Cover image courtesy of Rosemont Stud
Rosemont Stud’s Hanseatic chalked up his fourth winner on Thursday with his son Sea Admiral striking at Kembla Grange, and has three more chances over the weekend to extend his record as his first season with juveniles comes to a close. In the eyes of Rosemont’s General Bloodstock Manager Ryan McEvoy, the chestnut son of Street Boss (USA) has measured well with his first runners.
“They’ve been performing well,” McEvoy said. “He’s had multiple stakes horses, which is great.”
From three stakes-placed offspring, one of them - Reece Goodwin’s Bermondsey - lines up in the $150,000 Byerley Handicap on Saturday for a chance at scoring a spot in the G1 Victoria Derby.
“He’s having a sort of auspicious start, and we've seen a lot of trial winners and jump-out winners in the last month - horses that indicate they've got real above average ability.
“... we've seen a lot of trial winners and jump-out winners (by Hanseatic) in the last month - horses that indicate they've got real above average ability.” - Ryan McEvoy
"We’re looking forward to him finishing the season strongly. We've had enough runners out there that would suggest that's going to be the case.”
Don’t judge too quick
The most popular first season sire in Victoria in his first season at stud, Hanseatic has seen 29 of his 129 confirmed foals hit the track, with winners on both sides of the Tasman. With a similar sized second crop to come and plenty of horses that have made it to the trials before going for a break, McEvoy has seen enough evidence to think that they could also be in for an exciting spring.
“I'm pretty bullish about what we can expect from them in the latter part of the season and into their 3-year-old season as well,” he said.
The support has remained strong for Hanseatic; McEvoy described his supporters as loyal, something particularly important when establishing a stallion, and said that a healthy number of mares were already set to return to Hanseatic in the spring.
Hanseatic | Standing at Rosemont Stud
“He probably finds himself amongst a number of other stallions where the market and the industry are probably waiting to see what they can deliver over the next little period, but nonetheless, his numbers look pretty good,” McEvoy said.
He acknowledged that sometimes the industry can be quick to judge a stallion, and while Hanseatic’s start might not have been as flash as other first season sires, it doesn’t mean it’s anywhere near over yet. Rosemont still has their full weight behind the stallion.
“We're often very quick to form an opinion on a stallion’s merit and what kind of impact they'll make,” he said. “Sometimes that’s even before Christmas. A case in point, Shamus Award was dealt a lot of harsh judgement early on, and we then saw him go bang 12 to 18 months later. The same could be said for Harry Angel.
“We're often very quick to form an opinion on a stallion’s merit and what kind of impact they'll make. Sometimes that’s even before Christmas.” - Ryan McEvoy
“It’s my view that we can be quick to cast a horse aside. It’s our philosophy at Rosemont to give them a proper period of time to show themselves.”
At the same time, one has to be pragmatic. The wheel spins fast in the thoroughbred world; a stallion has to show some potential with their first juvenile crop to remain relevant. McEvoy acknowledged there is no quick fix to how fast a stallion's popularity can wane if they can't get off the mark fast enough.
“We're in an industry that's probably relying on a quick fix, and you need to have a stallion that has some sort of impact with their 2-year-olds,” McEvoy admitted. "That's fair, particularly commercially. It’s about getting a balance.”
The next big things
Aside from flagbearer stallion Shamus Award, Hanseatic is the eldest stallion on the Rosemont roster; Group 3-winning Extreme Warrior’s first 2-year-olds will hit the trials in September, and the stud awaits the first foals by G2 Caulfield Sprint winner Doull this spring. New faces on the block Schwarz and Henry Longfellow (Ire) complete the roster, and McEvoy shared that the response to both has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Both stallions are near enough to full,” he said. “We will keep a few bookings up our sleeve for after we parade them, but there’s been great support for them, which has been really substantial from both local breeders in Victoria and interstate.
“I think both stallions have really hit the mark with their profiles, and they've captured the attention of the majority of commercial breeders out there. I think both are really well-priced, both Group 1 winners by great stallions, good looking horses. We could bang on all day about their profiles, but we couldn't be more excited and could be more thrilled with the reception they've both had.”
"We could bang on all day about their (Schwarz and Henry Longfellow's) profiles, but we couldn't be more excited and could be more thrilled with the reception they've both had." - Ryan McEvoy
Henry Longfellow will touch down in Australia within the fortnight, and will join Schwarz at Rosemont in early August. The latter ran his last race in May - a gallant fifth in the G1 Doomben 10,000 - and came straight down to Rosemont, where he has been letting down in wonderful fashion, McEvoy shared.
Henry Longfellow (Ire) when racing | Standing at Rosemont Stud
“He's been back at the farm now with us for about six weeks and he's letting down really well. He's probably at that stage now where he's looking at the box thinking,’ when am I going back into work?’
