New kids on the block: part four

Cover image courtesy of Kia Ora Stud

Across the first three parts of this series, The Thoroughbred Report has examined 19 stallions offering their first Southern Hemisphere yearlings, with a variety of local superstars to revered internationals showing up in the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale catalogue.

The final seven stallions in this series may dip into the four-figure fee range, but that’s not to say there isn’t quality here, with a number of Group-class performers being supported strongly by mares from deep families.

Prague (Redoute’s Choice x Purely Spectacular {NZ} {Pins})

2023 service fee: $16,500 (inc GST)

Plenty of interest has followed Prague from the moment he went through this very sale in 2019, where Phoenix Thoroughbreds (II) and Aquis Farms went to $1,600,000 to secure him from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds.

Himself a half-brother to fellow stallion Stratum Star, who won the G1 Kingston Town Classic (now Northerly S.), Prague was initially sent to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, where he made an instant impact, winning on debut stylishly as a 2-year-old at Canterbury Park. From there, he would go on to win the G3 Canonbury S. and the G3 Pago Pago S. on the road to the G1 Golden Slipper S., giving him two of the key juvenile races offered in the Sydney autumn.

From there, he would go on to run second to King’s Legacy in the G1 Sires’ Produce S., his final run as a 2-year-old. Although unable to break through as a 3-year-old, he ran a series of nice races, including a game fourth in the G1 Newmarket H. at Flemington, his second run for new trainer Annabel Neasham. After a fourth in the G1 All Aged S., Prague was retired to Kia Ora Stud, where the son of Redoute’s Choice has been well-supported ever since.

Covering 95 mares in his debut season, which he was introduced at his current price of $16,500 (inc GST), Prague’s first year at stud resulted in 65 live foals, of which 14 will be offered on the Gold Coast next month, 21 per cent of his total crop. Support increased for his second season in 2022, with 103 coverings producing 61 live foals, with an increase in fertility percentage from 76.4 to 88.1, one of the highest second-season figures for any stallion profiled so far in this series.

Kia Ora Stud have gotten behind their emerging stallion, pairing him with Decelerator (USA) (Dehere {USA}), who won the G3 Churchill Downs Debutante S. as a 2-year-old, the end result being a filly entered in the sale as Lot 568. There was no deceleration in heights reached by her progeny, with three of her four foals to race being winners, including the G2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas victress Nafaayes (Exceed And Excel) and the G3 National Day Cup winner Stoltz (More Than Ready {USA}), who were victorious in South Africa and Hong Kong respectively.

Dirty Work (Written Tycoon x Maidel {Ad Valorem {USA}})

2023 service fee: $13,200 (inc GST)

Another member of the emerging stallion band of Widden Stud, Dirty Work has been met with consistent support from breeders, with the speedy son of Written Tycoon receiving strong numbers in both his full seasons to date.

An expensive yearling himself, picked up at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Spendthrift Australia for $800,000, Dirty Work took some time to put it all together, not winning at his first six attempts before getting the maiden monkey off the back as a 3-year-old at Randwick-Kensington. His spring maiden success was parlayed into a hot run of form in the autumn, winning three on the bounce, including the Listed Ortensia S. to cap off a sharp rise through the ratings system.

It was as a 4-year-old that he was able to stand up and be considered amongst the handiest sprinters in the country at the time, taking out the G2 Schillaci S. in a sizzling performance from last under a perfectly timed ride by William Pike. From there, he ran third in the G1 Manikato S. to close out his spring, returning in the autumn to run fifth in the G1 Oakleigh Plate, beaten just 0.5l in a bunched finish to the famous sprinting handicap. He was unable to return to the winner's circle from three more runs, retiring to stud after finishing fourth in the G1 Goodwood H. at Morphettville.

Initially introduced at a fee of $19,800 (inc GST), Dirty Work received instant interest from breeders, covering 155 mares in his initial season. With a strong fertility percentage of 82.4, 111 live foals resulted, of which 11 will make their way to the Magic Millions sales ring next month. Support remained in the triple digits for 2022, which had a reduced fee of $16,500 (inc GST). Dirty Work hosted 111 mares for 58 live foals, with a slight drop in fertility percentage to 79.3.

