Racing: Teenaged son shares Dad's passion for thoroughbreds

Ian MacDonald and son Lachlan inspect Lot 93 from Haunui Farm. Photo / Janna Dixon

Ian MacDonald proudly watched his son Lachlan inspecting yearlings at New Zealand Bloodstock's Karaka sales complex yesterday.

MacDonald is a committee member of the Melbourne Racing Club and a long-time passionate breeder, owner and supporter of thoroughbred racing. Lachlan, 15, has inherited that passion and was charging around stud farms looking for that potential equine superstar.

Ian MacDonald is general manager of Ramleigh Park Pastoral, a company he runs in conjunction with Lachlan who is the bloodstock manager. Last year the MacDonalds selected and bought a yearling filly later named On Yer Feet and placed her in the care of leading New Zealand trainer Lisa Latta.

On Yer Feet has had three starts for a second and fourth. She narrowly missing qualifying for the Karaka Million 2-year-old race at Ellerslie.

The MacDonalds also decided to donate 50 per cent of all stake money to The Catwalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust.

"I have being coming to the New Zealand yearling sales for years going right back to the Trentham Sales.

"It's always a great sale and the standard of yearling is again very impressive. This is the second year I've had Lachlan here with me.

"Last year we picked out On Yer Feet and she was very unlucky not to qualify for the Karaka Million. Lachlan, who is still at school, really enjoys himself, getting around all the stud farms inspecting yearlings and meeting a lot of people involved in the New Zealand industry."