Gaby heads elite list of mares for Pierata

Cover image courtesy of Aquis Farm

The decision to send dual Group 1-winning mare Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) to Pierata this week was a demonstration of the faith that both Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Aquis have in the first-season son of Pierro as he begins his breeding career.

Given Phoenix recently acquired a stake in Pierata, it wasn't a total surprise to see it send its impeccably credentialed mare to him. But, the decision also speaks of the broader commitment of Aquis, and those who hold both shares and breeding rights in the stallion, that no stone will be left unturned in giving him his chance to make his mark.

With a focus on quality over quantity, Pierata's first book will be capped at around 140 this year, with Aquis set to send 30 mares to him itself.

"That number of 140 gives people every opportunity in the marketplace to capitalise on that investment in him. He's a $44,000 (inc GST) stallion and while he's the equal most expensive first-season sire, we make no apologies for that. He's the right product, he's a Group 1 winner, by a champion sire in waiting. He's an outstanding individual," Aquis CEO Tony Williams said.

"When you look at who is supporting him, Raheen Stud, Phoenix, Mt Hallowell, Milburn Creek, Dorrington, Cressfield, Rothwell Park, Segenhoe, Laurel Oak, Highgrove, Kenmore Lodge and the likes, the right people are behind this horse and want to be involved with him."

Pedigree stacks up

While Pierata boasts a great physical presence, and terrific racetrack credentials, as a Group 1-winning sprinter, Aquis has also backed his pedigree as that of a prospective elite stallion.

"He's an interesting horse, he has Danehill in his pedigree, a double cross of Zabeel in there and he's also got Star Kingdom, which has disappeared from a lot of our pedigrees. He's got all the top bloodlines there," Williams said.

"Even though he's from a Flying Spur mare, Danehill is far enough back and if you have a look at the double ups of Danehill in pedigrees, that is really to the fore and there are a lot of quality horses out there, proper horses, that have that double cross there.

"He suits all those Danehill-line mares, those by Not A Single Doubt and Snitzel. We are seeing a lot of them coming through as well as Encosta De Lago mares. There are a good mix of mares coming to this horse and they all have really strong pedigrees."

An example of Pierata's broad appeal, in terms of pedigree, is that of the list provided by Aquis of 50 highlight mares which will go to him this season, there were 32 different sires represented.

Seven of the top 10 sires from the 2019/20 sires table have daughters headed to him in Snitzel, I Am Invincible, Fastnet Rock, Not A Single Doubt, Sebring, Exceed And Excel and Written Tycoon.

"He's very compatible, pretty much the only sireline that won't go to him is Pierro and Lonhro," Williams said.

A strong physical match

Aquis also has faith in Pierata's physical capability with a wide variety of mares and that is something Williams believes has also made him very appealing as a new offering in the market, and part of the reasons why he is fully booked.

"Breeders put a lot of work into their matings. With a horse like Pierata, he's 16.1 hands. He's an athlete, but he's got a lot of strength about him," he said.

"Basically, most physicals suit him. You could send a Not A Single Doubt type of mare which will probably put more scope into them, or a Snitzel. But you could send a mare that has got a bit of leg, because he's not too big.

"He's a good size and he's a quality horse. Everyone who sees him really likes him. He's got a lot of natural muscle, a good shape and is an athlete when he moves. There are not many mares that won’t suit him physically."

Gaby highlights first book

Loving Gaby is an interesting point in case. A $500,000 yearling purchase, she was always a big filly and has developed into a bigger mare which may provide some challenges when it comes to mating her going forward. Williams believes Pierata is the ideal way for her to start her career.

"We're very fortunate to have her going to him. I Am Invincible himself was a very tall horse and she herself is a scopey mare and a quality mare with a great race record. A two-time Group 1 winner, who ran fourth in a Golden Slipper, she is a proper racehorse, and she's out of a Danehill-line mare, who is by Mastercraftsman," he said.

"But for her first mating, Pierata is a good physical match. A lot of mares don't have their biggest foals with their first mating. Even though he is 16.1 hands, he will suit her physically and there's not a big range of stallions that really would suit her that well."

Loving Gaby visited Pierata earlier this week.

Aquis sends some of its best

As mentioned Aquis plans to send around 30 of its best credentialled mares to Pierata. Included in that list is Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt), the Listed winning and Group 1-placed mare who proved a great ambassador in the Aquis colours in her racing days.

She visited Zoustar in her first year and was subsequently passed in short of her $1 million reserve at the Inglis Chairman's Sale.

"She's a beautiful mare, just a lovely mare to have going to him in his first year," said Williams.

Raphie's Choice is another daughter of I Am Invincible headed to Pierata. A Listed winner as a 3-year-old, she was purchased by Aquis for $380,000 in 2018 and is in foal to Snitzel.

"It’s speed combining with speed in that pedigree. It’s a combination that will work with him. She was a stakes winner in Melbourne, is a lovely mare and I Am Invincible is the perfect cross with him," Williams said.

Oregon's Day (Domesday) was a very consistent mare, who was a Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed and who drew $1 million to Tony Fung at the 2019 Magic Millions Broodmare Sale.

"She was a good tough mare, who was a Group 1 winner and her dam, Oregon Seal, was a Group winner, so they are just good mares to have go to him," Williams said .

Other Aquis mares headed to Pierata include Group 3 winner, Miss Ex Factor (Your Song), picked up by Aquis for $280,000 at this year's Inglis Chairman's Sale, and G3 WA Oaks winner Special Alert (Not A Single Doubt), who was purchased for $350,000 in 2019.

Among a selection of imported mares on Pierata's list this year is Warnaq (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}), who won a Listed race at Naas and was retired after one run in Australia for Aquis.

A couple of the other outside mares Williams highlighted were Group 3 winner Vibrant Rouge (Written Tycoon) and multiple stakes winner Sugar Babe (NZ) (Exceed And Excel).

"There are some absolute gun pedigrees going to this stallion," Williams said. "They are all quality mares with proper pedigrees."

Aquis Farm mares to visit Pierata

A selection of outside mares to visit Pierata