By Duane Ranger
The multiple Group and Listed winning pacer, Cyclone Kate, has been retired.
The rising 6-year-old Mach Three – Eyre To The Throne mare returns from Australia on Wednesday (July 12) in readiness for a broodmare career. She will be put to Art Major.
Co-owner/breeder and former international cricketer Kyle Mills, who played 231 times for his country (19 tests, 170 one-dayers, and 42 T20s), believed he was “lucky” to have been associated with the ‘super mare’.
“She has given us a great ride from when she first raced as an early 2-year-old (January 24, 2014) to her last win at Menangle last week,” Mills said.
“We can’t wait to see her foals on the ground,” he added.
Former trainer and fellow co-owner/breeder, Gareth Dixon, said Cyclone Kate had her last race in in a $22,000 Free-For-All at Tabcorp Park Menangle on July 1.
The brown mare was trained in Australia by John McCarthy and his son Todd did the driving in her last race.
“It’s a great way for her to bow out. The owners wanted to retire her a winner and that’s exactly what she did. She paced the mile in 1:53.1, but has recorded a 1:50.3 mile (Sibelia Stakes – February 2011),” Dixon said.
Cyclone Kate won her swansong event by three metres and was the hot $1.50 favourite.
Dixon co-owns and co-bred Cyclone Kate with Mills – his brother Heath, who is the New Zealand Cricket’s Players rep, former All Black Ant Strachan (11 matches), and Mark Lyon.
The quintet own her dam – Eyre To The Throne (Presidential Ball – Erin Brockovich), who won three of her five starts before being retired in 2009 – the same year she was served by Mach Three.
Cyclone Kate (by Mach Three) is the second of six foals left by the mare. Her first foal, Cyclone Prince (by Mach Three) won four races and $131,057, including the 2013 Group One Cardigan Bay/Young Guns 2yo Final.
Dixon said the Eyre To The Throne was this season served by Bettor’s Delight.
“She’s been very good to us. Not many horses have won 21 races and won and placed in many Group and Listed races. I’m looking forward to either training or selling her progeny,” said Dixon.
Cyclone Kate raced 29 times in New Zealand for seven wins and 11 placings. She won $107,302 in stakes here and her best performance was runner-up to Democrat party in the 2014 Group Two Delightful Lady Classic.
She was exported on December 1, 2015 and has raced 34 times for another 14 wins, and seven placings. Her career earnings have now peaked at A$341,723.
Cyclone Kate’s best winning performances across the Tasman were in the:
2017 Group Two $52,000 Sibelia Stakes; the 2016 Group Three $32,000 Teeny teeny Stakes; the 2016 Group Three $32,000 Breeders Crown Graduate; 2016 Group Three $32,000 Adore Me Stakes; the 2016 Group Three Frith Stakes; the 2016 Group Two $50,000 Carnival Stakes; and the 2016 Listed $26,000 Golden Guitar Final.
She also placed in numerous other Group and Listed events including the 2014 Group One $300,000 Breeders Crown 2yo Final at Melton’s Tabcorp Park.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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