Article images courtesy of Coolmore Australia

With COVID-19 protocols making the traditional stallion parade days impossible, Coolmore took to the digital format, featuring not only its star-studded roster, but also two of the world's leading trainers in Aidan O'Brien and Bob Baffert, the world's leading jockey in Frankie Dettori, Australia's leading trainer in Chris Waller as well as rarely sighted, Coolmore's John Magnier.

The hour-long video, available on the Coolmore website as well as through various social media platforms, is narrated by long-time Coolmore bloodstock advisor James Bester, who speaks to the world industry leaders about the prospects of stallions such as US Triple Crown winners Justify (USA) and American Pharoah (USA) as well as new additions Yes Yes Yes, Calyx (GB) and Magna Grecia (Ire).

Coolmore Australia Principal Tom Magnier said the response since the virtual stallion parade was released on Wednesday evening had been extremely encouraging.

Watch: The Coolmore Australia virtual stallion parade 2020

"The feedback on our first ever virtual parade has been overwhelmingly positive from all corners of the globe. I have received messages from clients and friends in Europe, Asia, America and throughout Australia and New Zealand and they were all incredibly complimentary," Magnier said.

"We are very proud of the amazing stallion roster that we have developed here over many years and we really enjoyed putting this piece together."

In times of crisis comes innovation and Magnier felt his team had responded to the challenge of presenting their stallions ahead of the new season in a brilliant manner.

"We have all been met with many challenges in recent times, but the show must go on, and it has been wonderful to see the Australian industry adapt and evolve in such times," he said.

"The sales went online with resounding success so we didn’t hesitate in putting together a virtual stallion parade of the highest quality to bring our stallions to the people in the comfort of their own homes.

"We were delighted with the way it all came together. The farm, the grounds and most importantly the stallions looked amazing and it is a credit to all the staff at Coolmore for making this possible."

While a physical stallion parade is usually limited to speaking to the people actually on the ground at the time, Coolmore was able utilise its global contacts to bring together some incredible talent to launch its 16-strong roster for 2020.

"The virtual parade format gives you the opportunity to include so much more than a conventional stallion parade. To hear the likes of John Magnier, Aidan O’Brien, Bob Baffert, Frankie Dettori and Chris Waller give an insight into some of the stars of our roster makes for great viewing," Magnier said.

John Magnier speaks of Justify

It certainly provided a rare opportunity to hear from Coolmore mastermind John Magnier, who spoke at length about Justify, a stallion which his organisation has provided an unprecedented level of support for in terms of the quality of mares acquired to go to him around the world.

"It's so unusual to win a Triple Crown. People have to realise, there has only been 13 of them ever and this fella is an unbeaten Triple Crown winner. He could be a Northern Dancer or the next Sunday Silence. He could be the next big thing," he said.

"He fulfills the good looks and the masculine type of horse that you must have for a good stallion. Then he has the obvious pedigree advantages through Scat Daddy and we think that will work very well on the grass. There's proof of it, so we are not trying to re-invent the wheel."

Coolmore has marketed Justify as a game-changer for the global thoroughbred industry since it acquired breeding rights in the son of Scat Daddy (USA). He has served two books at Ashford Stud in Kentucky and one at Coolmore Australia's base of Jerrys Plains in the Hunter Valley. He stands his second season in Australia at $66,000 (inc GST) in 2020.

"It's an opportunity really for the serious breeders to avail of him while he is there," John Magnier said.

"For me, he's a no brainer at this time and he has been a nap of all the stallions that we have ever put to stud. He fulfils all the criteria that we look for on an international basis, which is where we see that game going."

The virtual stallion parade also featured an interview with Justify's trainer Bob Baffert, who gave insight into how he had developed into a champion racehorse.

"The first time I saw him and looked at the way he's bred, I thought I wonder how far he'll go, because he was built like this massive quarter horse. He was just incredible from the first time I ever worked him," Baffert said.

"That's one thing about the great horses I have had, you see it right away. When people go and see Justify, they call me and they can not believe when they pull him out, the presence that he has."

Coolmore America Manager Dermot Ryan has had the advantage of seeing Justify's first Northern Hemisphere foals and provided a glowing assessment of the impression they had made.

"They have lovely quality, they have great strength, correct good bone, they are very uncomplicated and good movers. They are very straightforward horses to be around. Like himself, you imagine yourself to be in the presence of greatness when you are around them," he said.

