Willie Browne’s Unbeaten Port Augusta Sold For “Proper Money” To Hong Kong

Willie Browne's unbeaten Port Augusta (GB), who racked up wins over six and seven furlongs at Dundalk over the winter, has been sold for “proper money” to Hong Kong.

The legendary breeze-up handler has described his recent upsurge of form on the track as “a breath of fresh air” and, while the 77-year-old admitted to being sorry he couldn't hold on to a horse as talented as Port Augusta, he revealed the son of Zoustar (Aus) fulfilled what he was bought to do by getting sold. 

A 75,000gns Book 1 yearling, Port Augusta missed his engagement in last year's Craven Breeze-Up Sale back at Tattersalls after pulling out of the pre-breeze with a small splint. 

After being given the necessary time to recuperate, the colt went some way to proving his ability by landing back-to-back races at Dundalk, providing Browne with plenty of enjoyment in doing so. 

He explained, “I would think he will suit Hong Kong very well. He is a very sound horse and rattles off quick ground. He has a lot of pace and he stays. We haven't seen the best of this horse, not by a long way. I feel we have only been scratching the surface with him over six and seven furlongs at Dundalk and, if he got a fast pace to aim at over a mile, he could be a serious horse. He's out of a very good race mare [Ship Of Dreams (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire})] and he's very good-looking himself. 

“I thought I might be able to hold on to him and take him to Dubai but he wasn't bought for that and came to me to get sold rather than to race. I got my days in the sun with him and it's good money to get. Proper money.”

Browne added, “He went to the Craven and did the preliminary canter but was slightly lame that evening. We couldn't figure it out. We thought he had given himself a little twist or something. On the morning of the breeze proper, he was still a little off and we discovered that he had a tiny splint halfway down the inside of his shin. We had to withdraw him and give him time. It's probably been a blessing in disguise for this horse.”

Browne may be best known for his breeze-up exploits but his Tipperary stable has been represented by some classy performers in recent times. Spirit Gal (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), winner of the Listed Star Appeal S. at Dundalk, famously took Browne to the Breeders' Cup in 2022 before transferring to Andre Fabre. In the past three seasons, Browne has sent out a hugely respectable tally of 15 winners domestically. 

“To say I am enjoying it would be putting it mildly now,” the veteran operator chuckled. “It's been a breath of fresh air. We've been terribly lucky to get a half dozen nice horses at the same time over the winter. Sure I didn't know myself. They've all done their job and the next trick is to try and replace a few of them, which isn't easy.”

Asked if would consider buying a few more yearlings specifically to race rather than to breeze, given how much he has enjoyed his trips to the races in recent times, Browne replied, “I'd say not, to be honest, and there's two reasons why. Number one, I am too old to start doing that and number two, it's very hard to separate the two in terms of deciding that this yearling is for racing and this one isn't. You would only complicate the thing too much and then you would become known as a trainer. It could affect the main business, which is the breeze-ups.

“No is the short answer. I wouldn't buy specifically to go down the road of racing but what I would love is for somebody else to send me a horse. But I'm not stupid enough to think that, at 77 years of age, there'll be a queue of people wanting to send me a horse. For me to go buying yearlings and start putting them into different boxes wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be good for business.”

At 77 years of age, Browne has made it clear that he is not going to go reinventing himself or anything crazy like that. But one thing's for sure, the man who has blooded many top-notchers under the banner of Mocklershill still gets as big a kick out of the game as ever before. 

He concluded, “It's not that easy to explain what the kick of training winners is because it's very different to breezing horses. Once you breeze them, okay you follow them for their new connections, but your input is finished. When you're training them and get them ready for a race and go out the next morning and look at them in the box and admire them, it's a great feeling. There's huge job satisfaction when you can prepare your horse to go and win a few nice races. That's my idea of heaven.”

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Lezoo Notches Landmark Score For Zoustar At Ascot

Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen's 2-year-old filly Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), making a swift return after running second in Newmarket's July 8 G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. last time, notched a landmark score in Saturday's G3 Princess Margaret Keeneland S. at Ascot to become her sire's first Northern Hemisphere pattern-race winner in the six-furlong dash. She had previously posted victories in a June 11 novices' heat over five furlongs at Bath and when upped to six furlongs for Newmarket's June 25 Listed Empress Fillies' S. in her penultimate start. Positioned off the early tempo after a slightly awkward exit from the stands' side stall, the 6-5 favourite made smooth headway from halfway to launch her challenge at the quarter-mile marker and kept on strongly once hitting the front soon after to withstand the late rattle of the hitherto undefeated Kinta (Ire) (Sioux Nation) by a length.

