News

Monton back into the winner's circle

5th Dec 2011

Breednet - Mark Smith - Saturday, 3 December 2011

Back in February 2010 Monton looked to be among the best three-year olds in the nation after claiming the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes with the likes of Shoot Out, Manhattan Rain, Captain Sonadaor, Kidnapped and Gathering among the beaten division.

But his only win in 11 subsequent starts came in a non stakes race over 1100 metres at Rosehill later that year, albeit at the expense of subsequent Group 1 winner Atomic Force.

Trainer Tim Martin took the glorious looking son of Catbird to New Zealand for two Group 1 races where he failed to land a blow and it was much the same in two starts in Sydney during the autumn.

When Monton made his reappearance in the spring it was under the care of Ron Quinton. He ran a pleasing third behind Decision Time and Winter King in the Concorde Stakes (G3) but it was back to the drawing board when he beat just one of the nine runners home in The Shorts (G3) won by Love Conquers All.

Given three weeks off Monton ran fifth in a 1350m handicap at Rosehill Gardens which proved a fine tune-up for Saturday's Listed Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens.

In the saddle was Quinton's apprentice Sam Clipperton who earned his first stakes on the 5yo gelding after veteran rider Chris O'Brien became indisposed on race morning.

"Deep down I really wasn’t that happy about him riding him because there was a lot of pressure on him,” Quinton said.

"It was not an easy job for the lad, he’s not an easy horse to ride. One alley helped him, but he did a good job.”

"I must pay a compliment to Steven Jefferies who rides him in his trackwork, he’s done a marvellous job with him and turned him around. We’ll go to Warwick Farm now and have a go at the (Group 2) Villiers.”

Bred by Reg Kemister, Monton was consigned by Brooklyn Lodge to the second session of 2008 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling sale where he was knocked down to David Lamond for $80,000.

He is the first live foal of the Marauding mare Dynamic Flyer.

In the same year her son went through the sales ring as a yearling, Dynamic Flyer was in the same arena in the Easter Broodmare sale.

Monton was her only foal in six seasons at stud and Dynamic Flyer was knocked down for just $2,500. The Sydney winning mare is out of the VATC One Thousand Guineas (G1) heroine Bianco Flyer (Godswalk) herself a daughter of the Perth Cup (G1) heroine Bianco Lady (Rangong).

So Dynamic Flyer had the bloodlines to prove a bargain buy if her new owners could get her in foal and in 2009 she produced a colt by Ustinov. The following year she dropped a filly foal by Snitzel before being covered by High Chaparral (Ire) last December.

Golden Slipper hero Catbird died at Yarraman Park in 2007 after just seven seasons at stud. He sired 22 stakes winners including three Group 1 winners.

That soon became 23 stakes-winners when Patinack Farm's Wonderful Lass captured the Listed Qld Tatt’s RC Recognition Stakes (1600m).

A $25,000 purchase from the Edinglassie Stud draft at the 2009 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling sale, Wonderful Lass is the fifth and final foal of the stakes-placed Snippets mare Convent Girl a half-sister to the dam of Patinack's stallion Wonderful World (Agnes World) the hero of the 2006 Caulfield Guineas (G1).