Sledmere Stud will bring one of the most exciting of the 11 offerings to the sale, with Lot 801 a handsome colt out of Italian Storm (Nicconi), dam of the Listed Alinghi S. winner A Very Fine Red (Deep Field). With speed on the sireline as well as the dam line. This colt’s 3rd dam is the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Loving Claim (USA) (Hansel {USA}), who was Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in France for the 1997 season, while he is also related to the Listed Kevin Hayes S. winner Soft Sand (Dansili {GB}).

Doubtland (Not A Single Doubt x Miss Sharapova {NZ} {Ustinov})

2023 service fee: $13,200 (inc GST)

Possessing dazzling speed on the racetrack, Doubtland is a barn-mate to Dirty Work at Widden Stud in Victoria, and the talented competitor has also been met with a high volume of bookings across his initial seasons at stud.

Going for $1,100,000 to Orbis Bloodstock at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, the Arrowfield Stud graduate got off to the perfect start on the track, winning on debut at Randwick-Kensington before a stunning 4l victory in the G3 Kindergarten S. announced him as a promising horse. His 3-year-old campaign was highlighted by victory in the G2 Danehill S., with a third in the G2 Roman Consul S. and a fourth in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. behind September Run (Exceed And Excel) other notable performances.

Initially offered to breeders at a fee of $16,500 (inc GST) for his first two seasons, there has been demand for the fast son of Not A Single Doubt, with 142 coverings in his first year yielding 98 live foals. Of those, just three have been made available to buyers on the Gold Coast next month.

The highlight may well be Lot 967, a colt out of the G3 BJ McLachlan S. winner Missy Longstocking (Sequalo), who was a dynamic 2-year-old. She has made a solid start to her breeding career, producing three runners for three winners, all of whom won in their juvenile year. With the G1 Karrakatta Plate (which has since been reclassified to a G2) winner Highpak (Haulpak) also on his page, there will be high hopes for this colt to emerge as a promising juvenile type.

Doubtland achieved triple-digit coverings in 2022, seeing 108 mares, but a drop in fertility percentage hampered his overall numbers for his sophomore year, with 55 live foals the end result. As a result, his fee has dropped to $13,200 (inc GST), which he stood for in the 2023 season.

Prince Fawaz (Fastnet Rock x Lady Paget {Testa Rossa})

2023 service fee: $11,000 (inc GST)

Climbing the mountain to succeed at the highest level as a 2-year-old, Prince Fawaz returned to the state of his greatest victory, where he stands at Oaklands Stud.

From the same family as stallion Casino Prince and stallion-in-waiting Best Of Bordeaux (Snitzel), Prince Fawaz ended up in the care of trainer Anthony Cummings, graduating from this sale for $220,000 in 2018.

Debuting in March of his 2-year-old season, the son of Fastnet Rock was able to break his maiden at start number four, winning impressively at Randwick. From there, he travelled north to contest the G1 JJ Atkins Plate at Eagle Farm, knuckling down to win the 1600-metre juvenile feature in a photo finish under Kerrin McEvoy. As a 3-year-old, Prince Fawaz ran in a number of top-quality races, his best result being a second to Castelvecchio in the G1 Rosehill Guineas.

Retired to stand at the Toowoomba-based Oaklands Stud, Queensland breeders have consistently supported him throughout his freshman and sophomore seasons, where he has been able to deliver high fertility percentages. Covering 62 mares in both 2021 and 2022, his first season resulted in 40 live foals, with 34 in the second. Across both years, his fertility percentage sat above 90, a positive result for the local breeding industry. Four of his 40 live foals from 2021 make their way east to the Magic Millions sales ring, a 10 per cent representation of his first crop.

Oaklands Stud themselves are offering one of his progeny next month, Lot 1050, a colt out of the unraced, but well-related Exceed And Excel mare Bathing Beauty. Herself a three-quarter sister to the G3 Frederick Clissold S. winner Britt’s Best (Danehill {USA}), who won 10 races across a decorated career. This colt is also related to fast sprinter Philonize (Reward For Effort) and the G1 Matron S. winner Sense Of Style (USA) (Thunder Gulch {USA}).

Graff (Star Witness x Dinkum Diamond {Keep The Faith})

2023 service fee: $9900 (inc GST)

Kichwin Hills resident Graff will see his first yearlings offered next month on the Gold Coast, with the talented sprinter represented by 11 of his progeny off the back of some strong early support from breeders.

