Owners In Frantic Search For Black Opium's Beau

CHAMPION Black Opium is expected on season soon and breeder-part owner Serg Buccilli is frantically searching for a KC And All straw for the bitch.

CHAMPION Black Opium is expected on season in the not too distant future and breeder, part-owner Serg Buccilli is frantically searching for a Kc And All straw for the bitch.

Black Opium (Black Magic Opal-Captivating) has settled into life as a house pet at the Jason and Seona Thompson household and Seona has built a special whelping area for the bitch to have her litters.

Black Opium made her racetrack name through Group 1 victories in the Sapphire Crown and Brisbane Cup but was second at that level in the Melbourne Cup, Australian Cup, Brisbane Cup and a finalist in the Easter Egg, National Sprint, Topgun and Million Dollar Chase.

With the success of her dam, Captivating, to Kc And All producing Group 1 star Equalizer and his sister Immunity, Buccilli said it was a natural for Black Opium to be mated to KC And All.

“But all our efforts to find a KC And All straw have so far been unsuccessful,” he said.

“If we cannot find one, we will put her to Fernando Bale. He was always going to be a choice at some stage for her anyway.

“And we are also contemplating Kc And All's son Bernardo for her down the track as well.”

Black Opium has already had a season not long after she retired from racing but it was decided to give her more time to settle into retirement.

“And that she certainly has done,” said Serg. “She is very much part of the Thompson family.”

Buccilli also has Priority Pass, a litter sister to Black Opium, and Equalizer's sister Immunity, to breed with in the future.

“Priority Pass will go down the same breeding track as Black Opium, while Immunity will be mated to Black Magic Opal,” Serg added.

Their dam Captivating has just been mated to Fernando Bale, a litter that will be her last.

Serg explained he and Bill have “high standards” when breeding with bitches.

“Our broodbitches must be 28 kilos plus, have been city winners, have a certain temperament and really calm nature,” he said. “One criteria we have is, if the bitch was put on the market to sell, would we want to buy her?

“We will not breed with a ‘ratty bitch'.

“Then we go looking for traits the bitch has and try to compliment them with the sire choice.

“But, we are always willing to make choices depending on the bitch herself.

“In the case of Captivating, she was not a city winner but that was not her fault.

“She had huge speed but her career was interrupted by a lot of injuries. She was a great chaser and, but for those injuries, she would certainly have been a city winner.

“And, she is a very good mother with a wonderful temperament.”

Black Opium retired with 29 wins and stakes of $564,000. Equalizer has won 20 for $395,000. Immunity has won 15 for stakes of $46,000 and Priority Pass had 11 wins for $39,000.

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