Cover image courtesy of Ascot Racecourse

Overnight on Tuesday, Mark Zahra gave 5-year-old entire Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) the ride of a lifetime - chucking his whip away 70 metres from the line - to land the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. The first crop son of G2 Hungerford Stakes winner Massaat (Ire) landed the biggest win of his career for his OTI Racing ownership, topping off a fantastic 12 months of racing for the syndicator.

Purchased as a yearling for £16,000 ($33,000) by OTI and Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock at Tattersalls September Yearling Sale, the 5-year-old ran second to Charyn (Ire) in the event last year and connections brought him south for a tilt at the Australian spring, where he finished a courageous fifth in the G1 Cox Plate to Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock).

OTI have diverged from a return Cox Plate assault for the entire in favour of continuing to attack the highest level of European racing and looking after Docklands’ future at stud.

“It’s quite remarkable,” shared Gus Boyd, one of OTI’s directors. “OTI and Terry (Henderson) have been going to Royal Ascot trying to win for the past two decades, and this horse was able to do it two years ago (winning the Britannia Stakes), which was a big thrill. But to win a Queen Anne, when you look at the honour roll, it's a very, very special moment for us.”

A point of difference

Docklands is one of three stakeswinners from Mark Of Esteem (Ire) mare Icky Woo (GB), who also produced 10-time winner and American Group 3 winner Ickymasho (GB) (Multiplex {GB}) and fellow OTI horse Harbour Views (Ire) (Le Havre {Fr}), whose seven wins include the Listed Sofitel Handicap. He also placed several times at Group level in Australia and ran fourth in the G1 Caulfield Stakes to Arcadia Queen (Pierro).

It was this family connection that drew OTI to purchase Docklands in 2021.

“He (Harbour Views) was a great horse for us in Australia that we had a big opinion of,” said Boyd. “So there was a family connection, and we were keen to support Harry Eustace early in his career, and he turned out to be the perfect horse to do that.”

OTI Racing have long been in the business of purchasing in the Northern Hemisphere and bringing horses south; it would probably be fair to name them amongst the pioneers of the imported racehorse market in Australasia, first turning to Europe in 2003.

“Europe used to be a point of difference for us. Terry and Simon (O’Donnell) were one of the first ones to be actively sourcing horses from Europe to come to Australia, and now there's not many top trainers and syndicators that aren't looking at that angle.

“We're fortunate that, because we've been supporting the European market for so many years, we've got great trainer relationships, and that's often a big part of the acquisition. The thoughts of those trainers we trust and great agents that have helped us for so long - the likes of Hubie de Burgh, Stuart Boman, Emmanuel de Seroux - are important. Having the right relationships has been a massive part of everything.”

At any one time, the OTI operation has at least 15 horses in Europe that are bidding to get on the plane to Australia - having one like Docklands who is “too good” to make that trip is “a good problem to have”.

Going the distance

Docklands is not the first high quality colt raced by OTI - they also raced G1 Australian Derby winner Quick Thinker, who stands at Motree Thoroughbreds - but stallion prospects is not the operation’s typical modus operandi.

“We don’t buy a lot of commercial colts, that’s not really our angle,” Boyd said. “We’re there for the racing and the success on the track, it’s a bonus that he’s an entire, and it means now, with that win, that there’ll hopefully be a nice future for him at stud somewhere.

"We’re not hugely active in the yearling sale market, so it often needs to mean something for us to do it. It made good sense to buy him with the family connection and the price point, and it’s worked out very well.”

While OTI has diversified their purchases somewhat over recent years, the focus remains on purchasing a quality middle distance horse.

“In Europe, the focus is still very much on middle distance and staying horses, because Europe has shown the capacity to breed a superior horse in that area,” Boyd said. “There's not a lot of short course horses there. In Australia, we're so good with the sprinters, so it hasn't really been our aim to try and find a top seven furlong horse in Europe, it's more about Classic horses.

“As you’ve seen with Docklands, we brought him out for a Cox Plate, our best ten furlong race, and they are the sort of races we’re always trying to find a horse for in Europe.”

OTI tends to be most active in Australasia in the tried horse and ready to race market, but they still dip a hand into yearlings; this year, they have signed for 10, many in conjunction with leading Australian trainers, including two by So You Think (NZ) and one from the first crop of Quick Thinker.

