Syndicate buys a half share in Armalight

Press, 12 October 1985, Page 27

Syndicate buys a half share in Armalight

By

JEFF SCOTT

Yonkers Standardbred Breeding and Racing last evening confirmed that negotiations had been completed for the standardbred "coup” of the year. The Prebbleton owner, Mr Brent Smith, has sold a half-share in his champion racemare, Armalight (imin 55.45, 2000 m), to the Canter-bury-based breeding syndicate for an unspecified amount In an unprecedented move in standardbred circles, Yonkers Standardbred Breeding and Racing will also take ownership of the Lordship embryo which the 1981 New Zealand Cup and 1983 Auckland Cup winner is now carrying, and this season will send her to be mated with the boom sire, Smooth Fella (one of two services Yonkers bought for record auction prices of $12,500 and $14,500 earlier this year, since bettered at $16,000 at Auckland). The new partners have entered into a breeding arrangement whereby the daughter of Timely Knight and Ar Miss remains in Smith’s care. However the two parties will alternately select a consort and breed from Armalight on a yearly rotating live-foal basis. Smith and the managers of the Yonkers Standardbred Breeding and Racing partnership, Messrs Robert Stewart, Brian West, Paul Jarman, John Purvis and Clive Cousins, last evening termed the arrangement as “comfortable.” “Following prolonged discussions and negotiations and taking into account the

future aims and objectives of Yonkers, I concluded that this transaction would allow my wife, CaroL and I, the opportunity to share with fellow trotting enthusiasts the joy of sharing in the ownership of Armalight and her future progeny. Yet at the same time allowing Carol and I the luxury of retaining Armalight as a member of our ‘family’,” Smith said. “Realistically, I would not be able to keep all her foals and would have to sell some of them. This way I have just taken care of that a bit earlier.” Smith is “keeping a finger in both pies” however, by also becoming a Yonkers syndicate member and is looking forward to the opportunity to share in the syndicate’s breeding ventures. Yonkers Standardbred Breeding and Racing consists of 25 members, either business associates, relatives or friends, 22 of whom are based in Canterbury, two in Dunedin and one in Auckland. After bursting into the limelight from total obscurity by going to their record bids for two Smooth Fella services at Nelson and Christchurch in June-July, Yonkers, three months later, is now in a position to put its cards on the table. Apart from securing the share in Armalight, the syndicate has also purchased three richly-bred broodmares — Crystal Palace, a recently qualified four-year-old by Lordship from the former smart mare, Bronze Queen (1 min 58.75); United Lady, a Berry Hanover mare from a three-quarter

sister to broodmare gem, Sakuntala; and Regal Boyden, an unraced daughter of Boyden Hanover and Regal Belmer (a half-sister to Harvest Gold and from a top winning family), which is in foal to the Strike Out entire, Striking Force (imin 5425), The syndicate’s first venture, United Lady, recently slipped twins to Tudor Hanover and is visiting the court of the up-and-<oming stallion, Vance Hanover, this season. The Yonkers management is initially looking for a quality base and is currently examining the means by which other persons may be able to participate in Yonker’s over-all objectives. Meanwhile, Brent Smith has Arma’s Image in harness and doing preliminary work at Arma Lodge, an 18ha property at Prebbleton, where Smith moved to from Weedons last year. The yearling Lordship filly is the first foal of Armalight (36 starts for 18 wins, 14 placings and $279,560 in stakes) and thus the naming is a “deadringer” for her illustrious mother according to Smith. However, trotting enthusiasts are unlikely to see her in action until her three-year-old days. Ar Miss, which Armalight emulated by also winning the New Zealand Oaks during her career, is a permanent resident at Nevele R. Stud, Prebbleton. Owned by Brent Smith’s brother, Vic, the 17-year-old Armbro Del mare is carrying a foal to the fastest race-winning pacer ever to come to New Zealand, Bo Scots Blue Chip (Imin 53.65).