Same, same, but different

At first glimpse Poster Boy and Soho Tribeca are very different individuals and their harness racing careers suggest that also, but if you dig a little deeper you will soon see quite a few similarities.

Poster Boy blasted his way onto the racetrack winning 7 of his first 8 starts, going on to have a stunning career winning 22 of his 30 starts, including 5 Group 1 races.

Amongst those wins were the 2 & 3-year-old Vicbred Finals, NSW Derby, 4YO Bonanza and the Chariots Of Fire, taking a personal best time of 1:49:1 along the way.

He was only ever unplaced once in his 30-start career, that being at his first start when they went a stunning 1:51:6 for the babies.

Some of his notable defeats were placings in the 2 & 3YO Breeders Crown Finals, Vic Derby and a sensational 3rd in the Miracle Mile in a 1:47:7 mile rate.

Soho Tribeca on the other hand took a little longer to warm to the racetrack but once he did, he showed everyone that he had developed into a mighty racehorse.

The move to the WA stable of Kim Prentice proved a master stroke by owner Rob Watson as the son of American Ideal clearly loved the Perth weather and from a 4YO he proved a superstar racehorse, winning 12 and placed 11 times in 30 starts over the next 2 years.

Amongst those wins were the Golden Nugget, a clean sweep of the 4YO Vicbred, 2 Interdominion Heats, WA Cup and the Kilmore Cup. Two of his greatest runs would come in defeat but remembered by many as remarkable runs, those being his 2nd in the Hunter Cup to Lazarus and his 3rd in the Miracle Mile behind My Field Marshal, in what still stands as a Southern Hemisphere record time of 1:46:9.

We now get to the similarities, both stallions are out of Australian Broodmares of the year. Poster Boy being out of Aston Villa and Soho Tribeca being out of Pixel Perfect.

Both mares proving stunning producers and leaving long lasting influences on the Australian racing and breeding scene.

They also both have the very dominant Artsplace blood running through their veins with Aston Villa being a daughter of the great sire and Pixel Perfect being a daughter of Art Major, one of Artspace’s greatest producing sons.

Poster Boy and Soho Tribeca now reside in paddocks next to each other at Llowalong Farms and both stallions will have their first sons and daughters hit the racetrack for the very first time in 2024.

The reports we are hearing from trainers with progeny from either sire is very promising and suggests we will see exciting first seasons for both lads.

Owners Rob Watson (Soho Tribeca) and Bill & Anne Anderson (Poster Boy) have put their faith in their respective horses sending some of their best mares to them and it looks like they will be well rewarded for their efforts.

We caught up with some trainers with progeny by both stallions and got their thoughts on how they are progressing.

Michael Stanley has several of Soho Tribeca’s first crop in his barn and he has had a colt Soho The Real Deal step out at the trials already.

The colt a son of Somebeachsomewhere mare Soho Gloria Jane has looked all class and very professional on the trial circuit, traits he will have inherited from his sire.

He had two trials back in November, the first of them at Maryborough on the 5th where he ran a very encouraging 2nd beaten only a 1 meter in a mile rate of 2:01:2, last half in 60:3.

He next stepped out at Melton on the 14th where he drew 1, led the trial, copped plenty of pressure and fought on very bravely to win after being headed halfway up the straight. Again, in another impressive mile rate of 1:59:2, and home in 59:4.

Mick Stanley give us his thoughts on this colt and other Soho Tribeca progeny in his care.

“I really like this colt and think he is going to make a very nice racehorse”

“Like most of the Soho Tribeca progeny I have in work he is very smart and a pleasure to work with, I currently have five of his progeny in work and they have all certainly inherited a lot of his traits and I believe that will hold them in good stead going forward as racehorses”

Poster Boy has also had several of his first crop step out on the racetrack with daughter Syncopated Shuffle for Wayne Hamilton showing great manors and maturity in her recent green trials at Newcastle.

The daughter of Safely Kept mare Burn Back, stepped out on the Newcastle Raceway on the 6th and 13th of December. On both occasions showing great manners and a wonderful attitude towards the task at hand. Her first trial she led and won the trial in a mile rate of 2:09 and her second trial saw her roll off the gate again to find the fence first before taking a sit on her stablemate where she remained for the rest of the trial.

She was not pushed out to be beaten 1 length in a mile rate of 2:02:9.

Prominent Victorian trainer Nathan Jack has two Poster Boy babies in his care.

A colt out of Speak No Evil and a filly out of Right Of Passage.

We also caught up with him for some insight into their progress and his thoughts on their imminent racetrack appearance.

Nathans said “They have their quirks early in the education process but the more work they do the easier the educating got” in fact he also said “they both love to do their work, which makes the whole process so much easier, I am very much looking forward to them both stepping out at the races this season.”

He is looking forward to the Nutrein Sales Series in late April with the son of Speak No Evil, believing he shows more than enough ability as this stage to acquit himself very well in that series.

From Llowalong Farms