Cover image courtesy of Goldin Farms
The Pan Sutong-owned Akeed Mofeed moved to Swettenham Stud in Victoria in 2019 with real impetus behind him off the back of siring his first stakes winner, Assertive Approach, as well as 20 other winners the previous season with just two crops at the track.
Having attracted a book of 98 in 2018, he then built up to 135 mares in his first season in Victoria in 2019. However, a variety of circumstances in a difficult breeding season in 2020, saw his book drop back to 34.
Akeed Mofeed (GB) | Standing at Goldin Farms
Jeff Gordon co-ordinates Pan Sutong's racing and breeding interests in Australia and said that after riding a bit of a roller coaster in terms of numbers in the breeding barn and results on the track, it was a good time for Akeed Mofeed to return back to Goldin's base at Angaston in 2021, where he will stand at $8800 (inc GST).
"We've decided to bring him home and get some traction there back in South Australia. We think there is an opportunity there in that market with that type of horse and he has a natural position to fill," Gordon told TDN AusNZ.
"We've decided to bring him (Akeed Mofeed) home and get some traction there back in South Australia. We think there is an opportunity there in that market with that type of horse and he has a natural position to fill." - Jeff Gordon
As things stand, Akeed Mofeed, a son of Dubawi (Ire) who was a winner of both a G1 Hong Kong Cup and Listed Hong Kong Derby for Pan, has produced a quite respectable 75 winners from 127 runners, including the stakes winners Assertive Approach and Jyoti.
He has had a further nine horses place in stakes races, and Gordon says that with some more luck, he would have quite an impressive stakes record for an emerging stallion.
"He probably has been quite unlucky in terms of the luck his horses have had in stakes races. A lot of those stakes-placed horses have been beaten by narrow margins," he said.
"He's throwing winners and he's throwing horses that do make the track. Matt Laurie's horse (Malicorne) has been beaten a whisker in a couple of Group races and Troy Corstens' filly (Succeed Indeed) should have probably collected a good race with some luck."
Malicorne
Goldin Farms supported Akeed Mofeed strongly early in his stallion career, sourcing some quality mares to send to him. Among them was the stakes-placed Arrival (Choisir), who was purchased from the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $115,000.
Her first foal by Akeed Mofeed was to prove his first stakes winner. Assertive Approach won four of his six starts for Team Hawkes in Goldin Farms' colours, including victories in the Listed Lightning S. and Listed Norman Carlyon S.
He was then sent to Hong Kong, but sadly never got to show his potential.
"Assertive Approach was a very good horse but in hindsight, he probably shouldn't have gone to Hong Kong in the first place, as he liked a bit of toe in the ground. But understandably the boss wanted his good horse up there. Unfortunately, we lost him up there in an accident in the swimming pool," Gordon said.
Strong crops coming through
Varying foal crop sizes can make it difficult for any stallion to gain traction, and Akeed Mofeed only has 24 current 2-year-olds. However, he does have major crops of 55 and 94 to come in the next two seasons which should boost his prominence.
"When you have only had a smaller number of mares earlier in your career, that can make or break them a bit," Gordon said. "He has got a couple of decent sized crops coming through, which should provide a bit of momentum."
Akeed Mofeed (GB) when racing | Image courtesy of Goldin Farms
His current crop of yearlings were well-regarded at the 2021 sales, securing prices up to $120,000 at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale and averaging $33,314 across 21 sales.
Gordon thinks at an $8800 (inc GST) service fee for this season, Akeed Mofeed should have support from different parts of the market.
"He's certainly not overpriced at that level. From a commercial perspective, he's got the capability to produce that $50,000 to $80,000 yearling, while for those that are keen to breed to race, he's a good option as well."
From a commercial perspective, he's (Akeed Mofeed) got the capability to produce that $50,000 to $80,000 yearling, while for those that are keen to breed to race, he's a good option as well." - Jeff Gordon
Gordon has been looking to secure some more mares to support Akeed Mofeed on his return to South Australia, while his other focus in the market is on pursuing a more commercial strategy for Goldin moving forward.
"We are going to buy some weanlings and get the farm going. We want to look to build up that quality and get horses that are going to sell well as yearlings and look for a few pinhook opportunities," he said.
"If you look at Mill Park, they have got an excellent breeding operation without ever standing a stallion, so that's a model we can look to. We’ll just stick with standing Akeed Mofeed and we can concentrate on pinhooking, buying mares in foal and producing good horses for the yearling sales."
On the racetrack, Goldin's white with gold colours have been to the fore of late with the promising Dice Roll (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}), who has won both of his starts since arriving in Australia for Nick Ryan.
Dice Roll (Fr) (outside, white and gold cap)
"We are pretty excited about Dice Roll. Once he gets his toe into the ground, he could be something special. He could end up being quite a serious horse in the spring and add some spice to what we are doing," he said.
"We have also got a Japanese Deep Impact filly who we have a strong opinion of, she has just come back from Japan.
"We’ve also got an Akeed Mofeed colt, who is rising two and he has broken in very well and is out of Twilighting. He moves very well and Nick Ryan has him at Flemington and says he gives him a good feel."
