Group 1 winner Lickety Split retired

[Wandering Eyes]

Group One winner Lickety Split has been retired. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

Group One winner Lickety Split has officially ended her illustrious racing career, culminating in a last-place finish at the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings last Saturday.

Trained by Andrew Forsman, Lickety Split had been a remarkable representative for her sire, Turn Me Loose. Her victory in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) early in her juvenile season marked Turn Me Loose’s inaugural Group One win as a sire.

Following that early success, Lickety Split went on to secure the Group 3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) before venturing across the Tasman under the name “She’s Licketysplit.”

There, she clinched the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) title and achieved notable placements in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m).

However, her later racing endeavours didn’t match her earlier triumphs, with four consecutive unplaced finishes prompting her connections to decide it was time to retire her for breeding.

Lickety Split was a joint project between breeders Dean Hawkins and Nick Hewson, who, along with their wives and a close group of friends, raced the mare. This endeavour was particularly meaningful for Hawkins and Hewson, who had been friends since their youth and had long envisioned owning a mare together.

“Dean and I used to work at Windsor Park together when we were teenagers and we were always planning on having a mare together. We bred the mare (She’s Slinky) to Turn Me Loose (and got Lickety Split),” said Hewson reflecting on their journey.

Lickety Split’s accomplishments brought immense joy to her owners, and her trainer, Andrew Forsman, and his team were instrumental in her success.

With her racing days now behind her, Lickety Split is set to embark on a new chapter across the Tasman. She will be bred to the nine-time Group One winner, Anamoe, at Darley.

“The group that have raced her all want to breed so she is going to fly to Australia and be bred to Anamoe.”

While Lickety Split has retired, there is excitement on the horizon for Hawkins and Hewson, as they have several of her siblings to look forward to. This includes her half-sister, Full Tilt, who is currently on a break following an unplaced run in the recent Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).

“Full Tilt has got ability too. She is just going through some growing stages at the moment, so we have just tipped her out and will bring her back. We have got a lovely Circus Maximus colt who is going to the Karaka yearling sales, and she is about to foal to Turn Me Loose.”

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