Hallmark celebrate new arrival

[Wandering Eyes]

Recent events at Hallmark Stud have ensured the inclusion of a highly valuable daughter of Proisir in the farm’s draft to New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale in January.

The Te Kauwhata operation bred and sold multiple Group One winner Prowess and in the lead-up to her latest victory in the Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at The Valley last Saturday, they welcomed a sister to the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained star.

“She will be going to Book One at Karaka next year and she’s going because we had a bit of luck and had another full-sister born last week, so we won Lotto,” Hallmark Stud principal Mark Baker said.

“You need to keep a daughter sooner or later, we prayed for a filly and the mare came up trumps, she’s had three in a row now.”

The dam is the Don Eduardo mare Donna Marie, a half-sister to the multiple Singapore black-type winner Onceuponatime, whose four foals to race have all been successful.

“She’s played a blinder, Donna Marie, and she’ll be going back to Proisir again,” Baker said.

“It’s working so well and she’s left great types so the mating obviously works and if you’re going to keep a daughter, then you’re better off with a full-sister than a half.

“There’s nothing surer, all leading sires end up leading broodmare sires so even if the Proisir is unraced, who cares.

“Apart from the monetary gains, you have to keep the family going.”

Baker said Prowess’ yearling sister looked to have a touch more precocity about her.

“She looks a bit sharper with a bit more muscle on her, a bigger hip and I’d say she might not go as far (in distance),” he said.

“She has got a brilliant action and uses herself really well, just like Prowess did, and they are both correct with great natures.

“I just think this filly is maybe a little bit more precocious and muscular, she doesn’t strike me straight out as a 2000m horse like Prowess did.”

Prowess will now target the Gr.1 Champions’ Stakes (2000m) at Flemington and another Hallmark graduate is also eyeing off an elite level prize next time out.

Impendabelle’s victory in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe last Saturday boosted her Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) prospects.

“It’s hard enough winning a midweek maiden so to have had a Group Two double within 10 minutes was great for all concerned,” Baker said.

The Tony Pike-trained Impendabelle, a daughter of Impending, was sold by Hallmark on behalf of breeder Monovale Holdings at Karaka for $80,000.

“We had her here for four months doing the prep for Max and Joe Smithies and she was always a beautiful filly,” Baker said.

“I remember seeing her in the winter as a weanling and she was a stand-out then.

“There’s a lot of upside to her and she was very good buying, Jim Bruford (of Brewers Bloodstock) played a blinder there, he didn’t pay a lot for her.”

She’s arrived! It was a special one as our own daughter was on hand for the delivery, 1st night on foal watch, must have the magic pic.twitter.com/cUNHXVWR3u

— Mark Baker (@hallmarkstud) October 25, 2023

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