Written by Richard Edmunds
With perfect weather and a bumper turnout, Novara Park manager Ray Knight could not have been more delighted with the Karapiro stud’s open day on Sunday.
Novara Park paraded their two stallions Sweynesse (Lonhro), whose oldest progeny will turn two on August 1, and the newcomer Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Both horses are Group 1 performers, with Sweynesse placing in the Randwick Guineas and Spring Champion S., while Staphanos placed in the Osaka Hai, two editions of the autumn Tenno Sho, and Hong Kong’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup and Hong Kong Cup.
Sweynesse’s first two seasons at stud have produced 67 and 71 foals respectively. Staphanos will serve his first season this spring at a fee of NZ$7,000.
“All in all, I’m rapt with how the day went,” Knight said. “We had an absolutely beautiful, sunny day, which is a huge bonus at this time of year, and it was a really good turnout. Our two stallions were really well-received.
“We had an absolutely beautiful, sunny day, which is a huge bonus at this time of year, and it was a really good turnout.” – Ray Knight.
“For Staphanos, it was actually his very first parade. We hadn’t officially paraded him at all before today, so it was the very first chance for people to have a look at him. He’s a lovely horse and we got a lot of great feedback about him.
“It was great to have the opportunity to show him to such a good crowd in such beautiful weather – we couldn’t have asked for better for a first impression.
“As for Sweynesse, a lot of people who were here for the open day hadn’t actually seen him in the flesh before. They’d heard good things about him, but hadn’t seen him for themselves until today. We heard a lot of comments on what a lovely horse he is, which he really is.
“We’re lucky to have two such lovely stallions on our roster, and they were both very well-received today.”
Knight is looking forward to seeing Sweynesse’s first crop step out on racetracks, but he expects that to be mostly towards the end of the 2019-20 season.
Sweynesse parading at the Novara Park Open Day
“People are very pleased with his progeny and how they’re progressing. They’re really nice, coupled-up types of horses,” he said.
“People are very pleased with his progeny and how they’re progressing.” – Ray Knight.
“But it is worth remembering that Sweynesse himself didn’t run until May of his two-year-old season. I think he may have some runners before then, but there probably won’t be any rush to get them up and running.”
Breeders have shown plenty of interest in Staphanos, who follows Rich Hill Stud’s Satono Aladdin (Jpn) as only the second son of Japanese champion Deep Impact (Jpn) to stand at stud in New Zealand.
“We’re thrilled with how his first book is coming together,” Knight said. “He’s been really well-received, and bookings are ahead of where we’d normally expect to be at this time of the year.
“Sweynesse is in his fourth season now, so you have to be a bit realistic with your expectations for his book this spring. But he’s syndicated and will always have some really good support from that. Breeders and studmasters who have used him before are keen to go back to him again, which gives us some confidence.”
Breeders have shown plenty of interest in Staphanos
