‘He’s a Marvel’: Snitzel celebrates 150 stakes winners courtesy of Saint Emilion's Geelong Classic triumph

While much of the post-race talk centred around the bright future which developing colt Saint Emilion now has – with trainer Ciaron Maher saying he was a good chance for the Victoria Derby on November 2 – the deeds of his sire were also discussed at length.

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Snitzel – who stands for $247,500 (inc GST) at Arrowfield Stud – has also recently produced precocious Group winners Lady Shenandoah and Makarena, who enjoyed respective triumphs in the G1 Flight S and G2 Golden Pendant.

Indeed, Arrowfield Bloodstock Manager Jon Freyer believes their four-time Champion Sire of Australia and four-time Champion 2YO Sire is a marvel in his paddock near Scone in country New South Wales.

“He’s got it, and there are not many stallions that do. He was an exceptional racehorse,” Freyer told The Thoroughbred Report. “He’s got a great pedigree, he’s a beautiful physical specimen. But he’s just got that ability to transmit those genetics to a lot of his offspring.

“Here he is in the twilight of his career, but he’s having a fantastic season. He had a brilliant filly who won the Flight Stakes, and he’s got (G2 Roman Consul S. winner) Switzerland running around.

“It seems never ending. We’re just thrilled. He’s been a marvel.

“The thing that makes them, is they’ve just got that X-factor. Most horses who have got the genetics are capable of a really high rate in producing superior horses.”

Like Benjamin Button, Freyer said Snitzel, 22, possessed a rare genetic trait of age only being a number to him.

Age is only a number for Snitzel

“Obviously he’s just one of those horses that has enjoyed good health. He’s always a horse who’s looked younger than he really is,” Freyer said.

“He presents as a younger horse. He’s slowed down a bit in recent years. He’s going to cover a limited book this year, probably limited to two mares a day.

“But he’s always been brilliantly fertile. And again, this year he’s getting all his mares in foal so well.”

Freyer said Snitzel’s standing fee of $247,500 was worth every cent.

“You see these horses with the way prizemoney is, if you can get a superior racehorse these days you look and see the prizemoney is spectacular,” he said.

“So if you’ve got a horse that can consistently produce those types of horses, they pay for themselves in no time.

“And of course he’s still so respected in the sale ring.”

The amount of lives Snitzel has changed is truly staggering – he has rewarded owners, trainers, breeders and vendors with well over half a billion dollars in total prizemoney as a legendary sire.

And thousands have flocked to the Arrowfield Stud property over the years just to see him and take photos next to his magnificent Tanya Bartlett sculpture.

“Unbelievable (the prizemoney Snitzel has raised as a sire), isn’t it? So many people who have been invested in the thoroughbred industry have used him or been associated with him, and he’s served them so well,” Freyer said.

“And he’s delivered returns back in spades. He’s changed lives for so many people.

“They’ve won big races, or they’ve sold a yearling for spectacular money. There’s a statue of him at Arrowfield, and I think there have been hundreds, maybe thousands of people, who have come up to touch it for luck, and who appreciate what he’s done for them.”

Saint Emilion capable of strong VRC Derby showing

Freyer believes Wednesday’s 3YO Geelong Classic Winner, Saint Emilion, out of 2004 VRC Oaks runner-up Kylikwong (Red Ransom {USA}), has the physical traits to compete well in this year’s G1 VRC Derby at Flemington on November 2.

With Mark Zahra aboard in 3YO Geelong Classic, the stayer timed his run home brilliantly just before the 200-metre mark in the 2200-metre feature worth $200,000.

“I thought he was really impressive how he attacked the line. He’s out of a filly who I think ran a place in the VRC Oaks, so why not (couldn't he compete in the VRC Derby)?” Freyer said.

“With a great trainer who’s winning everything at the moment, if anyone can get a horse by Snitzel to win a VRC Derby, I’d say it’s Ciaron Maher.”

Saint Emilion was a $200,000 purchase by Dynamic Syndications/Dean Watt Bloodstock from Westbury Stud Ltd at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Kylikwong, bred by Vinery Australia and purchased for $300,000 by Baramul Stud at the 2002 Inglis Weanling Sale, was runner-up in both the G1 Australasian Oaks and G1 VRC Oaks, as well as the G2 Kewney S. She also secured third-place finishes in the G1 Sires' Produce S., G2 Edward Manifold S., and G2 South Australian Oaks.

Kylikwong has produced 14 foals, nine of which are winners, including her Redoute's Choice gelding Cantonese, who captured a stakes victory in the 2012 Listed Christmas Cup.

Saint Emilion is a three-quarter brother to Listed winner Cantonese and stakes-placed Chateau Margaux (Redoute's Choice), who in 2014 was runner-up to Gatewood (GB) in the Geelong Cup.

His unraced half-sister Lake Superior (Encosta De Lago) is the dam of the sensational Alligator Blood (All Too Hard), the seven-time Group 1 winner of $9.2 million.

Maher paid credit to renowned equine chiropractor Brendan McCarthy for his work with Saint Emilion leading up to Wednesday, and said he was rapt for Dynamic Syndications.

“Brendan McCarthy our chiropractor, he looked at him when he first came down and he did a fair bit of work with him,” Maher told racing.com.

“I think that was the key. You can see how well he looks. I’m rapt for Adam Watt and the Dynamic team.”