SYDNEY is set for a fascinating mother and son act in coming days.
Mighty mare Eye Keep Smiling will return from a freshen-up when she races at Menangle on Saturday night.
Then, on Sunday week, her first foal – a colt by champion sire Bettors Delight – will be sold as Lot 55 at the Nutrien Sydney Yearling Sale.
Owner-breeder Jackie Gibson feels like a proud parent herself.
“I’m excited, so very excited,” she said. “We’ve (Success Stud) have 11 going to the sale, but ‘Bill’, as we call this colt, is a bit different and special for many reasons.
“He’s obviously an embryo transfer foal and I’m not sure if there’s been one sold before while the mum is still racing.
“Imagine if ‘Smiley’ (Eye Keep Smiling) races for another year after this and the colt is racing at the same time as a two-year-old.”
Gibson said the colt had done everything right in preparation for the sale.
“Bill is a beautiful colt, quite long for a Bettors Delight,” she said. “He’s taken everything in his stride in his preparation.
“Being an embryo transfer, he had a beautiful thoroughbred mare through the process, too.
“I can’t wait for the sale. I’m so proud of her (Eye Keep Smiling).
“There are so many steps to go through with the embryo transfer process.
“And this family is special to us. We’ve had them from the grandmother through to her.”
Gibson said trainer-driver Luke McCarthy would make the call whether Eye Keep Smiling raced on or was retired this year.
“I know he’s really happy with her again now after nothing much went right in Melbourne,” she said. “She’ll indicate to him whether she should race on or not.”
McCarthy said Eye Keep Smiling had thrived since returning to his Cobbitty stables.
“I’m a lot happier with her now,” he said. “She wasn’t quite herself in Melbourne after the embryo transfer, that incident with the fire on the horse float and some really hot days down there.
“She seems awesome now and it’ll be good to get some racing into her with a view to another crack at the Queen Elizabeth here (Menangle) in a couple of months.”
PHOTO: Courtesy of Jackie Gibson
