Breeding on a budget: the hunt for value

Which young sires (other than first or second season) in the $25,000 or less price bracket do you think offer great value for money?

AUSTRALIA

Royston Murphy (Co-owner, Sledmere Stud, NSW): I liked the stock of Press Statement (Vinery Stud, $16,500) last year. They’ve taken a little while to mature, and they haven’t all been supermodels at the sale, but they just look like racehorses to me. It will be interesting to see how they go.

There’s also Sooboog (Kitchwin Hills, $13,200), a good-looking son of Snitzel who has left some very good sorts. I think his progeny will be well received at the sales. It’s a bit of a punt at this stage of their careers, but if you get it right, the returns can be massive.

Dean Hawkins (Manager, Wentwood Grange, NZ): There was a massive influx of stallions in 2017 who will have their first yearlings in 2020. If you can find the stallion standing in their third season who will have 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds performing when you offer your yearling for sale, it will always represent good value. Figuring out which one will kick goals is always the problem.

Kermadec (NZ) (Darley, $16,500) , whose oldest are 2-year-olds, is one we obviously have a lot of time for. The progeny we have just continuously improved and they are all good movers – we may be biased!

Peter O’Brien (General Manager, Segenhoe, NSW): Hellbent (Yarraman Park, $27,500) is a horse that simply fills the eye and is in the care of Harry and Arthur (Mitchell), so you know he will get every chance. I looked up his book of mares last year and it is an extraordinary book of quality for a horse in that price bracket. We have a magnificent foal by him out of Anatina (Fastnet Rock), who is a stakes winner and Group 1-placed, who has such quality with immense strength and presence. We have supported him last year with good mares and will do again. He is stamping his foals like his father (I Am Invincible) does!

I have also always adored Kermadec as a type, but sat off him until I had a look at his yearlings. They are not obvious 2-year-old types, but they all have his action and they reminded me of Dundeel’s (NZ) first crop – not obvious horses, but when they have that action it goes a long way. We are breeding to him this year with a view that, when selling, he will have 3-year-olds running, and we think that is when they will shine. Incredible value.

Sheamus Mills (Sheamus Mills Bloodstock, Victoria): There’s a couple of sires who have their first 2-year-olds this year that I really like – Super One (Newgate Farm, $11,000) and Rich Enuff (Woodside Park, $12,100). It’s not that I didn’t like horses like Vancouver and Pride Of Dubai, but they had the quality books of mares behind them. If you’re talking value, Super One and Rich Enuff have thrown very precocious types and are worth looking at.

Damon Gabbedy (Belmont Bloodstock Agency, Victoria): Headwater (Vinery Stud, $16,500) has produced yearlings in a very similar mould to their sire – physically outstanding. They possessed his quality and power, and I think the son of champion stallion Exceed And Excel has a big future.

Super One’s first yearlings were impressive, racy types with loads of muscle and strength, just like their sire, who is of course by the mighty I Am Invincible. He’s a very exciting prospect. Rich Enuff’s yearlings possessed the athleticism, temperament and movement that I look for in a yearling. I think his 2-year-olds are a big chance to make an early impact.

Dean Hawthorne (Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock, NZ): I was most impressed with the Kermadec yearlings that went through the ring. While they should take time to mature, their athleticism impressed.

Phill Cataldo (Phill Cataldo Bloodstock, NZ): Outreach (Widden Stud, $7700) is a well-balanced individual with true Australian speed in his pedigree. He seems to be good value at $7700.

NEW ZEALAND

Bruce Perry (Bruce Perry Bloodstock, NZ): It’s an interesting question as “value for money” can’t really be answered until the resulting foal is either sold or raced. While necessary in many cases, a service fee saving of $5000, $10,000 or more is often false economy as it’s just one bid in a sale ring. If you own a mare, other than the service fee, the foals all cost the same to breed and get to the sales or races.

With that in mind, I think if the first crop of Tivaci (Waikato Stud, NZ$20,000) are anything to go by, he will prove to be value for money. So should Almanzor (Fr) (Cambridge Stud, NZ$30,000), who is a lovely type and an outstanding racehorse. Charm Spirit (Ire) (Windsor Park Stud, NZ$18,000) is off to a good start and White Robe’s Ghibellines (NZ$6000) is an interesting prospect, as are a number of New Zealand’s young stallions.