"They have that big hip, rear end and a good hind leg. They have that strength that drives them and that's dominant in all of them, that rear end with the muscle behind him."

Frankie recalls 'amazing' Calyx

Dettori, one of the greatest jockeys of all time, was called upon to provide his assessment of Calyx, the son of Kingman (GB), who debuts at Coolmore Austraia this year $17,600 (inc GST).

Dettori rode the John Gosden-trained colt in his Royal Ascot victory in the G2 Coventry S. and in the G3 Pavilion S. the following year.

"I was blown away by what he did at Newmarket and that was just 10 days before Royal Ascot. He went straight from a maiden into the deep end of the Coventry and we knew that he had lots of talent," he said.

"The turn of foot he showed was amazing and looking at the form afterwards, beating a horse called Advertise, who I rode since and managed to win Group 1s on at two and three, the form was rock solid."

O'Brien hails the natural, Magna Grecia

Aidan O'Brien, the world's leading trainer, who has had so much success from his Ballydoyle operation, spoke about Magna Grecia, the son of Invincible Spirit (Ire), who won the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. at two and the G1 2000 Guineas at three.

"I suppose he was one of those unusual horses. His shape and his length and his scope and his body never changed much when we trained him. He came in looking like that and as we trained him he never lost much weight," he said.

"He was a natural from day one and found everything very easy to him."

Magna Grecia debuts in Australia at $22,000 (inc GST).

Waller says Yes

Coolmore's other addition in 2020 is of course Yes Yes Yes, the son of Rubick, who defeated some of the world's best sprinters to win The Everest last year.

His trainer Chris Waller provided some insight into the level of talent Yes Yes Yes possessed.

"When you are talking about running in an Everest, you need to display to the Everest slot holders that you are choosing the right horse. You need to wait for as long as you can to make sure that that horse is right," he said.

"We had to be convinced that we had the right horse to convince the slot holders that Yes Yes Yes is the horse, not to just run in the race, but win the race. The decision was made and the rest is history."

While that was to prove his final run, with Yes Yes Yes retired to stud, where he will stand at $38,500 (inc GST), after suffering an autumn setback, Waller believes he would have been the benchmark Australian sprinter of the season.

"Based on Nature Strip's rating and how he became the highest rated sprinter in the world this year, you would have had to say that Yes Yes Yes, in beating him in The Everest would have been a pretty good chance wherever he went around the world," Waller said.

The stallion parade featuring detailed coverage of all 16 of Coolmore Australia's roster and is available for viewing at Coolmore's website and through social media channels.

Coolmore Australia's 2020 Roster (all prices inc GST)

Savabeel has achieved extraordinary fame and fortune since his retirement off the back of an outstanding racing career and Savacool’s victory in the Listed Pioneer Services Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury on Thursday has added to his long, long line of achievements.

The champion stallion has won the Grosvenor Award (champion New Zealand sire) for five consecutive seasons, four Dewar Awards (combined New Zealand and Australian progeny earnings) and five Centaine Awards (combined world-wide progeny earnings) and has sired 20 individual Group 1 winners.

Savacool was bred by stud principal Mark Chittick with long-time friend and client Gary Wallace and sold at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale to trainer Chris Waller for NZ$220,000.

“Gary and his wife Vicky are great family friends and it’s a relationship that goes right back to our days at Thornton Park when Gary became involved in Centaine,” Chittick said.

“We’ve enjoyed a close relationship ever since then and he is very passionate about the game.”

History-maker

Wallace is also a major player in another part of Waikato Stud’s history.

“I bred O’Reilly’s first stakes winner The Big Chill who won the Listed Red Roses S. at Flemington on Oaks Day so to do that and now Savabeel’s 100th stakes winner is very special,” Wallace said.

“Many, many years ago Dad raced the odd horse so I followed it and had a real interest. It wasn’t until later on that I met Garry Chittick when he was in Palmerston North and he had just bought Centaine.

“I went out to the farm with another friend to look at him and met Garry – he must be a good salesman because I bought two shares in Centaine and that was the start of an amazing friendship with the Chittick family. It’s been an amazing journey.”

As a rising 19-year-old and in excellent health, Savabeel’s extraordinary dominance is far from over, but it hasn’t been all plain sailing for the son of Zabeel (NZ), another stallion phenomenon, who had to navigate choppy waters on more than one occasion.

