Sales success doesn't alter Sooboog's service fee

Cover image courtesy of Kitchwin Hills

By Bren O'Brien

A positive run of results for Sooboog's first yearlings won't alter Kitchwin Hills price point for the son of Snitzel, with the stud getting in early in announcing his 2020 fee will remain at $13,200 (inc GST).

Sooboog, a winner of the G3 Aurie's Star S. as a racehorse and placed in a trio of stakes races, including the Listed Breeders' Plate on debut, has stood at the same price at his first three seasons at stud, attracting books of 152, 178 and then 93.

Amid a very competitive group of first-season stallions, his yearlings have resonated well with the market and all but one of the 27 offered through the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Inglis Classic Sale and Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale finding a buyer.

They have so far averaged $85,634, a strong return on the initial service fee, highlighted by the $250,000 paid for a filly out of Bella Sunday (Sunday Silence {USA}) at the just completed Premier Sale in Melbourne.

That filly was purchased by Aquis Farm and is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Oohood (I Am Invincible) and was bred by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, who also raced Sooboog himself and who has been a great supporter of the young stallion across his first three years at Kitchwin Hills.

Sheikh Khalifa purchased the second most expensive Sooboog yearling so far in 2020, paying $220,000 for a filly at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale who will be going to trainers Toby and Trent Edmonds, while among the other well-regarded buyers to purchase his first stock this year is Hawkes Racing, who bought two on the Gold Coast and trained the stallion early in his racing career.

Kitchwin Hills, which has had a remarkably successful last six months with its graduates thanks to The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) and G1 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) as well as Group 1 winner Pierata (Pierro), is happy to retain its young stallion at the same price point in 2020.

Gallery: Recent Sooboog yearling purchases

“Kitchwin Hills are really excited by what we are seeing not only on type, but importantly the attitudes of these yearlings. You know when your senior yearling staff are investing their own hard earned into finding a good mare for him, and that this is all based on what they are working with in the paddock daily, those signs are really encouraging," said Kitchwin Hills' Michael Malone.

"Then to see the way the industry has responded with yearling buyers like John Hawkes amongst others securing multiple yearlings; there is something pretty exciting brewing here.

"Sooboog will have 300 plus 2-year-olds unleashed via some of Australia's leading trainers of precocity when this 2020 crop hits sales rings around Australia. Given the original backers of Sooboog have their foot on a chunk of his 2020 nominations, there is subsequently a limited number of bookings available. Kitchwin are really keen to ensure Sooboog covers the best crop of mares he has seen to date. Having a tight book will allow us to do so."