Bonny Gr.1 No Excuse Needed Racemare I Do Retired to Stud

8 December 2014

After a record breaking ride, the decision has been made to retire bonny Gr.1 No Excuse Needed mare I Do from the racetrack.

The decision comes after a mighty season that included Gr.1 success in the Makfi Challenge Stakes, a superbly fitting win in the Gr.3 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate and with the crowning distinction of becoming the winningest horse ever bred and raced by Waikato Stud.

“We’re all extremely proud of her achievements,” said co-owner Mark Chittick.

“Lady Aloof was the stud’s all-time benchmark horse in terms of the most wins and it’s taken 25 years to better her achievements.

“It’s been an extremely fun and enjoyable few years with co-breeder, co-owner and trainer Allan Sharrock.

“It all started thanks to Ross and Shirley

Hayward loaning Allan and I their O’Reilly mare Freequence. She successfully conceived to No Excuse Needed and now some 8 years and 15 wins later, I Do is ready for her next chapter, retiring to stud in-foal to

Savabeel.”

As one of the most genuine horses in the country, I Do will be sure to leave a gap in Sharrock’s stable.

“She will be missed but all good things come to an end. She was an honest, honest mare who always tried to please and was

extremely low maintenance. We worked it out and in her 38 starts, she finished in the top four placings on 31 of these occasions,” said Sharrock.

“She did a good job for us, ol’ Twiggy, and she deserves to now go get a fat gut and become a Mum.

“She just ran out of petrol when 5th on Saturday and she means too much to us to continue to race her like that. 15 months of work takes its toll and she has nothing left to prove.”

All up, I Do’s career netted $544,475 by way of 15 wins and 13 placings from 38 outings. Of these 15 wins, 6 came at black-type level at distances from 1200m-1400m.

“I have to say it’s been a masterful training effort to keep her up so long and to see her to achieve what she has,” said Mark of Sharrock’s conditioning.

Of highlights, Chittick and Sharrock both agree on I Do’s deserved Gr.1 breakthrough and Gr.3 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate win.

“Obviously the Gr.1 win was special, but in my heart of hearts, I think her win in the Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate was a hell of a performance. There was a lot of sentiment that day and to win as she did, was pretty special,” said Sharrock.

Interestingly, Chittick also rates I Do’s win in May 2013’s Listed Rotorua Stakes amongst his highlights.

“It was a huge win and was her first black-type success. We had a few mates there that day and their boys collected the trophy with my boys George and Harry.”

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