“But he's a gorgeous horse. He's going to let down into the most magnificent type.”
"He's (Schwarz) going to let down into the most magnificent type." - Ryan McEvoy
Schwarz’s physical presence has almost been the most attractive thing about him - which is saying something, for a horse that is a Group 1 winner amongst five stakes victories.
“Everyone's just loved what they've seen and attitude wise, he's just an absolute plum,” McEvoy said. “He's the best son by the Champion Sire elect, with an amazing pedigree and elite weight for age Group 1-winning speed. So it's not surprising that he's really popular.”
Schwarz when racing | Standing at Rosemont Stud, image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Racing into the spring
The Rosemont racing team has been particularly hot as of late; this week alone, well-bred colt Lockyer (I Am Invincible) and speedy filly Fitzalan (Too Darn Hot {GB}) have raced home in the Rosemont colours, and Rosemont part-owned juvenile Albany Road (Exceed And Excel) snared victory during Grafton’s carnival. McEvoy is excited to see what the spring has to offer.
“Lockyer is a lovely horse, he’s going to have a break now,” he said. The full brother to Strasbourg - who has relocated to South Australia for the breeding season - won back to back races in Doomben for premier juvenile conditioner Tony Gollan. “We’ll let him catch his breath now and head into the latter part of the spring with him.”
Another juvenile, Pimlico (Extreme Choice), has returned to work after running third on debut in May to G3 Breeders Plate fourth-placed Hidden Motive (Capitalist), and McEvoy expects to see him flourish in the spring.
Ryan McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We think a lot of him. We won’t go to the well too much on him, but he’s a horse I think can really show up this spring.”
Palm Angel (Starspangledbanner), winner of the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (fillies), has returned to work with Jason Warren, and McEvoy foresees her remaining in Victoria to try and tap into the lucrative sprint program available for fillies in the south.
“She's one that might head towards a race like the Thoroughbred Club Stakes,” he said. “The recent prizemoney increase for a race like that makes it a good target for her. She was campaigned fairly extensively in the autumn so we would like to give her a softer spring.
"She (Palm Angel) was campaigned fairly extensively in the autumn so we would like to give her a softer spring." - Ryan McEvoy
"A few of the team will hit the trials over the next few weeks and we will start to work out who’s going to put their hand up and who’s not.”
The rising star
One of the more exciting horses on the team that has just returned to work is rising 4-year-old Bosustow (Blue Point {Ire}). The leading earner for his sire, who currently sits second in the second season sires’ premiership to Too Darn Hot (GB), Bosustow was put away after being disappointed for a run in the G1 Stradbroke Handicap, finishing 2.5l behind War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel {Ire}).
Group 1-placed as a juvenile in the G1 JJ Atkins Plate, the colt extended his prizemoney past the $2 million mark with victories in the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas and the G3 Gold Coast Guineas, as well as taking a trip across the Tasman to split Here To Shock (NZ) (Shocking) and boom colt Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G1 BCD Sprint.
Bosustow | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“He’s looking to be a Silver Eagle, Golden Eagle candidate,” McEvoy said. “He’s going to love that 1300-metre to mile distance range. He’s had a lovely time spelling in Queensland after that pretty unlucky run in the Stradbroke - I thought he certainly could have finished a lot closer in the run with a bit of even luck.
“But he spelled beautifully. He's back under saddle now, he's working through his prep and looks terrific. He’s a very effective horse fresh.”
"He’s (Bosustow) had a lovely time spelling in Queensland after that pretty unlucky run in the Stradbroke - I thought he certainly could have finished a lot closer in the run with a bit of even luck." - Ryan McEvoy
That elusive Group 1 would be just the ticket to secure Bosustow a permanent spot on the Rosemont roster. The ability is certainly there, McEvoy believes, and it is high time that the half-brother to elite racemare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) delivers on his promise.
“He was a gorgeous yearling,” McEvoy recalled. The Rosemont Alliance and partners paid $900,000 for Bosustow when Segenhoe Stud offered him at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2023.
“He's a half-brother to a superstar and he's put together some really eye-catching victories. I think there's certainly Group 1s in him. He's a horse that probably needs to go and win a Group 1, and he's certainly got the ability to do it.
“We're hoping that he can do it and find himself on the roster. His Gold Coast Guineas win was so eye-catching. He’s been gradually raising the bar, and his rating would suggest he’s going to measure up in a good race.”
"He’s (Bosustow) been gradually raising the bar, and his rating would suggest he’s going to measure up in a good race." - Ryan McEvoy
McEvoy credits the work of trainers Annabel and Rob Archibald, as well as the colt’s “cool attitude” as instrumental in managing his interstate, cross-Tasman campaigns this season.
“He's going to give himself every opportunity,” McEvoy said. Bring on the spring.
