One slight problem. We want local results. And we want them RIGHT THIS MINUTE! as early 2 year olds do seem to be a curious obsession in Australia.

Last Saturday - 6 November - Flying Pegasus gave his sire his first winner in Australia, having already produced the stakes placed Flying Dansino (ex Dansino by Danehill) and Moon Fever (ex Stella Cadente by Centaine) and the NZ stakes winner Dr Green (ex Palia by Last Tycoon) who won the listed Wellesley Stakes at Wellington on October 23.

Now this is where it gets interesting as out of interest - a horse with a lot less hype (and a much lower price tag)- Testa Rossa has recorded two stakes-winners and one stakes placed performer from just 6 starters: Jiang (winner $200,000 Gr2 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington); Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes winner (Rossa Glory); Listed Debutante Stakes runner-up (Tevella); metropolitan-placed Sportivo.

But fear not. Ask any thoroughbred breeder who they think 'the stallion' is this year and a lot of them will mention the one starting with 'F'.

If you break it down the reason for that is PR and advertising.

It's on again this week by the way. Ashford Stud in Kentucky announced Fusaichi Pegasus' fee for the 2005 northern hemisphere season - a raise of 18% from US$85,000 to US$100,000. Breeding & Racing then reported that "The Fusaichi Pegasus draft for Inglis Easter 2005 will number around 40 & reads like a who's who of turf luminaries: including 10 siblings to Gr1 winners(including the half-brother to Gr1 Victoria Derby & Gr1 Caulfield Cup winner Elvstroem) & 7 yearlings from Gr1-winning mares (including a prized filly from Bonanova)". Just to ensure that the media were well covered we see in today's Daily Telegraph that "connections have rejected a million dollar bid for boom colt Flying Pegasus only days after he posted a stunning debut win at Warwick Farm. The juvenile is seen as a genuine Golden Slipper contender by trainer David Payne & connections remain eager to see the bay live up to his potential before assessing his true worth."

It's very clever marketing.

For those learning the ropes - don't despair that you can't do something similar. You may never be able to compete with the larger studs in terms of promotional budgets and even stallions with these credentials but you can define the differentiators of your horse and you can generate the PR to promote him. PR costs nothing. And it is far more persuasive than me telling you my lemonade is the best - or just running an ad about it. Your advertising will ideally come AFTER your PR efforts. They will then work alongside one another.

We can all learn a lot from Coolmore.