Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Blueblood entire In The Congo has been retired and will stand at Newgate Farm this spring.
By the multiple Champion Sire Snitzel, from South Africa’s Champion Sprinter in 2013/14, Via Africa (SAf) (Var {USA}), In The Congo won on three occasions, with his crowning glory being his brilliant triumph in the 2021 G1 Golden Rose S., where he beat Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) - now a nine-time Group 1 winner.
His Golden Rose S. victory was the highlight of a highly successful 15-start career that netted just shy of $1.8 million in prizemoney.
Newgate Farm’s Managing Director, Henry Field, said In The Congo is the complete package, being a cracking type with a brilliant pedigree and speed to burn.
“When you’ve got a horse that has elite 3-year-old sprinting form and blistering speed like he had, coupled with being by a Champion Sire out of a Champion racemare, and being an exceptional physical, you’ve got the makings of a very important stallion,” Field told TDN AusNZ.
“I would bet anybody that he will be the best-looking first-season sire that retires to stud in Australia this season.
“I would bet anybody that he (In The Congo) will be the best-looking first-season sire that retires to stud in Australia this season.” - Henry Field
“He’s an absolute crackerjack physical… he’s 16 hands with the most amazing muscle tone.”
In The Congo will stand at an introductory fee of $33,000 (inc GST).
“As (Newgate Farm’s Stud Manager) Jim Carey so rightly pointed out earlier (on Wednesday), he will be a penalty kick for breeders, commercially,” said Field, who bought In The Congo as a yearling, in partnership with China Horse Club, for $350,000 from the draft of Newhaven Park at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
In The Congo’s stellar 3-year-old season included a win in the G3 San Domenico S., where he beat Paulele (Dawn Approach {Ire}), Captivant, Maotai (Not A Single Doubt), Stay Inside and Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}).
In The Congo | Standing at Newgate Farm, image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
In the hands of Tim Clark, he set a frenetic pace in the Golden Rose and fought like a lion, staving off all challengers, including the fast-finishing Anamoe, to set a race-record time of 1:21.46.
Later, In The Congo took on the older horses in the G1 The Galaxy and the colt ran extremely well, finishing a close third on the Heavy 9 track, which favoured the winner Shelby Sixtysix (Toronado {Ire}).
“He had proper, elite, Group 1 class,” said Field.
“He’s the highest Timeform-rated 3-year-old by Snitzel in the last five years. In fact, he was rated even higher at three than Snitzel’s Champion First Season Sire Russian Revolution, who is the leading second season sire.
“He’s (In The Congo) the highest Timeform-rated 3-year-old by Snitzel in the last five years. In fact, he was rated even higher at three than Snitzel’s Champion First Season Sire Russian Revolution, who is the leading second season sire.” - Henry Field
“The thing I was so in awe about with In The Congo was from the start of his 3-year-old season until the end, he really had high-class, elite, Group 1 form. He won the San Domenico early in the season; it’s a time-honoured race won by many good stallions and he had to beat Group 1 winners such as Paulele, Captivant and Mazu to do that.
“He fought out the G2 Run To The Rose and was narrowly beaten by Anamoe, before turning the tables on him in the G1 Golden Rose, where he recorded the fastest time on record.
“He came back in the autumn and again displayed brilliant, sustained speed… he was narrowly beaten in The Galaxy carrying a near-record weight and he was brave when beaten by Mazu in the Arrowfield Sprint.
“His form the whole 3-year-old season was quite elite.”
Henry Field | Image courtesy of Inglis
In The Congo raced on at four, and while he didn’t win another race, he did run second in the G3 Sydney S. and $1 million The Hunter.
“He was a gun 3-year-old sprinter. We kept him in work as a 4-year-old and at the time in the spring, (co-trainer) Adrian (Bott) commented to me that he had become very colty,” Field explained.
“We gave him a couple of runs, then decided to retire him.
“He’s not the first 4-year-old bull to get a bit colty.”
Bott lauds a crack 3-year-old
In The Congo was trained throughout his career by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and the latter echoed the sentiments of Field, heaping praise on the star sprinter.
“In The Congo is the best 3-year-old sprinter I’ve ever trained,” said Bott.
“In The Congo is the best 3-year-old sprinter I’ve ever trained.” - Adrian Bott
“He consistently displayed A-grade, Group 1 form and incredibly raw speed for his entire 3-year-old season.
“As a 4-year-old, it’s fair to say he didn’t come up as well and probably had other things on his mind. However, at three he was outstanding, beating the best and always displaying that brilliant, sustained speed.
“He is the profile of a stallion that we will be aggressively supporting in the yearling market in the years to come.”
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
A trio of Snitzel stallions
In The Congo becomes the third son of Snitzel on the current Newgate Farm roster, joining last season’s Champion First Season Sire, Russian Revolution and Wild Ruler, who stood his first season last spring.
“Snitzel is becoming the emerging sire of sires; you’ve got Shamus Award, Russian Revolution, Trapeze Artist… the list goes on,” Field said.
Snitzel | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
“We’ve raced a number of very good Snitzels in our syndicate and we’ve selected proper, high-class, Group 1-winning sprinters to join our roster in Russian Revolution, Wild Ruler and now In The Congo. And, we obviously had Menari, who was sub-fertile.”