“We’ve bought more yearlings in the past two years than we ever have, and part of that is how competitive (buying in) Europe and New Zealand has become. But we're not going to the yearling sales trying to buy a Blue Diamond winner, we’re buying horses we hope can get to a Derby or a Spring Champion Stakes.”

The bloodlines are present in Australia, Boyd said, it’s just being able to tap into them.

“We are looking for those types of horses at the yearling sales. If there were more middle distance horses being bred here, we would spend less time looking overseas.

“We just love Classic horses winning. Don't get me wrong, we'd love to win a Golden Slipper. But winning a Cup or a Derby, or a Cox Plate, they're the races that have always resonated with us, and also with our client base.”

A tough market

Inglis Digital’s rise to prominence has been another key way for OTI to uncover future talent on home ground. And they’re not opposed to discovering a talented sprinter; last year they purchased now 3-year-old gelding Yoshinobu (Written Tycoon) online for $180,000 in conjunction with Annabel Archibald, and the gelding subsequently ran third in the G2 Roman Consul Stakes.

Many of the yearlings were also purchased in conjunction with a trainer that OTI trusts.

“It’s a really nice way for us to support them and also support our local industry that little bit more,” Boyd said. “Nearly all of the yearling sales and also buying in Europe is looking really tough this year. The tried horse market is quite remarkable. Some of the horses we've been trying to bid on, their prices are getting blown out of the water.”

The OTI team will commence a European tour after Ascot to assess over 100 horses with a view to purchasing some of them and bringing them south, but Boyd expects competition to be fierce, both through public auction and for private sale. The competition for selling shares will be just as challenging, he was keen to acknowledge.

“It’s a tough time economically,” he said. “We’re a disposable income business. We’re well aware that for clients, it’s taking 5 per cent in a horse or it’s taking a holiday.

“We've had to be really personable with our approach. Fortunately we've got a really loyal client base and great ownership groups that, when they have success, they're willing to go again with us. That's been a really important part of what we've been doing the last two decades.”

Giving ownership a great experience, even when their horse isn’t winning, has been key to that client retention. Boyd was happy to admit that it’s easy to keep someone happy when they have shares in a Group 1 performer - less so when a horse isn’t bringing home a check at Bathurst.

“You’ve got to have slow ones to appreciate the good ones!,” he said. The OTI strategy for slower horses has evolved somewhat within recent years, and it is not hard to draw a connection between the change in outlook and the change in the economy.

“Previously, we would be a lot more forgiving of slow horses, and we would often try them elsewhere and they'd stay in the system for much longer,” Boyd said. “Commercially nowadays, with the costs involved in owning a horse, if they're not up to city class, then it's often better that they're moved to a weaker jurisdiction where the horse can get a win for someone there.”

Again, Inglis Digital comes to the fore, and Boyd was happy to see others succeeding with former OTI horses that have needed a change of environment.

Welfare from the word go

Something that OTI invests in heavily, and has for some time, is the welfare arm of the business. Not content to simply rely on what each state provides, OTI ensures that their own thoroughbred retirement fund is in place to help OTI horses past and present in need of the next step.

“We all got a real shake up on the equine welfare front, and I know we're very proud of the program we set up,” Boyd said. OTI’s welfare fund was set up in 2019, and is overseen by OTI’s Equine Welfare and Media Coordinator Lisa Grund. “We’ve got a healthy fund sitting there, we’re tracking all the horses that were previously in our care, and if any horses before 2019 have been popping up somewhere they shouldn’t be, people are letting us know and we’re bringing them into the fold.

“That's been a big part of what we do now, and it's not just us, our clients support it. They know from purchase time that they're all contributing towards that horse’s future, even after the horse leaves us. If something happens to that horse, we’re there to help, with time and financially.”

One current issue that OTI have been facing is placing horses when they retire; many retrainers nationwide are full or limiting their numbers due to economic challenges or drought, and while OTI has and will remain committed to supporting horses throughout their transition to their next career, it has the potential to create a bottleneck. It is something that the industry needs to continue to address and come up with effective solutions, Boyd acknowledges.

Although, some horses do get lucky before they retire.

