For so long the backbone of the Woodlands empire, long serving manager Peter Flynn not only helped create one of the world's most beautiful and successful studs, he also dabbled in racing and breeding in his own right.

The first horse he raced was the Boucher mare Miss Leilani a country winner and placed in Sydney. Flynn sent Miss Leilani to Kaorou Star, a stallion he looked after at his time at Segenhoe Stud. The resultant foal Miss Leemont was a lightly raced winner at Newcastle. Her first foal Camille, a daughter of Woodlands royally related Swaps Stakes (G1) winner Clear Choice (USA) is the dam of the flying filly Shand.

Remarkably enough for a daughter of Epsom Derby winner Quest For Fame, Shand's five victories all came at distances less than 1200 metres. In one of her victories at Rosehill she defeated stakes-winner Sweet Consort and Patou who would later earn fame as the dam of the Golden Slipper winner Polar Success.

When mated to Commands, Shand left Sycophant who made just one start, a success on the Kensington track under Darren Beadman, before injury brought about an early retirement.

Flynn had sold Sycophant at the 2005 Magic Millions Yearling sale for $110,000. She made her way back to the Woodlands fold and her first consort was Lonhro, the best foal produced on the historic property.

Now under the ownership of Darley Stud, the Lonhro x Sycophant filly, named Obsequious (pictured left) hit the ground running. Spelled after finishing fifth at Randwick at her career debut last November, she came back four months later to defeat the highly touted More Strawberries at Warwick Farm.

Trainer Peter Snowden stepped the filly up to Group 2 company at her next start, finishing second to the fleet-footed Magic Millions winner Military Rose in the Reisling Stakes. Behind her that day were Solar Charged and the subsequent AJC Sires Produce Stakes (G1) winner Yosei.

Given her chance in the Golden Slipper, Obsequious ran gamely to finish eighth, beaten just over 3-lengths.

She resumed from a spell on Saturday with an authoritative victory over Solar Charged and Golden Slipper runner-up Decision Time in the Group 3 MTA San Domenico Stakes (1000m) at Randwick.

Obsequious becomes the sixteenth stakes-winner for Lonhro whose relentless drive to the top of the stallion ladder took a dramatic upturn 12 months ago.

Shortly before the start of last breeding season, his fee had been halved to $33,000 but in a matter of weeks, Darley was swamped with nominations after Denman began his stakes blitz in the Golden Rose, which was closely followed by stakes victories by O'Lonhro, Deer Valley, Demerit, Beaded, Trim, Serenissima, Secession, Pinwheel, Renaissance, Dissolved and Sainthood.

The owners of the 212 mares that visited Lonhro (pictured left) last season at a fee of $33,000 would be on pretty good terms with themselves.

It will cost $55,000 more to go to the champion in 2010.

Randwick - Saturday, 7 August 2010 Track:Slow
Race 6 Mta San Domenico Stakes Group 3 1000m Time: 0:59.31.(0:35.64 (600m) Open Prizemoney: $125,000 - 1st: $75,000 2nd: $25,000 3rd: $12,500.
1		Obsequious	Peter Snowden	Tim Clark	$9	52.0
		3f Lonhro x Sycophant (Commands)
		Not Offered
2	1.0	Solar Charged	J A O'Shea	C W Brown	$1.90	54.5
		3f Charge Forward x Soul Singer (Danehill (USA))
		Lot 608 2010 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $400,000
3	2.3	Decision Time	C E Conners	S Katsidis	$4.25	56.0
		3g Foreplay x Daunting Thought (Just Awesome)
		Not Offered
4		Spirit Of Boom	T J Gollan	J A Cassidy	$13	56.0
5		Brightexpectations	Ms G Waterhouse	G Schofield	$9	57.0
6		Renewed Vitality	John Thompson	B Avdulla	$101	54.0
7		Butt I'm Ready	G Portelli	P Robl	$51	54.0

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Yearlings by Lonhro coming up at the sales
30 in the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale
6 in the MM Adelaide Yearling Sale
6 in the MM Perth Yearling Sale
5 in the NZB Premier Yearling Sale
1 in the NZB Select Yearling Sale
No records found.

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