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49.
Century’s Innings
Not Yet Declared
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10/02/2003 |
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With
the prolific Rubiton and Centaine still going strongly at stud it is doubtful if
the influence of their sire Century has ever been stronger. Yet it was Century
himself who took centre stage at the Moonee Valley night meeting on February 6
when his nine-year old son Declare won the $50,000 Moonee Valley Festival Cup.
Declare comes from Century’s final crop of 12 named foals born in 1993.
Century did stand one more season however he was all but infertile and the foal
from the only mare to conceive died. Remarkably four of those twelve foals are
still racing which is an indication of the durability and toughness of the stock
produced by Century.
Way back in 1995 Declare was led from the sales ring at the Inglis Premier
Yearling Sale following his purchase for $35,000. He is the third foal of the
smart racemare Bowled Lillee, a cleverly named daughter of Hartbalm out of
Courtmarsh by Noble Charger, which won 7 races on Melbourne metropolitan tracks.
The eighth foal of Bowled Lillee, a chestnut Lion Cavern (USA) colt, will go
through Tuesday’s session of the 1993 Premier sale.
Unraced at two Declare made a winning debut in a maiden race at Ballan
19-Apr-1997 and was then spelled. He returned with a third in a class 1 at
Bairnsdale then won four of his next six starts culminating in a victory over
1200m at Moonee Valley. Declare made his stakes debut in the Group 3 Honda
Stakes (now known as the D C McKay Stakes) at Morhetville on May 2 1998,
finishing second behind subsequent triple Group 1 winning millionaire Toledo (At
Talaq).
It was to be nearly two years before Declare won his next race, a class 6 at
Mornington, and a further two years to his next win, a 1200m Handicap on the
same track. He subsequently had wins at Ballarat and Mornington but when Declare
lined up for the Moonee Valley Festival Cup he had not won a race in town for
nearly five years.
At nine years of age and having start 45, Declare, with the services of champion
jockey Damien Oliver, fought like a tiger to thwart the challenge of New Trader
to register win number 10 and increase his earnings to over $140,000.
A son of the magnificent stud success Better Boy, Century began his stud career
in 1975. Two of his 7 Group 1 winners, QTC Derby and AJC Sydney Cup winner
Double Century and AJC Oaks and VATC Underwood Stakes winner Valley Of Georgia
came from his first crop. When his next crop produced Golden Slipper Stakes
winner Century Love, Century was not only Australia’s leading stallion with
just two crops racing but was also honoured as champion sire of juveniles.
While he may not have continued on with that phenomenal run Century was rarely
without a top class horse. The champion Rubiton was born in 1983 and his 10 wins
included four Group Ones, MVRC W.S. Cox Plate, VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon S., VATC
Futurity S. and Underwood Stakes.
Two Group 1 winners VATC Caulfield Guineas winner Centro and SAJC Goodwood H.
winner Euclase came from the 1987 crop while SAJC Australasian Oaks (G1) winner
Centauria was born in 1981.
The influence Century still wields on the breeding scene was clraly shown in the
two Group 1 raced in Melbourne on the weekend. The C.F Orr Stakes runner-up
Fields Of Omagh and third placed Innovation Girl are both by Rubiton while the
fifth placegetter, former Dubai racing Club Cup (G1) winner Pernod is by
Centaine.
The race before the Orr Stakes, the Listed Hyderbad Plate, was won by Skewiff (Mookta),
which is out of a Century mare.
The Group 1 Lightning Stakes runner-up Spinning Hill (Dolphin Street) is out of
a Century mare while the third placed Azevedo (Helissio) is out of a Centaine
mare, and fourth placed Rubitano is by Rubiton.
While old Declare continues to keep the Century name up in lights his decedents
look assured of playing a major part in Australasia’s best races for many
years to come.
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