The Black Prince

As the Autumn Carnival draws closer, and with it, the inevitable focus on that 2yo race, the Golden Slipper, I thought I would put on display some images over the years of the stallion I call "The Black Prince".   He is More Than Ready (Southern Halo - Woodman's Girl), and he is the headline act at Vinery Australia, a stud in Scone, NSW, that I've had the great privilege of doing their stallions since 2008.

The first time I laid eyes on the horse my jaw literally dropped.  The only other horse I've recently had this experience with was So You Think.  Ironically, he was almost black too.  This fellow is black though. 

There are few horses that I have photographed that have this horse's sense of presence, and effortless balance and athleticism.  It is literally very difficult to take a bad photograph of More Than Ready.  The Black Horse also has a wonderful trait of sticking his tongue out for you to hold.  This is frequently interspersed with an attempted nipping, but he is always apologetic afterwards, and offers the tongue again by way of making it up with you.  

When I photograph for Vinery I often stay at the farm, and last thing at night, I wander down to say goodnight to the boys, and stop to see Morton, as they call him, or my Prince as I call him, and he always offers the tongue.  Then tries to bite!  Then says he's sorry again!

Not for nothing is this one of the premier stallions in the country, indeed the world.  











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