“Obviously, we are all extremely proud of what he has achieved. It’s never been a secret that he was the first NZ$10 million syndicated horse to come to New Zealand,” Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick said.

“The support we had in purchasing him and getting him syndicated was incredible all the way through. We’ve all had a great ride with him and continue to do so.

“However, when he had his first 2-year-olds was around the time that GST was introduced. He got 5 individual 2-year-old winners from his first crop, then GST hit and the underlying chat was that he wasn’t going well enough.

“Being by Zabeel, we knew they were going to be at their best as 3-year-olds and onwards and there was certainly a year when he served well under 100 mares. There was also a year around that stage that we didn’t get a lot of support from the sales company.

“Through that period it was really very tricky and his service went from NZ$30,000 to NZ$20,000, but we always had confidence in Savabeel. There were definitely difficult years, tough times, and I’m very proud that he came out of that.

“Interestingly enough, he’s now up 15 2-year-old stakes winners, which is incredible. He leaves a top 2-year-old and horses that train on with stakes winners over sprint distances up to a Group 1 winner over 3200 metres and leaves fillies and colts.

“As the years have gone on, he’s now getting the opportunity as a broodmare sire and is on track to be outstanding in that role as well. Being by Zabeel out of a Success Express mare it’s a no-brainer, they are both champion broodmare sires.”

Savabeel won both the G1 Cox Plate and the G1 Spring Champion S. when trained by Graeme Rogerson for an ownership group that included Max Whitby and they both remained involved in the second stage of the horse's career at stud.

“Graeme still comes over here at least twice a year for lunch to say hello to Savabeel and that’s really cool and another is Max, who’s also continued to be a great supporter,” Chittick said.

It was therefore appropriate that they combined with Scarlett Lady (NZ) to give Savabeel his first Group 1 success in Australia when she landed the Queensland Oaks.

“Of our locals, Sam Williams and Graham Bax have been great and a guy who came in a little later because he became involved in the game after we had syndicated the horse and has become a big part of it all is Tony Rider,” Chittick said.

“From the point of view of not being a shareholder, but a great supporter of Savabeel is Peter Moody. He trained (stakes winner) Pasadena Girl, Nurse Kitchen and Brambles, among others.

“He’s always said that when we do a brass sculpture of Savabeel he should be standing beside him, we always joke about that. He might not have always bought the biggest, shiniest ones, but he has had great success with them.

“Bruce Perry and Lib Petagna are two other great supporters of Savabeel. I don’t know how many stakes-winning daughters Lib is now breeding from, it might not be 10 but it would be close.

“In the latter years, David Ellis and Te Akau have been very successful with sons and daughters of Savabeel.”

Chittick pointed to the Petagna-owned Lucia Valentina (NZ) as one of Savabeel’s leading early flagbearers in Australia where she won the Queen Elizabeth S., Turnbull S. and Vinery Stud S.

“She was a high-profile horse who raced in a tough environment and at home Kawi was a great horse. He won seven Group 1s that Allan Sharrock managed very well because he wasn’t the soundest of horses,” Chittick said.

“Sangster did his bit by winning the G1 VRC Derby and most recently, and still with a very big future is the G1 Surround S. winner Probabeel.”

The progeny of Savabeel have also been a major drawcard for overseas buyers at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for many years and spearheaded Waikato Stud to leading vendor vendor titles at Karaka from 2014 to 2020.

“He’s been incredibly important to us and more importantly to New Zealand. He’s given every reason, particularly for Australian buyers, to be here to get their hands on them,” Chittick said.

Top temperament

As far as stallions go, Savabeel has been an extremely manageable horse with an endearing nature.

“He really has got the best temperament. He’s seen stallions come and go here and I love stallions and their personalities and trying to work out how they think,” Chittick said.

“He had the utmost respect for O’Reilly, but for the last few years he absolutely knows he’s the king. He doesn’t get upset when the new ones come along – I can see him thinking good luck to you and if you do as well as me, I’ll be extremely proud of you as well.

“He’s quite the character and just recently when Super Seth went into the box next to him he just looked like he was saying good to have you here and you do your best and good luck to you.”

Savabeel remains hale and hearty and with his fitness closely monitored as well.

“He’s a very good doing horse and we were very conscious when he hit his early teens to keep him fit. He is a horse that can get quite heavy and three years ago we implemented a fitness program for him on the treadmill.

