Counted among one of the most notable thoroughbred farms in the world, Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm needs no introduction. Every year they bring out the most beautiful looking yearlings out for us to feast our eyes on. Their sprawling 229 acres farm happens to be a perfect paradise for these yearlings to grow in.
James O'Brien was kind enough to take some time off for us and divulge more into his process. Whether it is hand-picking horses or their breeding, he happens to be a very hands-on guy. We got to speak with him, and during a brief tete-a-tete with us, he talked about his beginnings, his most expensive sales and reflects on their success in the past few years.
Q: You have a unique approach of handpicking and buying horses for the Ready 2 Race sales which you participate in. Could you please tell us more about your process (where do you source from, what types of horses do you look for, do you choose horses within a specific budget etc.)?
A: Our Farm manager Warren Diggles and I commit much time looking at colts across many sales. We are selectively looking for the types of horses that we feel will make good racehorses. We develop a list which is given to our vet who always manages to put a line through many of them. We then assess pedigrees to determine a value.
Q: You also breed high quality of horses for the yearling sales. Again could you please tell us more about the process you follow to achieve high-quality results? (How do you plan your matings? How far in advance? How many mares do you own? What kind of pedigree-lines do you go for?)
A: This season Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm plans to mate 17 mares. Most of these mares have raced in our colours and shown us enough to retire them to our breeding farm. Others are well-performed racehorses, well related or horses that have produced good racehorses.
We are continually assessing and reassessing our mating plans. Confirmation and matching on type have a strong bearing on our decisions as does a stallion's track record. I have a love affair with certain bloodlines – mares by Encostadelago, Success Express and General Nediym are great outcross mares.
Q: How did you get involved in the thoroughbred breeding industry? Please tell us more about the history and the size & facilities of your farm. If you hadn't chosen to breed as a career, what else would you have done?
A: Our family are relative newcomers to the thoroughbred breeding industry. Dad built a successful caravan accessory business. He sold that in the early 2000s just after purchasing the farm, at Corinella on Western Port Bay, South West Gippsland, Victoria near Phillip Island.
While always owning a racehorse or two since the late 60s, it was after
selling the caravan business that Dad attended sales and purchased yearlings to race. We enjoyed almost immediate success. In 2006 Street Smart won the Gp2 Light Fingers and was placed in the Gp1 Doomben 10000, Pure Energy won the Gp2 Riesling, before running second behind Miss Finland in the Golden Slipper, Ice Chariot won the Gp1 Queensland Derby and Gold Edition won the Gp2 Magic Nights and later in the year beat all the top 3yos in the Gp1 Ascot Vale Stakes (Now Coolmore Stud Stakes) by 4 lengths, and back up 5 days later on Oaks Day to win by 7.
We established our breeding farm as the mares retired from racing. We quickly learned to build a reputation as a genuine seller by offering all of our yearlings at reasonable reserves. I think that strategy has served us well.
Q: You sold two lovely 2YOs last year (one was by Not A Single Doubt, and the other was by Rubick). How did you find them, and how did you buy them? What happened? Also when you sold them, were they sold to people who knew you and realised these were great horses? If not, what happened?
A: Last year we had terrific results with a Not a Single Doubt colt who fetched over $200,000. His race name is Bizzaro. He trialled nicely for Brad Widdup at Gosford last Tuesday. I look forward to seeing his debut shortly. We sold a Rubick Colt for $175,000. I understand that he has been on sold and is now in Peter Ho's stable in Hong Kong.
Q: What does your draft look like for 2019? Can you please tell us more (briefly) about each one starting with the highlight lots and do include their breeze-up timings?
A: We are pleased with our draft this year. They are an even bunch of horses. Lot 20 is by one of Australia's leading first seasons sire - Better Than Ready. All of our horses breezed up on the Soft 5 turf track at Cranbourne. He was the fastest on the day in a time of 10.37. He has impressed throughout his preparation and looks like a precocious type. I am delighted with Lot 60 by I Am Invincible.
This colt is by Australia's leading sire from a terrific family. His half brother Minted is a 3yo. He shows promise having already won as a 2yo for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Lot 160 is a colt by Not A Single Doubt from a Flying Spur mare. I don't think you can go wrong with a horse by that stallion. Both Headwater's (lots 53 and 61) have impressed us, and we also have two in our draft by Holy Roman Emperor (lots 75 and 139) who have come on since the breeze up.
Q: Could you please tell us more about your successful graduates from the Ready2Race sales you have participated in during the last few years.
A: We've been presenting Ready2Race horses for five years now. They must win for their new owners. We had two runners from our 2017 draft compete last Tuesday on National Day at Sha Tin - Quadruple Double won Race 2 for David Hall, and Jumbo Prize purchased by Willie Leung finished runner up.
He is already a winner for Casper Fownes. We've had winners on mainland China including Striking Eagle who won the Inglis Chinese Australian Cup and horse of the year for Mr Wong.
Battle Storm won his first five races in a row in Perth for Adam Durrant. Prominent Western Australian owner Bob Peters owns him.
We've also had winners for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and David Hayes and many others.
Q: Which was the most expensive horse you have ever sold? When and where did that happen? How did the sale come about?
A: The most expensive horse that we sold was Legend Of Condor. We sold him for $520,000 as a yearling at Inglis' Premier sale. He's already achieved black-type placings at Group 2 level. He won on debut
in the 2yo race at Randwick on the inaugural Everest Day and won as a 3yo down the straight at Flemington in the race before the Melbourne Cup. He has accepted to race in the first-ever running of the $500,000 Silver Eagle this weekend – so fingers crossed.
The best horse that we have produced is Global Glamour who won two Gr.1s in a week. She earned her connections $1.5 million on the race track and a similar amount again when she was sold last year as a broodmare.
Q: And finally, which is your favourite horse, and why is he/ she particular?
A: This is an easy one – Gold Edition. She is the reason I became interested in horse racing. She won 17 of her 37 starts including the Group 1 Ascot Vale (now the Coolmore Stakes) in front of 128,000 people at Flemington. She won the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes and the Magic Millions 3yo Classic (by 5 lengths). She also won five Group 2 races including a 3 length win over Tuesday Joy in The Surround. As a 3yo she raced in open company against the older horses finishing second to her nemesis Miss Andretti on 3 occasions. The 1200 metre track record at Caulfield still stands - and second to Takeover Target in the Doomben 10,000. She was a front running grey filly and great to watch.