In the lead up to the Year of the Tiger (2022), a combination of hard work, good judgement (or luck!) patience and the results of a ‘what have we got to lose’ decision was finally beginning to pay off for our trainer Rob Blacker and his team.
That October, Tigertiger at his fourth Australian start, found himself in his winning range. His Maiden win for our stable was over 2460 at his home track of Mornington.
When Tigertiger won this race by a none too modest margin of 5.75 lengths, trainer Rob Blacker and the team were excited but realistic.
Any decent form student or owner would know the perils of having unrealistic expectations as to the abilities of any horse, let alone a horse like Tigertiger, who had had 11 previous starts in New Zealand for only one placing (3rd in an Otaki maiden) and had finished in the back half of the field in 9 of his 11 starts.
What could have been a madman’s dream to, to load Tigertiger up for his trip across the Tasman, was at least looking like it might end up being a worthwhile adventure, given ‘Quincey’ had placed in all three Australian starts prior to his maiden win.
It had been a long and challenging journey prior to Tigertiger saluting the winning post for the first time in his career.
On arrival in Australia (date), our stable riders found that when exercising the endearing but none too smart ‘Quincey’, they had the choice of either controlling the speed or steering adequately.
Doing both, at once was beyond poor Tigertiger, early in his career.
The Master, and 12 times Melbourne Cup winner, Bart Cumming is quoted as saying ‘Patience is the cheapest thing in racing and the least used’.
Patience it took, by the barrow load, to give Tigertiger the tools (rideability) and conditioning he required to succeed as a staying prospect. It took more than 14 months work by the stable to see him right and salute for his first win on Australian soil.
Patience definitively paid off!!,
Over his next six starts Tigertiger, won four races and ran second on two other occasions, graduating from a Maiden grade to city winner and then on New Years Day 2022, of the Year of Tiger, he won the Listed Grade Bagot Handicap at famous Flemington.
Superstitious punters around the country celebrated almost as much as Rob and his family and staff, as the omen bet of the decade, if not century paid out at 10 to 1.
Tigertiger went on to back this up with a 2nd placing in the Roy Higgins (2600m Listed Race) and a very impressive and unlucky 2nd in the Group 2 Adelaide Cup. If the winner Daqiansweet Junior (who has since retired and did not win another race after this) did not have the incredible Jamie Kah onboard, let’s just say that the connections of Tigertiger would have the Adelaide Cup centre stage in their trophy room.
Why wax lyrical about Tigertiger now?
Currently, quietly going about the business of becoming a racehorse, we have a cracking big 2yo colt by the Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente (who also sired this year’s Adelaide Cup winner, Silent Surrente and VRC Derby placegetter Apulia) from the same family as Tigertiger.
‘Ardie’ (named after superstar rugby All Black, Ardie Savea) is from the mare Royal Seal, a winner over 2100m, who’s own sire Arena was a VRC Derby (Gr1) winner himself.
His second dam is by the Sydney Cup(Gr1) winner Azzam but more importantly, he looks the goods being extremely similar in physical appearance and racing type to Tigertiger. The strength of this family is that the good ones all have obvious physical similarities and athletic capabilities.
What’s is that Ardie (who’s being broken-in now) is showing himself to be the complete package, displaying a tractable, trainable and intelligent approach towards his imminent life as a racehorse.
Ardie’s older half-brother, Unreal Expectations, has hit the ground running in NSW, landing 2 wins, a 2nd and a 3rd from his first four lifetime starts. He’s by sprinting stallion Under The Louvre, so it is unlikely that Unreal Expectations will stretch out to the 2400m-3200m that his family’s Stakes level winners specialise in, however his record is testament that Royal Seal can produce a talented and professional racehorse.
To put things in perspective, Fiorente won a Melbourne Cup and ran 3rd in the Cox Plate, has sired 11 stakeswinners and 14 individual stakes race wins, whereas Under The Louvre has produced only 2 stakes winners of 2 races.
Have the stars aligned once more for our stable?
‘Ardie’ is being aimed for a late 2yo campaign with the view to contest the Byerly Handicap, which is a VRC Derby qualifier at Flemington, in July 2026 and then, just like Tigertiger showed with his impressive maiden win, anything might be possible . . . .
Check your Chinese calendars, yes 2026 is the ‘Year of the Horse’ and our trainer has already got the score on the board in the Byerly, having won it in 2022 with another Fiorente Skyphios.
If this sounds like the sort of Racing fairytale you would like to be a part of, please reach out and call or text or trainer Rob on 0474 973 456 or contact us by return email.
‘Ardie’, is being syndicated now at a total cost of $45k inclusive of all expenses, including breaking in, pre-training etc until 31st September, 2025.
This means that you could secure a 2.5% share in this fantastic colt and an amazing story that is yet to unfold for as little as $1,125 with ongoing fees averaging around $100-$120 a month for October 2025 onwards.
For more information, or to secure your share call or text Rob on 474 973 456, text Crystal on 0458 977 182 or email robblackerracehorsetrainer@gmail.com