“The best situation for us is that we take a horse to the races and we get an email two days later from a lovely young girl saying, ‘I love that horse in the yard. Let me know when it's finished’, and you know you've got one home locked away for when they're retired.”

Eyes on spring

As OTI Racing approaches the turn of the Southern Hemisphere racing season, Boyd took time to reflect on the many highs the team has experienced over the past year.

“Last year we had our biggest year of winners and stakewinners, and we previously felt like this year we were a little bit down on that,” he said. “But when you look at the highlights this year, it's turned into quite an amazing season in the end.

“We had Sea King win the Bendigo Cup, Athabascan won the St Leger in the spring, Sevenna's Knight was fifth in the Arc de Triomphe, West Of Africa won the Magic Millions. We qualified Deakin for the Melbourne Cup and then two Group 1 winners in the last couple of months. It ended up being quite an amazing season for us, and I think the Cup is something we're extremely excited about again.”

The plan is for Deakin (Fr) (Australia {GB}) to be joined by Sevenna’s Knight (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.

OTI’s Femminile (Dundeel {NZ}) was a $150,000 yearling purchase who landed the G1 South Australian Derby earlier in the autumn, and was subsequently a $1.5 million broodmare sale to Yulong Investments at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale. The team also sold G1 Canterbury Stakes victress Lady Laguna (Overshare) to James Harron Bloodstock for $2.5 million at the same event. It marks the end of an era - a “changing of the guard” - at OTI, but certainly not the end altogether.

Gallery: OTI's recent sales

“With selling Lady Laguna and Femminile, you need horses to keep stepping up. That’s what our spring will be all about. Some of these new headline acts like Deakin, if they can go to the next stage, then we should be set for an exciting spring.”

What Boyd is most looking forward to is seeing the OTI colours crossing the line first, again and again.

“We're very lucky, after over 20 years of the colours, to have them respected around the world. It means so much to us. It's such a funny feeling when we get up at 2am for a maiden at Chantilly, or wherever it may be, and the caller is talking about the colours. We're very fortunate to be in that position, and results like the Queen Anne last night just keeps them front of mind for all. That’s a very special feeling.”

Cover image courtesy of Coolmore Australia

Sunlight’s boy makes a statement with a classy win

It was the royal-bred that got the job done as Central Coast (Wootton Bassett {GB}) scored a narrow but impressive win under a cool ride by jockey Adam Hyeronimus. He led home a stable sweep of the first four finishers for Chris Waller in the 2-year-old maiden colts event at Canterbury on Wednesday.

He jumped fast, but Hyeronimus chose to restrain the promising colt, settling him in a trailing position as Caviar (Frankel {GB}) led the field at just a steady pace, with Saint Aldwyn (Zoustar) sitting outside the leader.

It became a nervous watch just after straightening for favourite backers when Kokatahi (Farnan) burst to the lead at the 200 metre mark, while Central Coast was stuck behind runners. But once he found clear running, the colt surged late to defeat Crossbow (Better Than Ready), who made a strong run with him by just under half a length. Kokatahi and Saint Aldwyn battled on well to finish third and fourth respectively.

Chris Waller’s stable representative Charlie Duckworth commented:

“It was a bit of a nervous watch really. He was actually pretty keen down the back, which I didn't really anticipate, to be honest.

“Pre-race, he was beautiful and calm, but he did get up on the bridle for Adam and he just had to bide his time in the straight, but he was very good late.

“Ideally, we would have taken a sit last-start, but he just bounced and landed there and was sort of left as a sitting duck as a result. So it was very much the plan to try and ride him with some cover today and get him to utilise his turn of foot.”

When asked what might be next for the colt, Duckworth said:

“There's a Listed 1400 metre race in 10 days in Queensland, so he can either go there or not, and ultimately he'll spell and start again for a big 3-year-old year.”

Duckworth was pleased with all four of the stable’s runners:

“Crossbow was brilliant, and I thought all four of them were. St Aldwyn was a bit raw and the same with Kokatahi, while Crossbow had the experience on the board from last preparation, and he's gone well. They're all genuine city-class horses, so we’ve just got to try and separate them.”

Jockey Adam Hyeronimus was also impressed with the classy-looking colt:

“He's got a ton of ability, but even to look at him now, he's just such a cool dude and there's so much upside,” he said.

