Three Bridges looking to build on record success
Above: Image courtesy of Three Bridges Thoroughbreds
The Liston family’s Three Bridges Thoroughbreds operation has hit a new high already this year and with careful planning and expert assistance is looking to build on its success with astute mating plans in 2020 for its broodmare band.
Three Bridges has settled on an impressive selection of proven stallions with a sprinkling of exciting freshman sires in the mix to ensure a strong future supply of top-quality athletic racehorses.
The Victorian nursery has also comfortably moved with the times and was buoyed by a bumper result this month when it sold the top colt in the Great Southern Sale, which formed part of the Inglis Digital August (Early) Online Auction.
Three Bridges offered the son of Exceed And Excel and Vicennalia (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}), who realised an online weanling record of $170,000 when he was knocked down to Arlington Park Racing’s Brett Bradley.
“If you want anything in the world you can buy it online, so why should horses be any different. But it’s not a new concept for Three Bridges, I would say we’ve sold $3 million through Inglis’ online platform, going back to Bloodstock.com.au classified days,’’ Three Bridges’ General Manager Toby Liston said.
Above: Exceed And Excel x Vicennalia (colt)
Vicennalia is currently in foal to Dundeel (NZ) and has been booked for a return visit to the Arrowfield Stud stallion by the Three Bridges mating team.
“We are always trying to produce the best racehorses long-term and what sells the best for the benefit of the business.
“We are always trying to produce the best racehorses long-term and what sells the best for the benefit of the business.” – Toby Liston
“We look for trends and we’ve got a great team on the ground. They have different opinions and views and we all work in together to produce the best bloodstock we can.”
As with all major farms, upgrading the broodmare band is an ongoing exercise.
“Quality lasts and top mares are our targets. We have a fantastic group of loyal clients and we’re always trying to improve, if you’re not upgrading you can quickly get left behind,” Liston said.
Another major result for Three Bridges this year was the sale of an I Am Invincible colt at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $700,000 to the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Above: I Am Invincible x Solar Moon (GB) (colt)
“We’ve got a full brother this year and the mare is going back to I Am Invincible again,” Liston said.
The mare in question is Solar Moon (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who was a dual winner in France and is a half-sister to the two-time Group 3 winner and multiple Group 1 winner Dee Ex Bee (GB) (Farhh {GB}). They are out of a sister to the four-time top-flight winner and sire Dubai Millennium (GB).
“It’s great to get up in the morning because those types of mares can change your life. They are the ones you really want to be involved in,” Liston said.
“It’s great to get up in the morning because those types of mares can change your life. They are the ones you really want to be involved in.” – Toby Liston
A recent addition to the Three Bridges broodmare line-up is Viviette (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), sourced at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale for $150,000.
She is out of a half-sister to the Group 1 winner and sire Cape Cross (Ire) and the family of another successful sire in Iffraaj (GB).
“She’s a young mare with an international pedigree and she’s foaled a colt to Trapeze Artist. Last year we didn’t send a mare to Trapeze Artist and we’ve bought three mares in foal to him,” Liston said.
“Just because we didn’t send mares in the first season, there are always good opportunities to go into the market and buy.
“Viviette is going to Deep Field and that’s a good mating. We’ve never bred to Deep Field, but he’s proven now and going extremely well.”
Hailing Microphone
Three Bridges has also increased its future options with a lifetime breeding right in new Darley stallion Microphone.
“We bought a lifetime breeding right in him and he was a champion 2-year-old colt and we wouldn’t normally be able to afford to get in partnership with those sorts of horses, but this is a relationship that started with Impending and a lifetime breeding right,” Liston said.
“We will look to do that in the future, possibly with Bivouac next year. It gives us a position in the stallion and hopefully they hit it off and you don’t have to pay service fees in the future. It’s something we’re keen on and a good way to reduce service fees long-term.”
Three Bridges will rely heavily on proven, commercial stallions this year, but is also supporting younger blood.
“We’re trying to get a balance and read what we think will be popular. We don’t normally take punts, but we did with Toronado for example and he’s very popular so it looks like we got that one right,” Liston said.
“The positive is that the Victorian market remains strong and we’ve got clients going to Omaha Beach at Spendthrift and Yulong is investing, which is fantastic and then there’s obviously Darley as well. We’re sending several high-quality mares to Blue Point.
“I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I would rather keep everything in Victoria if possible, but the majority of the proven stallions are in the Hunter Valley, so we have to go there.
“I would rather send the dry mares and leave the foals at home, it doesn’t always work that way but it would in the ideal world.”
Wide stallion range
Three Bridges will also be sending mares to New South Wales to be covered by Exceed And Excel, Pierro, All Too Hard, Pride Of Dubai, Epaulette, Shalaa (Ire), Hellbent and Exceedance.
In Victoria, Toronado (Ire), Highland Reel (Ire), Puissance De Lune (Ire), Street Boss (USA), Brazen Beau, Impending, Ringerdingding, Alabama Express, and Grunt (NZ) will be among those utilised.
Liston said the robust breeding and racing industries in Australia boded well for the future, even in uncertain world-wide times.
“The whole economy is really positive and it’s amazing how strong our industry is. We’re in a very lucky position as breeders that we can still conduct business and prizemoney has allowed the industry to keep going in tough times.
“There’s a lot of foreign investment in Australia and we have a world class product and clearly people want to be involved.
“We are always trying to get better with everything we do and the results are coming through. We are a family operation. We have to be sharp and do things to the best of our ability and we’re all very passionate here about doing that.”
Article courtesy of Paul Vettise TDN
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