Add Manhattan Rain to Make Money

Nine years ago, a filly by Charge Forward out of the Marscay mare Our Farm Girl, sold for $25,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.  

Named Courgette, she won two races with a career highlight being a win in a no metropolitan win race at Canterbury in Sydney, before a career at stud beckoned. That's where the secret ingredient on how to make money comes into the equation. 

Just add a little bit of Manhattan Rain.

In her first season at stud Courgette's owner, Gary Bachell, sent her to Encosta De Lago's G1 winning son Manhattan Rain. The result of that mating was She Will Reign, who went on to win the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes and be crowned Australia's Champion 2YO last season. This season she has added the G1 Moir Stakes to her record. Fast forward to the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale last week and Courgette's value as the dam of a dual G1 winner had skyrocketed from that $25,000 to an astonishing $2.1 million.

At the same sale, some buyers were trying to get a head start on the opposition to secure some of that secret ingredient, with four mares in foal to Manhattan Rain selling for up to $150,000. Two of his broodmare daughters also found new homes selling for up to $200,000.

At Moonee Valley on Saturday another of Manhattan Rain's daughters, Jamaican Rain (Picture), tuned up for some loftier targets with an easy win over 1500m, making it two from two this campaign. Her overall record now stands at an impressive five wins and two placings from ten starts. After this latest win her trainer, Richard Laming, hinted that a trip to Queensland was on the cards with a tilt at the G1 Tatts Tiara, to be run over 1350m at Doomben, being a possibility for Jamaican Rain if track conditions suit. "She really likes the wet and I think against that grade on a wet track she's probably got a good chance,'' Laming said.