'It made financial sense to me' - Dave Arthur on selling Kilcruit's full-sister

Kilcruit's bloodless success in last month's Champion Bumper at Punchestown could have proved a source of regret for Dave Arthur, the former owner of the star gelding's full-sister Broke Away.

However, Arthur, who saw Broke Away carry his colours to a four-length success over hurdles at Wincanton last February, adopted a philosophical approach, a result of having owned racehorses outright and in shares for fully 40 years.

An association with the all-conquering Willie Mullins, via the initially successful but ultimately notorious Supreme Racing Club, led him to the daughter of Stowaway, who was bred, like Kilcruit, by the trainer's mother Maureen out of Broken Hearted's daughter Not Broke Yet.

Arthur says: "Racing has been my lifelong passion. I had some small shares with the now defunct Supreme Racing Club in Ireland, and one of the horses I part-owned was the superb mare Airlie Beach, who was very successful, winning a Grade 1 at Fairyhouse, where Danny Mullins rode her for us that day.

"I'd started working as syndicate manager for Alex Dunn Racing in Somerset, around six or seven years ago, and had my own horses in training there. Myself and Alex’s husband Tom bought a lovely mare at Doncaster sales from Mags Mullins, Danny's mother, called Tsundoku, and she was a real success, winning five times for us.

"I’d got to know Danny through the Supreme Racing connection, and he always messaged when the mare ran and won for us.

Danny Mullins: a key figure in the Broke Away taleCredit: Caroline Norris

"I'd spoken to Danny at Fairyhouse and said that if the family had another Tsundoku for sale, to let me know. In July 2017 Danny messaged me saying they had a mare who was going to the sales, she'd run well in a decent bumper and would I be interested?

"I was, and bought her privately from her breeder Mrs Mullins in the hope someone would come in with me and we could win a bumper. In the end she became the first horse I'd bought entirely by myself and I ended up owning her outright."

Broke Away proved a tricky customer in the early days with Dunn and never gave her riders or trainer an easy time, but connections' idea to turn her away for a year or so was ultimately rewarded with the mare's first success.

Arthur says: "She's always been extremely hard-pulling, she can be a real madam on the gallops. We ran her a couple of times as soon as she came over, but she wasn’t able to show us what we’d hoped, so we decided to give her a year off to mature and hopefully settle down.

"We then got her back in and managed to get her settled in her races sufficiently to get a handicap mark. She ran really consistently and gave me lots of fun, before finally managing to get her head in front at Wincanton in February 2020 under Adam Wedge. We were then unfortunately stopped in our tracks by the first lockdown, which was a shame as she'd just hit form.

"The lockdown was a real strain on finances for many people, and having no prospect of any prize-money was a major issue. I decided I had to take Broke Away out of training and out to grass for the summer. Alex was a tremendous help to all her owners throughout this period.

"I'd been aware of Kilcruit last year, when Tony [Mullins] had him and clearly rated him. He indicated that Willie would have him in training the following season; they obviously thought a lot of him."

Dave Arthur: delighted to get a win in his colours with Kilcruit's sister and selling her 'just one of those things'

It was just less than a month after Broke Away's maiden win that Kilcruit entered stage left, when a promising second on his debut at Clonmel for Tony Mullins.

Having been switched to Willie Mullins, a nine and a half-length success at Navan was followed by an imperious display in the Grade 2 Goffs Future Stars bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Kilcruit was to start odds-on for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham but was beaten half a length into second by stablemate Sir Gerhard.

In the equivalent race at Punchestown last month it was Sir Gerhard's turn to start odds-on but Kilcruit's turn to win, which he did so impressively by four and three-quarter lengths from O'Toole, with Sir Gerhard third.

Securing that first Grade 1 success bestowed, of course, even more value upon his former tearaway big sister.

Broke Away came back into training last autumn and ran well, including when third at Taunton in January.

Arthur adds: "When Kilcruit won at the Dublin Racing Festival I was really struggling to get Broke Away into races, because she was getting balloted out everywhere and the prize-money available to her was extremely poor. Added to that was the fact I couldn’t go to see her run. I realised she was worth considerably more as a broodmare than she could ever be as a racehorse and there might not be a better time to see if I could get any interest from breeders..

"I spoke to some contacts in the bloodstock world, and Danny put me on to Jamie Codd. He was really helpful, and knew Kilcruit well of course. Eventually I agreed a deal with agent Ed Bailey, who Alex’s family know well."

Kilcruit: imperious winner at the Dublin and Punchestown Racing FestivalsCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Arthur continues: "It made financial sense to me, and Broke Away’s future is protected. She's going to have a lovely life and the deal will help me finance the other horses I have in training."

It seems then a case of all's well that ends well with Broke Away, who is currently residing at Yorton Farm Stud and made a trip over to Ireland for a date with Blue Bresil. It is also all too apparent that Arthur is thrilled the nine-year-old has secured a home for life.

"She's gone to the Potters, who have their mares at Yorton Farm, and is now in foal to Blue Bresil - I believe she's been scanned in foal at this early stage," he says.

"I'd have loved to have bred from her myself, but the costs and risks are just too prohibitive. It was perfect timing for the new owners to get her in foal straight away.

"I could have gambled and waited but Kilcruit could have disappointed twice; it's just one of those things. I have to give great credit to my trainer Alex Dunn as Broke Away was far from easy to train but an absolute sweetheart in the yard.

"At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whatever level you operate at, it's always amazing to get that win in your colours."

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