Canny Lad epitomised the great Australian thoroughbred - Fast, precocious and tough

The colt Canny Lad was one of the last and most successful representatives of the Star Kingdom male line, with Star Kingdom one of Australia's most influential sire influences. By Bletchingly out of the Lunchtime mare Jesmond Lass, Canny Lad was trained by Rick Hore-Lacy and was one of the best juveniles Australia has ever seen. He was bred by the Dodson family from Melbourne and hailed from the great Jesmond Lass dynasty – his sisters were the flying fillies Sister Canny and Canny Lass and, more recently, it is the family of Camarena, Camarilla, Sepoy and Guelph. The matriarch of the family was bred by Ken Newitt, who bought the mare Beautiful Dreamer in foal to the then unproven sire Lunchtime for $4500 at a mixed bloodstock sale in 1975. Beautiful Dreamer won only three minor races and had a fairly modest pedigree but Newitt says that when he got her home and had a good look at her, he "thought she had a bit of class". The pedigree proved to be quality, as Canny Lad was Australia's champion 2-year-old of 1989-90, winning six of seven starts at Stakes level.

During his very successful training career, Rick Hore-Lacy built up a reputation as ‘the stallion-maker’. A significant number of the exceptional colts that were under his tutelage at Epsom and subsequently at Caulfield achieved remarkable success in their stud careers. He must have thought that he’d reached the pinnacle in this respect when the 1990 Gr.1 Golden Slipper winner Canny Lad (Bletchingly) became an extremely successful stallion at Woodlands. However, it turned out that Canny Lad was only the warm-up act: Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) came along nine years later and went on to prove himself one of the most special horses, both on the racecourse and at stud. But Canny Lad was undoubtedly a high-calibre racehorse during his time, deserving recognition despite his relatively brief career.

Winner of the Listed Maribyrnong Trial on debut, Canny Lad won dual Gr.2 and two Gr.3 events in his next three starts, including the Florentino (900m)and Blue Diamond Prelude (1000m). He then went into the Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes undefeated and a short-priced favourite. Narrowly beaten by Mahaasin, Canny Lad demonstrated his true class when returning to the racecourse just nine days later and claiming the Gr.1 VRC Sires’ Produce (1400m). A month later, Canny Lad concluded his juvenile season in a remarkable manner by securing victory in the Golden Slipper (1200m). His powerful run on the inside, skillfully guided by the accomplished jockey Shane Dye was a testament to his exceptional talent. This was his sixth victory from seven starts. Winner of the Gr.2 Stutt Stakes and a third under a hard ride in the Gr.1 Cox Plate to champion Better Loosen Up, Canny Lad was retired to stud at the end of his three-year-old campaign in 1991. Canny Lad has sired 11 Group one winners including Accomplice, Preserve, Republic Lass and Ancient Song.

His long stud career was evidenced by his progeny’s earnings being over $53 million with 64% winners to runners. His racing progeny included Group winners Republic Lass (earnings $1,530,000) and He’s No Pie Eater (earnings $720,000). Canny Lad’s daughters have also become highly sought after commodities. He has become a Champion broodmare sire with his daughters producing no fewer than 11 Gr.1 winners, including Champion stallion Redoute’s Choice plus six-time Group 1 winner Desert War and star filly Mnemosyne. Canny Lad was retired from active duty in 2011 and has spent the past few years in a paddock with another champion, Octagonal. Canny Lad died in 2014.

RACE RECORD - 15: 8-1-2

EARNINGS - $2,094,450

G1 VRC Sires Produce

G1 Blue Diamond Stakes

G1 Golden Slipper