The rise in stallion investment by Victorian farms now matching NSW

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

There have been 29 first season sires announced for 2024, and for the first time since the pandemic, there are more for Victoria than New South Wales with 14 in Victoria and nine in NSW.

The last time this happened was in 2020 where 18 horses were announced for Victoria - however only four stood for more than $10,000, while NSW had 15 new sires that year, and 11 of them stood for more than $10,000.

Of the 2024 crop, five of the 14 Victorian debutants have been announced at under $10,000 fee, while in NSW, the nine horses are all over $10,000.

So with nine commercial sires for each state, this is either a statistical quirk, or the beginning of a changing tide.

One apiece for Widden

“There’s been significant investment in Victoria recently, with Widden’s expansion, Yulong, Rosemont, and Trilogy taking over Blue Gum. Darley have been a mainstay here for a number of years too,” said Widden Victoria’s Adam Henry.

“The number of first season sires is a reflection of that investment. We are seeing a better quality of horse coming here too, it’s good for the industry, and the VOBIS program is also excellent.”

Widden Victoria launched King Colorado in 2024, and have the first 2-year-olds by Dirty Work, Doubtland and Russian Camelot (Ire) this season.

“King Colorado has been very popular - he’s the first Group 1 winning 2-year-old to retire in Victoria since Tagaloa in 2021 - and is by Kingman with a blue-blooded pedigree being out of a stakes winning More Than Ready mare who traces to the blue hen Fall Aspen. He’s a lovely attractive horse with good bone.

“His best asset is that he’s Danehill-free, and being an outcross for the broodmare population which is heavily Danehill has made him a popular choice for breeders. He’s getting good shareholder support from his most influential shareholders. Widden, Sheikh Khalifa, and Ultra Thoroughbreds are sending some of their best mares, and he’s getting plenty of interstate bookings.”

King Colorado won the G1 JJ Atkins S. as a 2-year-old with a race record of two wins and two placings from 11 starts (with nine of those starts in group company). Kingman retired in 2015 and already has 85 stakes winners with sons at stud such as Calyx (GB), King Colorado and Palace Pier (GB).

“It’s a global industry now, so moving broodmares from state to state is not really an issue, people go where the good horse is. I think that the number of interstate breeders coming to Widden Victoria shows the faith in the Victorian product.

“It’s a very exciting season for us having three sires with first crop 2-year-olds in Russian Camelot, Dirty Work and Doubtland, as well as Anders in NSW. The initial reports on Dirty Work and Doubland have been strong, and I think Russian Camelot might surprise everyone with some late 2-year-olds. As a racehorse, he gave away six months on his rivals and he was a natural from day one.”

Dirty Work won the G2 Schillaci S. and is a son of Written Tycoon whose sons include Capitalist, Rich Enuff, and Ole Kirk. Doubtland, a son of Not A Single Doubt, was a Group winner at two and three, and is from the Rory’s Jester family.

Russian Camelot won the G1 South Australian Derby and G1 Underwood S. as a Northern Hemisphere 3-year-old which meant he had a six-month disadvantage against his age group.

“The Victorian industry has definitely strengthened. I don’t think the numbers are an outrider year. Things are getting stronger here and the enhanced investment is a positive for the state and for breeders here.”

Widden’s NSW perspective

“It’s an interesting stat,” said Matt Comerford. “We set out as an organisation to support both the Hunter (NSW) and Victoria. It’s a thriving industry in both states. We are standing Sweet Ride in the Hunter and are conscious of standing the right horse, not just having a new horse for the sake of it.

“It’s a market that’s flooded with stallions, and people need the confidence that we’ll support our horses for the first three or four years.

“The decision on where a horse stands is about wanting the right style of horse for the market. People often assume that Victoria is a place to put horses that need a bit more time, but we think the perception isn’t right.

“Look at Rebel Dane, Royal Meeting, there’s a bit of depth in the broodmare population in Victoria and they are more than capable of leaving 2-year-olds.

“We stood King Colorado there on purpose as history told us that Victoria would give him a good opportunity. We have confidence in placing the horses where they best fit for the market. He suited Victoria extremely well because he’ll suit a lot of Danehill-line mare, and we are seeing a lot of Victorian breeders getting behind him.”

Widden NSW is standing Sweet Ride in 2024. The flashy chestnut is by Deep Field and won twice at two, then the G3 San Domenico S. at three, adding another win at four to take his record to four wins and three placings from 21 starts.

