Value Sires Part 4: ‘statistically, we all need to take note of Playing God’

Cover image courtesy of Darling View Thoroughbreds

In this edition of TTR AusNZ, we continue our ‘Value Sires Series’, reaching out to industry participants—whether they breed, sell, buy, or race—to see who they perceive as offering the best value from the recently announced fees.

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Proven $50,000 and over

Respected bloodstock agent and Godolphin Flying Start graduate, Jimmy Unwala of Avesta Bloodstock, is impressed by the father and son duo, Pierro and Pierata.

“Pierro, at $55,000 (inc GST) this year, I feel is exceptional value. His book of mares covered at $110,000 (inc GST) are current 2-year-olds, and I feel they will only improve as 3-year-olds. So, I think he is well poised to get a few good results on the track. Also, Pierata showing spark with his 2-year-olds is very encouraging.”

Coolmore’s Pierro received a reduction this season to $55,000 (inc GST) after standing last year at a fee of $82,500 (inc GST). The five-time Group 1 winner has sired 38 individual stakes winners and has been represented by 67 stakes performers.

His son Pierata, one of his six individual Group 1 winners, stands at Yulong in Victoria. After a sensational start with his first runners, Pierata's fee increased to $66,000 (inc GST) from $44,000 (inc GST). Among Pierata’s highlight first-crop runners have been the Group 1-placed runners Coleman and Fearless.

Gus Wigley, who operates Inglewood Stud in North Canterbury alongside his wife Bianca Wigley, has enjoyed much success with New Zealand’s probable Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, Velocious (Written Tycoon).

Wigley utilises stallions on both sides of the Tasman and provides TTR AusNZ with an answer for each jurisdiction. “Proisir is doing a fantastic job leaving Group 1 horses on both sides of the Tasman and is one of those rare stallions that can draw the Aussies to Karaka.”

Proisir, standing at Rich Hill Stud in New Zealand for NZ$80,000 (plus GST), is responsible for 18 stakes winners and 39 stakes performers. Among them is the star filly Legarto (NZ), who claimed the G1 Australian Guineas and the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas among her nine victories. While the now-retired Prowess (NZ) wowed Australian audiences with her romp in the G1 Vinery Stud S.

Across the Tasman, Wigley selects Arrowfield Stud’s The Autumn Sun. “He’s obviously been riding a high since his service fee was announced, and his injury aside, he’s great value at $66,000 (inc GST). I think he’s a nice option for Kiwi breeders as he leaves a horse that suits Karaka.”

The Autumn Sun is currently recovering from a pelvic injury he sustained in April. The son of the great Redoute’s Choice has sired three Group 1 winners this season: Autumn Angel in the G1 Australian Oaks, Coco Sun, who claimed the G1 South Australian Derby and was placed in the G1 Australasian Oaks behind two other daughters of The Autumn Sun - Vibrant Sun and Private Legacy.

Additionally, The Autumn Sun’s daughter, Tutta La Vita, was placed in the G1 Vinery Stud S. and was recently sold to John Stewart of the North American-based Resolute Racing for $3.2 million at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale. She will chase victory in the G1 Queensland Oaks.

Sharon King, the racing and breeding manager for Peter Walsh’s successful Amelia Park in Western Australia, nominates Darley’s Street Boss (USA) and Newgate Farm’s Capitalist.

“I think Street Boss at Darley is a great proven option, as well as the G1 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist.”

Street Boss (USA) has sired 71 stakes winners worldwide. His Champion son Anamoe tops the list. Street Boss returns to Darley, Victoria for a fee of $66,000 (inc GST).

Newgate Farm’s Champion 2-Year-Old, Capitalist, a proven son of the Champion Sire Written Tycoon, received a fee decrease to $66,000 (inc GST) from $77,000 (inc GST) last season. Capitalist has sired 23 individual stakes winners and is represented by 49 stakes performers.

Steve O’Connor of Go Bloodstock, who bred this year’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) rates Darling View Stud’s Playing God as his ‘value sire’ pick, “Playing God is a sire, who statistically we all need to take note of with a stakes winner to runner percentage north of 10 per cent.

“That puts him in an elite bracket and I look forward to seeing more of his progeny prove themselves on the east coast. If they can and he continues his trajectory, he is a top stallion at a value service fee and a safer bet than the unproven sires.”

