China Horse Club outlines mating plans to elite stallions

A global entity, the China Horse Club (CHC) is involved in Newgate residents Extreme Choice and Flying Artie and their respective first-crop Group 1-winning sons Stay Inside and Artorius carry the colours of the global operation’s Founder and Chairman Teo Ah Khing.

Its association with Newgate also extends to the youthful pair of Russian Revolution, whose first-crop 2-year-olds are eagerly awaited this term, along with Deep Field and his son Cosmic Force, who served his first book last year.

Another Group 1 connection was provided last season by Captivant (Capitalist), with both parties among the ownership team behind the Champagne S. victor.

He finished runner-up in Saturday’s G3 San Domenico S. behind In The Congo (Sntizel), who also sports the CHC colours, while Stay Inside was fifth. At Caulfield, Artorius powered home from last to finish a close second in the G3 HDF McNeil S.

CHC has evolved into a powerhouse breeding and racing giant and its stallion interests further include Widden Stud’s highly decorated Zoustar and Strasbourg, who retired to Rosemont Stud in 2020.

The majority of the operation’s 84-strong broodmare band will be spread across stallions it is involved with and TDN AusNZ spoke to Racing and Bloodstock Manager Michael Wallace about its mating plans, which have been confirmed with the input of Australasian representative Michael Smith.

“We start off with Michael and I going through the usual processes of sorting out which mares will go to stallions of our own,” Wallace said.

“We match them up physically and genetically, which everybody does, and it’s a big jigsaw puzzle with a bit of moving around. You think you may have got there and end up pulling it apart again.

“Then we put it together and sit back and when we’re happy it’s signed off by the boss.”

Revolution is coming

The two-time Group 1 winner Russian Revolution naturally figures heavily again with in-depth support for the high-class son of Champion Sire Snitzel.

“We’ll be sending 12 to him and obviously he is a very attractive-looking horse. We have tried to go for our medium to good-sized type of mares and similar to what we would have sent to Snitzel,” said Wallace, an expatriate New Zealander now based in Lexington, Kentucky.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the feedback we are getting from trainers going forward. We have supported him very heavily and have a large number of mares to foal down and look forward to them hitting the track.”

Among those to visit Russian Revolution is the Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) mare Rhema and the Listed Kensington S. winner Satin Robes (Ne Coupez Pas {USA}), dam of black-type winner Saturn Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Group placegetter Omeros (High Chaparral {Ire}).

Gallery: China Horse Club's performers both on and off the track

“Rhema has left a Group 2 winner called Always Allison and she’s from the Mannington family. She has produced a couple of really good Russian Revolutions,” Wallace said. “Her 2-year-old is showing promise for Peter Moody so we see no reason why she shouldn’t go back.

“Satin Robes is a stakes-winning mare and she’s already left two stakes horses. She was a very fast mare who’s already done the job and should suit very well.”

Another booked for a revisit to Russian Revolution is the G2 Queen of the South winner Atlantis Dream (NZ) (Elusive City (USA).

Select mare Choice

Extreme Choice, sire of dual Group winner Tiger Of Malay who also races in the CHC silks, will serve a number of well-credentialled mares again.

Two of his book include Mime (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), a dual Group 2 winner in foal to Russian Revolution, and Perfect Persuasion (Encosta De Lago), a sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Alinghi and the dam of Group performer Lady Sharapova (Fastnet Rock).

“Obviously, it’s been well-publicised that he has fertility issues and we’ll be sending 12 mares to him, including mares like Mime and Perfect Persuasion so he’s going to get a nice cross section,” Wallace said.

“Extreme Choice is very much in that Australian sprinting mould and the genetics are there as well. He’s not a big horse so we are mindful of that, but he couldn’t have started in any greater fashion so we’re hopeful of getting as many foals by him as we can,” Wallace said.

Among the CHC mares booked to the G2 Roman Consul S. and G3 Pago Pago S. winner Cosmic Force is Why Be Discreet (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), a half-sister to stakes winner I’m Discreet (Elusive Quality {USA}), and maiden mare California Chic (Vancouver). She is an unraced daughter of the G1 Champagne S. winner Pasadena Girl (NZ) (Savabeel).

“We’re excited to see Cosmic Force’s foals, he was a very talented horse and not unlike Deep Field. They are good lookers and we’ll be sending eight mares back to Cosmic Force this year,” Wallace said.

