THE CORNER WITH GARRY CHITTICK

Clearly the Corner this week must acknowledge the success and career of Patrick Hogan. I
will not delve into the results of Cambridge Stud under Patrick’s ownership, they have been
covered in the past week, however one must recognise the amazing achievements of Sir
Tristram.

I was seeking a sire prospect at the same time Patrick went to Europe and returned empty
handed, not an uncommon result in a competitive market. Forli was all the rage at the time,
I know from my discussions with Patrick he certainly would have been happy to return with
a sire from that line. Sir Tristram was quoted and Patrick for reasons best known to himself
secured him for a modest price. Sir Ivor, his sire was a magnificent racehorse and individual,
on a trip including Joe Walls, David Benjiman, Patrick and myself looking for sire prospects
we requested a viewing of the then retired Sir Ivor, he was probably everything Sir Tristram
wasn’t. An outstanding racehorse, looker, and a modest sire. Very few horses measure up to
Sir Tristram’s record, remarkably Sir Ivor would be very proud of his son who achieved more
than he or any other of his sire sons.

I knew very little in 1975, and probably no more now, but I was encouraged to purchase
Super Gray, a son of Nijinsky out of a half-sister to Secretariat, Te Parae secured Imperial
March a Group-winning son of Forli, a full book in those days was 60 mares. I read where Sir
Tristram sired 37 foals in his first crop, our book of 60 was clearly more but as we now know
Sir Tristram didn’t need a number to make an impression.

There is an encouraging moral to this story, it shows then as now you should give a young
person a go, encourage them to find a horse and have a go. Many years ago the late Peter
Kelly called, he had recently been appointed Robert Sangster’s Southern Hemisphere
Bloodstock advisor. His encouraging news was that the future of modest enterprises such as
ours would find it difficult to compete with the quality of sire prospects the Sangster
machine was sending to the Southern Hemisphere. Patrick did form a relationship, but his
success was driven by the standing of Sir Tristram and Zabeel. Mare owners really have little
idea how difficult it is to secure and support a new prospect. The trip referred to earlier
started in Los Angeles, then to Kentucky, Saratoga, Ireland , Goodwood and finally
Newmarket. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, it was incredibly tiring, horse after horse, and
came home empty handed. However, Patrick was a great travelling companion, generous
and energetic, apart from that trip we did South Africa twice; Australia, too many visits to
count.

He may have gone sooner than he planned but he packed more into those years than most.
To those of the younger brigade the Hogan story will happen again but only if like him you
give it a go.

It will, in time, be interesting to see if he can encourage God to allow racing on Saturdays,
there are plenty of his faith already in residence, regretfully I doubt I will receive an
invitation. Perhaps I should have followed his example, with God in his team we had a lot of
lengths to make up.

Cheers
from Waikato