This week in Dunstan Horsefeeds Meet the Breeder, we catch up with James Chapman of Jamieson Park. James bred Saint Alice, winner of the Listed Kaimai Stakes and also has an exciting new addition to add to the stallion ranks!
Tell us the history/story of Jamieson Park?
Jamieson Park is the culmination of a desire to build and live on a thoroughbred horse stud, developed after visiting some of the best New Zealand studs. I was fortunate to employ Sam Munro and together we set about transforming a 150-acre block of maize ground into what it is today. Sam regularly visited broodmare sales in Australasia and started to build our broodmare band. I must admit my skills were better employed developing and building the infrastructure. In later years Sam worked with Bruce Perry to select better quality mares as we reinvested heavily in the industry.
Tell us the story of Saint Alice?
We purchased her mother Rare Delight as a retired race filly. We liked her because she was a ¾ sister to the dam of Booker and was inbred to Dancing Show. So You Think was showing great results with Redoutes Choice mares so we sent her to him. Peter Williams picked her out of our draft at Karaka and she has proven to be a tough honest mare. Rare Delight is also dam of promising filly Arabian Songbird and we look forward to a foal by Proisir this year.
How did you get into thoroughbred breeding?
Like many people my interest stated in a small share in a racehorse then a couple of mares and of course, once you experience the thrill of seeing a foal born and grow, I was hooked.
How many mares do you breed from?
Too many I am advised! But now up to 40 plus.
What else do you have in your bloodstock portfolio (youngstock, racehorses, stallion shares etc)
Quite diverse including stallion shares, racehorses, broodmares, 30 foals to be weaned in the next 2 months. Exciting for me is the arrival of Mr Mozart, a 5-year-old entire by Snitzel bred and raced by Jamieson Park in partnership with the owners of broodmare Euro Angel (Gr.3 winner). The intention is to breed from Mr Mozart, a multiple stakes winner in Australia and a horse we raced with pride.
Do you breed to trade or breed to race? How do you decide on what to keep and/or sell?
Definitely started off to breed to trade which gave us the capability to develop both the stud and broodmare band. The intention is to race more horses in the future, both home-bred and purchased.
Do you have a favourite cross?
We will use any proven cross that suits the mare.
Do you seek advice on your breeding decisions? If yes, who from?
I take advice for breeding decisions from experienced people like Sam Munro and Bruce Perry, but I do admit to frustrating them at times.
Best breeding advice you have received?
To mate Euro Angel to Snitzel from John Hawkes (which produced Mr Mozart).
What advice would you give someone entering the industry as a breeder?
Don’t leave it too late in life and be prepared for the highs and lows.
Proudest moment as a breeder? You can have more than one!
Inspirational Girl winning the Gr.1 Railway Stakes at Ascot. Saint Alice gaining a black-type win on Saturday in the Kaimai Stakes. Mr Mozart was a first start winner as a 2-year-old, won the Listed Exford Plate as a three-year-old beating Artorius, then ran second in the Gr.2 Stutt Stakes. He then won the Gr.2 Chandon Phar Lap Stakes beating horses like Never Been Kissed and Fangirl and carried on to win both the Gr.3 Doncaster Prelude and the Gr.3 Hawkesbury Guineas. In October 2022 he ran second in the Silver Eagle. He took us on a great journey!
Finish this sentence: The best part of being a thoroughbred breeder is… the arrival of that special foal you have planned and waited hopefully for over the last 12 months.
