Matings Mix: Perfect matches unearthed for Cogburn and Southport Tycoon

Cover image courtesy of Widden Stud

With its two bases in the Hunter Valley and in Victoria, Widden Stud has a large broodmare band to attend to their 20-strong stallion roster, headed by newly crowned Champion Sire Zoustar. Joining him this season is a Group 1-winning son of Written Tycoon, Southport Tycoon, and 2024’s world’s highest rated sprinter, Cogburn (USA).

A Group 1-winning son of Not This Time (USA), Cogburn shuttles to Widden’s Hunter Valley for his first season at stud this year, while Southport Tycoon joins the Widden Victoria roster. Nominations, Sales, and Client Relations Matt Comerford has seen overwhelming enthusiasm for both of them, intensified over Widden’s recent stallion parades.

Speed mares for a speed sire

The reception to Cogburn, who debuts at stud for a $27,500 (inc GST) fee, has been “fantastic” in Comerford’s words.

“I was incredibly pleased with the amount of support prior to him arriving,” he said. “And even (after Widden’s open days), the number of bookings we had at our open day or people inquiring about him was really positive.

“We’re limited in his book - he’s destined to cover 120 to 125 mares this season, and we’ve had easily that many inquiries. There’s a couple more of our mares that are on the borderline and we would give those spots to breeders who are really keen on using him.”

Comerford previewed two mares that will visit Cogburn for his inaugural season, whose book included dual Listed winner Ready To Prophet (Smart Missile). The 10-year-old mare has so far produced three fillies by Zoustar, and is in foal to his son Zousain for this breeding season, due in late August. Her first two yearlings through the ring have made a combined $1.05 million at auction.

“We really loved the mating with Cogburn as she has such a fast pedigree, and there’s certainly an element of her matching him on type as well,” Comerford said. “They’re a good physical match. She’s been a very good producing mare of sales horses, and we thought it was the right time to give her an opportunity to support a young horse that we think a lot of.”

Listed Miss Andretti Stakes winner and talented West Australian mare Wild Belle (Pride Of Dubai) will also visit Cogburn in her first season at stud. Widden purchased the five-time winner, who has amassed over $400,000 in earnings, from her owners for $155,000 via an Inglis Digital auction in late July.

“We purchased her recently, and we were not 100% decided on where we were going to send her until she turned up, and we just thought she was a perfect physical match the first time around for Cogburn,” said Comerford. The daughter of Pride Of Dubai is out of multiple stakes winner Hi Belle (Clangalang), from the family of G2 Tauranga Stakes winner Justaskme (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}).

“She was a very fast mare, and you have to support these young horses and give them a really good opportunity.”

‘Written Tycoon 2.0’

Debuting at $38,500 (inc GST), dual Group 1 winner Southport Tycoon has also been almost completely booked up.

“We've got really good shareholders supporting the horse, and there's a number of very commercial prominent breeders from New South Wales supporting him,” Comerford said. “The Victorian marketplace, having had such success with Written Tycoon previously, is again another testament to why we stood him down there. They're all getting behind him.”

A quality book awaits Southport Tycoon this spring.

“She’s a Snitzel mare who’s done a really good job so far,” Comerford said of Avocado (Snitzel), the dam of $1 million Inglis Sprint winner El Morzillo (Star Witness), who is a highlight of Southport Tycoon’s first book. “The Snitzel–Written Tycoon cross works really well, it has already worked well through Written By.”

Avocado delivered a filly by Sejardan last spring before visiting young Widden Victoria resident King Colorado. She is due in early November.

“She’s (Avocado) done a phenomenal job already with El Morzillo and she just suits Southport Tycoon really well. She’s a good, short, sharp, fast mare that's going to complement him incredibly well.”

The same can be said for G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Lucy Mae (Stratum), who also joins Southport Tycoon’s first cohort of mares. She is also in foal to King Colorado after delivering a colt by Zousain last spring.

“She's an outstanding individual that's going to do the same thing,” Comerford said. “She’s another fast type of mare from that Redoute’s Choice line that nicks so well with Written Tycoon.”

Private Life is currently the chief earner from Written Tycoon over Snitzel mares, which is a cross that has produced three Group 1 winners so far, and fellow Widden stallion Written By has benefited enormously from the cross; two of his five stakes winners are out of Snitzel mares, and a third, dual Listed winner Ripcord, is out of a Not A Single Doubt mare.

The jewel in Southport Tycoon’s book is multiple Group-winning Still A Star (Toronado {Ire}), who is in foal to Shinzo after delivering two fillies by Zoustar.

