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Tyreel Stud bred, Group One winning-Classique Legend stormed to victory in 2020 TAB Everest. Renowned boutique agistment, thoroughbred breeding, and bloodstock development, the facility set on more than 100 acres in the beautiful Hawkesbury Valley (Australia). Owners Linda and Laurence Monds lead Tyreel with an individual approach that combines the latest technology, best-practice expertise and a passion for breeding top-class racehorses.
The legend goes, owner Bon Ho’s racing manager Caramel Size identified a yearling out of Not A Single Doubt by the mare Pinocchio from just her second crop when he was presented at the 2017 Inglis Classic Gold Ribband Session. The sale topper was knocked down to Size for A$400,000. Her comments post-sale were that she ‘just had to have him’.
Linda Monds speaks with The Impact about Classique Legend, their 2020 Easter Yearling Sale experience, the race track successes of their graduates, and much more.
Q: Please tell us about the Classique Legend’s interesting breeding and successful sales story.
A: Classique Legend was bred for speed. Pinocchio herself was highly regarded on the racetrack in her short career before an injury ended her future as a racetrack performer. She is well-bred and well related herself being a full sister to Champion performer Racing to Win and a half-sister to Purrealist. The decision to combine Pinocchio’s genetics with Not a Single Doubt was always with the view of producing a fast, strong individual.
Classique Legend proved very popular amongst the buying bench at the 2017 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, with his strength and powerful physique, loose walk, and overall presence, he certainly created talk around the sales complex.
Q: How is Pinocchio doing? Her last foal sold for A$1.1 million and the buyer was Mr. Bon Ho again. So what do you have for him (and us) out of Pinocchio for next year’s sales?
A: Pinocchio had a year off breeding, so in 2019 did not produce a foal. She delivered a beautiful filly on 20th August this year by I Am Invincible. This filly possesses all the great qualities we are looking for with size, strength, and the same natural walk as her siblings.
Q: What kind of similarities do you see in all the Pinocchio siblings? And what do you feel makes Classique Legend ‘Everest’ special?
A: Pinocchio has been bred to Foxwedge, Not A Single Doubt, Sebring, So You Think and I Am Invincible and it is evident that she is ‘stamping’ her progeny. Whilst they are all a little different in size, they all possess the same walk and powerful physique. Classique Legend has the heart and determination to rise to any challenge he is given, In some of his races he has been extremely unlucky by being stuck in a bad position. Given a good clean run, he will be hard to beat. It would be great to see him given a good clean run to prove his ability.
His ability has thus far been untapped.
Q: Please tell us more about your other successful sales graduates on the racetrack?
A: Tyrell Stud is renowned for producing successful on track performers and the last couple of years has proved this.
Yesterday, Saturday 29th August 2020 Behemoth(another 2020 TAB Everest contender) won the Gr.3Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Behemoth was born, bred, raised and sold by Tyreel Stud. We sold him as a weanling due to his enormous size. He has grown into a very big horse who has an amazing ability.
Yesterday was a very big day for us on the farm. We had Academy who won Race 3 at Rosehill. We had Every Rose and Osamu run in the Gr.3 San Domenico Stakes. We had Behemoth in the Gr.3Memsie Stakes and we had Spiritual Pursuit in Race 9 at Rosehill also. We only foal down 25-30 foals each year, so to have a day on the track like yesterday was impressive. I think we are in for a huge spring racing carnival with our graduates.
From Pinocchio, we have also bred Puppet Master, Aethero, and the next generation in Fairy Legend (her So You Think Colt).
Couredge has given us the likes of Smartedge, Academy, Every Rose (1st in the Gimcrack Stakes Gr.3, 2nd in the BJ McLachlan Gr.3, and 2nd in the Wyong MM 2YO RL), and the next generation in Brooke’s Edge (her Hinchinbrook filly).
Written Dash has given us Potentiaand Osamu who has shown plenty of ability and will be a star 3-year-old performer this season.
Penny Banger gave us Behemoth who is a Gr.3 winner, Gr.3 placed, and again continues to challenge at the highest level.
