Queensland crop and cattle farmer, Peter Campbell’s successful 25-year association with his late friend Dr Ed Dewar, was cemented even more over the weekend – some two-plus months after the Doctor’s death on February 28.
Campbell, who farms on 30,000 acres at Goondiwindi – 293km south-west of Brisbane – also owns Hillcrest Lodge Racing. He paid $28,000 for the top lot at the late Dr. Dewar’s Estate Sale held online from Friday May 2-4.
That was Lot 16 – a Bettors Delight – Pangani – Mach Three 2-year-old bay filly named Whitbys Delight.
The 70-year-old said Dr Dewar and his Whitby Falls Stud had proven to him time-and-time-again that he was one of the best breeders of standardbreds in Australia.
“Ed and I were friends who often kept in touch. In fact, I spoke to him just a week or two before he died. He is a huge loss to the industry, and I will miss him dearly.
“In 2000, I paid $23,000 for one of Ed’s fillies named Montana Anna (Mystical Prince – Whitbys Merit), who was a grand-daughter of one of his foundation mares called Remit (1971 Out To Win -Gold Heritage 18-win mare). I bought her at the WA Yearling Sale and she won 13 races ($230,863), including the Group One 2002 Victorian Oaks. She also won the Western Australia 2yo Sires Stakes Final, and the 3yo WA Sales Classic Final.
“Montana Anna was named also Western Australian 2yo Horse-of-the-Year, so Ed’s breed has been very kind to me over the years,” Campbell said.
“I also bought Miss Merit (Western Terror – Prix De Whitby) off Ed. She is a great-granddaughter of Remit, who won four races and is still on my property here in Goondiwindi. I’ve bred Captain Crunch, Ride High, and Stay Hungry foals from her, and this season the mare fell pregnant to Confederate,” he added.
14 of the 18 lots sold at the late Dr. Dewar’s Estate Sale with a sales total of $111,000 spent at an average price of $7,929. The clearance rate was 77.78%.
Other double figure purchases went to Kevin and Annette Charles, who paid $26,000 for Lot 3, the American Ideal – Prix De Whitby broodmare, Pennies For Whitby; and DP and MT Leitch, who paid $15,000 for Lot 17 – an unnamed Bettors Delight – Prix De Whitby yearling colt.
Meanwhile, General Manager, Anthony Essex, and the Dewar family want to thank all who participated in the sale.
“It is great to know that Dr Ed’s breeding legacy will continue and that these horses have found good homes. Don’t forget that the last few horses that have yet to be sold are still open to offers through the APG website until Sunday May 18. You can view the full results and make an offer through the APG Website” Essex said.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL SALE RESULTS AND TO MAKE AN OFFER TODAY
Campbell said he bought top ‘Sale Topper’ because he believed in Dr Dewar’s breeding so much, and he also wanted to buy a Bettor’s Delight filly who was out of a Mach Three mare.
“She was a good-sized filly. I’ve never bred from a Bettors Delight mare before and now thanks to Ed I will be able to one day. I’ve always watched in awe what Bettors Delight has produced over the years and I have full faith in what Ed did importing this filly (Whitbys Delight) from New Zealand when she was just seven months old.
“I also like that the cross goes back through Mach Three, Falcon Seelster, and Christian Cullen,” he said.
Campbell said he had built up a close association with Western Australian standardbreds for a quarter for a century now. He was also friends with Blythewood, (WA) horseman, Kim Prentice and prominent WA breeder, John Coffey.
“Some of my horses have raced for Kim, and thanks to John Coffey I bought a little mare from him named Soky Sue (2001 Sony’s Atom – Bayliner). All four of her foals have won, including two who have won 14 and 13 races. In fact, one of the mare’s grandson’s named Longshot (Ultimate Sniper – Hattrick 2-year-old gelding) is set make his debut for Ben Battle next week.
Campbell said he also won a raffle in Western Australia in 2020 which saw him win a Sweet Lou service.
“I put Grant Dixon’s former 13-win ($102,032) mare, Ark Me to him. Her first foal – 2-year-old gelding, Louark had her first race at Redcliffe on April 25 and is due to start again this week at Redcliffe.”
But Campbell said he would always have a soft spot for his Group One winner, Montana Annah, who like Dr Dewar, was sadly taken too soon.
“I lost my Victorian Oaks winner and her foal during the 2010 Queensland floods. Montana Anna left three foals and it was her last foal, a Major In Art filly that was playing with a snake on the edge of a flood bank. Mum came over to protect her and sadly both Montana Anna and that filly were bitten by a snake and died. To make matters worse the mare was also in foal to Major In Art again.
“That was a sad memory because Montana Anna was a very good racehorse and lovely broodmare, and the reason I snapped her Yearling Sales was because she was one of Ed’s,” Campbell said.
“Ed really knew his stuff. I always think of him every time one that he bred comes my way. He was a very astute man both as a doctor and breeder. He brought some nice horses over from New Zealand, and is judgement was impeccable,” Campbell added.
From APG Media
