Time has been called on the racing career of Group One winner Lickety Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) following her last placed run in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings last Saturday.
The Andrew Forsman-trained mare has been a flagbearer for her sire Turn Me Loose, scoring his first Group One victory as a sire when winning the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at just her second start as a juvenile.
She went on to win the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) before heading across the Tasman, where she raced as She’s Licketysplit, and won the Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) and placed in the Gr.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and Gr.2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m).
She had four subsequent unplaced runs before her connections elected it was time to send her to the breeding barn.
Bred by Dean Hawkins and Nick Hewson, Lickety Split was raced by the pair alongside their wives and a group of close friends.
She was a passion project for Hawkins and Hewson, who have been friends from a young age.
“Dean and I used to work at Windsor Park together when we were teenagers and we were always planning on having a mare together,” Hewson said.
“We bred the mare (She’s Slinky) to Turn Me Loose (and got Lickety Split).
“She won a Group One as a two-year-old and it was pretty special winning the Edward Manifold and placing in a Group One in Melbourne in the spring.
“Following Saturday, we decided as a group that she has nothing left to prove and it is that prime time to breed.
“She’s been a massive thrill and we have raced her with some really good people, it has been a fun syndicate, and Andrew and his team have done a wonderful job with her.”
Lickety Split will now travel across the Tasman where she will be served by nine-time Group One winner Anamoe at Darley.
“The group that have raced her all want to breed so she is going to fly to Australia and be bred to Anamoe,” Hewson said.
While Lickety Split’s racing days are over, Hawkins and Hewson have a number of her siblings to look forward to, including her half-sister Full Tilt (NZ) (Charm Spirit), who has gone for a spell following her unplaced run in last Saturday’s Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).
“Full Tilt has got ability too,” Hewson said. “She is just going through some growing stages at the moment, so we have just tipped her out and will bring her back.
“We have got a lovely Circus Maximus colt who is going to the Karaka yearling sales and she is about to foal to Turn Me Loose.”