“He went out first to the start and coming towards the gates he was looking around and you never know whether he was going left or right, that's just because he's still learning, but once the gates opened, he's a real racehorse.”

Central Coast was purchased by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman for $1.4 million from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The stunning colt becomes the tenth Australian winner for Wootton Bassett (GB) from his first Australian-bred crop. He will stand at Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $385,000 (inc. GST).

Central Coast is the second foal from the Champion 3YO filly Sunlight (Zoustar), she was an 11-time winner on the track, including Group 1 victories in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, Newmarket Handicap, and William Reid Stakes.

She has already made an impressive start to her stud career, with her first foal, Dawn Service (Justify {USA}), already a Listed winner at Flemington early in his career.

Central Coast hails from an outstanding family with a host of closely related stakes winners, including Clean Energy (Zoustar), Sisstar (Zoustar), Causeway Queen (Giant’s Causeway {USA}), and Solar Charged (Red Ransom).

Since producing Central Coast, Sunlight has left a Home Affairs filly that sold for $3.2 million to Mitsu Nakauchida of Japan at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She also has a Justify (USA) weanling filly, before missing to both Snitzel and Wootton Bassett last spring.

Kakadu Sunset flashes home, makes winning debut

There was a minor upset in the 2-year-old maiden fillies event at Canterbury on Wednesday, as the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Kakadu Sunset (Extreme Choice) proved too strong late for her rivals. The win handed jockey Adam Hyeronimus an early race-to-race double to kick off the meeting.

The well-backed and sharp trials performer Straight Sets (Prague) went straight to the front, with $3 million yearling purchase Ernaux (I Am Invincible) settling outside the leader under jockey Tom Berry. The flashy grey Avenue Montaigne (Pierro) sat in the trail, while Hyeronimus was content to position Kakadu Sunset well back in the small field of six.

Little changed in the running, and when Ernaux put her nose in front, it looked like she might go on with the job. She didn’t shirk the task, but Kakadu Sunset was strong late, surging home to narrowly defeat Avenue Montaigne by 0.24l in a busy finish.

Co-trainer Adrian Bott was pleased with the filly’s effort and believes she has significant upside once she strengthens further.

“She has just taken a little time to physically mature. The owners have been very patient with her. Even today, Adam (Hyeronimus) gave her a lovely patient ride, and that may be what she needs at this stage of her career while she still continues to strengthen up.

“I think she has shown some nice signs initially, and she is open to a lot of improvement going forward.”

When asked about Hyeronimus’ ride, Bott added:

“He is riding with a lot of confidence. We left everything open to him around where he wanted to be today. Plans can change pretty quickly once they jump. A jockey riding with a lot of confidence can make those decisions quickly, and he has made the right call today.”

Waterhouse and Bott also trained the runner-up Avenue Montaigne, and Bott was full of praise for her performance:

“I’ve got a lot of time for her. I thought she was very gallant in defeat. I think she is a quality filly, both these are, particularly once she gets up over ground. She may not have had the momentum today, but there is a lot to like about her as well.”

Jockey Adam Hyeronimus was very pleased with Kakadu Sunset’s effort:

“She didn’t step the greatest. I just pulled her back. The speed was nice early, she travelled really well throughout the race, and I was confident during. It was just a matter of the leading bunch, the first two obviously had good form, and how much they were going to kick. Once I peeled her out, she did a good job. She is still pretty green. Very pleased.”

Hyeronimus also shared a candid reflection on the filly’s development:

“We have a bit of a love-hate relationship. I fell off her once when she was a baby. She has progressed, once she got to the trials she really progressed in her mannerisms.

“You could see that in the parade ring today. She was quite green and would do things wrong due to immaturity. But the way she walked around the enclosure today and how she is now, her mannerisms today have been fantastic. She still needs to strengthen up, but there is a lot of upside.”

Kakadu Sunset was purchased for $420,000 by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

She hails from a strong family, as her dam Typing (Sebring) was a dual winner as a juvenile, including victory in the Listed Dalrello Stakes. She has produced four individual winners, with the best of her progeny being Mixed Spice (Russian Revolution), a dual winner who was also placed in the Listed Mode Stakes.

