A pictorial look at the Famous Family of Black Caviar, Helsinge and All Too Hard

When significant events occur, they give you cause to reflect on events that have occurred in the past, and possibilities and options for the future.  I've been doing a lot of this.  One of the pluses is that it gets me thinking back to past racedays and great horses.  It's a little bit of fun having a look back through the library, particularly when it comes to researching the pictorial history I have on file of certain families in the Australian Studbook.  It's especially enjoyable doing this when a family is doing so well!

This is the family, of course of Helsinge, Black Caviar and All Too Hard.  One can only hope that the dynasty will continue to flourish with two beautifully bred horses to come.  One is the now 2 year old filly Belle Couture (by Redoute's Choice) who sold for a record $2.6m at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in 2012.  The next is Belle Couture's full brother.  He is catalogued to sell at the 2013 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 131.  I've photographed all of these horses.  And I've photographed Helsinge's dam Scandinavia, Black Caviar's sire Bel Esprit, and grandsire Royal Academy.  I've also photographed All Too Hard's sire Casino Prince, and his grandsire (one of my favourite 'Boys') the great Flying Spur.  And his great grandsire, who is none other than the great Danehill himself.  I also photograph Redoute's Choice for Arrowfield Stud (and as a racehorse), so there is a real sense of having a full photographic library of this truly great family.  Alas I didn't ever photograph Helsinge's sire Desert Sun.  But of course I have a significant library on his greatest racing daughter, the mighty champion Sunline.

It is a real pain that my Nikon Scanner is currently refusing to speak to my ailing MacBookPro computer!  It's part compatibility and part computer problem.  Nikon frustratingly have removed support and upgrades for their Nikon Scan software, which ignores the fact that many photographers have a significantly valuable photographic library that still exists on negative. And it's one of life's real cruelties that the image I would really like to use is on the negative sitting in a draw next to my desk!  But my scanner refuses to ever speak to my computer again, and that's a problem, so this little image of a horse winning a race will remain hostage for a little while longer!

But I've been doing (see, I'm fed up with cleaning up in preparation for the house inspection, and that's all of done today) a little bit of pictorial research into the hottest family in the studbook at the moment. And this has been a lot of fun..  Enjoy...

Scandinavia (Snippets - Song of Norway).  Running 2nd to General Nediym in the 1998 Newmarket Handicap.  Ironically Peter Moody and Tony Haydon worked with The General, who defeated Scandinavia, and now train the mare's granddaughter and undefeated world champion Black Caviar.  History has a funny habit of twisting and turning.
Royal Academy (Nijinsky - Crimson Saint).  Grandsire of Black Caviar.  This was the last time I photographed this beautiful and influential stallion, in September 2009, at his home Coolmore Stud.
Royal Academy
Royal Academy
Royal Academy
Bel Esprit (Royal Academy - Bespoken).  Sire of Black Caviar.
Bel Esprit
Bel Esprit
Sunline.  Desert Sun's (broodmare sire of Black Caviar) other very famous daughter.
Unbeaten World Champion sprinter Black Caviar (Bel Esprit - Helsinge).



Black Caviar wins the 2012 CF Orr Stakes.  If you could be bothered to go to the track that day, it was special.  1400m that day.  Amazing performance for her 18th straight victory.
19th victory for Black Caviar. I was amazed that some chose to not come to the track that day.  She won her 2nd successive Lightning Stakes.  It was incredible stuff.
Newmarket Handicap 2011.


TJ Smith Stakes.
A famous little image????  14th victory.

Sweet 16.  The Patinack Classic.
Beach days with the Famous Pony





20 December 2012.  She burst into a run in the twinkling of an eye.  I liked this weekend.  A lot..  Silliness...
Coming back in 2013, and strolling to victory in an unofficial trial at Sandown 22 January 2013.
 

All Too Hard's Great Grandsire, the mighty stallion Danehill.


All Too Hard's champion grandsire and Golden Slipper winner and champion stallion, Flying Spur.  I've photographed 'Spur' on the Arrowfield Roster since 2008.
Flying Spur at stud at Arrowfield in 2011.

Flying Spur at stud at Arrowfield in 2011.

