Daly new member of SBSR

Sean Daly is a recent addition to the Southern Bred Southern Reared group and at next week’s NZB Standardbred Yearling Sale in Christchurch he and his father Emmet will be presenting their first harness racing yearling under the SBSR umbrella.

Sean is a vet who has relocated to Southland and is married to local trainer Kirstin Green.

“We’ve been doing them in Christchurch, but I really wanted to prep him myself for the Sale. I also wanted to have him on the Southland Tour because all the good trainers are there and we wanted to be part of that,” Sean said.

Sean and his parents Emmet and Marion have been involved with harness racing all their lives.

“Dad’s been involved since he married Mum in1975. Mum’s parents bred a few back in the day. They topped the sales in 1984. Mum’s uncle on her mother’s side was Basil Lynskey. Robert Dunn actually did his apprenticeship with Basil back in the day (laughter).”

Marion’s father Colin Payne raced Los Altos which won two races for Wes Butt. He bred Barley Bree from the mare and Barley Bree won eight races for George Noble.

Sean and Emmet who’s a mixed crop farmer in Cheviot have been breeding horses for a while.

“Dad runs the farm and does all the grazing and I organise the racing and pay the bills. Dad is really enjoying his horses. They tried to have horses in the 80s but farming wasn’t going that well and it was just too tough. Now with a bit of outside money coming in from my career we’ve been able to do it really well. Dad’s built some great friendships in his later years with Graham Court being a good example. It’s good to see him getting off the farm and enjoying horse racing.”

The yearling they’re offering at next weeks Sale is a Downbytheseaside colt out of their Falcon Seelster mare Ragazza Bromac. She’s had a number of her progeny through the sales ring.

“We got off to a rough start. Cast No Shadow was passed in without a bid so that was a bit of a punch in the guts. We did well with Ragazzo Mach which sold for $60,000 to Neville Cleaver. He followed that up when he bought an Art Major colt for $100,000 so the mare has done pretty well at the sales.”

Ragazza Bromac has an excellent record at stud. She’s produced Interdominion Grand Final winner Cast No Shadow, Southern Supremacy Stake victor Ragazzo Mach, RR Sand Dollar which won seven races and Ragazzo Major the winner of two races for Cran and Chrissie Dalgety.

The mare’s latest foal which is Lot 194 is being prepared by Sean and Kirstin.

“We’ve had him out at the new property at Seawood Bush on the good grass there and we’re really happy with the way he’s come up. He’s a nice size, an athletic type and so willing and keen to work with. He’s learned to lead up and trot up and he’s a bit of a character, which is fun.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink