Cover image courtesy of Musk Creek

Owned by David Kobritz, Musk Creek has been under the eye of Farm Manager Scott Williamson for just over three years and together with the guidance of bloodstock agent Craig Rounsefell, they have looked to re-invigorate Kobritz's 20-strong broodmare band.

Around 12 of the 20 broodmares have arrived since Williamson began with Musk Creek, with a focus on quality and the aim of further building the Mornington Peninsula Farm's reputation as a breeder and seller of top-class horses.

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"Over the last couple of years, we have made a concerted effort in upgrading our broodmare band. We've spent a bit of money getting some young mares either carrying their first foals or off the track. We want to be at that top end of the market and have a red-hot crack. We want to produce those high-end yearlings," Williamson told TDN AusNZ.

Key to that success is the planning of matings for those mares, something which Williamson particularly relishes, utilising the experience of Kobritz and Rounsefell to ensure the right match.

"We want to be commercial, but we want to make sure we are breeding the right type. We want to make sure that it not only fits on pedigree, but that type is a strong consideration as well," he said.

"With young mares, you don’t necessarily know what they might produce, but you know what their pedigree is and we try and identify things they may need. You want to put a stallion to her that might have what she is lacking and visa versa.

"We want to present the right sort of horses at the sales and ones that we think that are going to go on to be racehorses."

Williamson described the broodmare band size of 20 as a perfect sweet spot to ensure all the mares get the support they need to be successful in their breeding careers.

"That's a comfortable number for us. It’s at a level where we feel we can invest in them and give them the service fees they deserve and need," he said.

All in the family

One of the strategies Musk Creek has embarked on over the past few years is sourcing its new mares from already proven families.

A prime example is Personalised, a mare by Snitzel out of the stakes winner Personify (Galileo {Ire}), the daughter of blue hen Procrastinate (Jade Hunter {USA}), who Musk Creek and Boomer Bloodstock paid $525,000 for at last year's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

"She is a multiple city winning daughter of Personify and her half-sister Personal is ready to help the family out in some big races this spring," Williamson said.

"She's from Cressfield, which is a very successful farm. Buying into a family like that, you don’t get many opportunities to do that. We look to buy into a family like that and turn that into a Musk Creek family."

Personlised is in foal to Dundeel (NZ) and is set to go to Widden Stud's Zoustar this season.

"We feel a mare with a good bit of strength really suits him. I foaled down Zousain in my previous role, and he was out of a decent-sized, strong mare and I think those mares are the ones that best suit Zoustar. She's a lovely, good-sized Snitzel mare with plenty of strength. Obviously, she is a very attractive mare and I thought it will be a good mating for her."

Divine connection makes sense

It was another strong family connection that drove Musk Creek to pay $320,000 for Notre Dame (Exceed And Excel) at the recent Magic Millions Broodmare Sale from Godolphin's draft.

Two years prior, it had paid $600,000 at the same sale for her half-sister Deipara (Lonhro) and Williamson has been delighted with what she has been able to produce.

Both mares are out of the multiple Group 1 winner Divine Madonna (Hurricane Sky).

"We know that that family is producing, and we saw it as a good opportunity to get a bit of control of that family and guide that family in the direction we want to go," he said.

"She's a cracking type of mare, Notre Dame. She has produced a Street Boss colt already this spring, and she is off to Written Tycoon this year. We are definitely investing in that family."

Deipara's now 2-year-old Exceed And Excel filly is in training with Anthony and Sam Freedman and Kobritz and Williamson harbour high hopes for her.

"The second foal out of the mare is an outstanding I Am Invincible filly. Both sales companies have looked at her and are extremely impressed with her," Williamson said

"Deipara has thrown extremely good types and to an extent that she will go to Snitzel this year. We are pretty happy with what we have seen and we felt that with the quality of foals she has produced, it would be really good to get a Snitzel out of her. Not only does he suit her on type and pedigree, but to have a Snitzel in the draft, you can take that to any sale."

Mirette shapes up

The other purchase for Musk Creek on the Gold Coast this year was Mirette (Unencumbered), a winner of four starts, including the G3 Auraria S., while she was second in a G1 Schweppes Oaks. She cost $150,000, a price that was very pleasing for Musk Creek.

"We are quite excited about Mirette. We thought she would make more money than she did. She was well performed on the track and is a lovely type of mare, good-sized and with a great temperament," Williamson said.

"Testa Rossa has really started to stand up as a broodmare sire and we feel that Unencumbered has got every chance of doing the same.