Introduced for the 2021 breeding season at a fee of $13,200 (inc GST), Graff was kept busy, covering 120 mares for a return of 86 live foals. With 12 per cent of his first crop up for grabs next month, there are a number of opportunities to grab some well-related yearlings, including Lot 168, a filly out of Seventhchic (Seventh Reason), dam of the G1 Goodwood H. winner Royal Merchant (Merchant Navy).

Also of interest is Lot 638, a colt out of Entrancing (Exceed And Excel) who produced the G2 Percy Sykes S. winner Paris Dior (Pierro), and is related to the G2 Challenge S. winner De Lightning Ridge (Tale Of The Cat {USA}), another early 2-year-old performer.

Numbers for Graff dropped in 2022, with just 87 coverings resulting in 52 live foals. Still averaging over 100 covers a season, the year-on-year slide saw a 2023 fee reduction to $9900 (inc GST).

Twice a winner as a 2-year-old from as many starts, Graff enjoyed a relatively long racing career when contrasted to some others stallions so far profiled, racing 21 times, going deep into his 4-year-old season. He picked up four victories along the way, including the G2 Caulfield Sprint in 2020 under the guidance of the recently retired Damien Oliver, along with the G3 San Domenico S. as a 3-year-old.

Time To Reign (Time For War x Courgette {Charge Forward})

2023 service fee: $9900 (inc GST).

The half-brother to the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain), Time To Reign was bought by Darby Racing for $325,000 as a yearling at this sale in 2018, with the syndicator looking to replicate the success of their Slipper-winning heroine.

Time To Reign would indeed go on to win a Slipper, just not the Slipper, tasting victory in the G2 Silver Slipper S. at his fourth start, which at the time improved his record to three wins from four attempts. Quickly stamping himself as a promising 2-year-old, he won the Kirkham Plate on debut by 2.3l under Rachel King, going onto to win another pre-Christmas 2-year-old race before being saved for an autumn campaign. Things didn’t go to plan at the start, losing the Listed Lonhro Plate as a $1.60 favourite, before hitting back to win the aforementioned Silver Slipper.

That was to be his last win, with a mixture of bad luck and a throat issue hampering his racetrack career. He was retired to Kingstar Farm in the Hunter Valley, where he was offered at a fee of $9900 (inc GST) as a first-season stallion. Well-supported early on, Time To Reign saw 95 mares in his debut season, with 61 live foals resulting. Numbers slid for his sophomore year, with just 58 covers despite an unchanged fee, resulting in 33 live foals.

Of his 61 initial crop foals, five have made their way north of the border to be sold at Magic Millions. Glenbeigh Farm offer one of the quintet in the form of Lot 735, a colt out of Guapa (USA) (Rock Hard Ten {USA}), dam of the G3 Alexander S. victress Chica Fuerte (Hinchinbrook). With his family’s strong record as 2-year-old runners, time will tell if Time Will Reign can attract the interest of buyers on the Gold Coast.

Sandbar (Snitzel x Tallow {Street Cry {Ire}})

2023 service fee: $8800 (inc GST)

Our final of the 26 stallions represented with yearlings for the first time in a Southern Hemisphere sale is Sandbar, a son of Snitzel and a half-brother to Farnan, who was profiled all the way back in part one.

Fetching $650,000 as a yearling in the 2017 iteration of this sale, Sandbar was a quality early runner, winning consecutive early races, including the Listed Lonhro Plate and narrowly missing out on the G3 Pago Pago S. After running midfield in the G1 Golden Slipper S., he returned as a 3-year-old for the spring, winning the Listed The Rosebud, before finishing 1.5l off The Autumn Sun in the G1 Golden Rose.

After a campaign in Queensland didn’t eventuate a rejuvenation in his early form, he was retired to stand at Kooringal Stud for a fee of $8800 (inc GST), where he still found his fair share of supporters. Covering 60 mares in 2021, his first season, returned a total of 41 live foals, with comparable numbers in 2022, 45 covers for a yield of 32 live foals.

Kooringal send two homebred yearlings north, including Lot 1170, a filly whose grandam is the G3 Silver Shadow S. winner Deer Valley (Lonhro), who has gone on to produce five winners from as many foals to race. She descends from the family of the legendary Kingston Town (Bletchingly), and she is the first foal of winning Sebring mare Give Val A Ring.