Vain Colours at Scone Races
Featured Image: ‘Vain’ by Michael Jeffery. Pat Hyland up.
I was standing at the parade enclosure at Scone Races Monday 20th November 2023. Race No. 6 ‘The Yarraman Park Maiden Plate 1200 Metres’ was due to start soon. The jockeys had just mounted. Very casually Arthur Mitchell advised me that Number 8, ‘Figment’ was carrying the ‘Vain Colours’. (See featured image).
I was momentarily ‘gobsmacked’ but the statement was both valid and its explanation equally profound. ‘Figment’ was racing in the interests of William Johnston Bloodstock, Elated Bloodstock, Mrs K W Mitchell, H Nagata, Mr C Dayman, R G Christie, Kilpara Racing, J Roberts, A A Burns and C Burns. Will Johnston is Arthur’s son-in-law and Mrs Kirsty Mitchell his spouse. It’s a true blueblood thoroughbred lineage. The Johnston Family of Victoria bred and raced ‘Vain’ (‘Wilkes’ ex ‘Elated’ by ‘Orgoglio’ by ‘Nasrullah’) while the Mitchell Family are currently ‘cock-of-the walk’ in thoroughbred breeding’s elite category. “I Am Invincible” is about to cement his 3rd successive Champion Stallion triumph while well supported by his Group I winning progeny ‘Hell Bent’. ‘Brave Smash’ (JPN) is no slouch either.
See: William Johnson Bloodstock
See: Yarraman Park Stud – I Am Invincible & Hellbent
Trained by Peter and Paul Snowdon from Scone and although racing well ‘Figment’ could not quite deliver on the day running a close 3rd in a very competitive race. The scenario evoked some special memories which came flooding back. ‘Vain’ was one of the very finest individual thoroughbreds I was ever privileged to work with during his long sojourn at ‘Widden Stud’. I feel enormously fortunate to have ‘lived the dream’ for almost 6 decades.
See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/vain/
See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/bim-vain-1980/
See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/golden-slipper-princess-1969/