Graham Bax (Co-owner, Blandford Lodge, NZ): Other young sires worth a look are Charm Spirit and Proisir (Rich Hill Stud, NZ$7,000).

Phill Cataldo (Phill Cataldo Bloodstock, NZ): Contributer (Ire) (Mapperley Stud, NZ$12,500) looks ideally suited to New Zealand and could be the next son of High Chaparral to make it. His yearlings sold well and his stock are good movers. Mongolian Khan (Windsor Park Stud, NZ$12,500) was a high-class stayer. I’ve been most impressed with his first crop, and they look like classic 3-year-olds in the making. Proisir has made a strong start. He is leaving a high percentage of horses that can gallop, and they have scope.

Tarzino (NZ) (Westbury Stud, NZ$15,000) was a high-class staying son of Tavistock out of a Zabeel mare – a cross that is proven. He comprehensively beat Beauty Generation and Jameka in the Rosehill Guineas. I have also been most impressed by the physiques of the first crop of Vadamos (Fr) (Rich Hill Stud, NZ$15,000), while Wrote (Ire) (Highview Stud, NZ$5,000) offers undoubted value for a Breeders’ Cup juvenile winner by High Chaparral. He is upgrading his mares.

Which older or more established sires do you think are worth using at those prices?

AUSTRALIA

Royston Murphy (Co-owner, Sledmere Stud, NSW): Smart Missile (Twin Hills Stud, $22,000) is going really well, he seems to have a winner almost every day. He’s still covering plenty of mares and offers good value – especially if you’re breeding to race. Sidestep (Telemon Thoroughbreds, $22,000) is another stallion who is going well and seems to me to be a stallion who offers good value.

Sheamus Mills (Sheamus Mills Bloodstock, Victoria): I think there is a bit of a gap in the “proven horse” market now, with a horse like Testa Rossa no longer standing. If you’re looking to breed commercially, it’s not easy to find one. A horse like Star Witness (Widden Stud, $27,500) is probably the best proven option. At the next level down, if you’re breeding to race, you could look at a sire like Reward For Effort (Chatswood Stud, $16,500).

Damon Gabbedy (Belmont Bloodstock Agency, Victoria): Shamus Award (Rosemont Stud, $11,000) has serious ammunition with his progeny going into the spring, it is a massive coup for Rosemont Stud to have secured him and he presents breeders with serious upside. I also love my “breed to race” stallions.

Rebel Raider (Wyndholm Park, $6600) was a proper racehorse who can sire a proper racehorse – tough, trainable types. Ilovethiscity (Noor Elaine Farm, $5500) doesn’t get the accolades he deserves. He is sitting at 62.5% winners to runners and has sired an elite Group 1 winning 2-year-old in El Dorado Dreaming.

Denman (Twin Hills Stud, $8800), a new and welcome addition to the Twin Hills roster, boasts over 68% winners to runners and 16 stakes winners. He is a consistent producer of sought-after types. Manhattan Rain (Blue Gum Farm, $16,500) offers versatile value. He has sired a Golden Slipper winner and a St Leger winner. His progeny are always sought-after in the sales ring as well.

NEW ZEALAND

Dean Hawkins (Manager, Wentwood Grange, NZ): The most value-for-money stallion in New Zealand is Darci Brahma (NZ) (The Oaks Stud, NZ$15,000). His progeny have never really fired in Australia, but in New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore he always has a good horse, so you can always sell one or trade one. As he has never had massive books, there is less competition as well.

Bruce Perry (Bruce Perry Bloodstock, NZ): At NZ$17,500, Per Incanto (USA) (Little Avondale Stud) represents very good value. He consistently leaves good types that sell well. He seems to do a great job with maiden mares as you normally get a decent first foal that runs.

Ocean Park (NZ) (Waikato Stud, NZ$15,000) is another stallion who is really starting to get some quality gallopers who are capable of performing well on the Australian metropolitan stage, which is so important especially with the large stakes on offer. Darci Brahma is another stallion who represents terrific value.

