Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The significant credentials of Henry Longfellow
“I'm pinching myself, to be honest.” Anthony Mithen said, “The opportunity is very exciting. Henry Longfellow coming to Rosemont Stud is huge for us and for Victoria.
“He is by Dubawi, he was a Group 1 winner at two, and he is out of Minding, who is Galileo’s greatest daughter and won seven Group 1 races, and the second dam was a champion as well (Lillie Langtry).
“He has everything you want in a potential stallion. He has depth of pedigree, is by a sire-of-sires in Dubawi, was an elite 2-year-old, and is a great type. He ticks all of those boxes.”
Henry Longfellow | Image courtesy of Coolmore
Understandably with these credentials, and with the backing of Rosemont Stud and Coolmore Stud, Henry Longfellow is going to get every chance in terms of book numbers and quality. “Be assured, we will be sending high-end, high-class mares to him. We will be supporting him heavily.”
The Too Darn Hot factor
Too Darn Hot (GB) has made a massive and significant impact with his runners in Australia, having sired 38 winners at an outstanding 13 per cent stakes-winners-to-runners ratio, and an exceptional 26 per cent stakes-winners-to-winners ratio. The standout performer, Broadsiding, has already won three Group 1 races and earned just under $3.3 million in prize money.
Mithen explained, “there are so many comparisons to Too Darn Hot that you just have to take notice—the same sireline, a Group 1-winning 2-year-old, and similar type-wise.
“We have been supporters of Too Darn Hot the whole time, and we also have six mares in foal to him from the Northern Hemisphere. So, in time, these will become very cherished foals for us.”
Too Darn Hot (GB) | Standing at Darley
The Coolmore connection
Rosemont has a strong relationship with Coolmore, having stood and worked with the outstanding sire Starspangledbanner (USA), who suffered from well-documented fertility issues.
Mithen commented, “we have been heavy supporters of Coolmore in the past with their stallions, and you know that they are the best in the world at doing stallions.
“They have given us the nod of approval to partner with this horse, which is great.
“It was lovely the other day—I got a message from John Magnier saying that he was very impressed with the launch in Australia, so that was great. I’m looking forward to the partnership carrying on into the future.”
Starspangledbanner | Standing at Coolmore Australia
A spectacular draft
Rosemont Stud will present 36 horses (before withdrawals) at the 2025 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, and Mithen is proud of the group they have put together.
“It is a spectacular draft. We are proud to be able to present them in Melbourne.
“It is a spectacular draft. We are proud to be able to present them in Melbourne.” - Anthony Mithen
“We have a really nice mix of sires. I believe our Frankel has the best page in the book. The Zoustar colt we are presenting is for everyone—I don’t think anyone could not like him. The Hanseatics are presenting well, (and) I think his second crop are better than his first one—he is going well and he has the numbers behind him.
“The trainers like them, and we keep getting good feedback on them. He’s had a Saturday winner in Adelaide and a couple of stakes placegetters, so he's heading in the right direction.”
Frankel (GB) | Standing at Juddmonte Stud
In terms of the draft and the record the stud has at this sale, Mithen emphasised, “I’m very proud of the record we have been able to put down over the last 10 years. We are proud of bringing our best-bred horses to Melbourne Premier.
“I’m quoting a statistic that we have studied pretty hard—we refreshed and looked at it again because we thought, 'That can’t be right.' But if you bought every yearling from our draft over the last ten years for a combined $22 million, you would have accrued $50 million in earnings and still have the assets. There are obviously a lot of costs involved, but even with guessing associated costs of say, $12-15 million, it still looks very good.
“We do try to outdo each other as vendors statistics-wise, but that does look pretty good.”
The Rosemont team on the track
The Rosemont team has been running well on the track in recent weeks, thanks to standout performers Bosustow (Blue Point {Ire}) and Schwarz (Zoustar).
“Schwarz won the G2 Australian Stakes two starts ago, and he will dance another dance in a Group 1 shortly in either the Canterbury Stakes or the William Reid.
“He’s a beautiful-looking horse, a fast horse with a great pedigree. He’s got a home here, and will join the roster at some stage, but we are having a lot of fun racing at the moment and he's got plenty more to give.
Schwarz | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Bosustow has been great—winning the Guineas on the Gold Coast and then running a very good placing in a Group 1 in New Zealand. He’s exciting.
“We have some nice fillies racing for us at the moment. Palm Angel is doing a good job, Eden Rose ran a great fifth in the Blue Diamond, and she may be one we target towards the Sires.
“We are proud of these sorts of homebreds. People always think that when they are going well, we race the good ones and sell the others, but it’s quite the opposite. They pick you! Eden Rose was too small for a sale, Palm Angel had an X-ray issue, and Brooklyn Hustle cut her neck badly halfway through her preparation. They find you sometimes.”
Bosustow | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
When asked about the Rosemont Stallion Alliance and whether any changes had been made, Mithen commented, “it hasn’t stopped as such, but financially, it can be tough. No one is out as such, but we decided we could do with a little breather.
“We have made some great friends and connections throughout and had some great success. We’ve made a bit of an adjustment, and we are allowing people to come into some of our homebreds, and they know that they come from a proven-producing farm. There may be a reason why they aren’t at the sales, but they are well-bred and good stock, and we can happily share. We do want to keep the crew together as much as possible.”
“It hasn’t stopped as such, but financially, it can be tough. No one is out as such, but we decided we could do with a little breather.” - Anthony Mithen
The Rosemont way
When asked whether the Rosemont team had changed anything major this year, Mithen explained, “we keep showing up. I think it is really important that we are very accessible. If people feel comfortable approaching you, that’s a good thing.
“We keep showing up. I think it is really important that we are very accessible. If people feel comfortable approaching you, that’s a good thing.” - Anthony Mithen
“You have to understand all sorts of people and all sorts of types. You have to look after people and enjoy the ride together. We are a producing farm and have a proven track record of breeding and offering racehorses that can be successful on the track—that is important.”
In terms of racing homebreds, Mithen noted that they are enjoying racing these horses with others.
“We’ve got some stock here that we can share with people and be that accessible farm for people to talk to and enjoy the ride with.”
“We’ve got some stock here that we can share with people and be that accessible farm for people to talk to and enjoy the ride with.” - Anthony Mithen
Summarising his approach, Mithen concluded, “we do things our way—the Rosemont way. Some people may disagree, but I’m not everyone’s cup of tea. I’d like to think I’m more people’s cup of tea, and less perfect.”