“She’s a really valuable mare now,” Comerford said. “She’s owned in conjunction with some of the ownership in Southport Tycoon, which is exciting. She's obviously a quality individual in her own right, but she just needs a little bit of leg under her, which Southport will definitely give her, and he will also tidy her up a bit.

“She produces a really nice individual, and the pedigree works well too. He is obviously pretty versatile, having won from 1200 metres to a mile, and that’s going to work nicely with her.”

Herself recording 10 wins from 1000 metres to 2100 metres, Still A Star is closely related to last season’s Listed-winning juvenile Lucy In The Sky (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) and Group 2-winning miler Ruud Not Too (NZ) (Bernadini {USA}).

A final, and high profile, maiden for Southport Tycoon is Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy {NZ}), who boasts five Group wins to her record, crowned by the G1 Waikato Sprint.

“She’s a mare that we bought from New Zealand and, being a Group 1 winner, she’s destined to go to Zoustar down the track, but she’s also going to give Southport Tycoon a good opportunity,” Comerford said. “She fits the profile of him really well. She’s a good type, with a great race record, and he absolutely deserves quality individuals like her. She’s one of the nicer mares you’ll see at stud this spring.”

If there were any spots left in Southport Tycoon’s book, they were quick to fill after his appearance at Widden Victoria’s open day.

“We had a great response to our open day,” Comerford said. “It was Written Tycoon 2.0 coming out there at the Widden Victoria property, where Written Tycoon has stood before.”

High profile maidens fit for a Champion

Having secured his first Champion Sire title, it makes sense that Zoustar would continue to get the cream of the crop, and this year that includes a number of topline mare purchases looking to get their breeding careers off on the right foot.

First on the list is a daughter of Street Boss (USA) and a half-sister to recent G3 Bletchingly Stakes winner Bridal Waltz (Snitzel); She Dances won the G3 Northwood Plume Stakes and was beaten by a neck in the G2 Tobin Bronze Stakes. David Redvers Bloodstock and Widden Stud secured her for $775,000 from Vinery Stud’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale this year.

“She was bought specifically for Zoustar, and we paid a lot of money for her at Chairman’s,” Comerford said. “Since we purchased her, Bridal Waltz has gone out and won two stakes races in a row, which only enhances that pedigree further, which is incredibly fortunate for us.”

Out of a half-sister to Masked Crusader (Exceed And Excel), Skirt The Law (Better Than Ready) won the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. She was a $1.35 million purchase at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale for Widden Stud and Double R Thoroughbreds from Eureka Stud.

“She’s an exceptional type, and the More Than Ready line has worked before for Zoustar,” Comerford said. “These Magic Millions winners really tick the boxes for us. Zoustar has done it with Sunlight. This was a select mating that we specifically sought out for Zoustar, and should give them both every chance. I think it's incredibly important to ensure that we keep giving stallions like him the continued support with purchases like these.”

Summer Soiree (Russian Revolution) is a half-sister to Summer Sham (Not A Single Doubt), the dam of Schwarz, who entered stud this season at Rosemont Stud. Newington Farm Premium Consignment offered her on the Gold Coast this year, where Widden paid $200,000 for her. The close relation meant that Widden had to have her.

Comerford was fond of the filly as a racehorse as well; “I was really close to buying a share in her when one came up for grabs online at one point. I really liked her.

“We love the family, and she’s a perfect match physically.”

Listed Burgess Queen Stakes winner Laced Up Heels (Toronado {Ire}) was another purchase with Zoustar in mind.

“She has a great physical and good, strong pedigree,” Comerford said. The 6-year-old is out of a half-sister to Missy Cummings (Magnus), the dam of G1 Canterbury Stakes winner Mizzy (Zoustar) and her Group 3-winning full sister She’s Got Pizzazz.

G3 Quezette Stakes-placed Sicilian (I Am Invincible) is another mare from a strong family, being related to She’s Extreme (Extreme Choice) and dual Listed-winning Godolphin mare Kin (Impending) via her third dam Road To Glory (Provideo {Ire}). She was a 2024 Magic Millions purchase for Widden, costing $900,000, and missed to Zoustar last spring.

“She unfortunately missed last year, so she went back to Tony (Gollan),” Comerford said. “Now she’s back at the farm, she looks really well and she’s cycling. She might have just been a touch immature last year and now that she’s developed, we’re really excited for her.

“She's just such a beautiful individual, and she had a fair amount of ability as well, which is great. So we'll see her kick off with Zoustar, and hopefully we have a good result with her this year.”

