South Island Graduate Named Champion

New Zealand Bloodstock South Island Sale graduate Pentiffic was last night crowned Champion Jumper at Australia's Horse of the Year Awards held at the Palladium in Melbourne.

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�Pentiffc at the 2005 South Island Sale. He is inspected by Rich Hill Stud's John Thompson and lead by Simon Hampton.� Photo: Annie Studholme

The Fran Houlahan and Brian Johnston trained galloper was awarded the title after terrific form throughout the jumping season which saw him win two leading hurdle races, the Leslie Short Memorial and the Yalumba Classic, and three major steeplechases including the Hiskens, the Crisp, and, just last Sunday, the VRC� Grand National Steeplechase.

Having netted over A$440,000 in jumping to date for owners Mr. PJ Shinn, Mr. PB Lawrence, Mrs LA Sutcliffe, and Mr. MR Smith, Pentiffic (Pentire x Sailing High, by Yachtie) has more than recouped his South Island price tag of $36,000, again reaffirming the Sale's well recognised value.

Pentiffic was bred, raised, and sold by Simon and Cindy Hampton's The Pines Thoroughbreds who agisted his dam Sailing High during her racing career which included four victories in the South Island. Her ability on the flat installed faith that she could breed good racing prospects for the Hampton's who dually took ownership of the mare and sent her to superb racehorse and sire Pentire in her second season.

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�Pentiffic and Simon Hampton of The Pines Thoroughbreds at the 2005 South Island Sale.�� Photo: Annie Studholme

With unmatched versatility and durability the stock of Pentire have now been crowned New Zealand Horse of the Year three times through Xcellent (twice) and Mufhasa in 2008/09, both of whom also picked up Champion Middle Distance and Champion Sprinter Miler status also.

Now with a Champion jumper and nine individual Group 1 winners from 1200m to 3200m, Pentire has truly established himself at the top echelon of Australasian sires.

Having rested Sailing High for a couple of seasons, the Hampton's decided to mate their mare to fellow Rich Hill Stud sire Bahhare in 2007 with a 'beautiful bay filly" being the result according to Cindy Hampton.

�Hampton continued, "As her first Bahhare was so lovely we sent her back there this season and we expect a foal in early November.

She (Sailing High) was tough race mare and a very good type and she leaves both qualities in her progeny.

Interestingly Robbie Laing bought her first foal who raced successfully in Victoria also as Command the Sea winning six races."

It is expected that Pentiffic will now be invited to Japan's Nakayama Grand Jump next April, a race which carried prize-money equivalent to NZ$2.7 million in 2009.

Finally it is left to co-trainer Brian Johnston to sum up their New Zealand-bred jumping star "He's just a superior stayer, a superior jumper - he's awesome."