Cool Archie coming home to Newhaven Park

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Cool Archie becomes the third Group 1-winning juvenile from last season to be announced as standing at stud in 2026. He returns to his birthplace at Newhaven Park Stud to stand alongside his sire Cool Aza Beel (NZ).

Not only did they breed him, but Newhaven Park Stud have stood two successful sires who won the G1 JJ Atkins Plate being Zeditave and Luskin Star, and so hunting in the same field makes sense for the farm.

“Zeditave and Luskin Star were both winners of the JJ Atkins Stakes, or the QTC Channel Nine Stakes and the QTC Marlboro Stakes as it was in their respective day, and what tremendous stallions they proved to be for Newhaven Park and the Kelly family,” said Newhaven Park Stud’s John Kelly.

“We have every confidence in Cool Archie finding his own place in the celebrated history of our farm, and we can only hope he’ll ultimately make a similar impact as his JJ Atkins Stakes winning predecessors.”

The G1 JJ Atkins Plate over a mile has an outstanding record as a sire making race with exciting young sires Broadsiding and King Colorado winning it in the two years preceding Cool Archie. Proven sires The Autumn Sun and Darci Brahma (NZ) won the JJ Atkins, and further back, notable stallions like Show A Heart, Mossman, Zeditave and Luskin Star all feature on the leaderboard.

A full circle for the Newhaven Park Stud-bred colt

Bred by Newhaven Park Stud, they sold Cool Archie at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $100,000 to Mick Malone Bloodstock. His new owner, Whitby Bloodstock, sent him to trainers Chris and Corey Munce.

“Cool Archie was a nice yearling. He’s a very typical Cool Aza Beel who really stamps his stock. They all come out the same, all one colour as he’s bay dominant and they are basically all the same. You don’t get small ones or very big ones, just nice medium sized horses with good temperaments,” said Kelly.

Newhaven Park Stud are currently syndicating Cool Archie and have set his fee at $16,500 inc GST for the 2026 season. They will also offer his yearling full brother at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 225.

An outstanding juvenile and a tough competitor

First seen at the barrier trials in September of his juvenile season, Cool Archie had three runs in Brisbane before Christmas, placing in the G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes behind Icarian Dream (Blue Point {Ire}). He ran mid-field in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic and was spelled by his trainers.

The little break did him the world of good, and he returned to the races in fine fettle. Cool Archie won when resuming in April over 1200 metres, then dropped back to the 1000 metres for the Listed Dalrello Stakes to win that in 0:57.88s beating Torque To Be Sure (Shamus Award).

Two down, three to go.

Cool Archie won the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic followed by the G2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and then it was the big one, the G1 JJ Atkins Plate. He made it look easy with a 1.3-length victory to make it five wins in succession, and earnings over $1.6 million.

Unfortunately for connections, Cool Archie sustained an injury when winning a barrier trial in December in his only outing at three, and while a rehabilitation was attempted, he was eventually retired.

“There have been very few 2-year-olds capable of putting together five wins in succession, four of those being long established Queensland stakes races, and for me it is one of his major selling points,” Kelly said.

“His win in the JJ Atkins obviously made him a potential stallion prospect, and we didn’t hesitate to show our interest when it was confirmed that his racing career had unfortunately concluded prematurely.

“The manner of his winning streak was one of the highlights of the 2024/25 racing season, and the strength of his performances is stacking up strongly through the likes of Grafterburners, who he comfortably defeated on three occasions, and Torque To Be Sure franking the form with their respective Magic Millions Sunlight Plate and Magic Millions 3YO Guineas wins.”

Grafterburners (Graff) was third in Cool Archie’s G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic, and sixth in both the G2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and G1 JJ Atkins Plate. This season at three, the 3-year-old colt has won four in succession including the Listed Gold Edition Plate and the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight.

Torque To The Sure broke his maiden in the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas after several Group placings at two and three. The 3-year-old gelding has earnings over $1.9 million.

Similar to his sire in more ways than one

Cool Archie as a Group 1-winning 2-year-old, has a race record that reflects that of his sire Cool Aza Beel who won the G1 Sistema Stakes at two as well as the R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO. Like Cool Archie, Cool Aza Beel only raced as a 2-year-old.

“Cool Aza Beel has a lot of fast stallions in his dam line, he’s out of a Testa Rossa mare out of a Red Ransom mare out of a Bletchingly mare, and he has all the good attributes of Savabeel too,” said Kelly.

Cool Aza Beel has sired two stakes winners from his first crop, the other being G3 War Decree Stakes winner Cool Aza Rene. From his current crop of juveniles, Cool Art ran fourth in this year’s R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, and the filly Leaves Of Lorien placed in the G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes.

Cool Archie brings a similar speed template to the game, being out of a Tale Of The Cat (USA) mare, out of a Gilded Time (USA) mare, out of Snippets mare.

Cool Aza Beel’s sire Savabeel, a multiple Champion Sire in New Zealand, has been versatile as a stallion and is getting plenty of opportunities to make his mark as a sire of sires. Cool Aza Beel’s barnmate Mo’unga (NZ) is a Group 1 winner whose oldest foals were born in 2025, while Waikato Stud stand G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas victor Noverre (NZ) whose oldest progeny are 2-year-olds.

Windsor Park Stud have recently announced that Group 1 winner Savaglee (NZ) will stand his first season in 2026, while Cambridge Stud’s Embellish (NZ) has six stakes winners from limited opportunities.

Last season’s Group 1 juveniles frank their form

Of the seven Group 1 2-year-old races in 2024/25 across Australia and New Zealand, five were won by colts and two by fillies. Crowned the Champion 2YO for 2024/25, Marhoona (Snitzel) stamped her class by adding Saturday’s G1 Galaxy Handicap to her G1 Golden Slipper, while over in New Zealand G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes victrix La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth) returned at three to add the G2 Levin Classic.

Of the five colts, Devil Night (Extreme Choice) is owned by Yulong and franked his G1 Blue Diamond form with a last start third in the G1 William Reid Stakes on Saturday. Yulong announced that G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Vinrock would stand his first season in 2026, while G1 Sistema Stakes winner Return To Conquer (Snitzel) will stand at Waikato Stud.

The G1 Champagne Stakes victor Nepotism (Brutal {NZ}), owned by a Werrett Bloodstock led syndicate, remains in work with Team Hawkes as a 3-year-old colt.

Cool Archie’s strength of pedigree

One of six winners for Aware (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) who won three times at 1200 metres and was fourth in the Listed Oakbank Stakes, Cool Archie’s year older half-sister Mercurial Lady (So You Think {NZ}) has added two more wins to her record this season.

Aware is a daughter of G2 Magic Night Stakes winner Media (Gilded Time {USA}) who was four times Group 1-placed including running third in the G1 Golden Slipper to Stratum and Fashions Afield (Redoute’s Choice).

Cool Archie’s third dam is the speedy dual Listed winner Valourina (Snippets) who, as well as Media, also produced G2 Wakeful Stakes winner Timbourina (Timber Country {USA}) who placed in both the G1 Canterbury Guineas and G1 Victoria Oaks.

With so few Group 1-winning 2-year-olds each season across Australia and New Zealand, Cool Archie is part of a rare club. His presence at Newhaven Park Stud will give students of form and pedigree plenty to consider for their 2026 matings.