G1 Tattersall’s Tiara winner Startantes (Star Turn) was a 2024 Inglis Chairman’s purchase from the Newgate Consignment, to the tune of $1.15 million. She also missed to Zoustar last spring, and has returned to repeat the match.

“She’s just a perfect physical match,” Comerford said. “We’ve obviously invested a lot of money into her, but she has the race record and the physicality. He'll give her every opportunity, and we can't wait to see her go forward and produce a nice Magic Millions or Easter yearling for us.”

The best of the rest

Multiple stakeswinner Humma Humma’s (Denman) first foal Price Tag (Zoustar) may not have won a race yet, but was one of the early stars for Anthony and Sam Freedman last season, finishing third on debut in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial and following that with fourth in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate. She added more black-type to her credentials with a second in the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (fillies) in the autumn. Humma Humma delivered a colt by I Am Invincible last spring, before returning to Zoustar.

“Price Tag is certainly one to watch over the spring,” said Comerford. “She’s (Humma Humma) owned with some clients of ours, and we’ve had good sales success with her, having purchased her for a lot of money.”

Price Tag was a $600,000 purchase for Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, and this January, Humma Humma’s Snitzel son made $2.8 million to the bid of Ciaron Maher Bloodstock.

“Zoustar loves these speed influence mares, and she fits the bill perfectly. It’s a big tick of approval.”

G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Lazzago (Capitalist) is carrying her maiden foal by Zoustar, due in late September.

“We purchased her for a lot of money with a few clients,” Comerford said. RMA Bloodstock and Paul Frampton signed the docket for Lazzago at this year’s Magic Millions Broodmare sale at the price of $1.4 million.

“She’s just a great match - 2-year-old speed with Zoustar’s profile, and they’re a great physical match as well. It just ticks all the boxes commercially.”

G3 Magic Night Stakes winner Steel City (Merchant Navy) is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner September Run (Exceed And Excel), so the Widden team already knew the family was a good match for Zoustar.

“September Run’s (2024) Zoustar is probably one of the best Zoustars we’ve seen walk through the barn,” Comerford said. “She then came back to him again on the back of that foal, which is no surprise. And when Steel City came up for sale (in the 2024 Magic Millions Virtual Sale), we were actually surprised we were able to buy her.”

Widden secured the mare for $650,000 in the live online sale, and she is due to deliver her first Zoustar foal in late September.

Listed-winning The Actuary (Sebring), a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Zougotcha (Zoustar), has been wed to Zoustar since her arrival at Widden in 2021. Her first foal Algorithmic (Zoustar) was a $760,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for Yulong and debuted with a fourth in the Listed Lonhro Plate in the autumn, and John Stewart’s Resolute Racing paid $2.6 million for his full sister at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

“Off the back of that great result at Easter, it’s pretty hard not to send her back to Zoustar again,” Comerford said. “She’s got a beautiful (yearling) colt on the farm, and we couldn’t be more pleased with what she’s done for us. She’s a mare that we have a lot of time for.”

R. Listed Inglis Millennium winner Xtravagant Star (Xtravagant {NZ}) delivered her first foal, a colt by Zoustar, last week. Widden own her in conjunction with Two Bays Farm, where she spent the winter, and Comerford was pleased to report her first foal has arrived safely at Widden last week.

“She’s just foaled an absolute corker of a first foal,” he said. “He’s a beautiful colt. There was never really any hesitation to go anywhere else with her, and she'll be going back to Zoustar very soon.”

G3 Manawatu Breeders' Stakes victress Charms Star (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) is in foal to Proisir and is due in late October. The full sister to the talented Jimmysstar (NZ), she was a private purchase for Widden out of New Zealand and was brought over in foal to Rich Hill Stud’s flagship stallion.

“She is a mare who has a little bit of a different pedigree (from Zoustar’s usual matches), but it’s still suitable,” Comerford said. “We’re pretty keen to see what Jimmysstar can do next too.”

And last but by no means least, Summer Sham, the dam of Schwarz, needs little reason to return to Zoustar again this season. Her four yearlings by Zoustar to sell have averaged over $1 million in the ring, and James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership and Tony Fung Colts secured her latest colt for $1.4 million at this year’s Inglis Easter sale. Her 2-year-old colt Tuscany features among Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s G1 Golden Rose Stakes nominations.

“She’s going to have a Schwarz 2.0,” Comerford said. “She’s just done such a good job for us. Fingers crossed, she foals down another quality one this year, and we can look forward to where that one will go. She has a beautiful filly to go to either of the top sales this year.”