Graham Bax (Co-owner, Blandford Lodge, NZ): The established sires I am looking at in that price bracket are Ocean Park and Per Incanto.

Dean Hawthorne (Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock, NZ): Zed (NZ) (Grangewilliam Stud, NZ$6,000) is great value, especially for a “breed to race” person in New Zealand. They handle soft tracks, which are more prevalent in Sydney these days, and go most distances and have good longevity. Unfortunately the “breed to race” person in New Zealand is fast becoming like the moa or the Fiordland wild moose, such is the state of New Zealand racing, but I can see Zed having solid sale-ring results in the future.

Another one that just sneaks into the $25,000 category is Iffraaj (GB) (Haunui Farm, NZ$25,000). He is proven and can regularly leave a Group-performing horse in both hemispheres, and he works very well with the ever-present Danehill blood.

Phill Cataldo (Phill Cataldo Bloodstock, NZ): Darci Brahma is having a wonderful run and looks sure to be near the top of the stallion stats again this season, while Iffraaj’s stock have performed in both hemispheres.

Do you have any tips for sourcing a mare cheaply to send to those stallions?

Peter O’Brien (General Manager, Segenhoe, NSW): At this time of year, the online auctions offer great value and opportunity as there are sensibly priced young mares off the track as well as mares just foaled that some breeders want to offload. We use Damon Gabbedy to source mares for us and he has a wonderful eye for quality and value.

Royston Murphy (Co-owner, Sledmere Stud, NSW): There isn’t really an easy way to buy mares at the moment, but the rise of online auctions does provide some opportunities. If you do your homework and are prepared to jump in a car or on a plane to go and have a look at some mares, you could find some excellent value. There are plenty of agents out there who specialise in this sort of thing, and they’re only a phone call away if you need some help. While we obviously like to do our own mares, we also use the expertise of some agents around the country as well. The profit margins can be excellent with the cheaper mares and stallions. If you do it right, you can certainly make a great return on what isn’t a massive initial investment.

Dean Hawthorne (Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock, NZ): The various broodmare sales are your best bet, especially big, full catalogues. If you do your homework and sit and wait, a nice suitable buy will come along. A type to match the selected stallion is so important. A nice, correct, quality yearling will have a better chance of being selected for the desired sale, especially off a low budget. I am very cautious buying mares online without inspection first – photos can be deceiving.

Dean Hawkins (Manager, Wentwood Grange, NZ): Understand the faults that you can live with, or the faults in a mare you can improve. Older mares are generally cheaper, as they have less breeding life left, but sometimes the hard work has been done for you. We do find that a mare who produces small foals to start can breed better foals by foal 4 or 5. It is also important to know the families. We have managed to buy into families we know well, because we know the perceived faults the mares have do not get passed on to their progeny if mated right.

Sheamus Mills (Sheamus Mills Bloodstock, Victoria): Right now, there are opportunities like never more to find value in buying mares, thanks to the online auctions. So many people buy these horses sight unseen, and I think they’re inclined to bid cautiously as a result of that. If you find one that you like, from the pedigree or the photos, put in a bit of effort to go and see them or get them inspected. Gather just a bit more information, and then you can find some real bargain buys. All you’ve got to do is do a little bit more work than the next bloke – and I don’t think the next bloke is doing much.

Damon Gabbedy (Belmont Bloodstock Agency, Victoria): Do your research. Find out which nicks click and have been most successful and look for a mare that is an ideal pedigree match. Also, make sure you are sourcing the ideal physical match-up with the stallion. I like to do extensive digging into what is happening in the mare’s family, as you always hope to buy a mare cheaply that will have a pedigree upgrade and increase in value.

Bruce Perry (Bruce Perry Bloodstock, NZ): Gavelhouse is proving to be a good source of well-priced young mares. It also makes sense to give one or two bloodstock agents a call and ask them to keep an eye out.

Graham Bax (Co-owner, Blandford Lodge, NZ): If I was looking for mares to send to the above stallions, they would need to be young, probably not paying overs, with a good, deep pedigree in the background. Conformation would be important, and I would have a preference for mares to have Australian form with speed in the pedigree.