Following a sensational season on and off the track, rising star Almanzor will stand the coming season at Cambridge Stud for NZ$50,000 (plus GST) – an increase from his 2021 fee of NZ$30,000 (plus GST).
Hello Youmzain (Fr), Embellish (NZ) and newcomer Sword Of State will all join Almanzor as barnmates.
Almanzor is enjoying a real purple patch. He currently heads the list of first-season sires in New Zealand, with his progeny earning in excess of NZ$700,000, and is second on the table of Leading New Zealand 2-Year-Old Sires by winners, behind Charm Spirit (Ire).
Almanzor (Fr) will stand for NZ$50,000 (plus GST)
The son of Wootton Bassett (GB) boasts 10 runners for three winners and three wins (in New Zealand), and in January, Almanzor became only the third first-season stallion in history to sire a R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO (1200 metres) winner, when Dynastic (NZ) scored an impressive victory at just his second start.
Dynastic went on to finish second in the G1 Sistema S.
“Going back to the beginning, and I’ve said it before, we were very lucky to get a terrific group of shareholders behind him when we stood him that first year in 2018. Although they’ve been rewarded at the yearling sales, I think their support has been a very large part of where that horse had got to, this year,” Cambridge Stud CEO Henry Plumptre told TDN AusNZ.
“In an environment where he wouldn’t necessarily have been expected to get a signature 2-year-old, he’s come up with Dynastic, who’s won the equivalent of a 2-year-old Group race at Ascot (in the UK).
"In an environment where he (Almanzor) wouldn’t necessarily have been expected to get a signature 2-year-old, he’s come up with Dynastic, who’s won the equivalent of a 2-year-old Group race at Ascot (in the UK)." - Henry Plumptre
“We’re pretty excited about him (Almanzor).”
Progeny making their mark
The 2-year-old Stephen Marsh-trained colt Andalus (NZ) has been Group 2 and Group 3-placed this season, while in Australia, Roznamla (NZ) won a maiden at Cranbourne for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young and Liam Howley’s Virtuous Circle (NZ) got off the mark at Mornington.
“He’s (Almanzor) also had a couple of other horses that have put their hand up; they look like pretty decent horses,” Plumptre added.
Henry Plumptre | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“He’s got a very good unbeaten horse (Unanimous Consent) in America, so it’s happening in the Northern Hemisphere, as well.
“When you stand a stallion from Europe with his type of pedigree; he’s got Aga Khan on the bottom line and Wootton Bassett on the top. The Aga Khan influence in that pedigree would suggest he was more likely to get 3-year-old middle-distance horses than early 2-year-olds.
“It’s encouraging, working in the environment that we work in, that he can get a decent 2-year-old, because it makes him more than one dimensional to our client base.
“It’s encouraging, working in the environment that we work in, that he (Almanzor) can get a decent 2-year-old, because it makes him more than one dimensional to our client base.” - Henry Plumptre
“Sixty per cent of the yearlings produced in New Zealand end up to Australia, so we’ve got to have something that attracts them.”
Almanzor has covered in excess of 140 mares each season at Cambridge Stud, ever since he started shuttling in 2018. It was also announced recently that he will cover the multiple Group 1 winner Probabeel this season.
Getting the job done in the ring
His yearlings have been very popular, with the 62 sold this season grossing $10,574,672 at an average of $170,559, while at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, eight yearlings grossed $1,970,000 at an average of $246,250. Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock went to $440,000 for a colt out of Empress Cixi (GB) (Shamardal {USA}), offered by Bhima Thoroughbreds.
And, just last month, at New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Book 1, Bruce Perry Bloodstock paid NZ$675,000 for a colt out of Its Our Showtime (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}), offered by Cambridge Stud.
Almanzor (Fr) x Its Our Showtime (NZ) (colt), which sold for NZ$675,000 at last month's New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Sale | Image courtesy of NZB
“I think you’ve got to be a little bit selective what you send to Australia in terms of type. We’ve looked at those markets and been careful what we’ve sent from Cambridge, our fellow breeders and shareholders over here have done the same thing and it’s paid off,” Plumptre said.
“Karaka’s remained the strongest market for him, but he’s had some good results at (Inglis) Easter and at Magic Millions.
“If they can endorse a stallion for two years in a row, particularly a freshman horse, it means our buying bench of trainers and owners like him, and that’s great.”
“If they can endorse a stallion for two years in a row, particularly a freshman horse, it means our buying bench of trainers and owners like him (Almanzor), and that’s great.” - Henry Plumptre
A unique opportunity
Hello Youmzain, meanwhile, will once again stand for a fee of NZ$30,000 (plus GST).
He is a winner of the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot and the first son of Kodiac (GB), who is a son of the great Danehill (USA), to stand at stud in the Southern Hemisphere.
“He was a bit of an unknown quantity before he arrived out here last year, but (trainer) Kevin Ryan kept telling us the breeders will love him and that’s what happened,” Plumptre explained.
“We’ve got a pretty good mix of shareholders in there, including a lot of the people that went into Almanzor.
Hello Youmzain (Fr) will stand for NZ$30,000 (plus GST)
“He was a very easy horse to sell, once we got him to New Zealand, because he’s such a great type.
“We think he’s got all the credentials to make it.
“He’s got that supporter base behind him in New Zealand, which means that he’s going to get support for his first four years. He’ll be a very easy horse to fill, this year.”
Value for money
Also standing for the same as last year (NZ$4000 plus GST) is Embellish.
During this sales season, the Group 1-winning son of Savabeel had 17 yearlings gross $644,558 at an average of $37,915.
Embellish (NZ) will stand for NZ$4000 (plus GST)
“The thing that’s going to support him is the numbers; he’s managed to cover well in excess of 100 mares for his first three seasons at stud,” said Plumptre.
“His biggest book was last year.
“When you’re in that NZ$4-$5000 bracket you’ve got to get numbers on the ground, then see what happens.
“I think the market was very good to him this year; he had a good year at the yearling sales; they averaged well above his service fee, which is good.
"I think the market was very good to him (Embellish) this year; he had a good year at the yearling sales; they averaged well above his service fee, which is good." - Henry Plumptre
“We’ve kept probably half a dozen to race ourselves; they’re really nice horses.
“He’ll get every chance.”
A chance to go out with a bang
Sword Of State will stand at Cambridge as well in 2022, with a fee to be announced at a later date.
The Snitzel colt has won six of his 10 starts, including the G1 Sistema S. and is New Zealand’s reigning Champion 2-Year-Old.
Sword Of State, new to the Cambridge Stud roster in 2022 | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Sword Of State is from the Group 2-placed mare In The Vanguard (Encosta De Lago), who is out of the G2 Light Fingers S. winner Sharp (Danzero) and hails from the family of former star filly Angst (Kala Dancer {GB}).
“We’ll see if he can add to his CV in Queensland, we’d like to get some Australian form on his CV if we can,” Plumptre said.
“He runs in a Group 3 at the Gold Coast on Saturday week, and if he runs really well in that, he’ll have a shy at the stumps at the G1 Kingsford-Smith S. on May 28.
“He (Sword Of State) runs in a Group 3 at the Gold Coast on Saturday week, and if he runs really well in that, he’ll have a shy at the stumps at the G1 Kingsford-Smith S. on May 28." - Henry Plumptre
“He will definitely go to stud this year.”
All service fees are payable on a live foal basis.
