Australian stallion likely to race at Pukekohe

Press, 12 July 1985, Page 27

Australian stallion likely to race at Pukekohe

Special correspondent Auckland One of the most interesting gallopers in work in the Auckland-Waikato district is Prime Asset, which was originally brought to New Zealand to stand at stud. The rising five-year-old has been put into work with the Pukekohe trainer, Alf Cole, and his progress has been pleasing. According to Cole’s son, David, Prime Asset has been in training for about two and a half months and he has been brought along slowly. “He’s had about five or six gallop now and is improving about two or three lengths with each gallop,” Cole said. “He’s a very exciting galloper.”

Prime Asset is most likely to make his first New Zealand public appearance on a racetrack at next Tuesday’s Avondale trials, and all going well, will step out on raceday at the Franklin Racing Club’s meeting at Pukekohe on August 3. Prime Asset, bred in Australia in 1980, was raced in partnership by Mr Robert Sangster from Bart Cummings’s Sydney stable.

He ran four times as a two-year-old, gaining one win, over 1200 m at Canterbury, and two thirds. One of the minor placings was in a

stakes race, the S.T.C. Pago Pago Quality Handicap (group three) over 1200 m at Rosehill.

As a three-year-old he failed to show any form in three starts and was sold for less than the sAust27s,ooo he cost his original owners.

An Auckland company director, Mr Bob Hadden, and his partner, Mr Barry Dickson, and Dickson’s wjfe, Judy, bought Prime Asset for $160,000 with a stud career in mind. Prime Asset stood at the Field House Stud, Matamata, last year and served 26 mares. Of those only nine got safely in foal.

He then underwent an examination at Massey University in Palmerston North. This revealed that the horse could come right with age. “We then decided to put him back into work in the hope that he would come up,” said Mr Hadden. Tve been friends of the Coles for many years so decided to give him to Alf to train.” Prime Asset is still eligible for class four company and provided he progresses through the grades, as is hoped, he will be tried again at stud. Prime Asset is well bred being by Biscay from the

Mexicano 11 mare Mescalita, which is a half-sister to the top Australian sire, Kaoru Star. Sons of Biscay have proved successful at stud in New Zealand. These include Zephyr Bay, Otehi Bay, Brazen Bay and Licorice Stick.