Further back in the pedigree are classy stakes winners Bellevue Hill, On Type (Zeditave), and Sugar Babe (Exceed and Excel).

Since producing Kakadu Sunset, Typing was purchased on Inglis Online by Kingstar Farm for $25,000 and she has left a Profiteer yearling colt that was purchased by Darby Racing for $115,000 at this years Magic Millions Yearling Sale, a Tiger Of Malay weanling filly, and she is due to foal to Stay Inside this spring.

Knobelas takes metro step up in style

‘Justifying favouritism’ may be becoming an overused turn of phrase around racing, but 3-year-old Belardo (Ire) filly Knobelas (NZ) certainly delivered on the promise of her quote on Wednesday when defeating seven rivals by three and a quarter lengths at Sandown Hillside. The Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr) trainee was sent off paying $2.35 at her first metropolitan appearance and promptly hit the front, unphased by a close tailing from eventual third placegetter Colour Our World (Blue Point {Ire}).

Given the slightest urging from Jordan Childs within the last two furlongs of the 1600-metre event, the filly darted clear with All Business (Toronado {Ire}) unable to catch up, completing an all Irish sire trifecta.

The OTI Racing-owned filly’s performance added to a pleasing 24 hours for OTI’s milers - chiefly thanks to the exploits of 5-year-old entire Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot - and, increasing the reward, took her record to two wins from three starts.

“Very similar to last time, she got her own way in front,” Kent Jnr said post-race. “But if you've got the tactical speed, can hold the race and no one takes you on, you deserve that.

“She's clearly got a very nice turn of foot, that was quite impressive. She sustained a fast gallop the whole way up in grade, won by a big margin again. I know there's a heap to come with her, it's exciting.

“I felt the pressure here because I put a few mates in this one. They're always egging me on when they're short-priced favourites. There's no thanks when they win, but if they get beat, you get heckled.”

Kasa Bloodstock purchased Knobelas for just NZ$20,000 from Prima Park at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale in 2023; her victory on Wednesday takes her earnings over the $56,000 mark.

There has to be the potential for Knobelas to look to step up in distance again; her dam Knowable (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) is a half-sister to the dam of dual Group 2-winning mare Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci), and descends from G1 Otaki-Maori WFA Stakes winner Critic (NZ) (Centaine). Deeper in the family lies connections to Yulong resident Grunt (NZ) and exciting rising 4-year-old Shanwah (Too Darn Hot {GB}), winner of the G2 Alister Clark Stakes.

Cover image courtesy of Coolmore Stud

Gstaad (GB) (Starspangledbanner) is a half-brother to Arrowfield’s newest shuttling stallion, Vandeek (GB), who is set to stand his first season at Arrowfield Stud at a fee of $22,000 (inc. GST).

The son of Havana Grey (GB) was a Champion 2-year-old in his own right, and now boasts a Group 2 Royal Ascot-winning juvenile half-brother - an achievement that only enhances his appeal to breeders. The Thoroughbred Report caught up with John Messara of Arrowfield Stud to discuss how the market has reacted to Vandeek ahead of the upcoming breeding season.

Gstaad storms to Group 2 glory in the Coventry

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Starspangledbanner colt Gstaad (GB) caught the eye when winning on debut at Navan on 17 May over 1200 metres, defeating his highly rated stablemate True Love (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) by three-quarters of a length.

Following that performance, the colt, who cost MV Magnier 450,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale from breeder Maywood Stud, started as a well-backed favourite for the prestigious Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, he scored a dominant 3 length victory, making it two wins from as many starts following his debut success last month.

“Gstaad looks a very good horse, doesn't he? We've always loved him. He had only had the one run. He has always worked like a good horse,” trainer Aidan O’Brien told media after the race.

“He's big, he's scopey, he has a good stride and is very genuine; he goes with his head down and he has loads of speed. He looks like he will get further than six [furlongs].”

Gstaad is the second stakes winner amongst six winners for Mosa Mine (Exceed And Excel), further back in the family is the former successful shuttling stallion Anabaa (USA).

John Messara commented on the victory:

“It was a pleasant surprise, it is a very good family, but that win fills in the page nicely.

“It was a very compelling victory, he won very well, it was quite a facile win in the end, and he looks like he could go on with it.”

