Nearly 40 years on from breeding his first Melbourne Cup winner, legendary horse breeder Sir Patrick Hogan will once again hope to taste success in that capacity when quality staying mare Tralee Rose (NZ) (Tavistock) takes her place in Tuesday’s Flemington two-mile feature.
Hogan, who bred the mare with wife Lady Justine, will be cheering on the Symon Wilde-trained five-year-old daughter of Tavistock, who booked her passage care of a strong staying performance to win the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m) just over a fortnight ago.
Tralee Rose was among the final crop of yearlings sold by Sir Patrick through Cambridge Stud at Karaka 2018 before the famed breeding operation transferred to the ownership of Brendan and Jo Lindsay, who have quickly gone about putting their own stamp on the historic property.
For 82-year-old Hogan, who moved to Cambridge Stud in 1976, the Melbourne Cup has long been a race synonymous with his stallions and a race that has huge significance.
Foundation Sire Sir Tristram was already making an impact at stud when the Hogan-bred Gurner’s Lane (NZ) won the Cup in 1982, while Empire Rose (NZ) (1988) and Brew (NZ) (2000) would ensure the great sire made his Cup mark with a trio of winners.
That feat would be matched by Sir Tristram’s equally influential son Zabeel, through Might And Power (NZ) (1997), Jezabeel (NZ) (1998) and Efficient (NZ) (2007).
The lesser regarded Cambridge Stud stallion Rhythm also played his part, siring champion mare Ethereal (NZ) who completed the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double in 2001.
“The type of horses that I had been breeding by Sir Tristram, Zabeel and Rhythm and the types of stallions that I stood certainly leant themselves to middle distance, classic to staying breeds,” Hogan said.
“That’s what I concentrated on. The Melbourne Cup means a huge amount to me. Those stallions have produced seven winners in the past forty-odd years, which is very satisfying.
“It is the race that stops the nation and I had the breeds suited to win a Melbourne Cup.
“I will be watching the race with a huge amount of interest on Tuesday and I’d love to see Tralee Rose win.
“She’s in the race with a chance and there is also another Tavistock in the race (Johnny Get Angry) and I will be watching it closely.”
Hogan vividly remembers the 1982 Cup won by his home-bred Gurner’s Lane, who out-stayed champion Kingston Town (Bletchingly).
“That was in the early days. We had shifted to Cambridge Stud in ’76 and I think Gurner’s Lane might have been from the second crop of Sir Tristram,” Hogan said.
“I remember the race clearly. Kingston Town looked like he was going to win and Gurner’s Lane got up on the inside and came with a great finishing burst and pipped him.”
Hogan said trainer Symon Wilde had done a terrific job with Tralee Rose, who is out of the stakes-placed Zabeel mare Star of Tralee, a half-sister to dual Oaks winner Serenade Rose (Stravinsky).
The winner of six of her 15 starts, Tralee Rose didn’t start racing until late in her three-year-old season, with the daughter of Tavistock a $50,000 purchase from Hogan’s final draft when secured by Wilde in conjunction with bloodstock agent Cameron Cooke at Karaka.
“She was pretty light-fleshed as a yearling and the family was well bred but at that point it didn’t have any real pizzaz in terms of fashionable horses that were winning right at that time,” Hogan said.
“She has got a nice barrier draw in 12 on Tuesday, which should suit. It won’t be easy, but it won’t be easy for the other 23 runners either.”
While Star of Tralee is part of the Lindsay-broodmare band at Cambridge Stud these days, Hogan, who still breeds a handful of horses at his Monarch Farm in Cambridge would also welcome a pedigree update for his High Chaparral mare Romantic Vision.
“She’s a half-sister to Tralee Rose and she has gone to Wootton Bassett at Coolmore and she has a US Navy Flag filly going to Karaka next year,” he said.
“She also has a filly foal by Shalaa, so a Melbourne Cup winner in the pedigree would be a nice boost.”
