The ownership in recent Launceston maiden winner Tough Boy have already recovered the purchase price on the gelding by Tough Speed, thanks to the TasBred Incentive Scheme.
Thomas Edwards parted with $20,000 for Tough Boy at the 2018 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale and because he was eligible for the TasBred bonus, the owners get back nearly $28,000 for his win at Launceston last Wednesday, including a $16,000 bonus.
Having his third start, the Adam Trinder-trained Tough Boy scored a narrow success under jockey Chris Graham over Take The Sit and Heavenly Light in the 1120m 3YO Maiden.
Edwards approached Armidale Stud after the colt originally failed to meet his reserve. “We were looking for a TasBred eligible horse and we were able to secure him,” said Edwards.
“The bonuses are a great incentive to buy a Tasbred horse and Adam specifically targeted the Tasbred races due to the attached bonus,” said Edwards who races the horse with John Quill and Bob Webb.
Armidale Stud’s David Whishaw, who bred Tough Boy with Rowan Hamer, said Edwards was a great supporter of Tassie-bred horses and he was delighted to see he and his fellow owners get such a quick return on his investment.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to see them get a win because they are a really good bunch of owners and great people. To see these TasBred bonuses start going off now is very satisfying, especially people who are coming to the Tassie Sale and buying stock every year.”
Tough Boy, one of four winners by Armidale Stud resident Tough Speed so far this season, is the first foal to race from Royal Beluga (Stratum), a three-time winner after being purchased by Hamer initially as a prospect to run in the Tasmanian Oaks.
“While she had a few issues, Rowan felt if she had a decent spell, she could get over a bit of ground,” Whishaw said.
“We bought her with the vision of trying to win the Oaks. She took a bit longer to recover and we never got her fit enough to run in those good 3-year-old races. She was pretty consistent and was Devonport Horse Of The Year a few moons ago now. She was a good tough honest racemare.”
Her first foal was a filly by Needs Further, before she visited Tough Speed, where she produced Tough Boy, who proved a bit of a hard sell when he went through the ring.
“We didn’t get a bid on him and a really nice group of owners, who have been good supporters of ours, came back and bought him after the sale for $20,000,” Whishaw said.
Royal Beluga has subsequently produced a now yearling colt by Alpine Eagle, who will go through the Tasmanian Sale next February, and a colt foal by Tough Speed. She visited Needs Further this year.
Edwards said he would be attending the Tasmanian sale again in 2020 and TasBred nominated horses would be high on his priority.
The bonus scheme sees $16,000 goes the owner of winners of selected maiden races, $4000 to the breeder who nominated them, $1000 to the trainer and $800 to the jockey.