Playing God stands the 2024 fee season for $49,500 (inc GST). The son of Blackfriars has sired 18 individual stakes winners and 30 stakes performers.

Proven $40,000 or less

A popular choice for a proven sire under $40,000 in this series has been Coolmore’s Pride Of Dubai. His star daughter, Bella Nipotina, further cemented his reputation by claiming her second elite-level success in the G1 Doomben 10,000.

Additionally, Pride Of Dubai has been represented by the outstanding Pride Of Jenni, who won the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., the G1 Champions Mile, the G1 Empire Rose S., and the All-Star Mile this season. Another talent, sired by Pride Of Dubai - Desert Lightning (NZ), has claimed victories in the G1 Captain Cook S. and the inaugural Aotearoa Classic.

Both King and Unwala pick Pride Of Dubai, with Unwala telling TTR AusNZ, “At $22,000 (inc GST), I feel Pride Of Dubai is the best value stallion in the country. He has the ability to sire a headline act and a genuine Group class horse.”

Like many others, O’Connor agrees Pride Of Dubai represents value at $22,000 (inc GST), “He has solid stats with five per cent stakes winners to runners and has a horse in the headlines each year. He is priced to cover a good book of mares and offers value at $22,000 (inc GST).

Wigley heads to Queensland, nominating Eureka Stud’s outstanding sire Spirit Of Boom, saying, “We’ve had good luck breeding to Spirit Of Boom, and he’s such a prolific sire of good-looking, precocious stock that sell well.”

Spirit Of Boom remains at $38,500 (inc GST). The dual Group 1 winner has sired 26 individual stakes winners and 40 stakes performers, alongside 408 individual winners of 1169 races.

Closer to home, Wigley picks Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor (Fr). The son of Wootton Bassett (GB) has enjoyed another sensational season. Almanzor’s son Circle Of Fire (GB) won the G1 Sydney Cup from another son, Athabascan (Fr). While his daughter Positivity (NZ) was a wide-margin victress of the G3 South Australia Fillies Classic after placing in the G1 New Zealand Oaks.

“He was so unlucky with his first Classic runners as he had something like five Group 1 placegetters and one Group 1 winner (Manzoice, G1 VRC Derby). They’re finding the winning post this year and he’s left eight stakes winners this season across Australasia.

“I think he’s great value this year, at a reduced fee of NZ$30,000 (plus GST).”

First season sire (or stallion without runners)

Wigley rates Newgate Farm’s Ozzmosis, a son of the sensational Zoustar. Ozzmosis won the ‘stallion-making’ G1 Coolmore Stud S., emulating his sire.

Additionally, he claimed the Listed Heritage S., a race also won by exciting stallion prospects like Wild Ruler and Home Affairs, as well as the late Champion Sire Lonhro and his sire Octagonal (NZ). Ozzmosis will stand for an introductory fee of $44,000 (inc GST).

“He (Ozzmosis) was a fast horse that won the right race and is by the right sire. Forecasting to the future, his progeny should be well-sought after come sale time,” Wigley said.

Wigley then nominates Paddington (GB), an exciting addition to the New Zealand stallion ranks this season. The son of the brilliant Siyouni (Fr) will stand at Windsor Park Stud for NZ$35,000 (plus GST).

“Paddington is a world-class racehorse by a really exciting sire (Siyouni). He’s a major coup for New Zealand and for Kiwi breeders to have access to a horse like this. Windsor Park Stud reported Paddington’s book as full in 24 hours within the announcement he was shuttling, which is a testament to his appeal.”

Paddington showcased his class with four Group 1 victories, including the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, the G1 Sussex S., the G1 St James’s Palace S. at Royal Ascot, and the G1 Eclipse S.

Also standing at Newgate Farm, King selects Militarize (NZ) while also picking another popular choice in Shinzo, standing at Coolmore. “From the new horses to stud, I like Militarize and Shinzo,” King said.

Militarize is standing his debut season at $38,500 (inc GST) after a brilliant career, that saw him win two Group 1s as a 2-year-old, the G1 Sires’ Produce S. and the G1 Champagne S. The son of Dundeel (NZ) trained on to secure another stallion-making race in the G1 Golden Rose.

