Swettenham Stud

Streetfighter sums up the Mathrick family as they overcome family hardships and stick tough together. The aptly named Bianconi gelding brought up his third straight win in NSW with victory in the Newcastle Gold Cup at 2300m after two successive wins at Randwick over 2400m.

Leading all the way with Kerrin McEvoy aboard he outlasted some seriously rated stayer’s to win another thrilling edition of the Newcastle Cup and now heads for the Group 1 Metropolitan on October 3rd back at Randwick with 52kgs and no chance of a penalty.

Streetfighter was saddled up by stable foreman and owner Shawn. Trainer Terry watched from home with son Gary who is recuperating from a very serious car accident suffered just over three months ago, where he died at the scene before being resuscitated. The win will be an enormous boost to the whole tight knit Cranbourne family.

Shawn who has been involved with horses and rodeos since he could walk described the gelding as the toughest horse I have seen. The horse will return to Cranbourne and be trained out of a paddock before again heading north for the big race, in early October.

A 6yo gelding Streetfighter (Bianconi ( USA) x Super Rhythm (Voodoo Rhythm ( USA)) stuck to his guns resolutely to edge out Lodge The Deeds (Grand Lodge) by a short-half-head with Enzedex Eagle (High Yield) 1 1/4-lengths back in third. His overall record now stands at 8 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds from 26 starts for earnings of $305,940.

Mathrick bred Streetfighter out of his Voodoo Rhythm (USA) mare Super Rhythm whose only racetrack appearance saw her trail home last of the 12 runners in a 2yo race at Stony Creek. While there is little to enthuse over in the immediate pedigree, Streetfighter descends from the family of crack NZ mare Aimee Jay and the stakes-winner Persian Philosopher.

A great supporter of Swettenham Stud, Shawn has been a regular visitor driving his mares up the long Nagambie driveway in Spring each year. Super Rhythm has an unraced 3yo full brother to Streetfighter, a 2yo filly by Keep The Faith and a yearling colt by Keep The Faith. Now his mare is firing he is beating off the offers from stud masters left right and centre. Importantly, for Swettenham in 2009 Shawn has already booked Emphatic Miss to Dash For Cash and hopefully she will be the next mare heading down a similar pathway to success.

Streetfighter becomes the 14th stakes-winner for Swettenham Stud’s royally bred stallion Bianconi, the son of Danzig is currently riding high on the deeds of his super slick son Nicconi and has powered his way into the top four on the Australian Sires Premiership by earnings and with a top winners to runners strike rate. While it may be temporary because of his numbers he presently enjoys bragging rights over many expensive stallions including one time North East neighbour Encosta De Lago.

This season Bianconi was offered by Swettenham Stud to breeders at the Early Bird rate of $6,380 incl GST and there are many very happy breeders who took up that exceptional offer. He will finish off his book this season much closer to his advertised fee of $8,800 incl GST. However, to keep faith with their advertising Swettenham Stud will offer all stallions at Ballarat races this Sunday at the Early Bird fees for one day only. So grab a family pass off the website and get along to Swettenham Stud Super Showcase Sunday at Miner’s Rest to make a booking that could put you in the winner’s stall in years to come.

(Article a composite from Racing & Sports, Breednet and IR).