Menangle winner a product of Young Guns heroine

By Peter Wharton

Respected Kerikeri breeder-owner Pat Laboyrie has finally been vindicated for turning down a lucrative offer for Angelina Jolie after she won the Group 2 $80,000 Young Guns at Alexandra Park more than a decade ago.

Maria Allegonda winning at Menangle (c) Club Menangle-

“At the time her mother Matambra had only had one filly and that was Angelina Jolie. I decided that I needed to keep that breed, so I turned the offer down,” Laboyrie said.

Angelina Jolie, who a month later finished second in the $104,500 Caduceus Club Classic and ended up with a bankroll of $108,126, has become the dam of one of the brightest prospects in NSW harness racing, particularly among the fairer sex, in the five-year-old Maria Allegonda.

The gallant Sweet Lou mare is her third foal.

Maria Allegonda won one race as a three-year-old at Addington for Laboyrie and trainers Greg and Nina Hope.

“She was disadvantaged by the handicapping points system in NZ, so I decided to sell her to NSW,” Laboyrie said.

Owned by a syndicate including premier NSW racecaller Fred Hastings, Maria Allegonda has had 20 starts in her adopted country for four wins – all at Menangle – and seven placings and $62,894 in stakes. She boasts a lifetime total of $87,707 and holds a mile mark of 1:51.9.

“One day I think she will win a big mares’ race in Australia,” Laboyrie predicted.

Maria Allegonda, named after Pat’s mother, is a descendant of the smart Nero’s B B mare Matai Jewel, a member of the noted First Water tribe.

“She was the first horse that I bought at the sales. I paid $8,000 for her at a Claudelands yearling sale,” Laboyrie said.

“I liked her breeding, particularly the dam’s side.”

Matai Jewel won nine races and $52,715 and left four winners and three winner-producers in Matambra (by Armbro Operative), Matai Grace (by Soky’s Atom) and Matai Marlene (by Holmes Hanover).

“Matambra was trained by Barry Purdon. He was working her with his top open class pacer at the time and was about to take her to the Cup meeting in Christchurch when she went amiss,” Pat stated.

Matambra produced six winners with three in 2:00 headed up by Angelina Jolie and the good Menangle and Albion Park winner James Cagney (1:52.8).

Matai Grace, who was unraced, left five winners, while Matai Marlene’s five winners including Helena Jet (13 wins and $163,096) and Matai Mies, who won six.

“Helena Jet was a very good mare. Adore Me beat her into second placing in two Group 1’s. The closest she ever got to her was a half length in the Queen of Hearts,” Laboyrie said.

“A G’s White Socks was the best one I’ve bred and Helena Jet was a close second.”

Laboyrie, a former manager of the Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre at Hamilton and who now resides on a 10 acre property in the far north of the North Island, is breeding from a half-sister to A G’s White Socks named Uma Thurman.

“Uma Thurman, Angelina Jolie and Helena Jet are all safely in foal to Always B Miki,” he said.