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| Staff Writer |
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General manager of Swettenham Stud, Sam Matthews talks about breeding, industry-shaping stallions, the highs of watching Masked Crusader in the exciting Everest 2021, the social atmosphere on the grounds, and raising the flag for the Australian breeding industry.
Q: You are proud of Masked Crusader having had such a fantastic showing in last year's Everest. What are you most proud of in that 'almost moment' in 2021?
A: He missed the start and watched the world's best sprinters go by. Yet he went on to finish a close second. That was it just doesn't happen! It can happen in maidens, benchmark races, and even in claiming races, but it is unlikely to happen in a race like this. If he had jumped half a length closer to them at the start, I wonder what might have happened.
Although he did not win on that occasion, when I saw him come from last to almost winning, my heart jumped out of my chest. Swettenham doesn't own him and hasn't bred him. But I feel like I am a part of his ownership group. He deserved the win, in my opinion, but he obviously didn't get it. Hopefully, we will go one better this year.
Q: What does Masked Crusader have to do this year to cross that line first?
A: It is an incredibly hard race. There are so many factors that can come into play even the smallest of things can change the result. But I believe, this year, he just has to jump a touch better.
Q: When you look at Toronado, what in his pedigree, most intrigues you?
A: In Toronado, we love the fact that he was a world champion miler with an enormous turn of foot. He is a beautiful-looking horse, and he stamps all of his progeny. If you were to draw the ideal horse, in my opinion, I would be drawing him.
Q: Tell us about what the journey of a stallion like Toronado could be.
A: By stallion standards, he is quite young as a 12YO. He is still very young to have had the results we are seeing now in both hemispheres. He could keep covering, untill his early to mid-twenties potentially, Interestingly, after this season, he is going to stay in Australia exclusively. This means he gets that six months off, to enjoy himself in the paddock before coming back to cover Australian mares.
Q: What type of bloodline did High Chaparral create?
A: So You Think, Dundeel, and obviously Toronado have been revelations. They work incredibly well with Danehill line mares and are quite versatile. You can get a winning miler or you can get something that can go the distance. I believe it's the versatility of what High Chaparral throws that is outstanding and it works with the pedigrees of the mares that we’ve got here in Australia.
Q: The Sangster family started shuttling stallions back in the 70s. How proud are you to be able to continue that innovation?
A: I think its amazing that Robert had the foresight back in the day to bring a horse like Danehill, in the eighties to Australia and utilise the two hemispheres. It certainly changed the global breeding industry. Horses can cover 200 mares in the Southern Hemisphere and then go to the Northern Hemisphere, giving everyone the option to breed their mares to these stallions. It's incredible.
Q: How does one make the decision between letting a good racehorse run and taking him to stud?
A: A racehorse is retired at the maximum commercial value. But if they are not sent to stud in that year, there's a missed revenue for that period as well as a chance that they can hurt themselves. Broadly, it’s always a risk versus a reward situation, but it's often better to retire them early after they have proven themselves at one of their better races.
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Q: Do you see the Everest race impacting the breeding industry?
A: I don't think it necessarily shapes the breeding industry, but it certainly drives people to the industry, which is fantastic. It allows people to dream about getting into the Melbourne Cup or the Everest.
Q: In your mind, how has this race grown in popularity?
A: I remember the day it was announced. It was a point of conjecture for many people to say that the prize money offered was quite high. Today the race has grown incredible legs. The prize purse has grown bigger and draws a wider audience. The Everest is a great thing for the racing industry.
For those in the industry, we want this sport to be about both the money and the prestige of being connected to the best-bred horse in Australia. But, for those outside the industry, it’s an incredible race that touches even those who are not involved in the horse or in the racing industry in any way.
Q: How many Everest races have you attended? And will you be in the 2022 race?
A: I have been to two of them. Whether I attend the 2022 edition will depend on our runners. We have 40 racehorses at the moment, and if one of them is chosen to be an Everest contender then I will be there. Similarly, if we have runners in Melbourne on Caulfield Cup Day, I will be there as well. But it really comes down to where our runners are.
Q: How much pride is there as a nation in what Nature Strip has accomplished on the global stage?
A: Whether it's Nature Strip or Black Caviar, they all make me feel proud. These horses carry a flag for us and show the world that we breed some of the best horses in the world. Although they are not my horses, it makes you feel like I am part of the horse ownership group.
Q: And finally, from a social scene point of view, how much fun are the people in the stands on the TAB Everest Day?
A: Everyone is yelling and screaming with tremendous excitement in support of their favourite horse. It is like an NFL final. The atmosphere is incredible.