Gstaad is the 53rd stakes-winner for Starspangledbanner, who was a Group 1 winner at Royal Ascot himself back in 2010. The Royal Ascot connection doesn’t stop there, Starspangledbanner’s sire Choisir was the first Australian-trained horse to have success at the Royal Ascot meeting.

Vandeek, the lightning-fast addition from Europe

Vandeek (GB), the G1 Prix Morny winner and France’s Champion 2-year-old colt, was announced in March as the newest addition to the Arrowfield Stud roster for 2025. He will shuttle from Cheveley Park Stud (where he stood for £15,000) to stand his debut Southern Hemisphere season at a highly accessible fee of $22,000 (inc. GST).

Vandeek was unbeaten in four juvenile starts, claiming both the G2 Richmond Stakes and the G1 Middle Park Stakes in addition to his Prix Morny success. With blistering speed and Group 1 form at two, he adds sharpness, precocity and an exciting new dimension to the Arrowfield lineup.

“He fills a gap in our roster, he’s an out-and-out Champion 2-year-old, a very good-looking horse from a rising bloodline,” said Messara.

“We have had very good support, and we will support him heavily also. We have a 150-mare maximum limit on the stallion, and I imagine we will have no trouble getting there at all.”

An admirable sireline

Vandeek brings a new and potent branch of the Sadler’s Wells (USA) sireline to Australasia. His sire is on a sharp upward trajectory in the Northern Hemisphere, and Vandeek is well placed to carry that momentum forward in Australia.

“He is by a very exciting stallion in Havana Grey, and he gets stakes winners from anything.” Messara said.

Havana Grey boasts British Champion Sire Dark Angel (Ire) as his damsire, with influential Green Desert (USA) as second damsire, the latter being the root of the Invincible Spirit (Ire) sireline that has already flourished in Australasia. It’s a family featuring stakes winners across three continents, including G2 Hungerford Stakes winner Richard Pankhurst (GB) (Raven’s Pass {USA}).

A member of the great Sadler’s Wells (USA) sireline, Havana Grey is a great-grandson of Galileo (Ire), a line familiar and compatible with the Southern Hemisphere broodmare population.

International blood and a physique to match

The pedigree on Vandeek’s damline was already impressive, even before recent developments. His damsire Exceed And Excel needs no introduction for his accomplishments across Australasia.

Vandeek’s second dam is Baldemosa (Fr) (Lead On Time {USA}), whose half-sister Group 1 winner Balbonella (Fr) (Gay Mecene {USA}) is the dam of champion sprinter and leading dual hemisphere sire Anabaa (USA), as well as G1 French 1000 Guineas winner Always Loyal (USA) (Zilzal {USA}). It all builds to create an impressive specimen.

“Vandeek is a grand looker, a very masculine horse, good size and he was explosive,” Messara said.

“We sent Jon Freyer over to look at him and he was very impressed. All of the references, whether it be his trainer or jockeys, were very positive about the type of horse he is.”

Arrowfield are always on the lookout for the next champion to grace their stallion ranks; their success over the years with international stallions such as Danehill (USA), Hussonet (USA), and Maurice (Jpn) is proof of their ability to unearth something truly special and out of the ordinary.

Messara believes Vandeek could really suit a wide mix of Australian bloodlines:

“I think he will suit a wide range of Australian blood, but interestingly the winning colt (Gstaad) is a grandson of Danehill, being by Choisir. So it has already proven that Danehill can go with Danehill in that family and be successful, as his mother is an Exceed And Excel mare.

“Initially, we thought we might stay away from the Danehill mares, but this opens up options as it looks like it will be no problem getting a 3x3 cross, or a 3x4 cross or something similar. That may open a few people’s eyes on how they can breed him with it already having success.”

Vandeek will stand for $22,000 (inc. GST), a price point Messara believes is appealing given the stallion’s pedigree and race performance.

“I think it’s a very competitive fee for a horse of his calibre and credentials,” he added.

“I do feel he will make an impact way above the price he is standing at.”

Going by the manner of Gstaad’s victory it would be no surprise that by the end of the season there is a major Group 1 pedigree update, as he looks to have massive scope and potential, which will only aid Vandeek’s popularity going forward.