The Jones family’s boutique breeding operation are proud owners of a slice of international racing history.
Father Wayne and wife Liz and their children Kane, New Zealand Bloodstock’s Sales Manager, and Lena bred Lim’s Saltoro who on Sunday evening at Kranji reigned supreme in the final running of the Singapore Derby (1800m).
“It was a great thrill, we bred him under our Onyx Thoroughbreds brand and he’s certainly some horse,” Wayne Jones said.
Lim’s Saltoro is a son of Windsor Park Stud’s Shamexpress and Fastnet Rock’s daughter Lamplighter, whose dam Glowlamp was a multiple Group placegetter, including twice at the highest level in the Champagne Stakes (1600m) and Thousand Guineas (1600m).
“Kane was in Australia and he said she was a mare we should buy, so we did,” Jones said.
Lamplighter was an A$85,000 purchase at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast.
“We got her home and she had a Wandjina foal that we sold and she went on to win and we had a couple of others out of her by Reliable Man and then this fellow,” Jones said.
“We decided we wouldn’t go through the sales process with him and we sold the mare just prior to COVID in foal to Sacred Falls.”
The latter realised A$210,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and as Shaded has won one of his two starts for Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick.
Lim’s Saltoro was meanwhile placed with Cambridge trainer Glenn Old and was unbeaten in his only two trials on his then home track and on the all-weather course at Cambridge before his sale to Lim’s Stable.
He relocated to the stable of Daniel Meagher and has since fashioned the imposing record of nine wins and a runner-up finish from his 10 appearances.
Prior to his Derby success, he has also triumphed in the Stewards’ Cup (1600m) and the Silver Bowl (1400m) under the guidance of regular rider Marc Lerner.
“Kane sent me a stat saying that he’s only the second horse in the history of the Derby to win the Triple Crown series,” Jones said.
“The funny part was that he was sold to Hong Kong, but he failed the vet test due to a knee issue and hence he went to Singapore.
“We’ve followed every start and to pull of this one was great, he looked beaten at the 200m mark and came back.
“It was so exciting and I think he’ll probably end up in Australia.”
Jones formerly held an owner-trainer licence with his best performer the bold free-goer Alpha Pukeko, who won six races and was twice stakes placed including a runner-up finish in the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m).
“I’m lucky enough now to have the horses with my daughter (Lena) and her partner Benji King in the Matamata area and I had one with Paul Richards, which we sold to Australia,” he said.
“It won the other day and it’s still really all exciting.”