Cover image courtesy of Waikato Stud
From Centaine, O’Reilly and Pins, to as far back as Decies and Pompeii Court, and now to Savabeel, Waikato Stud’s Group 1-producing stallions’ count sits at 22, eight have been awarded Champion Sire status. With the next generation of Waikato stallions coming through, excitement is building and Super Seth is one who has piqued the interest of the industry.
A member of the second crop of Dundeel (NZ), Super Seth created a good impression from the start - purchased by Dean Hawthorne for $280,000 at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and finding form early.
A six length debut winner at Ballarat, the Anthony Freedman-trained colt took that form to Caulfield where he again won in impressive fashion before earning juvenile black type at his last of three 2-year-old starts; a Listed Anzac Day S. third.
All the better - as can be expected by members of the High Chaparral (Ire) sireline - at three - Super Seth was a first up winner of the G3 McNeil S. And a few starts later he was in Classic-winning form - charging home to pick up Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) in one of Australia’s best stallion-making races, the G1 Caulfield Guineas.
He was again in good form as a summer 3-year-old, enhancing his record with a G3 Manfred S. win and a close second - as favourite - taking on the older horses in the G1 Futurity S.
With his good race record supported by his eye-catching looks and a pedigree with depth, Super Seth was a horse Waikato were keen to secure though they did have to dig deep into the pockets to do so.
Mark Chittick | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“It is always hard when you spend a lot,” Waikato’s Mark Chittick said, wary that with a price-tag comes expectations. But Super Seth immediately proved popular with New Zealand breeders who supported him in his first year at stud with 143 mares… 92 live foals the result.
And those horses, now two, are starting to make waves - showing promise at the trials and on race day with two of his first handful of runners being winners… Poetic Champion (NZ); a debut winner last spring and placed in Group company at his two runs since and fellow spring winner Diablo Blanco (NZ) who has also raced extremely well in stakes company.
“The feedback has been so encouraging,” Chittick said. “Everyone who has got a Super Seth just loves them - what we are hearing from trainers is pretty exciting.”
Describing Super Seth as “a beautiful animal who you could look at all day,” Chittick loves the handsome entire’s “rich copper coat” and his attitude - “he is a great horse to work with, a great horse to have around.”
Chittick was optimistic from the time Super Seth’s foals began to arrive - noting early that they were being nicely stamped by their sire.
Super Seth | Standing at Waikato Stud
“We were cautious early in regards to his sire Dundeel being a smaller horse,” he said, adding that mares with a bit of size and leg were prioritised.
“But we have swayed the other way now as he is throwing both things on, which is a great trait for a stallion to have.”
“... he (Super Seth) is throwing both (size and leg) things on, which is a great trait for a stallion to have.” - Mark Chittick
And breeders are happy to, supporting Super Seth with 140 mares last spring, his book really picking up on the strength of his early winners.
Super Seth is well-represented at the upcoming Karaka Yearling Sales, including 20 members of the Waikato Stud draft.
And a nicely related bunch they are too, including six out of stakes-winning mares…
Lot 61 bay colt x Fabric (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ})
Bred on a 4 X 4 cross of the mighty Zabeel (NZ), he is the first foal for a classy mare who was seen at her best winning the G2 Queen of the South S. at Morphettville. Her half-sister Sewree (NZ) (Savabeel) was also talented, winning at Listed level and this is the family of the Group 1 gallopers Lachlan River (NZ) (Desert King {Ire}), My Brilliant Star (Copper Kingdom {USA}), Sudurka and Shot Of Thunder.
Lot 109 bay filly x Gold Fever (NZ) (Savabeel)
Another one with a Zabeel (NZ) cross - as well as duplications of the speed influences Luskin Star and Without Fear (Fr) - she is out of a G2 Matamata Breeders' S. winner whose dam Gold Rocks (Oratorio) won the G2 Karrakatta Plate. That mare also produced the dual stakes-winning juvenile Calaverite (Lonhro) whose son Golden Mile (Astern) won the G1 Caulfield Guineas - as did Super Seth. And another of her daughters is the dam of last year’s G1 ATC Derby hero Major Beel (NZ) (Savabeel).
Lot 215 chestnut filly x Masquerade (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB})
Her Listed-winning dam is a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Costume (NZ) (Savabeel) whilst her grandam is a half-sister to the Listed winner Liffey Lace (USA) (Sagace {Fr}) - dam of the Group 3 winner Kisses (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and the Singapore-based stakes winner Tres Sheik (NZ) (Desert Style {Ire}).
Lot 284 bay colt x Out Of The Park (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ})
He is the first foal for the G3 CJC South Island Thoroughbred Breeders S. winner whose metropolitan winning dam Under And Over (NZ) (Danasinga) is a half-sister to the stakes winner Smooth Sailing (NZ) (Kinjite {NZ}) and full sister to the dual Listed winner Bird (NZ) who has produced the stakes winners Flamingo (NZ) (Pins) and Preditor (NZ) (Savabeel).
Lot 518 bay colt x Villifye (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ})
Out of a mare whose dam is bred on the same Sadler’s Wells (USA)/Sir Tristram (Ire) cross as Super Seth’s sire Dundeel, he is a half-brother to three winners including the Group 3-placed triple city winner Traduce (NZ) (Savabeel). His G2 International Trophy-winning dam is a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Miss Keepsake (NZ) (Keeper) from one of New Zealand’s finest families - one which produced Lonhro and Grosvenor (NZ).
Lot 448 bay colt x Suavito (NZ) (Thorn Park)
His dam was a terrific race mare, winning eight races including the G1 Futurity S. and the G1 CF Orr S. and another three at Group level. Her dam also produced the Group 3 winner Sultan Of Swing (NZ) (Bachelor Duke {USA}) and the dam of the dual Group 3 winner Diss Is Dramatic (NZ) (Dissident).
Meanwhile another four are out of daughters of stakes winners… grandsons of the Listed winner Metropolitan (NZ) (Elusive City {USA}), including Lot 122, the dual Listed winner Thy (NZ) (O’Reilly {Ire}); Lot 477, the UK Group 3 mare Myself (GB) (Nashwan {USA}); Lot 487, and the Group 3 mare Lady Alberton (NZ) (Golan {Ire}) - Lot 604.
So happy with the overall quality of the Super Seth draft, Chittick said he could not single any out enthusing, “There are a few who people will not have to wait too long for, he found form at two himself and there are some nice, strong types there.
“They are lovely horses overall, I’d be happy to race all of them!”
