Group One-winning mare Lickety Split has officially hung up her racing shoes after a disappointing performance in the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings last weekend.
Trained by Andrew Forsman, Lickety Split had been a shining star for her sire Turn Me Loose, who celebrated his first Group One victory as a sire with her triumph in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at just her second start as a juvenile.
Following that promising start, Lickety Split continued to impress, capturing the Group 3 Northland Breeders' Stakes (1200m) title before embarking on a journey across the Tasman, where she competed under the moniker She's Licketysplit.
During her Australian campaign, she achieved a significant milestone by winning the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) and also securing placings in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and Gr.2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m).
However, her racing form took a dip with four consecutive unplaced runs, leading her connections to make the difficult decision to retire her for breeding.
Lickety Split was bred by Dean Hawkins and Nick Hewson and was raced by the duo alongside their wives and a close group of friends. This endeavor was a lifelong dream for Hawkins and Hewson, who had been friends since their teenage years.
Nick Hewson shared their journey, saying, “Dean and I used to work at Windsor Park together when we were teenagers, and we were always planning on having a mare together. We bred the mare (She's Slinky) to Turn Me Loose, and that's how we got Lickety Split.”
Reflecting on her accomplishments, he added, “She won a Group One as a two-year-old, and it was pretty special winning the Edward Manifold and placing in a Group One in Melbourne in the spring. Following Saturday, we decided as a group that she has nothing left to prove, and it is the prime time to breed. She's been a massive thrill, and we have raced her with some really good people. It has been a fun syndicate, and Andrew and his team have done a wonderful job with her.”
As Lickety Split transitions to her new role as a broodmare, she will make the journey across the Tasman to be served by the accomplished nine-time Group One winner Anamoe at Darley.
While Lickety Split's racing career may have concluded, there is still excitement on the horizon for Dean Hawkins and Nick Hewson, as they have a number of her siblings to look forward to, including her half-sister Full Tilt.
Full Tilt is currently on a spell after her unplaced run in the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) last Saturday.
Hewson expressed optimism about Full Tilt's potential, saying, “Full Tilt has got ability too. She is just going through some growing stages at the moment, so we have just tipped her out and will bring her back. We have got a lovely Circus Maximus colt who is going to the Karaka yearling sales, and she is about to foal to Turn Me Loose.”