pedigree supplied by www.arion.co.nz
Epaulette a son of Commands, that as a racehorse beat some of the best in training and it took some of the best to beat him. Epaulette was undoubtedly a brilliant racehorse with an outstanding pedigree - and he could run.
Out of the Singspiel mare Accessories, making Epaulette a three-quarter brother to outstanding galloper and now emerging sire Helmet (by Exceed and Excel) and to the Group 2-winning mare Pearls and the Group 3 VRC Debonair stakes-winner, Bullbars (by Elusive Quality).
This filly is out of We Can Dance a mare that retired as a winner from just six career starts, and then was offered in foal to the Group 1 winner in 2015 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare sale with the bay / brown selling to Botty’s Bloodstock for $40,000. A rising seven-year-old We Can Dance is out of the stakes placed Effervescence (by Palace Music) a winner of two races and a half-sister to the stakes winner Hissy Fit (by Octagonal).
This fillies sire, Epaulette won his first two-starts as an autumn two-year-old in 2012 to train on to collect the Listed Black Opal Stakes (1200 m.) and was beaten by a nose Pierro (by Lonhro) in the Group 2 Todman Stakes. At three Epaulette blossomed magnificently and raced up to his looks, winning the Group 1 Golden Rose at his second start back and went on to win the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400 m.) before finishing third to All Too Hard in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.
Epaulette's progeny commenced racing 'down-under' August 1st 2017 as of early 2018 the freshman sire has already produced Stakes winners - Meryl (ex Academy Idol by Made of Gold ) was winner of the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes (1200m) and Khulaasa (ex Taameer by General Nediym) winner of the Group 3 TBV Thoroughbreds Breeders Stakes (1200m).
We Can Dance is out of Effervescence in-turn the dam of Disguise (by Grand Lodge) a winner of three races and dam of the four-time Group 1 winner Appearance (by Commands), Mascareri winner of the Gold Coast Listed Silk Stocking.
The female family has also produced the Group 1 Champagne and Sires’ Produce Stakes winner, Victory Vein (by Mr. Henrysee) as well as black-type winners Play Master (by Masterprint), a winner of 11 races; Hissy Fit (by Octagonal) a winner of six races; Upwards (by Clear Choice) a winner of 10 races and Aspirations (by Star Shower) a winner of five races.
Greg Hickman describes himself as genuine lover of horses who is passionate about winning, fanatical about work and a trainer who invites his owners to enjoy every level of involvement in stable life.
Born and bred in country New South Wales, Hickman has wanted to train horses from the time he was a teenager riding at pony clubs and shows.
Hickman has lived the dream, setting up a successful stable that produces a steady stream of winners that has included two at Group One level along with a string of other stakes and city victories.
Along with his wife Erika, Hickman began his training career with a few stalls at the Boggabri Showgrounds from where he turned out eight winners.
In the early 1990s Hickman moved to town, taking a job with Vic Thompson Jnr who duly handed over to the training of the Ingham horses to John Hawkes.
"I cannot begin to tell you how much I learned in nine years at Crown Lodge, at first from Vic Thompson, Peter Snowden and later from John Hawkes," he recalls.
In 1996 Hickman was granted a new licence, beginning with the mare Perfect Flight who won him 10 races.
Since then there have been the Group One winners Royal Purler, an $8000 purchase who won the Flight Stakes, and Murjalisa Lass who claimed the Vinery Stud Stakes.
Other high quality horses like Sportsman, Sir Dex and Private Secretary have followed, all of them bargain buys that suggest a keen eye to match Hickman’s skills as a trainer.
Hickman has 26 boxes at Warwick Farm and offers an open invitation to his owners to join in whenever they wish.