Deep Field’s flagship representative to date is the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Portland Sky, one of 10 stakes winner so far for the Group 2-winning son of Northern Meteor.

“Deep Field has a great level of stakes horses and good for any mare, especially young mares to get them going,” Wallace said. “We’ll be sending Grand Bouquet, a Group-placed daughter of Daffodil, and he’s the perfect stallion to give her every chance of success.”

Another mare going to Deep Field on her first serve will be Heart Of The Ocean (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), a stakes performer from the Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) family.

CHC has committed a dozen mares to Zoustar, who has provided outstanding returns for the operation.

“We bought into him a few years ago and since then he’s exploded so it’s been a great investment. We’re very lucky to have a holding in such a good horse,” Wallace said.

“You can send a cross section of mares to Zoustar, who’s from a slightly different sire line to give more options. He’s high class, the youngest stallion in the top 10 on the general sires' list and scarily, I still don’t think we’ve seen the best of him; he thoroughly deserves to get top-quality mares.”

Among them will be Listen Here (Elusive Quality {USA}), the stakes-winning dam of Deep Field and G1 Caulfield Guineas hero and sire Shooting To Win, and More Valour (More Than Ready {USA}), who has produced Listed winner Tashbeeh (Commands) and is a half-sister to G2 Wakeful S. winner Timbourina (Timber Country {USA}).

Also on a return visit to Zoustar is Grasslands (Snitzel), a half-sister to G2 Percy Sykes S. winner and G1 Golden Slipper S. runner-up Away Game, and the Group-winning mares Yattarna (Exceed And Excel) and Capella (NZ) and Lasarla (NZ), both daughters of Rip Van Winkle (Ire).

Flying start to career

Flying Artie has made a sterling start to his stud career and among the CHC mares booked to him, for obvious reasons, is Palace Rock (NZ) (Fastnet Rock). Her first foal Giannis (Flying Artie) was runner-up in last season’s G1 JJ Atkins S.

“That was a pretty easy decision to send that mare back for a full relation. Giannis looks like he should thrive in his 3-year-old season so in lieu of what Flying Artie is doing, it’s exciting times,” Wallace said.

Others on Flying Artie’s dance card are Inside Line (Sebring), dam of Group performer Beldarra (Hinchinbrook), and maiden mare Audacious Heart (Fastnet Rock).

A winner, she was a $750,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Weanling Sale purchase and is a daughter of the aforementioned More Valour.

Top option for Strasbourg

The sole Victorian representative on the CHC stallion roster is Strasbourg, the Group 2-winning son of I Am Invincible.

“He might be the best-looking horse we’ve had through our racing system and we felt, as do Rosemont, that given the chance he has the genetics, looks and requisite ability to forge a path not unlike his own sire,” Wallace said.

“The Victorian industry has seen an influx of new investment over the past few years and is going from strength to strength, we’re happy to be a part of that.”

Consorts for 2021 include My Option (USA) (Belong To Me {USA}), who was a multiple Grade 3 winner in the USA and Listed Queen Adelaide S. winner Strykum (Stryker). Her pedigree features the G1 Australasian Oaks winner Rinky Dink (Distorted Humor {USA}).

Capitalist, runner-up in last season’s race for first-season sire honours behind Extreme Choice, will be the heaviest-supported outside stallion by CHC.

“We’re excited by what he’s done so far and we’ll be sending five mares to him this year,” Wallace said.

“They include notable mares like Nurse Kitchen and Ballet Society, the mother of Dame Giselle, and Alter Call, who is out of Response. Capitalist is going extremely well and producing good sales horses as well.”

Nurse Kitchen (NZ) (Savabeel) won the G2 Moonee Valley Fillies’ Classic and was served last year by Russian Revolution while Alter Call (Fastnet Rock) is a half-sister is the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Estijaab (Snitzel) and the gifted Remarque (Snitzel).

Gallery: A selection of CHC mares who will visit Capitalist this season

Two other notable matings involve the Savabeel mares Hasahalo (NZ) and Queen Of Diamonds (NZ).

The G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Hasahalo was purchased via the Gavelhouse Online platform in 2020 for NZ$670,000 and her first visit will be to I Am Invincible.

From Eight Carat’s legendary family, Queen Of Diamonds won the G2 Lowland S. and the G3 Eulogy S. and will be served by Snitzel after foaling to Super Seth.

Table of some on China Horse Club’s matings for 2021