"Mirette deserves a good mating, with her looks and also her race ability. She will head off to Blue Point this year and we feel he's a very exciting horse from a great sireline and a sireline that has been successful in Australia."

Williamson admitted it was unusual to send a maiden mare to a first-season sire, but that Mirette's profile held up well for such a mating.

Another maiden mare is the imported Ascertain (USA) (Blame {USA}), a three-time winner in the United States, who had just one start in the Musk Creek colours in Australia under trainer Lindsey Smith.

"She had a long layoff and had an injury in the States," Williamson said. "She got over that and Lindsey was really happy with how she was going. Then everything went wrong with the one run she had.

"She's up in the Hunter and is off to Deep Field. She's a beautiful mare and obviously Deep Field is getting plenty of winners. We are pretty excited about her. We think she was very good purchase at US$40,000 (AU$54,979) when Craig managed to find her. The minute he laid eyes on her, he fell in love with her, I know every time I talk to Lindsey, he asks about her."

Pride for If I Can

The Listed-winning If I Can I Can (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), was a $350,000 purchase for Musk Creek back in 2016 and has produced a filly by I Am Invincible who sold for $475,000 in 2018 as well as a colt by Hinchinbrook that fetched $450,000 at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

"She's in foal to American Pharoah at the moment and we plan to send her to Pride Of Dubai," Williamson said.

"We have been pretty impressed with how he has started out at stud and we are of the opinion that the Pride Of Dubais will only get better at three. It’s the right type of stallion for her, she lacks a bit of height as a mare."

Cardiac (Encosta De Lago) has already produced the Group 3 winner Declarationofheart (Declaration Of War {USA}) and is a half-sister to the G1 VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who has, in turn, produced a winner of the same race in Miami Bound (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}). A blood brother to Miami Bound by Reliable Man out of Cardiac sold for $200,000 by Musk Creek earlier this year at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Cardiac recently produced a filly by Dundeel (NZ) and will be heading back to the Arrowfield Stud stallion this year.

"He's the perfect type for her. She is quite a large mare, so a slightly smaller stallion suits her. Declaration Of Heart was quite a big horse for a first foal and she is the sort of mare you wouldn't want to send to a big stallion," Williamson said.

"It’s definitely a family on the up, Arapaho Miss has been doing a great job, It’s another nice family that seems to keep producing, That's a family we would be looking to keep a filly out of at some point down the track."

Finding the right fit

Also suited to a stallion with a smaller profile is another of Musk Creek's mares in stakes-placed Keep De Rose (NZ) (Keeper), and she will revisit Shalaa (Ire), with who she produced a $300,000 colt.

Williamson said the form Shalaa's first European crop has given it only more reason to send Keep De Rose back to the Arrowfield shuttler having recently produced a Rubick colt.

Imported mare Apologynotaccepted (USA) (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), a $500,000 2019 Inglis Chairman's Sale buy whose Medaglia D'Oro (USA) filly is set to be one of the highlights of Musk Creek's yearling offering in 2021, is in foal to Written Tycoon and will visit Snitzel later this season.

And Bellissima Miss (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), the daughter of Group 1 winner Veloce Bella (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}), has foaled a Brazen Beau filly and heads to Coolmore's Pierro this spring.

Cross-border support

Williamson said he felt securing a spread of stallion options for the broodmare band was a strategy which would pay dividends for Musk Creek going forward.

"We feel that we are giving them all a fair chance. We’ve got a fairly equal split between New South Wales and Victoria," he said.

"We are supporting Toronado with a couple of mares and we are supporting Fiorente. We will be sending Imperial Empress to Brazen Beau.

"And we’re pretty excited and impressed with the new horse at Spendthrift.

"We will send one of our mares, Leny's Here, the daughter of Devil Moon, to Omaha Beach, I was really impressed with Omaha Beach. He's a horse that pedigree wise, he should work. He looks a cracking type with a lovely walk on him. He's very good looking with a great head.

"I feel there is a revival in the Victorian industry at the moment, and it’s good to see the new players getting involved and there are some exciting new stallions."

Musk Creek's 2020 mating plans

As we head further into the new season, all eyes are on this year’s crop of 2-year-olds and which of the first-season sires will fare best.

For many of the stallions who first arrived on our Southern shores in 2017, their first local runners from next month onwards will also provide our first glimpse of their progeny on a racecourse, but there are 11 stallions whose progeny have already hit the tracks in the Northern Hemisphere.