From new contingent to retire this season, O’Connor also selects Newgate Farm’s Militarize, “He’s a multiple Group 1 winner, a 10/10 physical and his sire Dundeel has elevated to another level, while his damsire is a Champion Sire in Dubawi. He has all the ingredients for us.”

Additionally, O’Connor picks Cambridge Stud’s Chaldean (GB), a son of the Champion Frankel (GB), and a victor of the G1 English 2000 Guineas. Chaldean stands for a debut fee of NZ$35,000 (plus GST).

“Chaldean looks a top recruit for Cambridge Stud and is a sexy horse by the great Frankel. We like him for our New Zealand team.”

The royally bred Shinzo, a son of the four-time Champion Sire Snitzel from the dual Group 1-winner Samaready (More Than Ready {USA}), retired to Coolmore this season at a fee of $55,000 (inc GST).

Sticking with colonial speed, Unwala selects Darley’s Cylinder. A son of Exceed And Excel, an exceptional servant for Darley before his well-deserved retirement, Cylinder was an outstanding juvenile, winning the G2 Todman S. and the G2 Silver Slipper S. before placing in the G1 Golden Slipper.

As a 3-year-old, Cylinder emulated Exceed And Excel by winning the G1 Newmarket H., beating the Champion mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible). Cylinder stands his debut season at Darley, Victoria, for $44,000 (inc GST).

“Cylinder for $44,000 (inc GST), because any stallion prospect who has the speed and precocity to win two Slipper lead-ups (the Silver Slipper and the Todman), then place in the Golden Slipper and train on to come out as a 3-year-old and win a Group 1 (Newmarket H.) against older horses, ticks all the boxes for me,” Unwala said.

Second and third season sire

Impressing Unwala is Newgate Farm’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside, who stands alongside his sire Extreme Choice at a fee of $55,000 (inc GST).

“Stay Inside would be my pick. Third season is always a risky play, but he is a Golden Slipper winner. He’s by a freak stallion in Extreme Choice, and well supported by Henry Field, Newgate, and their astute shareholders during his first two seasons at stud—he is a punt worth taking!”

O’Connor is in agreement with Unwala regarding Stay Inside, “He won the Golden Slipper for us and we supported him accordingly. His foals remind us of the precocious Not A Single Doubts and we feel he has every chance on the track and will be a popular sire in the sales ring.”

The son of Extreme Choice saw his four weanlings sell for an average of $106,250 and a median of $102,500 at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.

Additionally, O’Connor selects Yulong’s Tagaloa and Lucky Vega (Ire), alongside Coolmore’s King Legacy, all of whom will have their first runners turn two in August, “King’s Legacy, Tagaloa and Lucky Vega were all precocious horses who have the book sizes in their favour to land some early blows and give breeders that uplift you look for when hunting for a value stallion priced below $30,000 (inc GST).

Taking the approach of picking a sire heading into their second season of runners, King elects Tassort, also standing at Newgate Farm at a fee of $38,500 (inc GST), and Coolmore’s Home Affairs, who will cover his third book of mares this season at a reduced fee of $82,500 (inc GST).

“Tassort is very exciting and has started with a bang,” King said.

Wigley, also taking a different route, sticks with stallions about to cover their third books of mares. In Australia, he rates Coolmore's shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr).

“Like Paddington, St Mark’s Basilica is a world-class racehorse by a sire I really like. His first weanlings sold very well in Sydney a few weeks ago, and we have a very nice colt by him in the paddock here at Inglewood.”

St Mark’s Basilica was represented by six weanlings at the 2024 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, where all six sold for an aggregate of $666,000, an average of $111,000, and a median of $112,500. The son of Siyouni (Fr) returns to Coolmore, Australia, for a fee of $38,500 (inc GST).

In New Zealand, Wigley elects Cambridge Stud’s Sword Of State, a son of Snitzel, who stands for NZ$15,000 (plus GST). Sword Of State won the G1 Sistema S. as a juvenile, the G3 Waikato Slipper S., the G3 Almanzor Trophy, and the G3 King’s Plate.

“I really like Sword Of State, who stands at Cambridge Stud. He’s been leaving some very good-looking foals that look early and fast.”

O’Connor also noted he has been impressed with Cambridge Stud’s Sword Of State, “I am hearing good things about the Go Bloodstock-bred Sword Of State in New Zealand.”