A Winning Dynasty

The buildings that last are the ones built on the soundest foundations. And, in the case of Haunui Farm, the cornerstone of the foundation was an unplaced Foxbridge mare from Sona with the relatively unimaginative name of Foxona.

The last time Ron Chitty took a head count, 36 of her descendents were stakes winners and another 17 stakes placed. In direct line her two standouts were her daughter Rosehill (by Test Case) and her son Hilldale (by Pride of Kildare).

Hilldale won 15 races in New Zealand and America from 1200m to 2000m. But five-time winner Rosehill was in a league all of her own as a broodmare, being the dam of seven winners from nine starters.

Her son Prince Ruling (by Ruling) was a star of his time in Australia, with multiple Group successes among his 11 wins.

Her NZ Oaks winning daughter Rosie’s Girl (by Zamazaan) was the multiple group performing winner of nine races and top filly on the 1974-75 Three-Year-old Free Handicap.

But daughters of daughters and granddaughters of daughters continue to keep the line alive, and a poignant reminder of all things Haunui Farm came with Lot 414 at the 2013 Premier Session of the National Yearling Sales at Karaka.

It was an imposing daughter of Valpolicella, from Riesling by Last Tycoon, from Dopff by Tights, from On the Rise by Crested Wave, which traces back to where?

On the Rise is a daughter of Lavender Hill from Rosehill from Foxona.

What price for history? $425,000 at Karaka on February 2, 2013 for an eighth generation Haunui Farm product.