Several of these shuttlers had their first runners this year, while there are a handful of others who have multiple crops at racing age.

Darley’s Territories (Ire), a Group 1-winning son of Invincible Spirit (Ire) just like champion Australian sire I Am Invincible, is leading the way for first-season Southern Hemisphere shuttlers in Europe, siring 10 winners from 41 runners including five stakes placegetters.

Arrowfield shuttler Shalaa (Ire), a fellow son of Invincible Spirit, has also gotten his stallion career off to a good start. The Group 1-winning 2-year-old has nine winners from 37 to race, also giving him a 24 per cent strike-rate.

His progeny is headed by Saeiqa (GB), who finished third in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot, while he is also responsible for three other Group performers.

Former Arrowfield shuttler Maurice (Jpn) is proving just as successful in Japan, he has sired nine winners from 47 runners at a strike rate of 19 per cent. His dual-hemisphere barn mate, Mikki Isle (Jpn), landed his first stakes winner on Sunday when Meikei Yell (Jpn) took out the G3 Nisai S.

Haunui Farm’s Belardo (Ire) has also gotten off to a good start, siring seven winners from 31 runners, headed by G3 Prestige S. winner Isabella Giles (Ire), while fellow New Zealand shuttler Vadamos (Fr) has had six winners from 27 runners and is responsible for G3 Acomb S. runner-up Spycatcher (Ire).

American visitors Frosted (USA) (Darley) and Air Force Blue (USA) (Coolmore) have had good starts to their stallion careers, with Frosted siring four winners from 14 starters - all by a significant winning margin, and former shuttler Air Force Blue has sired five from 27.

Coolmore’s Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (USA) is in his second season in the Northern Hemisphere and is already responsible for 10 individual stakes winners and two Grade 1 performers. Woodside Park's Cable Bay (Ire) is also in his second season and is the sire of G1 King's Stand S. runner-up Liberty Beach (GB), in addition to multiple stakes winners.

The final first season shuttler for 2020/21 is Cornerstone’s Sir Prancealot (Ire), who began his stud career in the Northern Hemisphere in 2013 so his oldest crop are now six. He is responsible for eight individual stakes winners including G1 Santa Anita American Oaks scorer Lady Prancealot (Ire).

In the ring

Having had a season of runners already performing well on Northern Hemisphere tracks, American Pharoah’s Southern Hemisphere results fared best of his fellow first-season shuttlers at this year’s yearling sales.

From 75 lots offered, 63 sold at an average of $229,262 and a median of $160,000. His top-priced yearling was a colt out of Derelique (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), the dam of Group 2-winning sprinter Man From Uncle (Uncle Mo {USA}), who was purchased by Tom Magnier for $850,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

With only a handful of 2-year-old trials conducted in New Zealand so far, American Pharoah is the only one of the first-season shuttlers to have a runner step out, with a colt winning impressively at Ruakaka last Tuesday.

The unnamed colt, who is trained by Tony Pike, settled second last in the 700-metre heat before getting clear in the straight and rocketing past his rivals and being eased down at the line. Purchased by Pike for NZ$150,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, the 2-year-old colt is the first foal out of dual Group 1 placegetter Strada Cavallo (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}).

Shalaa also proved popular at the Southern Hemisphere yearling sales, with 69 of his 83 lots offered finding new homes at an average price of $158,898 and a median of $140,000. Caulfield trainer John Sadler took home his highest-priced yearling, a colt out of Jemison (Commands) who is a half-brother to dual Group 1 winner Contentment (Hussonet {USA}), for $600,000 at the Gold Coast Sale.

Despite a small first crop, Territories’ sale results were strong. He had 21 yearlings go through the ring for 19 sold at an average of $77,629 and a median of $43,000. His top lot, a filly out of Group 3 winner Kaniana (Canny Lad), was sold at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for $350,000 to Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock.

Frosted’s first crop was highlighted by a filly out of Fast Fleet (Fastnet Rock) making her a half-sister to champion sprinter Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega {Ire}). She was purchased by Spendthrift Australia for $650,000 at the Gold Coast and is one of 29 yearlings purchased from 37 that were offered.

Rich Hill Stud’s Vadamos led the way for New Zealand with 35 of a possible 43 yearlings purchased at an average of NZ$95,000. His top lot was a colt out of Surooh (USA) (Pivotal {GB}) who was purchased by Paul Moroney Bloodstock in conjunction with Ballymore Stables for NZ$330,000.

Where are they now?

Out of 11 first-crop shuttlers, only three won’t be standing in the Southern Hemisphere this season.

