Racing: Tauranga Turf Talk

Peter and Pam Silson talk to jockey Mark Sweeney after Scarlet Chaparral won at Tauranga in April 2014. Photo / Supplied

In today's world, many of the horses strutting their stuff on the racecourses of the country are raced by large and small syndicates but half a century ago many farmers of the time had a thoroughbred or two on the farm from which they would breed and race the progeny.

A racehorse born more than 60 years ago purchased by Katikati farmer Jack Silson has left a legacy with descendants still winning on the race tracks of the country.

Past president and long-time Bay of Plenty Racing Club committee member Peter Silson and his wife, Pam, continue to breed and race thoroughbreds from the family established by Peter's father, Jack, six decades ago.

Jack Silson paid 210 guineas for Charmian at the Alton Lodge dispersal sale at the Trentham sales in January 1957. By the highly credentialled sire Gold Nib, out of a mare named Fame, the locally owned horse was first trained by Jim Mitchell at Matamata before transferring to Tauranga trainer Pop Humphries as a three-year-old.

Charmian won five races from 62 starts with three wins on her Gate Pa home track and two wins at Rotorua. However ,it was as a broodmare that she really made her mark in the New Zealand Racing Industry.

Put to champion sire Le Filou, she produced a record setter with her first foal. Amie, who was raced by Jack and Bob Silson and Te Awamutu trainer Bill Sanders, won eight races from 32 starts and set a New Zealand record for a mile and a quarter in winning the Te Awamutu Cup in December 1967. She was later sold for a then record price for a broodmare of $30,000.

After Amie, the Silson broodmare went on to produce 10 live foals including Indictment by Final Court in 1965. Indictment was also a prolific breeder who left Peter Silson a foundation broodmare in Scarlet.

"When Dad passed away he left me a half share in Scarlet who was in foal to Roughcast," Peter said.

The Taranaki-based stallion who passed away early in his breeding career left three racehorses from the top drawer of racing at the time in the country. Near champion Rough Habit, multiple Group 1 winner Calm Harbour and Rough Harbour who was raced by Peter and his mother.

"Living in Taranaki we placed Rough Harbour with Warren Dymond at Stratford. Our horse went on to win nine races, including the rare feat of winning three open handicaps in succession," Peter said.

The Silson-owned galloper mixed with the very best in the country contesting five Group 1 races, with a third in the Wellington Racing Club Captain Cook Stakes as a three-year-old, an undoubted highlight for mother and son.

Scarlet was a prolific broodmare producing 12 foals including several mares who continued the family started by Charmian. A return to the Western Bay of Plenty from Taranaki in 1993 saw the Silson broodmare band continue to expand.

The seventh foal from Scarlet by Waikato stallion Straussbrook produced another prolific winner for Peter and Pam Silson. Named Scarlet Rose and trained by the Silsons' long-time friend Jim Pender at the Gate Pa track, the local mare went on to win eight races.

"We were delighted to win four races on our home course at Gate Pa with Scarlet Rose. She backed up her eight wins with 10 seconds and eight thirds that include runner-up to multiple Group 1 winner Distinctly Secret at Te Rapa and second in the Kiwifruit Cup at Tauranga," Peter said.

The Silsons have bred and raced horses that have won 29 races with eight coming at Bay of Plenty Racing headquarters.

They continue to look forward to further success with their band of thoroughbreds. They have four mares at home on the farm high in the Minden hills, including a foal from Scarlet Chaparral by the extremely well-credentialled sire Ocean Park.

There are also two two-year olds ready to go to Jim Pender, and Dudewithattitude along with an unnamed gelding by Rock'n'Pop out of Scarlet Chaparral already in work with Pender.