“She's a tough girl, four runs in five weeks, and I wish they were all like her,” commented trainer Ralph Beckett. “She has just thrived on her racing, it is great to get it done and now we will think about the [G1] Cheveley Park. I really didn't intend to run her here after Newmarket, I thought we would go to the [G2] Lowther as I felt York would really suit her as a racecourse, as a track as well. Andrew Rosen, her part-owner, has had horses in England for 15 years and he has never seen one of them win. He's here today, so it is a good day for all concerned. We will go to the Lowther next, probably. We will keep running her and, if she keeps going like this, we will keep running her and won't stand in her way. When the ball is at your feet, it is a good idea to kick it.”

Pedigree Notes

Lezoo, already the first Northern Hemisphere-bred stakes winner for her reverse shuttle sire, is now the first at group level, as well. Zoustar began shuttling to Tweenhills Stud in 2019. He is the sire of 30 black-type winners–22 group–after Lezou's victory, and already owns Champion First-Season, Second-Season, and Third-Season sire titles from his Widden Stud base in New South Wales. His best progeny include Group 1 winners Sunlight (Aus), Zoutori (Aus), and Mizzy (Aus), while his dual Group 2-winning son and young sire Lean Mean Machine (Aus) was also third in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. to Sunlight and G2 Champagne Classic hero Zousain (Aus), also a sire.

The sixth foal from her G3 Firth Of Clyde S.-winning dam, Lezoo is bred on a similar cross to Zoustar's G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Brereton (Aus), who is out of a Red Ransom mare. Roger Sez (Ire) is by Red Clubs (Ire), who scored his greatest victory in the G1 Betfred Sprint Cup in 2007, and is a son of Red Ransom. Her latest foal is a yearling filly by Territories (Ire).

Affair Of State (Ire) (Tate Gallery), the third dam of Lezoo, won at the listed level, and is also the dam of stakes winner Bibury Flyer (GB) (Zafonic), as well as the group-placed Hello Glory (GB) (Zamindar) and the stakes-placed Statesman (GB) (Doyoun {Ire}). Another of her daughters, the winning Star Now (GB) (Librettist), is the dam of G3 Polar Cup victor Tinnitus (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}).

Saturday, Ascot, Britain
PRINCESS MARGARET KEENELAND S.-G3, £60,000, Ascot, 7-23, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:14.07, g/f.
1–LEZOO (GB), 128, f, 2, by Zoustar (Aus)
1st Dam: Roger Sez (Ire) (GSW-Eng, $125,831), by Red Clubs (Ire)
2nd Dam: Stately Princess (GB), by Robellino
3rd Dam: Affair of State (Ire), by Tate Gallery
1ST GROUP WIN. (77,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; €110,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Marc Chan & Andrew Rosen; B-Chasemore Farm (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $102,086. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Kinta (Ire), 128, f, 2, Sioux Nation–Qamarain, by Hard Spun. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€16,000 Ylg '21 GOAUTY; £115,500 2yo '22 TATBRG). O-Mr & Mrs R. Scott; B-David Halley (IRE); T-George Boughey. £12,900.
3–Breege (GB), 128, f, 2, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Wowcha (Ire), by Zoffany (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Chasemore Farm (GB); T-John Quinn. £6,456.
Margins: 1, 2HF, NK. Odds: 1.20, 7.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Minnetonka (Ire), Cuban Mistress (GB), Glenlaurel (Ire), Royal Charter (GB), Palm Lily (Ire), Omniqueen (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Just Janet a Northern Hemisphere First For Zoustar at Wetherby

Tweenhills Stud resident Zoustar (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) registered his first Northern Hemisphere winner when David O'Meara trainee Just Janet (GB) made all to prevail in Tuesday's Coopers Marquees British EBF Restricted Maiden S. over 5 1/2 furlongs at Wetherby.

More to follow…

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Tweenhills Hosts Open House And Announces Cheltenham Festival Open House

Stallion and foal parades for breeders were held at Tweenhills Farm and Stud on Monday. All four stallions-Zoustar (Aus), Lightning Spear (GB), Havana Gold (Ire), and Kameko-were on display, while the latter's first foals put on show. Tweenhills will also open its gates to breeders prior to racing during the Cheltenham Festival from Mar. 14-18. A stallion parade will take place daily beginning at 9 a.m., which will be followed by a procession of foals by G1 2000 Guineas hero Kameko. If interested in attending, please reach out to Alice Thurtle or by phone at +44 (0)1452 700177.

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