Filly’s win caps big week for Stewarts
Karen and Wayne Stewart
By Jonny Turner
A big week for the Stewart family got even bigger with the win of Elsie May at Wingatui on Friday.
The three-year-old got her career off to a perfect start with a professional debut win over 820m for owners Wayne and Karen Stewart and Jack and Emma Stewart.
Just five days prior to the win, Jack and Emma welcomed their son Angus Wayne Stewart into the world.
Elsie May’s victory was a cherry on top of a great week for the Stewart family.
“The baby was born on the Sunday and then the horse won on the Friday, so it was a great week all round,” Wayne Stewart said.
Elsie May was purchased by the Stewart family through the recent Valachi Downs Dispersal Sale.
Though they didn’t plan to come home with a filly, they are more than happy with their purchase.
“Jack flew up there and inspected them all and he picked her out, I must have taught him well,” Wayne quipped.
“We were planning on getting a broodmare and we missed out on a few of them.”
“She was a trial winner and we were expecting her to go for a lot more.”
“She is a well bred filly, she goes back to Harp who was a nice horse.”
“Paris Hilton her second dam did a nice job, so she is well enough bred.”
“We did a lot of homework on her, we talked to Bridget Grylls who rode her in her trial win and she said she was a nice filly.”
“We have liked her from the moment we have got her home, she has got a great attitude.”
“Hopefully she can go on with it now.”
The Stewart family’s new son and grandson and their new racehorse have come along just as the excitement of more new arrivals is upon White Robe Lodge.
The stud has welcomed three spring foals so far, including one by Ancient Spirit.
With the colt out of the Smart Missile mare Nasheeta an outstanding type, the stallion is off to a great start.
“I don’t like to say too much until a stallion has a few more foals on the ground.”
“Usually they do the talking for themselves.”
“But he has left a really nice colt with everything in the right places, so we are off to a good start.”
While Ancient Spirit has welcomed his first foal and is gearing up for his second season at stud, Ghibellines has been doing what Ghibellines does.
And that is leaving winner after winner.
The WRL sire produced Anahera (Ghibellines-Ceebeel-Savabeel) to win a Pearl Series Event for trainer Emma Wyatt.
Just a matter of days earlier, Ghibellines’ impressive son Redmond (Ghibellines-Ruby Red-Dehere) scored an smart win at Riccarton.
The galloper showed he is in for a big spring when he beat a handy field of three-year-olds fresh up over 1000m.
With his star sons Markus Aurelius and Smokin Romans both producing nice recent runs as they build up towards bigger targets, Ghibellines has also shown he will be in for an outstanding spring himself.