“Artie” – the complete package!

But for a twist of fate and a stroke of luck – and perhaps some visionary insight – Lochinvar Art’s eagerly-anticipated harness racing stud career might have been snipped before it started!

Good natured Hunter Valley-based businessman Kevin Gordon, the owner of the superstar pacer, is unsure exactly how his horse avoided a vet’s scalpel three years ago, but possibly credits trainer-driver David Moran.

“I really don’t know. Call it fate or a stroke of genius. I’d perhaps like to think it was meant to be. It certainly wasn’t a big issue,” Gordon, of Warners Bay, near Newcastle, said.

“I remember raising the subject with David when the horse was a two-year-old colt. David told me that gelding him hadn’t ever really entered his mind because ‘Artie’ was so easy going with a terrific temperament for a stallion.”

Gordon said it was rather ironic that a string of other horses he owned—such as Lochinvar Hugo, Lochinvar Delight and Lochinvar Chief—had all been gelded.

“A nice two-year-old we’ve got in Lochinvar Ruler suffered the same fate just last Monday!” he said.

“Thankfully, though, it was never really a serious discussion and we’ve now got an exciting new chapter in front of us.”

Following a sensational 12-months, Artie was sidelined in February when a serious hoof infection took hold.  He was later diagnosed to have a small fracture.

The five-year-old will now stand his first season in the breeding barn later this year as he continues his rehabilitation.

Gordon said he was excited that Luke and Belinda McCarthy, of Cobbity Equine Farms, would stand his champion at their property.

“His hoof is now 100 percent okay and the ‘little baby’ crack in a bone in his back leg is common. It results from them putting more weight on a particular leg. Our vet advised to fix it as soon as the MRI scan picked it up.  He’ll be 110 per cent in two months,” he said.

“David’s had the horse boxed for a month, and we’re going to extend it out to three months in the paddock before the rehab program begins.”

Gordon said the McCarthy team’s state-of-the-art facilities for rehab including a water walker and a special track were ideal, having successfully gone through the same process previously with Bling It On.

“Luke just loves ‘Artie’. He told me he’s got the x-factor of no other horse he’s seen in the past 20 years and believes he’ll get big numbers of mares to serve,” Gordon said.

“He’s probably not the best-bred horse going around, but he’s nicely sized and I’ve already had a call from a NZ stud wanting to buy semen.

“I think being by Modern Art, he does provide a perfect cross with mares bred by Bettors Delight and Somebeachsomewhere. We’ll announce his stud fee soon.”

Gordon said with all going well, it was hoped the horse would be finished rehab about the same time he’s finished his stud duties.

“Luke will have him worked up again and the plan is for David to get him back in December and race him in a free-for-all event at the end of that month,” he said.

“In my mind ‘Artie’ has got nothing to prove. But in saying that, I’ve got some feelers out looking to buy a few mares!”

Hoofnote: Gordon was the winning bidder at $2000 for a beautifully-framed Lochinvar Art piece (complete with Artie’s shoes) at a Pacing for Pink auction at Shepparton on Sunday.  The popular owner then promptly donated the item to the Shepparton HRC to put on display.

By Terry Gange from NewsAlert PR Mildura