Flying Spur at stud at Arrowfield in 2011.

Flying Spur at stud at Arrowfield in 2011.

Casino Prince winning the Skyline Stakes.
Casino Prince.  Sire of great 3yo colt All Too Hard (Helsinge), Black Caviar's 1/2 brother.

Casino Prince winning the Skyline Stakes.
All Too Hard wins the Talindert Stakes on 18 February, on the same day his famous older half sister Black Caviar won her 2nd successive Lightning Stakes.

All Too Hard.  For those of us who turned up, it was a special day.


All Too Hard defeats Pierro in the 2012 Caulfield Guineas.  Again, for those of us who made the effort and decided to be on track that day, it was amazing theatre.  Black Caviar was spelling, but she had wowed us on the previous two Caulfield Guineas Day.




Agony.  All Too Hard was run down in the shadows of the post in the 2012 WS Cox Plate.
All Too Hard at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day

All Too Hard in the 2012 Cox Plate

Who did champion broodmare Helsinge (dam of Black Caviar and All Too Hard) visit in 2010 and 2011?  Champion sire, and one of "My Boys" Redoute's Choice.

Having the last laugh...  Fastnet Rock may be the flavour of the month, but attracting a mare the calibre of Helsinge has  surely guaranteed champion sire Redoute's Choice the mantle of top dog at the 2012 and 2013 Easter Yearling Sales.


Helsinge's 2010 filly, by Redoute's Choice.  Now named Belle Couture, she topped the 2012 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, selling for a record $2.6m.
Helsinge's 2010 filly, by Redoute's Choice.  Now named Belle Couture, she topped the 2012 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, selling for a record $2.6m.

Helsinge's 2010 filly, by Redoute's Choice.  Now named Belle Couture, she topped the 2012 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, selling for a record $2.6m.  Buyer Bill Vlahos is pictured with breeder and vendor Rick Jamieson of Gilgai Farm.
Helsinge's 2010 filly, by Redoute's Choice.  Now named Belle Couture, she topped the 2012 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, selling for a record $2.6m.  Danny O'Brien who will train the filly is pictured with buyer Bill Vlahos.

Helsinge's 2010 filly, by Redoute's Choice.  Now named Belle Couture, she topped the 2012 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, selling for a record $2.6m.
Helsinge's 2010 filly, by Redoute's Choice.  Now named Belle Couture, she topped the 2012 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, selling for a record $2.6m.
Helsinge's 2010 filly, by Redoute's Choice.  Now named Belle Couture, she topped the 2012 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, selling for a record $2.6m.
Helsinge (Desert Sun - Scandinavia).  Dam of Black Caviar and All Too Hard.
Helsinge and her 2011 Redoute's Choice colt.  He is entered as Lot 131 for the 2013 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and is expected to top the sale.
Helsinge and her 2011 Redoute's Choice colt.  He is entered as Lot 131 for the 2013 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.  He's priceless.

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 11, 2013 at 12:00 AM

    These are great pictures Bronwen. Am so glad that you mentioned the great Sunline - I was a huge fan and went to Dubai to see her race, it was an amazing trip and am so glad that I got to see her (got some pretty goods pics of her and Claire in the enclosure!

    These pictures of the pony 'at the spa' are the best I've ever seen her look, she looks so muscled up and healthy - I think Peter is right she looks better than ever.

    I went to Royal Ascot with Rupert McCall on a racing tour and when the big girl came out into the enclosure she didn't look herself, she looked quite downcast and kind of diminished, I think that trip took an awful lot out of her. It is so good to see her looking so well now.

    Thank you for such wonderful photos, I can't be at Flemington on Saturday but will certainly be glued to the TV.

    Regards, Megan

    ReplyDelete
  2. Barb CFebruary 11, 2013 at 1:47 PM

    I love the pictures Bronnie! You have great ability to get these wonderful images! I love the scenes of Black Caviar at the beach! They are very unusual for me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 12, 2013 at 9:57 AM

    Terrific 'pictology' of this extremely talented family. Helsinge is proving a herself a prodigious blacktype producer. I hope Redoute's Choice stamps his mark at the Aga Khan's stud in France this season. Consistent, sound, brilliant.

    ReplyDelete

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