The family in Australia traces back to a mare called St Cecilia by St Amant, a son of St Frusquin. She was to have only one named foal recorded by the Stud Book in Celia who was a daughter of Spearhead by Spearmint. Celia though was to produce the good galloper Spearmain by Manitoba who was to go to stud where he had little success, producing only one stakes winner in Gaymain who won the 1956 Lord Mayor’s Mile in Adelaide. Celia’s other produce was Coveshaw by Stalden, an Australian bred son of Valais. Coveshaw was to be mated with the imported stallion Portofino in 1941 to produce a colt that was to change the fortunes of the family.
The colt was sent to the 1944 Melbourne Yearling Sales. In the lead-up to the sales, a young trainer called Bill Cutler had asked businessman for assistance in kicking off his career by purchasing a horse for him to train. Sharpe agreed and Cutler in particular had his
