White Robe Lodge has become a South Island racing institution.

The Otago stud and training operation was established in 1956 and founder Brian Anderton remains fully involved.

The Anderton family has had a long association with Otago racing and few individuals anywhere have made as big a contribution to the sport as NZ Racing Hall of Famer Brian Anderton.

Brian’s achievements include almost 400 wins as a jockey, more than 1500 wins as a trainer, a host of victories as an owner-breeder and a lengthy contribution as a racing administrator, as well as developing White Robe into a thoroughbred stud with an international reputation.

Brian now trains in partnership with son Shane, - a partnership that is approaching 1000 wins – while Brian’s daughter, Karen Stewart, and her husband Wayne, manage the stud operation.

Brian was just 18 when he bought Harken, his foundation sire, and named his fledgling stud White Robe Lodge, after the mare who gave him his first win as a rider, as a 13-year-old apprentice.

More than 20 stallions have stood at White Robe. Most made an impression, with Yamanin Vital, Tawfiq, Causeur, Personal Escort and Trelay among those who left Group I winners, but the standouts have been the champion sires Mellay and Noble Bijou.

Both Mellay and Noble Bijou were unraced. Like many New Zealand studmasters, Anderton did not have the budget to import high class racetrack performers. Instead, he had to take the punt that a top pedigree would compensate for a lack of proven racetrack ability.

In the case of Mellay and Noble Bijou, he hit the bullseye.

Mellay, a son of Never Say Die, was from the Epsom Oaks and One Thousand Guineas winner Meld. Mellay came to New Zealand in 1965 and the following year his half-brother Charlottown helped the cause by winning the Epsom Derby and being named England’s Horse of the Year.

Noble Bijou, who served his first book in 1975, was a Vaguely Noble half-brother to the outstanding racemare Allez France, who won eight Group I races, including the Arc de Triomphe.

Mellay, who died when 13, was twice champion sire and was the leading broodmare sire five times.

Noble Bijou had an even better record, heading the NZ sires’ premiership four times, winning the Dewar Trophy (combined NZ and Australian earnings) once, and, like Mellay, was five times champion broodmare sire. Noble Bijou is also the only stallion in modern times to have been New Zealand’s leading sire and leading broodmare sire in the same season.

Noble Bijou owed much of his success to being regularly mated with Mellay mares, a cross that produced six Group I winners – Prince Majestic, Alibhai (four Grp I wins), Powley, Our Sophia, Allez Bijou and Be Noble (dual Grp I winner in South Africa).

Noble Bijou also left the talented brothers The Phantom (1994 NZ Horse of the Year) and The Phantom Chance (Cox Plate and NZ Derby) and Caulfield Cup winner Lomondy.

Mellay left a host of good stayers, including dual NZ Cup winner Princess Mellay, Swell Time (Caulfield Cup), Rose Mellay (Auckland Cup) and Trelay, while both Mayo Mellay and Bahrain were runner-up in the NZ Derby.

Yamanin Vital, a son of Sir Tristram, was never a boom sire but was a wonderful source of stamina. His flat stars included NZ Derby winner Cut The Cake, Sydney and Auckland Cup winner Who Shot Thebarman, Metropolitan Handicap (Sydney) winner Herculian Prince, Wellington Cup winner Cluden Creek, NZ Cup winner Trebla and dual Canterbury Gold Cup winner Inferno.

Yamanin Vital also sired a host of quality jumpers, among them Hypnotize, Yourtheman, Counter Punch, Wise Men Say, Upper Cut, Climbing High, Ready Eddie, Yamanaura and Nicholman.

Tawfiq sired Melbourne Cup winner Tawrrific, Causeur left the high-class mare Mellseur, and Personal Escort sired Wellington Cup winner Envoy and the prolific winners Burton and Perceptible.

White Robe’s breeding credits include Prince Majestic, Alibhai, Powley, Who Shot Thebarman, Our Sophia, Allez Bijou, Perceptible, Blood Brotha, Tommy Tucker and Hypnotize.

 The current White Robe stallion lineup comprises Raise The Flag, Ghibellines and Gallant Guru.

Ghibellines’ oldest crop are rising four-year-olds and include Dunedin Guineas winner El Gladiador and Raise The Flag has had a good season in Australia, with the likes of Sydney Cup winner Etah James and the versatile Ablaze.