Browse by Tags
One can't look at the leading Australian and New Zealand freshman sire lists for 2012-13 without an intense sense of loss over Northern Meteor, who died as a result of a colic attack on the very eve of the day that would see him crowned champion freshman sire. Nicknamed "racing's Usain Bolt" for his brilliant sprinting performances, the son of Encosta de Lago...
Read More...
While Redoute's Choice (AUS) ( TrueNicks , SRO ) has rapidly stamped himself as a sire of sires, his fellow Danehill son and erstwhile stud companion Flying Spur has been awaiting an heir. It now appears as if one may arrived in the shape of Casino Prince (AUS) ( TrueNicks ), who heads the Australia second-season sires list. He already has a star in the shape...
Read More...
Wherever in the world you're breeding, the search for value goes on, and like we did yesterday with New Zealand sires , today we'll take a look at some Australia sires that we think fall into that category. Choisir (AUS) ( TrueNicks ) (by Danehill Dancer) strikes us as incredible value at Aus$27,500 when compared to some of the unproven, or barely proven, sires...
Read More...
Australian media outlets have reported that undefeated two-time Australian Horse of the Year Black Caviar's first mating will be to Darley stallion Exceed And Excel (AUS) ( TrueNicks , SRO ). Photo: Darley Exceed And Excel (Danehill—Patrona, by Lomond) Exceed And Excel was, like Black Caviar, a sprinter. His first of two group I wins at 3 came in the seven-furlong...
Read More...
While he is now considered an "elder statesman" of the Coolmore Australia stallion roster, there can be no doubt that Encosta de Lago (AUS) ( TrueNicks , SRO ) is one of the premier stallions standing in Australia this year. The son of Fairy King has amassed a sensational record at stud with 6.3% stakes winners to foals and 7.6% stakes winners to runners (up...
Read More...
Triassic, the dam So You Think, in April 2012 I recently had the opportunity to interview Cecile Smith, owner of Piper Farm and co-breeder of Australian champion and 10-time group I winner So You Think (NZ) ( TrueNicks ). Cecile owns So You Think's dam, the 22-year-old Tights mare Triassic, who is currently in foal to Medaglia d'Oro ( TrueNicks , SRO ) and is...
Read More...
The weekend past saw the 56th running of the world's richest 2-year-old race, the AAMI Golden Slipper (Aus-I), run over 1200m (6 furlongs) at Rosehill in Sydney with the victor being the undefeated Gai Waterhouse-trained Pierro (Gai had touted Pierro strongly leading up to the race as seen in this pre-race video ). Traditionally the race that decides the champion...
Read More...
More Than Ready Photo: Vinery Hindsight is always 20/20, but when the Vinery Stud stallion More Than Ready ( TrueNicks , SRO ) shuttled to Australia, he looked to be a ‘lock’ to suit mares by then-leading sire Danehill. Invariably within breeding populations, the next great sire establishes himself with the daughters of a previously great sire. Just as Danehill...
Read More...
"He is a freak," said rival jockey Jim Cassidy after Lonhro (AUS) ( TrueNicks , SRO ) rolled past his mount Grand Armee in the 2003 George Main Stakes (gr. I, 1 mile, video below). "That is the first time ever I've heard the whoosh as a horse goes past me. He burnt my ears. I let down and he let down five more gears. I'm stunned." Lonhro was an exceptionally...
Read More...
Over 140 stallions standing in Australia and New Zealand have joined TrueNicks in advance of the 2011 Southern Hemisphere breeding season. Thoroughbred breeders who are currently busy working on their 2011 mating plans can now run complimentary TrueNicks Enhanced Reports with these stallions. ( Click here for the full list ) TrueNicks Enhanced Reports include...
Read More...
Set in the Isis Valley near Scone, Kitchwin Hills is home to two exciting young sires, Dane Shadow and Duporth, one an extremely promising young son of Danehill, and the other a horse with tremendous potential as an outcross for Danehill. Dane Shadow (AUS) ( TrueNicks ) – a group stakes-winning sprinter by Danehill out of champion 3-year-old filly Slight Chance...
Read More...
Larneuk Stud is a proven winner-producing nursery, situated near Euroa in the heart of Victoria’s thoroughbred country. The farm has now subscribed two of its promising young sires to TrueNicks, allowing breeders to run complimentary hypothetical matings with O’Lonhro and Bramshaw. O'Lonhro (AUS) ( TrueNicks , SRO ), who will soon commence his second season at...
Read More...
Blue Gum Farm near Euroa, Victoria, has a 30-year history, and is famed for nurturing the early career of one of Australia’s outstanding sires, Encosta de Lago. Today, the farm is at the forefront of the Victorian breeding industry, and is home to one of the strongest stallion rosters in the state. That roster includes the only European classic winner by Danzig...
Read More...
The latest Australian stallion farm to join TrueNicks is Arrowfield, the Hunter Valley powerhouse whose roster is headed by champion sire Redoute’s Choice. Winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes (gr. I) in two starts at 2, Redoute's Choice (AUS) ( TrueNicks , SRO ) earned a title as champion Australasian 3-year-old miler the following year, capturing the Caulfield...
Read More...
Established on a property with a near 100-year history as a Thoroughbred nursery, Vinery Australia offers a line-up of stallions that encompasses the best of both international breeding and domestic bloodlines. The roster is headed by More Than Ready ( TrueNicks , SRO ), a brilliant juvenile and grade I-winning 3-year-old sprinter who has the unique distinction...
Read More...
Widden Stud has been a breeding farm since 1867 and has been in the same family – the Thompsons – for seven generations. They have stood Australian champion sires Lochiel, Grafton, Malster, Bletchingly, Vain, and Marscay. Despite its proud history, however, the focus is firmly on the future, with the farm presenting a roster of outstanding young stallions. The...
Read More...
One of the newest stallion farms on the Australian scene, Patinack has quickly gathered an impressive roster of stallions, which for the 2011 breeding season will feature newly-retired classic winers Lope de Vega and Monaco Consul. Lope de Vega (IRE) ( TrueNicks ) is a son of Shamardal, a horse who was never beaten on the turf, earning honours as European champion...
Read More...
One of the strongest stallion rosters, both in terms of numbers and quality, is that which stands under the Coolmore banner. Leading the team is Encosta de Lago (AUS) ( TrueNicks , SRO ). The group I-winning son of Sadler’s Wells’ brother Fairy King has already earned honors as a champion sire. A winner of the 1996 VicHealth Cup (gr. I, video below) over 1400m...
Read More...
It hasn’t taken long for champion 3-year-old and sprinter Fastnet Rock to emerge as one of Danehill’s most exciting sons at stud. With his third crop only 2-year-olds of 2010-2011, he has already been represented by 15 stakes winners, 11 of those graded, among them the group I scorers Wanted, Irish Lights, and Rock Classic, as well as current juvenile Smart Missile...
Read More...
Ilala Stud, near Scone in Australia's Hunter Valley, has two talented runners that are an outcross for the sire lines currently dominating the Australian breeding scene. The tough chestnut Honor in War ( TrueNicks ) won the Turf Classic (gr. I) over nine furlongs (1800m), Arlington Handicap (gr. III), and the Fort Lauderdale Handicap, while racing in the U.S...
Read More...
Australia is home to a branch of the Nearco line not found elsewhere in the world, that of Showdown. By Nearco’s son Infatuation—a top-class racehorse (he won the Dewhurst Stakes and Royal Lodge Stakes at 2, and the Greenham Stakes and Sandown Classic Trial at 3) but disappointing sire—Showdown was a brilliant juvenile taking the Middle Park Stakes and Coventry...
Read More...