Top mares still a source of winners

Two Addington winners over the weekend sent us back in time, reminding us of some top mares of yesteryear and the long journeys they’ve taken their owners and breeders on.

The first was Heaven’s Mark (6m Rock N Roll Heaven – Armadoctara), who was only having her sixth start when breaking through for her maiden win for trainer John Morrison and owner Lloyd Wigzell.

Although the official breeder listing says otherwise, the mare was actually bred by North Canterbury enthusiast Rob Courtney, who borrowed her dam from owner Brent Smith. Courtney then sold the Rock N Roll Heaven filly at the 2020 yearling sales to Wigzell for $7,000.

A big-framed mare who had always shown promise (and a fair bit of attitude), Heaven’s Mark’s career has been plagued by self-inflicted injuries and health issues. Morrison and Wigzell would readily admit she hasn’t been the easiest horse to work with, but their persistence is finally paying off.

As her name suggests, Armadoctara (Changeover – Arma Class) is part of the Armalight family, which proved life-changing for a young Brent Smith. Arma Class was a half-sister to Smith’s champion mare, descending from NZ Oaks winner Ar Miss. Ar Miss won eight races, and her first foal, Armalight, won 18 of her 36 starts and earned $277,000 back in the late 1970s—when that was a very significant sum.

Like many top racemares, Armalight didn’t match her on-track deeds in the breeding barn. But several of her half-sisters ensured the family stayed in the spotlight, producing high-class performers. These included Miss Denover (by Boyden Hanover), Mistron (by El Patron), Miss Bo Scott (by Bo Scots Blue Chip), and Arma Class (by Talk About Class)—all of whom founded successful branches of the Armalight family tree.

Arma Class, the second dam of Heaven’s Mark and the last foal from Ar Miss, produced 15 foals—12 of whom made it to the races, with 10 winners among them. Her daughters bred on strongly, producing multiple Group 1 winners. One standout is Excel Stride (from Arma Dominator by In The Pocket), who won 28 races and earned over $770,000.

Armadoctara was returned to her owner after Heaven’s Mark was weaned and has not been bred from again.

Also winning at Addington was Archer (4g Downbytheseaside – Silk Rose), a well-earned result for Sefton trainer Paul Borcoskie and his family. He hails from a breed that was particularly good to the Borcoskies in the 1990s, when Paul’s father’s mare Silk Brocade (by Silk Legacy) won 15 races and reached open class. She ran ninth in Christian Cullen’s 1998 New Zealand Cup and took out a Group 2 against top mares at Addington (PGG NZ Premier Mares Championship). She was often driven by Paul’s brother Brent.

Lost early as a broodmare, Silk Brocade left just one filly—Silk Pocket (by In The Pocket)—who qualified but never raced.

Silk Pocket is the second dam of Archer. Mated with Dream Away, she produced Silk Rose, who also qualified but had a short-lived career of just four starts before being retired to the broodmare paddock. She’s done far better there.

Her first foal, Jaffa Josh (by Auckland Reactor), showed promise in New Zealand but managed just one win before being exported to Australia and then the U.S., where he has added another 20 wins and taken a race time of 1:50.8.

Archer is her third foal. Borcoskie also has a two-year-old full brother and a yearling colt by Lazarus coming through the system.

The stable now races in the colours of the late Brian (“Dad”) Borcoskie and has five horses in work. However, numbers bred on the family farm are expected to decrease, as many of the broodmares have recently been moved on.

Still, having enjoyed the highs of Silk Brocade more than 20 years ago, Paul Borcoskie is hopeful that the glory days might one day return in a sport that continues to offer hope to the “little fellas.”