Angela and Jim Fleming 

Jim Fleming, the foodfair magnate whose stores at one time traded under Flemings are fabulous, also made a fabulous contribution to thoroughbred breeding and racing, not only in Australia but also America and Europe.

It is a contribution that is recalled following his death at the age of 75 in Sydney at the weekend.

Founder of two store chains, Flemings and Jewels, both of which were subsequently sold out, turning the family into one of Australia's wealthiest, Jim Fleming in the past quarter century had been a towering figure in the thoroughbred industry.

A dynamic businessman with a sharp mind, he was on the board of directors of the Sydney Turf Club for 14 years and served as its chairman between 1983 and1990. In that time he was responsible for lifting the prestige of the Club and its flagmast race the Golden Slipper, one whose prize money rose from $300,000 in1983 to $2million in 1992 and more recently to $3.5 million.

The Fleming family

The Club recognised his outstanding service to them by naming its new showplace public grandstand after him.

Jim Fleming was one of the founders of Aushorse, a national thoroughbred industry group aimed at marketing Australian horses overseas. Personally he led the way as a breeder, owner and buyer in America and Europe.

For one, he gained the distinction of being a rare Australian owner of a European Classic winner in Hula Angel. Bought at American sales, this daughter of Mr. Prospector sire Woodman and the Danzig mare Jode recorded a dashing win in the Irish One Thousand Guineas in 1999.

Producer in Ireland of two minor winners by Sadler's Wells and one by Rock of Gibraltar, Hula Angel was brought out to join Jim Fleming's elite band of mares at his Tyreel Stud at Agnes Banks in the Hawkesbury Valley in 2006. She slipped a service that year to More Than Ready, but hopefully is now in foal to Redoute's Choice.

The Flemings celebrate Jamieson Valley's win at the Magic Millions

In 2002 he spent $2 million acquiring Warrior Queen, a mare inbred 3x3 to Mr. Prospector, carrying a foal by A.P. Indy at the American sales. Sold by Fleming at the American yearling sales for $1.3 million, the subsequent foal raced as A.P. Warrior, winning two Group 2 events and finishing third in the Santa Anita Derby. He stands at stud in Kentucky on $20,000.

However, Jim Fleming's biggest impact as a breeder was quite naturally in Australia, where at the time of his death he had a very fashionable collection of over 40 mares at Tyreel, a stud which in recent years has been run for the family by John Vincent, former manager for Colin Hayes of the Collingrove Stud, now Adam Sangster's Swettenham, at Sandy Hollow in the Hunter Valley.

Breeding good horses for more than a quarter of a century, starting off with the Stone Lodge Stud next door to Vinery in the Segenhoe Valley near Scone, Jim Fleming has been the breeder of over 40 Group winners, 17 of which have been successful in Group 1 races, and earners of $25 million.

Jim Fleming at the sales earlier this year

They have included 1993 Golden Slipper winner Bint Marscay (by Marscay) and her track record Epsom Handicap winning half-brother Filante (by Star Way). A second placegetter twice in the Cox Plate, Filante stands at the Ilala Stud at Scone.

A Star Way yearling filly Fleming purchased in New Zealand became a top performer under the name of Bonanova, winning eight races up to Group 1 level and finishing second in four Group1s, the AJC All-Aged Stakes, Flight Stakes, STC George Ryder Stakes and Coolmore Classic.

He sold a Lonhro filly out of Bonanova for $450,000 at the William Inglis 2007 Easter yearling sale, one at which the Tyreel draft also secured $2million for an Elusive Quest colt and $1.6million for a Redoute's Choice filly.

Imbued with enthusiasm for breeding and racing as a lad when his father had a breeding farm at Koorawatha near Cowra, NSW, Jim Fleming has left legacy to Australian breeding in quality broodmares who could be celebrated matriarches of the future, added respect for Australia overseas and three sons, Paul, Dean and Lee, who are actively involved in the industry.

Lee has one of Victoria's biggest studs, Eliza Park at Kerrie.

Jim Fleming and Bob Ingham

PIC - Sportpix.