Derby Win Sentimental for Chatswood
- Saturday, 02 November 2013 05:49
Chatswood Stud principal Greg Willis experienced conflicting emotions over the win of Polanski in today's Group 1 Victoria Derby.
On the one hand, he sold Polanski for a bargain $4,000 at the Autumn Yearling Sale to the bid of winning trainer Robbie Laing. And his sire, the brilliant but erratic Rakti died prematurely three years ago while standing at Chatswood Stud.
Polanski
But sweeter memories attach to the fact that Polanski carries the AW brand of Greg's late father Alan who founded Chatswood 40 years ago. And while his sire is dead, Polanski's dam Citrium is still going strongly and has two fillies related to the Group 1 winner plus being in foal to Chatswood's new sire Reward For Effort.
"It's also a great advertisement for the stud", Willis observed.
"We could have a great week with Hawkspur (by Chatswood sire Purrealist) running in the Cup on Tuesday."
Willis was hard at work at the stud while Polanski was carrying the flag this afternoon at Flemington.
"I would have loved to be there", Willis said "but I literally had a mare foal five minutes before the race."
"I ran inside to watch it on TV and now there's blood all over the remote."
Citrium and Purrealist foal
A stud that has a policy of selling everything, Chatswood is lucky to have a two year old filly by Amadeus Wolf out of Citrium which is currently available for sale.
"She had an abscess when the sale was on and there was no point putting her through the ring", Willis said.
The mare also has a Purrealist filly foal at foot.
"I've got people coming to look at them this week", Willis said.
Its a fair bet that Willis will be expecting more than $4,000 for Citrium's daughters.
Photos: Chatswood Stud, Fiona Tomlin
