup races. Remarkably, the six-year-old is out of a mare conceived via embryo transfer.

His dam Kate De Goldie, a Bettor’s Delight daughter of Kate’s Rocket, is a granddaughter of the champion racemare Kate’s First, an Auckland Cup heroine and dual Oaks winner. She was bred by Wally Radford, a long-time client of Leithfield Beach trainer-driver Robbie Holmes.

“We did a 50-50 training agreement with Wally for Kate’s Rocket,” Carla Robertson-Holmes said.

“As a two-year-old she put a hole in a tendon in a paddock accident. Wally asked me if I wanted to breed from her. We got an embryo transfer from her and put her back into training. She won a couple of races before redoing the tendon.”

Kate De Goldie, the resulting foal, made an early impression — winning her first two starts as a three-year-old at Wyndham and Winton.

“She won another race as a five-year-old at Addington but then suffered a hairline fracture of the pastern,” said Robertson-Holmes, a former sales consultant for Alabar Bloodstock, said.

“She was under raced just like her mother. Both of them were lovely fillies.

Because they couldn’t operate on her leg, we boxed her six months and then bred her to Rock N Roll Heaven.

Brickie’s Dream is the result. He had two starts in NZ for two placings before we sold him to Western Australia.
He’s named after my dad Ken Robertson who was a bricklayer and horse trainer.”

Brickie’s Dream, now trained and driven by Robbie Williams, won his first four starts in WA. He has since added nine more wins — seven at Gloucester Park — including the Listed $50,000 WA Christmas Gift. The gelding has now earned $156,551.

Kate De Goldie’s second foal, Better Man, a three-year-old gelding by Captain Crunch, qualified at Rangiora in February. He was tipped out but is now back at the workouts with Robbie Holmes. She has also produced a weanling filly by Captain Crunch.

Besides Kate De Goldie, Kate’s Rocket has proven a quality broodmare in her own right. She left the Menangle and Albion Park winner Bridget Blue Chip ($177,946), as well as metropolitan performers Hot N Gold (Albion Park), Real Rocket (Gloucester Park), and Major Rocket ($110,240 at Menangle) — the latter now the dam of Listed winner Younggiftedandblack ($108,334) and NSW Group 2 placegetter Stylish Lazarus.

Carla is also breeding from the trotting mare Sierra Gold (Great Success), who has left a three-year-old filly, Margo Robbie (One Over Da Moon), and a yearling filly by Royal Aspirations.

Meanwhile, Robbie Holmes, in partnership with Blenheim lawyer Peter Radich, is breeding from Mee Too — a Sportswriter mare from cups winner and grand producer Veecmee.

“She’s produced a yearling filly by Tall Dark Stranger and a weanling filly by Downbytheseaside,” Carla said.