El Vencedor’s golden run of form has been recognised on the world stage, with the Stephen Marsh-trained gelding rated the 10th joint best galloper in the world in the latest LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
The son of Shocking has been a dominant force in New Zealand, winning his last four races, including the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m), Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) and Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m).
His performances haven’t gone unnoticed by the international racing fraternity, with the six-year-old earning an invite from the Hong Kong Jockey Club to contest next month’s Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin.
Owner-breeders Mark Freeman and David Price have been overawed by the sequence of events over the past month and are honoured to see their horse recognised amongst the world’s best.
“We seem to be continually living in a state of disbelief with what is all going on around us at the moment,” Freeman said. “It is a massive thrill to see him recognised like that.”
“It is pretty amazing,” Price echoed. “When you look who is at the top – number one (Forever Young) just won the Saudi Cup (US$20 million, 1800m), Romantic Warrior is two, and our very own Ka Ying Rising is a super horse up in Hong Kong winning all the sprints and is pretty untouchable. It’s very humbling to see that.”
Freeman and Price are looking forward to heading up to Hong Kong next month to watch their pride and joy take on the world’s best at Sha Tin, where he will try and emulate the success of four of his siblings, including Hong Kong Derby (2000m) hero Sky Darci.
“He is a once in a lifetime horse, so we might as well make it a once in a lifetime experience if we can,” Freeman said. “Hong Kong just does that for us, it’s a massive thrill to be able to go up there.
“It will be great if we can get another win up there. We are under no illusions at all to the challenge that he will face, but we are hoping he goes up there and runs a good race.”
Price said heading to Hong Kong with El Vencedor is poignant, with the gelding initially set to join his siblings there a few years ago after being identified as a younger horse, but those plans were curtailed after he failed a veterinary examination.
“The horse has won $1.26 million between two of us in four weeks, and the irony is we would have sold him for $1 million (to Hong Kong) right at the very start but he failed the vet,” he said.
“There have been a few half-brothers who have been up there and won before, so the mare has been a prolific producer. She has had eight to the races and seven of them have won.”
One of those winners that didn’t compete in Hong Kong was Chocante, who won five races, including the Gr.2 Brisbane Cup (2200m) and Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m), and placed in the Gr.1 Metropolitan (2400m).
While they enjoyed the success of their past winners, Price said nothing compares to the current journey they are on with El Vencedor.
“We had an amazing time with Chocante, going over to Australia twice and winning the Brisbane Cup, placing in the Metropolitan, and running third to Winx (in the Gr.2 Chelmsford Stakes, 1600m). He gave us an absolutely amazing ride, but the one currently is pretty hard to grapple with. It is ethereal.”
Price and Freeman will be joined in Hong Kong by Highden Park’s Sam and Libby Bleakley, who oversee all of Price and Freeman’s bloodstock.
“Sam and Libby are heading up and it will be great to have them there because they are very much part of our breeding journey,” Freeman said.
The pair have enjoyed plenty of success together over the last decade and believe their success can be emulated by anyone with a broodmare and a dream.
“Mark and I have had the family for a long time. You would have to say we have had good success,” Price said.
“It just highlights that there are no certainties. When people ask us what the formula is, for us it has been simple – some science, some red wine, and some bloody good luck.
“I think we would have paid $6,000 for our service to Shocking (with the mating resulting in El Vencedor). It’s very reachable for anyone.”
The pair, who began their breeding journey with foundation broodmare Take Silk, are now onto breeding from the third generation of the family.
“The next generation is about to begin because El Vencedor has got a full-sister (Milagro), who was a miracle baby,” Price said.
“She went to Stephen (Marsh) to go into work last year and she was a bit sore and cranky and Stephen wasn’t happy so he go the vet in who scanned her, and she was fine. He worked her a few more days and the same thing happened. The vet said if she breaks down, she might not be able to carry a foal, so for us it was a no-brainer.
“We sent her straight to (Cambridge Stud stallion) Hello Youmzain and she is due in September. She was only three, but Libby (Bleakley) said nature will tell you whether she is ready, and she was clearly ready.”
While they are looking forward to the future with their breed, Price and Freeman’s attention is currently on their star gelding El Vencedor and his looming Hong Kong venture.
“It will be a trip of a lifetime,” Price said. “Win, lose or draw, it is going to be an amazing experience for us.”
