Swettenham Stud

Bianconi gelding Pacino booked a trip to Perth for their summer carnival riches when he finished too well for his rivals in the National Jockey Celebration Day Victoria Plate (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Prepared at Caulfield by Clinton McDonald, Pacino reeled in the leader Red Buttons in the final hundred metres to score an impressive victory.

McDonald said the gelding, who was most effective on top of the ground, would get his chance to become a stakes winner when he heads west for a string of feature events.

He is unsure whether he would have another run before a break with the Perth trip in mind.

"We'll see how he pulls up," McDonald said. " We'll probably be dictated by the weather."

"I'm probably going to head over to Perth in October and November with six or seven horses and he will be one of them."

McDonald has always held Pacino in high regard and he has already proven himself a galloper of black type quality with a stakes placing.

Pacino, by Swettenham Stud based sire Bianconi, is one of three stakes performers from the good producing mare Yarra Dreaming.

A daughter of Nassipour, Yarra Dreaming is also the dam of the stakes winner Honest Politician and Flemington stakes placegetter It's You.

From the latest Swettenham newsletter.

"Is the Breeding Industry out of sorts with some parts of the Australian economy? The car trade is an industry which in many cases parallels the thoroughbred industry. Generally we are dealing with a luxury item. Spending in tough times seems to affect this industry first and foremost.

Some tax incentives in asset purchases have obviously helped coming up to June 30th. However, some car dealers we have as clients are reporting the best May figures in 3 years and June looks like being the best June selling in 4 years.

It would be a terrible indictment on our industry if we have exacerbated the downturn by indiscriminate dropping of stallion fees on stallions that did not need to be decreased; hence causing a loss on capital invested by breeders in those stallions ....."

To read the rest of this article in our latest newsletter click here .

The winning run of progeny by Hold That Tiger continued when Silent Killer made a winning debut in the Chris Packer Accounting Plate (1200m) at Ballarat.

At the races for the first time for Cranbourne trainer Terry Mathrick, Silent Killer showed both speed and stamina in an impressive performance.

Under comeback apprentice Michael McDonald, Silent Killer held a forward position for much of the early stages of the race and then had to pull out plenty when challenged in the straight.

Not only did the promising three-year-old come back after being headed, but he drew clear when called upon by his rider.

At the post Silent Killer ($7) held a two and a quarter length margin over Fine Connection ($3.20). Master Who ($31) was a nose back third.

Silent Killer is the first foal to date for the unplaced Swamp King mare Unspoken Courage.

His dam hails from the family of stakes winners including Heroicity, Highflying, Mountain Rule, Moonrise, La Drakkar and Global Win.

It's not only in Australia that the progeny of the Swettenham Stud based Hold That Tiger are excelling.

Day in, day out his progeny are winning races in the United States - only last week his youngsters headed by Smiling Tiger ran the quinella in the listed Lost in the Fog Stakes at San Francisco's Golden Gate track.