Armidale Stud to stand son of Vinnie, Bodyguard for $8800

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Armidale Stud will launch a three-stallion roster in the 2025 breeding season; Tasmanian stalwarts Needs Further and Alpine Eagle will be complemented by the addition of precocious juvenile son of I Am Invincible, Bodyguard, who will stand for $8800 (inc GST).

A horse to genuinely believe in

A $1.6 million yearling purchased by the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership, immediately descended from Emirates Park’s first G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Mossfun (Mossman), by Champion Sire I Am Invincible, and trained by leading juvenile conditioners Peter and Paul Snowden. Those are the ingredients of the perfect new stallion to join Armidale Stud’s ranks.

Juvenile Group winner Bodyguard will join the Tasmanian’s roster in 2025, and will bring a strain of the Invincible Spirit (Ire) sireline south where it is currently not accessible.

Described by Peter Snowden as “the best-looking horse I have ever been associated with”, Bodyguard was explosive on debut in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial, winning by 2l over a field that included dual Group 3 winner Dublin Down (Exceedance). Previous winners of the race to enter stud include Zizou, Sepoy, and Ingratiating.

Returning in the autumn, he put in a repeat performance in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (colts & geldings) to put away the field by 0.5l, defeating subsequent G3 Black Opal Stakes winner Holmes A Court (Capitalist) and Listed Blue Diamond Preview (colts & geldings) winner High Octane (Deep Field), displaying the same electric turn of foot that made him a winner on debut. His fourth in the G2 Todman Stakes is further proof of how precocious a juvenile he was.

His Maribyrnong Trial win put Bodyguard firmly on the radar of Armidale Stud.

“We were looking for a stallion to complement our existing roster and meet the demands of the current market, and Bodyguard fit the bill perfectly,” said Armidale Stud Principal David Whishaw, who was thrilled to secure the colt. “We’re very passionate about the local breeding industry. We’ve been acutely aware that the state has needed a new stallion, but we weren’t going to stand one until we found a horse that we genuinely believed in.

“Over the past few years we’ve had many stallions offered to us, but none have truly matched what we’ve been looking for until Bodyguard.”

The perfect fit

“He’s the perfect fit for us,” Whishaw said. “He’s outstanding looking, he’s got a great mind and he was precocious and fast.

“He's got a bloodline that no breeder in Australia couldn't relate to.”

Bodyguard is a son of Tumooh (Fastnet Rock), a half-sister to Group 3-winning colt Dajraan (GB) (Frankel {GB}) out of Mossfun, whose immediate family continues to generate stakeswinners, including recent additions Listed Tasmanian Oaks winner Cinch (Dundeel {NZ}) and G2 Angus Armanasco Stakes winner Sassy Boom (Spirit Of Boom).

“With his granddam a Golden Slipper winner, and him winning that very first 2-year-old stakes race along with the Blue Diamond Prelude for colts, he’s got what it takes to produce sharp, early runners.

“We hope this acts as a sign of confidence for local breeders that we’re investing not just in a new stallion, but in mares to go to him. Ultimately, we want to inject confidence into the local breeding industry.”

In another sign of confidence, breeders Emirates Park have retained a share in Bodyguard and will be sending mares south to support him as he begins his stud career.

“We believe he has what it takes to make a stallion and will support him with some good mares this season,” said. Emirates Park General Manager Bryan Carlson.

“We’re excited to work with Armidale. They’ve got a good history of producing great stallions, and I think Bodyguard is a very exciting prospect for them and the Tasmanian industry.

“He’s landed in the right spot, and we look forward to supporting his burgeoning stud career.”

“His fee was set at $8800 (inc GST) because we want to provide breeders with good bloodlines and great stallions at an accessible price,” said Whishaw, acknowledging the rising production costs industry-wide. “We want to stick to our grassroots and provide worldclass bloodlines at a price that delivers good value for the average breeder.”

Needs Further continues to do a wonderful job

The rising 18-year-old Needs Further has so far enjoyed his second best season to date in terms of earnings, hauling in $2.29 million to date, and has already equalled last year’s total individual winners - his highest season to date - at 38, with three months left of the racing season. His fee remains unchanged in 2025 at $5500 (inc GST).

Two new stakeswinners have taken his total to nine; electric juvenile Zany Girl won the Listed Elwick Stakes and was a gallant second in the Magic Millions Tasmania 2YO Classic, and Durazzo took his record to eight wins in 11 starts in February with victory in the Listed Hellova Street Stakes. He also led home a quinella for his sire in the Magic Millions Tasmania 3YO & 4YO Classic earlier in the year.

“He continues to perform as a standout Tasmanian-based stallion,” Whishaw said. “He’s just ever so consistent - he continues to be our star juvenile sire, and they continue to sell well with our local trainers, syndicators, and mainlanders happy to invest in his stock. His return on his service fee in the sales ring is very sound.”

Needs Further sired the joint top lot at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale, where Prime Thoroughbreds secured Lot 89, a half-sister to 12-time winner Speed Force (Tough Speed), for $80,000. He was the leading sire by gross and average (three or more sold) at the sale, posting an average of $34,000, which is 6.8 times his service fee (excluding GST).

“He’ll get you yearlings that sell for north of $100,000, he’ll get you everything from a 2-year-old to a Cups horse. He’s just been such a great sire for us. He covers a humble book of mares every year and does a wonderful job.”

Alpine Eagle, the model of consistency

With his fee remaining the same this year at $4400 (inc GST), Alpine Eagle’s offspring have currently amassed over $2.27 million in prizemoney this season, ranking it as his second best season to date with it still all to play for over the winter carnival.

His 40 individual winners so far this season are led by Listed Newmarket Handicap winner Geegees Gemstone, dual stakes-placed juvenile Crack The Shutters, and ever-consistent 10-time winner Alpine Affair.

“Alpine Eagle has had another consistent season,” Whishaw said. “He has had The Map, who was Tasmania’s first Melbourne Cup runner in well over 20 years, and Geegee’s Gemstone won what’s arguably our hardest race to win in Tasmania, in the Newmarket. It’s our premier sprinting event, and any local person will tell you it's the hardest race to win down here.”

The son of High Chaparral (Ire) has been providing a steady stream of winners that train on for the last five seasons; many of his first and second crop of foals are still on the track, such as 6-year-old Alpine Flyer who was third in the Listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup in the spring.

The versatility of Alpine Eagle’s stock is the key to his continued success, Whishaw was keen to highlight.

“They’re stock that get better with age,” he said. “They certainly suit a patient owner and a patient trainer, but he's a very sound breed-to-race option.

“He's been our leading sire down here the last three years, and I'm confident he'll be our leading sire again this year. He's recently had a winner in Hong Kong, and he's pretty much had a winner in every state of Australia, so I think he's bubbling along really consistently.”

Table: Armidale Stud stallion service fees for 2025, fees include GST