Arrowfield shelved plans to bring out Maurice and Mikki Isle for the 2020 season, while Coolmore brought Air Force Blue down to Jerrys Plains for the 2017 season only.

American Pharoah will stand for a slightly reduced fee of $55,000 (inc GST) at Coolmore, while Shalaa is back at Arrowfield and his fee is still set at $33,000 (inc GST).

Territories returns to Darley’s Kelvinside property, standing for a value fee of $11,000 (inc GST).

Down in Victoria, Frosted stands at Darley’s Northwood Park for $22,000 (inc GST) while Cable Bay is at Woodside Park for a reduced fee of $9900 (inc GST) in 2020. Likewise Sir Prancealot, who is over in South Australia at Cornerstone, stands for a reduced fee of $9900 (inc GST) this season.

Across the Tasman, the only son of Lope De Vega (Ire) at stud in the Southern Hemisphere in Belardo stands at Haunui Farm for NZ$10,000 (plus GST) and Vadamos returns to Rich Hill with his fee set at NZ$15,000 (plus GST).

The local boys

In addition to the 11 first-season shuttlers, there are a further 43 stallions with their oldest crop turning two this season.

The progeny of G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Capitalist proved popular at the sales as he had 137 yearlings go through the ring with 112 changing hands at an average price of $153,071 and a median of $120,000.

Extreme Choice is the only one of the locals to have progeny hit the trials so far, with a colt trained by Jamie Richards taking out a heat at Rotorua last Thursday.

The market

Last week Ladbrokes opened a market for the 2020/21 champion first-season sire with Capitalist holding favouritism at $2.50.

American Pharoah and Flying Artie are the second favourites at $5.50 with Star Turn just behind at $8.50. At $11 is Shalaa and Sooboog followed by Astern at $13.

Table: Ladbrokes Leading First-Season Sire - Australia 2020/21 market (as at 6.30pm AEST, September 7, 2020)

Saturday's victory by Dreamforce in the G2 Tramway S. ensured Fastnet Rock has now had an Australian stakes winner in each of the 13 racing seasons since his first crop hit the track in 2008/09. His 98 stakes winners have combined for 201 stakes wins in Australia, while his global total of stakes winners is 158.

This year, Fastnet Rock is shooting for a 12th straight season inside the Top 10 Australian stallions - he is currently sixth - a streak which would equal the longest marked by another famous son of Danehill (USA), Redoute's Choice, who was Top 10 from every season from 2004/05 to 2015/16.

As a measure of comparison and an indication of the rare air Fastnet Rock occupies, Danehill himself, a nine-time Australian Champion sire, finished Top 10 in 14 straight seasons from when his first Australian crop hit the tracks in 1993/94 until 2006/07.

Like his sire, Fastnet Rock has been able to produce remarkable results as a shuttle stallion, with winners in 29 countries, just two fewer than Danehill did across his remarkable global career.

The one aspect where Fastnet Rock has outperformed his own sire is in the success of his progeny in New Zealand, where he has had 18 stakes winners, including the Jamie Richards-trained Avantage, who claimed the G2 Foxbridge Plate on Saturday.

He finished third in the NZ Sires Table in 2019/20, with seven individual stakes winners from just 20 runners. That's the highest position by an Australian-based stallion in New Zealand this century and represents the third time he has featured in the Top 10.

It's noteworthy that all but two of his 18 New Zealand stakes winners were bred in Australia, including all eight of his Group 1 winners.

His overall record in New Zealand is quite remarkable, with 82 winners from 120 starters, including those 18 stakes winners, who have combined to win 31 stakes races. He has had a stakes winner in New Zealand in each of the past six seasons.

"Fastnet Rock is indisputably one of the greatest stallions of the modern era and he continues to produce elite racehorses more frequently than any other sire," Tom Moore, Coolmore Australia's Marketing and Nominations said.

"In the past 12 months alone he has produced 11 individual Group 1 performers including Dreamforce, Avantage, Sherwood Forest, Glenfiddich, Anaheed, Personal, Nudge and Prince Fawaz as well as the likes of Tuscan Queen, Brimham Rocks, Inverloch and In A Twinkling."

Market demand remains strong

And while the racetrack success rolls on, so too does the demand for Fastnet Rock's yearlings, which averaged $295,941 in Australia in 2020 across 50 sales.

"Fastnet Rock yearlings sold for an aggregate price of $20,000,000 or more each year for 10 years from 2010. In 2020, his yearlings realised a median price of $300,000 which is as high as it has ever been throughout his entire career," Moore said.