“Owner Bert Vieira has a large broodmare band in the Hunter and is sending around 40 mares to Sweet Ride, with plenty from the Trapeze Artist family. We felt Sweet Ride could run off the back of Portland Sky’s success.

“Deep Field is very successful in the Hunter and Portland Sky has had a good line of foals. Lots of people want the Northern Meteor-line with Zoustar and Deep Field so successful with Zousain and Portland Sky coming through, so we are leaning into that with Sweet Ride. He’s a good speedy stallion with form around him like Best of Bordeaux and In Secret.”

Darley’s quartet evenly split between states

“I knew NSW was light on first-season sires this year. I wasn’t aware of the comparative numbers as I don’t spend a lot of time looking at our competition. I think it’s the product of fillies having won the big races like the Golden Slipper, and the Coolmore over the last few years. Those stallion making races are open to both genders and sometimes the fillies get up,” said Alastair Pulford.

“NSW is a tough market to get into, the competition is extremely keen and you have to have a high-class horse to attract a good book in the Hunter, but Victoria is growing in strength and this is an example of that.”

“We’ve got four retiring to stud this year, two in each state. We are fortunate to have two properties to split them between and we’ve always sent top horses to Victoria like Brazen Beau.

“Cylinder is as good as any horse going to stud this year. He’s beautifully bred, a Group 1 son of Exceed And Excel and has a lot going for him. He was second in the Golden Slipper and was a high class 2 and 3-year-old, much like his father in terms of his racing profile, and a fantastic looking horse. He’s a high-class horse who will get a great opportunity.

“Golden Mile is his companion in Victoria. He’s a Caulfield Guineas winner so makes sense to have him here. He’s the biggest earner of all the first season sires which says a lot about his quality. He’s a very durable sound horse from a fast family out of a quick Lonhro mare that we raced and deserves his opportunity.”

Cylinder was a dual Group 2 winner at two, placing in the Golden Slipper, and at three he won the G1 Newmarket Handicap and the G2 Run To The Rose while also placing in the G1 Golden Rose. By Exceed And Excel, he's out of Group 3 winner Circular (Street Cry {Ire}) who has also produced Group 3 winner Parisal (Astern).

Golden Mile won five of his 20 starts with earnings over $4.3 million led by the G1 Caulfield Guineas and he was a winner at two, three and four. One of 13 stakes winners for his young sire Astern, Golden Mile is out of dual Listed winner Calaverite (Lonhro).

“In NSW we’ve got two shuttle horses. Native Trail who I personally think is the best value this year. Value is such a personal opinion!

“He won the Dewhurst, the National and the Irish 2000 Guineas. Those are the sorts of races that Too Darn Hot, etc won and they stand at double the fee Native Trail is at. He looks remarkable value. He’s parading in Victoria today (Thursday) and will be on his way to NSW next. A wonderful looking horse, everyone who sees him will love him. The shuttles are making a big resurgence and he’s by a sireline that works in Australia. The market will accept him well and that’ll be ratified when they see him.

“Triple Time is an amazing prospect, by Frankel, out of one of the best mares in the world. She’s thrown 3 Group 1 winners at Royal Ascot in the last two years, Triple Time and two grandsons. He was a really good horse who only showed his ultimate best once, in the Queen Anne. He missed most of his 3-year-old year through injury but returned at the end of the season to win a group race before the Queen Anne as a 4-year-old. Plagued by injury but super talented and has the pedigree to back him up. I think he’s super competitively priced too.”

Native Trail (GB) was a dual Group 1 winner at two who returned at three to win the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas. Rated the Champion 2YO Colt in Europe, he also raced on at four and retired with six wins from 11 starts. One of 138 stakes winners for Oasis Dream, whose sire sons include Showcasing and Power, Native Trail is out of a full sister to G1 Doncaster Sprint Cup winner African Rose (GB) (Observatory {USA}).

Triple Time (Ire) was a Listed winner at two, a Group 3 winner at three, and won the G1 Royal Ascot Queen Anne S. at four. By Frankel (GB), he is one of six stakes winners produced by stakes-placed winner Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) who is also the granddam of triple Group 1 winner Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and 2024 Royal Ascot Group 1 winner Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal {USA}).

“The shuttle horses are great value at the moment compared to local horses, which allows astute breeder to breed to high-class horses for not much money (comparatively).”