Happy Hippy has given us Spiritual Pursuitwho is a tough filly with plenty of ability.
Bana Wu who was owned by our client has given us the exciting Montefilia. This filly will be the one to watch over the coming season.
Catalonia has given us the exciting Espaaniyah who sustained an injury that finished her early career.
From Lady Millions we had Malahide who continues to excite her owners in Queensland.
We have been very fortunate to have these athletes born, bred, raised and sold by Tyreel Stud all within a few short years. From a small broodmare band, it is phenomenal to be producing these quality athletes, something that we will continue to do.
Q: Also, please tell us about the absolute best weanlings you have on the ground this year that will be presented at the 2021 sales?
A: We have a lovely group of yearlings that will be showcased in next year’s sales. With the likes of the below just to name a few:
- Written Dash x I Am Invincible Filly (half-sister to Osamu)
- Sous La Terre x Zoustar Filly (¾ sister to champion mare Sunlight)
- Catalonia x I Am Invincible Filly (full sister to Espaaniyah)
- Couredge x Hellbent Filly (half-sister to Every Rose)
- Magic Nera x Not A Single Doubt Colt (half-brother to exciting Kahaylaan)
- Tender x Pierro Colt (half brother to Orpheum)
I believe we will have a very exciting 2021 time in the sales ring and on the race track.
Q: The sales have been quite the journey for breeders this year. The adjustment of going from physical sales to digital sales takes quite a toll. Plus the added stress of selling your highest-value yearlings to unseen buyers online must have been quite challenging. What was this journey for you this year?
A: This year’s journey has been like no other for everyone around the world in all industries. For us here at Tyreel it has been difficult mostly with the ever-changing rules, regulations and restrictions surrounding the sales period. The Inglis Easter Yearling Sale was the first affected by COVID 19 and we had saved our absolute best for this sale. The lead up to this sale was extremely stressful for the staff that have prepared these yearlings and ourselves. We were heading into completely unknown territory with the holding of such a premium sale on-line where many lookers were unable to look. The investors, bloodstock agents, buyers that we're able to drive around to the farms to inspect yearlings did an incredible job.
The sales company to have provided an on-line platform to sell these yearlings did an incredible job, all under extremely trying circumstances. We ended up with 100% clearance of our beautiful yearlings at values that were not too far away from what was expected. The continuation of COVID 19 is now wearing a little thin, but we are looking forward to much better times ahead. We will not be changing anything about our mating plans or breeding programs, for us, it is business as usual in the continuation of producing high quality, high performing, highly desirable thoroughbred racehorses.
Q: Could you tell us more about the farm itself?
A: Tyreel Stud is a small boutique thoroughbred horse breeding operation located in the Hawkesbury District just 1 hour from the centre of Sydney. We reside on 100 acres of alluvial Nepean River frontage.
We have a broodmare band that consists of around 32 mares and we aim to be producing yearlings for Magic Millions, Inglis Classic and Inglis Easter Sales. We have a small team of 4 permanent staff, my husband Laurence and myself.
Q: What do you look for when you buy prospective broodmares? Pedigree, Confirmation, Past Performance - how much do these play a part in your decision making?
A: We have purchased a mixed range of broodmares, some have been unraced but are well related.Some have had great success on the track themselves and are well related. Some have had average ability themselves but are well related. The most important feature I look for is confirmation. If the mare looks good, chances are she will pass that onto her babies.
Q: Where do you see the NSW racing industry heading during the Spring Carnival and the next sales season?
A: I would like to believe that things will not change much at all over the coming months and into the sales season next year.
Perhaps we will have to continue the on-line sales which is not ideal, but the fact that our industry has still been able to operate, albeit differently is quite remarkable and a testament to the market strength we have.
Q: Name your most favourite horse and why?
A: I don’t have favourites at all, but I will tell you that they are all my favourites. Every horse that I have had anything to do with makes its way firmly into my heart and soul. I love all of my mares and I am thoroughly enjoying watching the babies that we have foaled down grown into incredible athletes, they are a testament to our farm, the broodmares we have purchased and the way they are raised.