ELLSBERG, the brilliantly named and highly talented racehorse majority owned in Newcastle, is standing his first season at stud in the Hunter Valley.
Connections, understandably, are hoping he will fill the void left by his sire Spill The Beans, who died suddenly in Queensland three years ago on the eve of the appearance of his first metropolitan runner in Brisbane.
Ellsberg, the outstanding sprinter-miler whose nine wins included the elite level $1.5m Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick last October and inaugural $2m Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens the following month, will stand at Murrulla Stud at Wingen (18km north of Scone) at a very reasonable first season fee of $11,000.
The chestnut left four other Group 1 winners in his wake in the Epsom, and then, with 59kg, erased a track record which had stood more than 25 years in his three lengths’ Five Diamonds romp.
He also won the Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) in between those two major victories, and thus was retired being unbeaten at his last three starts.
Ellsberg was a genuinely consistent performer who started only 24 times for his nine wins (all in Sydney) and 10 placings, and earned just over $3.3 million.
The six-year-old chestnut was raced by a syndicate managed by Belsin Thoroughbreds (Maurice Sinclair and Colin Bell).
“Ellsberg was majority owned in Newcastle, with our group also including Ian and Ty Burford and Tim Perram,” Sinclair said.
“We are delighted to offer the horse in his first season at stud at what we believe is a very attractive fee to broodmare owners.”
One of Sydney’s leading jockeys Tommy Berry, who rode Ellsberg in the Five Diamonds at his final start, was glowing in his praise.
“Ellsberg is everything you could ask for in a top-class colt,” Berry said. “He had speed, stamina and genuine toughness.”
Ellsberg’s co-trainer Gerald Ryan said the horse was a “must have buy” as a yearling, and was sold by one of Australia’s leading thoroughbred farms in Segenhoe Stud for $280,000.
“Physically he’s just outstanding – a big, strong boy who was a pleasure to train the whole way through,” Ryan said.
. TO request a booking to Ellsberg, please contact Tim (0417 140712) or Celie (0400 301797) Nolan or email timandcelie@murrullastud.com.au
HOOFNOTE: Ellsberg’s racetrack form was indeed far more brilliant than that of current NRL cellar-dwellers Wests Tigers, in whose orange and black colours he raced. “I have been following the Tigers for 56 years, and stuck solid,” Sinclair said.
*Story John Curtis, August 8, 2023 - Pics Bradley Photos*
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