By Duane Ranger
Prebbleton motor mechanic Grant Crabbe came of age as a breeder on Saturday night.
The 64-year-old will now head into his retirement year as two-time Group-winning breeder (at least) thanks to his 9-year-old Live Or Die – Slatina (Save Fuel) mare, Bagdarin.
Her second foal Shartin was too good for the fellow New Zealand-breds My Casino Belle, Partyon, and Delightful Memphis in the Group Two $80,000 Queensland Oaks at Brisbane’s Albion Park on Saturday night.
The 3-year-old Tintin In America filly was trained by Dean Braun and driven by Luke McCarthy. She won by 2.2m pacing the 2,138m mobile in 2:33 even. Her sectionals were – first quarter: 29.8; second quarter: 29.9; third quarter: 27.9; fourth quarter: 26.4.
Crabbe’s other Group (Three) victory came via Shartin in the $30,000 Tasmanian 3yo Oaks on March 19.
“I’m absolutely delighted. I watched it and now I’ve got the race on tape. I’m hoping it will be the second Group win of many more to come. She’s a lovely filly. I broke her in and she qualified first time off the place.
“That was just her ninth start. Dean told me she should have won the (Listed) Oaks on the same track seven days earlier, but was desperately unlucky when running second. I wasn’t surprised she won,” Crabbe said.
“She’s like her mother – has speed to burn,” Crabbe said.
Crabbe was offered Bagdarin as a 2-year-old in 2009 when he was working for Nevele R Stud. He said a trainer down south couldn’t get her to go but he decided to persevere with her.
“She won her qualifying trial at Chertsey first-up going almost six seconds under time. She only had three starts winning at Ashburton on debut.
“She had considerable speed and I was quite excited about her until the vet showed me all the arthritis in her knee. I was devastated because she could pace come nice sectionals,” Crabbe said.
Bagdarin’s first foal “wasn’t right in the head”, but Shartin certainly made up for that 2012 Changeover colt.
“I never raced him, he was a bit looney, but I’ve got Shartin’s full weanling brother in the paddock. He will go to next year’s yearling sales.
“If he was a Bettor’s Delight I’d be real excited but I’m more than happy with Tintin In America. He’s a much underrated stallion who has got some nice ones running around, especially in Australia,” Crabbe said.
The Canterbury breeder said he had purposely kept Bagdarin empty this year and will most likely have her served next season by Always B Miki.
Shartin has now won six of her nine starts and placed in one other for $84,813 in stakes. Her quickest mile is 1:52.5.
“I think she will make her presence felt in the other Group races this season. She is really starting to come into her own,” Crabbe said.
Crabbe has bred some nice horses over the years including Holmes Tonight (Holmes Hanover – Lustre Girl) who ran second in his only New Zealand start before stringing eight together wins together in Australia in the early 1990s.
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