“The other reason this horse is up with his dad Zabeel, who was an absolute freak and dominated, but it was in an era that only had Australasian influence, there were no imports around.

“He didn’t have the competition that there is these days with the Europeans and I’m certainly not taking anything away from Zabeel. Savabeel has been a life-changer, absolutely no doubt about it.”

The COVID-19 era will be remembered by a lot of people in the industry as a strange time, where horses can cross borders but people can't, and for the reliance on good friendships to help negotiate the challenges of campaigning horses interstate.

Tregea says if Niccanova couldn't have raced in Sydney this time in, he'd be in the paddock, and that was something he wasn't willing to contemplate with the 7-year-old in career-best form.

"There isn't a lot left for him up here. There are no weight-for-age or set weights and penalties races, so really that’s the next step for him," Tregea told TDN AusNZ. "His rating is a bit high up here for the races that we have got, particularly at the moment.

"He has earned a crack at it. He went to a new level last preparation and he seems to get better as he gets older. It’s all about the run in the race. if he gets a reasonable run in the race, he should be competitive."

When it became clear to Tregea that he wouldn't be able to travel to Sydney with Niccanova, Tregea called upon Randwick-based Craig Carmody for help.

"He's staying with Craig and Craig rides him in work, which is really handy to have. He can tell me how he feels and all that. I talk to him most days and he seems to be getting through it really good, I can't ask for too much more," he said.

"This is what we planned after the Eagle Farm Mile, to have a go at these races. We had to make a decision to put him back in the paddock until either the summer carnival or the winter carnival next year and he was going so well, it seemed a shame to turn him out.

"He got down there last Saturday morning. He took a day or two to settle in, but he's had that time and he seems to be on track now. He had a gallop on Tuesday on the Kensington track and didn't do an awful lot, but he's done well and he's eating well, so we are happy with that."

Niccanova is a four-time stakes-winner, most recently in the Listed Bernborough S., while his only previous attempt at Group 1 company was a fast-finishing third in the Stradbroke H. behind Tyzone (Written Tycoon) in June.

He has been second at both starts since, in the G3 Eagle Farm Mile and in a 1050 metre handicap two weeks ago, first-up off a freshen-up.

"I just hope he can maintain that form, and races like he did in Brisbane recently. That was just a short run. He finished off better than I thought he would and it was probably the run of his life over 1050 metres and he's not suited at that.

"I think he’ll get home well on Saturday, but it's just a question if he gets home well enough."

Tregea calls on Bayliss

The man charged with the responsibility of getting him past a capacity field which includes nine Group 1 winners is Regan Bayliss, who has never ridden Niccanova before.

"I spoke to Regan, and I will again. He's keen to ride him and I'm hoping he suits the horse. Looking at the way he rides, I think he does suit the horse," Tregea said.

Bayliss is no stranger to causing an upset in a Group 1 race, having won the 2017 Newmarket H. on Redkirk Warrior (GB) (Notnowcato {GB}) at $31. He also rode the star sprinter to Group 1 victories in the 2018 Lightning S. and the 2018 Newmarket H.

While Saturday shapes as the biggest test in Niccanova's career, Tregea, who has bred three generations of the gelding's family, and has overseen his development into a top-quality racehorse, is not getting too caught up in the moment.

"I get as much pleasure as winning a race at Toowoomba on Saturday night. I guess if he happens to win, I’ll get a bit more of a kick out of it, but I won't have the stress of raceday and that will be good," he said.

A family connection

In fact, Tregea will be at Toowoomba on Saturday night saddling up a close relation of Niccanova, Champagne Aunty (Trusting), in her second start in a maiden.

That mare is out of Dane Princess (Snippetson), the sister to Niccanova's dam Dananova.

"We bred their dam, Danaria, out of Tarasova, who we bought off Swettenham in foal to Danehill a long time ago. She was the great-grandam of Nicconova," he said.

Nicconova's dam Dananova unfortunately died in 2017 after an accident. Of her three other foals, which were all retained by Tregea, only one has been to the track, with the youngest an unraced 3-year-old filly called Dantant (Whittington).

Dane Princess, who won four races, has had one winner, Angel Dane (Zizou), who herself is now in foal to Spieth (NZ). Dane Princess lost a Nicconi colt a couple of years ago but is set to go back to the Widden Stud stallion this year with a view to getting a three-quarter sibling to Niccanova.