Life is about to look a lot different for star pacer Bay Of Biscay.
Given his immense value in the breeding barn, connections have decided to stand him at stud during his recovery time from an injury setback.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Bay Of Biscay was found to have “a hot spot” after a bone scan following his strong Brisbane Inter Dominion campaign in July.
The veterinary advice was to have four months spelling before another bone scan to decide if he can return to training early next year.
Enter his breeder and part-owner, Alabar Farms, with the nifty idea to make the most of Bay Of Biscay’s time away from the racetrack.
“The plan was always to breed from him here at Alabar,” Alabar Farm’s GM Brett Coffey said. “We’d planned to race him another season, but when the bone scan revealed the hot spot things changed.
“The intention from the ownership group is to give him every chance to race again, with next year’s (Brisbane) Inter Dominion the main target, but the timing meant it was possible to stand (at stud) this season.
“I’d love to get 100-plus mares to him. I realise we’re late in the (breeding) season to be launching him, but he’s got a lot going for him and deserves to get a good number of mares to him.
“We’ll certainly be supporting him with lots of our good mares.”
Coffey said it was “a dream come true” to breed a horse good enough at Alabar Farms to then return and stand at stud.
“It’s the ultimate thrill. It’s really exciting,” he said.
Bay Of Biscay will be available to Australian and NZ breeders, standing in Australia at $3960 (incl GST) and in NZ at $NZ3500 plus GST.
The five-year-old has raced just 35 times for 14 wins, eight seconds, four thirds and banked $1,903,555.
His major wins came last season in the world’s richest pacing race, the TAB Eureka, and the Group 1 Chariots Of Fire, both at Menangle.
“He’s easy to promote,” Coffey said. “He’s the richest son of Somebeachsomewhere in the southern hemisphere. And Somebeachsomewhere has been a dominant sire and sire of sires.
“Bay Of Biscay is out of Nike Franco, a Group 1 winner, and his second dam (Nearea Franco) was a Group 1 winner. He was also a (yearling) sale-topper himself.
“He was the Australian 3YO of the Year in 2024 and then had that great year last year with the TAB Eureka and Chariots Of Fire wins.
“This year hasn’t quite gone to plan, but he still went to Brisbane, won a heat of the Inter Dominion and ran really well in the final.”
Although breeding is Coffey’s passion, he hopes Bay Of Biscay can successfully make it back to the races.
“I know Tim (Bunning, managing owner) would love him to make it back for next year’s Inter Dominion and I would, too. We felt this year’s series was a stepping-stone for him into the big league.
“It would be great if he made it back, had another crack at Brisbane and then fully retire to stud after that.”
Eureka pix – Club Menangle/Pacepix
