Cover image courtesy of Valachi Downs Stud
Written by Bren O'Brien
Valachi Downs is set to undergo a change of strategic direction, reducing its broodmare band from 125 to around 70 and focussing its stallion roster of colonial sires Vespa (NZ), Zacinto (GB) and Savile Row (NZ).
The stud will offer around 50 mares via New Zealand Bloodstock’s online auction website Gavelhouse Plus in an auction that will begin on March 17, while it will also sell off its 100-acre pre-training property.
After a period of rapid growth, where it has extended its broodmare band and broadened its stallion roster to five, partnering with Coolmore Stud to stand US Navy Flag (USA) for the last two breeding seasons and Ten Sovereigns (Ire) in 2020, the time has come to consolidate according to Valachi Downs’ General Manager, Gareth Downey.
"We are simply rescaling the business to allow the stud operations to be carried out from our home farm and remain committed to our goal of producing, selling and racing elite thoroughbreds from our nursery," Downey said.
"We are simply rescaling the business to allow the stud operations to be carried out from our home farm and remain committed to our goal of producing, selling and racing elite thoroughbreds from our nursery." - Gareth Downey
"We continue to be excited by offering stallions Vespa, Zacinto and Savile Row to breeders and are pleased for the New Zealand industry that Coolmore Stud has informed us of their intention to stand at least US Navy Flag in New Zealand following rave reviews from breeders from his first crop. We also remain full steam ahead with the racing team based at our stables adjacent to the Matamata racecourse."
The Matamata racing stable, run by Stephen Autridge and Kris Shailer, continues at its current size, with a host of exciting prospects, including G2 Royal S. winner Needle And Thread (Makfi {GB}), who ran second in last Sunday's G3 Sunline Vase at Ellerslie.
Needle And Thread winning the G2 Royal S. at Ellerslie
The reduction of the broodmare band size will create the capacity on the main Valachi Downs property. That will allow the sale of its 100-acre pre-training property on State Highway 29, Matamata. The listing of this property is likely to hit the marketplace by the end of March.
It also ends the shuttling relationship with Coolmore, which saw U S Navy Flag serve books of 150 and 79 in his two seasons and Ten Sovereigns a book of 66 in 2020. Valachi's focus is now on it's three resident stallions, who are all at different stages of their careers.
Vespa, who was bred and raised at Valachi Downs, joined the stud's roster in 2020 having previously served at Wellfield Lodge. From his first two crops, he has produced 10 winners from 22 runners, including recent Listed Southland Guineas winner Chokito (NZ). He served a book of 55 in 2020.
Zacinto, who began his stud career in New Zealand in 2012, moved to Valachi Downs from Inglewood Stud in 2018, and has served books of 94, 37 and 15 in his three years at the farm. He has produced 71 winners from 147 runners, including five stakes winners. Among those is G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Ugo Fascolo (NZ).
Valachi-bred Savile Row, the stakes winning and multiple Group 1-placed son of Makfi (GB), has had three seasons at stud, with his first crop to hit the racetrack in 2021/22.