"Breeders can support him with confidence which is reflected in the high demand for his progeny in the sales ring. To achieve a median price that is higher than his average price speaks volumes for the regard for which he is held in the marketplace."

The next generation

The other success for the weekend for Fastnet Rock came as a broodmare sire, with Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}) re-enforcing his credentials as a serious contender for The Everest with an upset win over the world's highest-ranked sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi) in the G3 Concorde S., while the promising Need I Say More (No Nay Never {USA}) won the G3 Northland Breeders' S. at Te Rapa.

Out of Miss Barley, Gytrash is one of three Group 1 winners for Fastnet Rock as a broodmare sire, two of which have been by Lope De Vega (Ire). Gytrash's likely rival in The Everest, Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega {Ire}), is the other poster boy for that combination, while the third Group 1 winner with Fastnet Rock as his maternal grandsire is Waikato Stud's Tivaci (High Chaparral {Ire}).

Fastnet Rock also has a great record nicking with the daughters of Australia's leading non Danehill-line stallions, Pierro, Sebring and More Than Ready (USA) as well as Coolmore's own younger brigade.

"Gytrash and Need I Say More on the weekend further consolidated Fastnet Rock as one of the leading broodmare sires in Australasia," Moore said.

"It is still relatively early days for him as a broodmare sire, but to produce top-class sprinters like Gytrash and Santa Ana Lane in such quick succession bodes very well for the future. They have had great success when paired with outcross sire lines and all his 17 stakes winners are at Group level .

"What we have already seen of the produce from our own Fastnet Rock mares with American Pharoah and Justify is particularly exciting. American Pharoah yearlings out of Fastnet Rock mares sold for $750,000, $750,000, $600,000, $450,000, $300,000, $300,000 in 2020 and the Justify foals out of the likes of Atlantic Jewel, Lake Geneva, Formality and Paulownia are outstanding."

Table: Top nicks with Fastnet Rock as a broodmare sire

The sons

In Australia, his influence as a sire of sires is becoming pronounced, with 19 sons at stud, with G1 Coolmore Stud S. and Diamond Jubilee S. winner Merchant Navy standing alongside him at Coolmore.

The list also includes Group 1 producers Smart Missile, Foxwedge, Wanted, Stryker and Rothesay. Rothesay is also destined to have a contender in The Everest in Rothfire, who was selected by miRunners for their slot last week, making it likely there will be at least three runners with Fastnet Rock in their pedigree in Australia's richest race on October 17.

Late Yarraman Park stallion Hinchinbrook continues to leave a legacy for his own sire, with his dual Group 1-winning son Press Statement set to have his second crop hit the track this year, while Kingstar Farm debuts Unite And Conquer and Gold Front Breeding, Leonardo Da Hinchi.

"Already seven of his sons have produced Group 1 winners and his grandsons/daughters include the likes of Rothfire, Spright, Foxplay, Beat The Clock, Press Statement and Maid Of Heaven amongst others," Moore said.

"Clearly his best sire son to date is Hinchinbrook, which augurs well for Merchant Navy who is bred on the same Fastnet Rock/Snippets cross. He is the fastest son of Fastnet Rock and his first weanlings sold up to $210,000 – more than any other first crop sire this year – so we look forward to him carrying on the legacy of his sire and grandsire at Coolmore."

Tivaci is one of seven active stallions in New Zealand to feature Fastnet Rock in their pedigree. There are five of his sons, El Roca, Highly Recommended, Mongolian Falcon, Rock 'N' Pop and The Bold One (NZ), while Grangewilliam Stud's Derryn is by Hinchinbrook.

Table: Sons of Fastnet Rock at Stud in Australia

Success flows through

While Coolmore's elder statesman continues to deliver, it was also a bright weekend for two of the younger brigade at Jerry Plains. Vancouver got his first Australian stakes winner with Night Raid successful in the Listed Atlantic Jewel S. He then followed that up with his first American stakes winner thanks to Madone (USA) in the Listed Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf S. The son of Medaglia D'Oro (USA) now has three stakes winners the three different countries after Mount Pleasant's victory in the G2 Nursery earlier this year. Incidentally, Mount Pleasant is out of a Fastnet Rock mare.

Pride Of Dubai, who has had two winners to date out of Fastnet Rock mares, celebrated his fourth stakes winner on Saturday with the victory of Fancy Man (Ire) in the Listed Ascendant S. at Haydock.