THE Big O - Occy - Octagonal
However you referred to him he was an out-and-out champion.
A hero of the race track who has become equally as successful at stud.
A winner of no less than 10 Group Ones, a record at the time, including the 1995 Cox Plate, the race considered as the nation’s premier weight for age classic.
Australia’s Champion Two-Year-Old in the 1994/95 season where the AJC Sire’s Produce and Todman Slipper Trial were among his victories and the season he ran a close second to Flying Spur in the
richest juvenile race in the world, the Golden Slipper.
A back-to-back Australian Horse of the Year where his victories included time honoured races such as the Rosehill and Canterbury Guiness, Australian Derby, Mercedes Classic, Underwood Stakes, Chipping Norton Stakes and Australian Cup.
A versatile superstar whose victories ranged from the sit and sprint of 1200m to the gut wrenching staying test of 2400m.
He took on and beat the best horses of his era, horses such as Saintly, Filante, Nothin’ Leica Dane, Mahogany, Strategic, Our Maizcay, Juggler and Doriemus.
A horse, who with his jet black coat and storming finish, had racing in the
headlines for all the right reasons.
This legend of the track now calls Cootamundra home as one of the
signature stallions at Darley Twin Hills on the outskirts of town.
One of hundreds of horses involved in the take over of the Woodlands racing empire by Darley owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Octagonal was brought to Cootamundra just over a month ago, moved from the Denman Stud in the Hunter Valley where he has stood since his racing days ended in 1997.
He has settled well into his new
environment, enjoying the company of fellow Darley stallions Quest For Fame and Doomesday as they prepare for what will be a hectic breeding season.
Between the first week of September and Christmas Eve, Occy could serve up to 100 mares, averaging close to one a day.
Good work if you can get it.
“He will serve as many mares as we can book for him.” Darley Twin Hills Stud Manager Steve Brien said.
“He’s such a fertile horse who has such an
excellent success rate in terms of pregnancy.
“His success rate of percentage of winners to
runners is also first class.”
According to Darley’s stud book released at the start of the 2008 breeding season, Octagonal had sired 741 foals aged three and up, 502 of which had made it to the racetrack by their third birthday and of those, 302 had tasted success.
Sixteen were Black Type winners and 38 Black Type horses.
Undoubtedly his best offspring was Lonhro, a next generational hero that was so much the spitting image of his father that it was scary.
A horse that bucked the theory that there would never be another Octagonal.
Brien, an avid horseman himself, has nothing but glowing praise for his stud’s newest resident.
“He was a champion of the track who was the
people’s champion,” Brien said.
“He brought people to the races and had a
charisma of his own.
“He won 10 group One races and was the favourite horse of his generation.
“He then goes to stud and throws a champion
himself in Lonrho who himself has developed into a much wanted sire.
“It ensures the dynasty will continue.”
“He’s been moved down here to give breeders in the southern area and Victoria the chance to have their mares served by arguably one of Australia’s greatest horses,” Brien said.
“His fee will be reasonably priced and we are expecting a good book of mares.”
And the best thing about having one of the legends of the track on our doorstep, is the fact Octagonal may find a permanent home at Twin Hills.
“He’s here to stay,” Brien said.
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