Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Ask any breeder which race days they’d love to have a winner on, and Derby Day would have to be up there. The nine black-type races on the card at Flemington are headlined by the stallion-making G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes alongside the G1 VRC Derby and the G1 Empire Rose, the meeting is complemented by the G1 Golden Eagle in Sydney.
Spring is the time of year when the race track results make history.
Arrowfield Stud came into Derby Day with huge expectations. The G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes was one of the hottest fields on the card, and their deceased Champion Sire Snitzel celebrated the quinella with two outstanding colts in The Next Episode and St Gotthard.
“It was an amazing day for the farm. One of the best big race days on the track I think we've ever had. There was a $10 million quinella in the Golden Eagle, we had second in the Coolmore and Lady Shenandoah winning a fifth Group 1 in the Empire Rose. It was quite incredible,” Arrowfield Stud’s Jon Freyer said.
Arrowfield sold the G1 Golden Eagle quinella of Skyhook (Written Tycoon) and Decorum (Snitzel), as well as Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel). On the Flemington undercard, they sold Group 3 winners Regal Ambition (Palace Pier {GB}) and The Roaring Sun (The Autumn Sun).
John Messara | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Arrowfield Stud’s John Messara summed up the day.
“This is my life’s work, my family’s work and my team’s work and it’s what we strive to achieve every day, every season, every year. I’m immensely proud of results like these and I’m very grateful to every breeder, owner and trainer who has shared and continues to share our dreams and our goals,” Messara said.
“This is my life’s work, my family’s work and my team’s work and it’s what we strive to achieve every day, every season, every year.” - John Messara
Snitzel keeps standing up when it matters
The ability to sire horses who feature in the biggest races of the season is the mark of a Champion Sire. And not only a champion, but also a commercial success as buyers chase the stock of a stallion who gives them the best chances to cheer home a winner on Derby Day.
“He’s been an incredible stallion. It was quite remarkable that he had the quinella in the Coolmore and one race later he’s got a live chance in the Derby and the race after that he has a 5-year-old mare that wins the Empire Rose as an odds-on chance. He really was a stallion that could do everything,” Freyer said.
“It was quite remarkable that he (Snitzel) had the quinella in the Coolmore and one race later he’s got a live chance in the Derby and the race after that he has a 5-year-old mare that wins the Empire Rose as an odds on chance.” - Jon Freyer
“These are the races that people want to win. And that's what makes us so proud. Horses like The Autumn Sun, Snitzel, Maurice, they sire horses in these races. Last week we had Maurice and Castelvecchio fighting out the finish in the Cox Plate.”
Jon Freyer | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice {Jpn}) won the G1 Cox Plate from Birdman (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) with Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) in third.
“That's why people buy yearlings. That's why they race horses; to have runners in these races and hopefully win them. It's that small edge between just being there and actually winning that makes a Champion sire.”
As well as the quinella in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, Snitzel’s Decorum ran second in the G1 Golden Eagle, and Lady Shenandoah won the G1 Empire Rose Stakes.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to see Lady Shenandoah win her fifth Group 1 race on a stunning, marquee day for our partners Hermitage Thoroughbreds, for Chris Waller and for Arrowfield stallions and graduates,” Arrowfield Stud’s John Messara told inglis.com.au
Lady Shenandoah | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Lady Shenandoah was sold to Hermitage Thoroughbreds for $525,000 at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. The winner of the G1 Golden Eagle, Skyhook went through Arrowfield’s 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft where Ryan and Alexiou Racing paid $575,000 for him.
Second in the Golden Eagle, Decorum, a full brother to G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland and this year’s G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes second, St Gotthard, was sold for $550,000 to TFI at the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Jockey Tim Clark said post-race that Decorum had been brave.
“He was gallant in defeat. Had a great preparation culminating in a close second in his Grand Final,” Clark said.
It was a similar story for his full brother St Gotthard.
St Gotthard | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He ran incredibly well. He laid it all out there but probably got a fraction lost when he made his run, but he is such a talented horse,” James McDonald said about St Gotthard after the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
The $2.7 million yearling St Gotthard came from Arrowfield’s 2025 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft. The draft has also already seen G1 Flight Stakes winner Global Goal (Pinatubo {Ire}), Listed winner Murshidi (Maurice {Jpn}), Listed winner Kosaji (Maurice {Jpn}), Group 2-placed Te Encuentro (Frankel {GB}), and Group 3-placed Tenebaum (Snitzel).
“Snitzel (progeny) has been able to win the big races for 20 years now. That's why at the sales, for a decade now, he's been the most popular stallion because they're incredibly versatile. They can stand up in the 2-year-old races. They're top-class 3-year-olds. They're not just restricted to sprinting distances. They'll run a mile, they'll run further, and they train on. It’s the full complement of characteristics that you look for in a racehorse,” Freyer said.
“Snitzel (progeny) has been able to win the big races for 20 years now. That's why at the sales, for a decade now, he's been the most popular stallion because they're incredibly versatile.” - Jon Freyer
“There’s a handful of stallions that can get a good horse. But there are very few that are able to get good horses with the regularity that a horse like Snitzel could.”
Snitzel, who has won the Champion Sire title in Australia on five occasions, is currently second on the 2026/27 Australian Sire’s Premiership with progeny earnings of $11.3 million. In first is Street Boss (USA), whose $11.8 million in earnings includes $8.7 million thanks to Tempted’s The Everest victory.
Decorum, second in the G1 Golden Eagle on Saturday, is Snitzel’s highest earner this season with $2.2 million in earnings.
Decorum | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
And buyers who want a piece of the action have one more chance in 2027 with Snitzel’s final crop going through the sales ring as yearlings. He has 67 live foals in that final crop.
“We'll have about 14 going to the sales. It wasn't his biggest crop, but it was a decent size crop. And he's got some very nice yearlings going through. We've got some exceptional yearlings. There’s a full brother to St Gotthard and Decorum, and there’s a full brother to Lady Shenandoah,” Freyer said.
Snitzel mares providing the future
After Snitzel's death in June 2025, and even before that, Arrowfield Stud's focus turned to his daughters who grace their broodmare paddocks.
Arrowfield Stud’s 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft celebrated two new graduates on Saturday, with Regal Ambition winning the G3 Vanity Stakes and The Roaring Sun victorious in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes. They join Group 2-placed Wolf Gap (Palace Pier {GB}) from that draft.
Regal Ambition is out of Snitzel mare Dame Pattie who has a yearling filly and colt foal, both by Dundeel (NZ). Dame Pattie is an unraced daughter of Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Alinghi (Encosta De Lago) who won four Group 1s, including the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes and G1 1000 Guineas. She also won the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes back when it was the G2 Ascot Vale Stakes.
Regal Ambition | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Arrowfield Stud have had a few hiccups in the past few years with their stallions and this has necessitated sending mares to other studs.
“Castelvecchio missed half a season, The Autumn Sun missed a season, even Maurice missed a season with COVID. And Snitzel in his last year was on a limited book,” Freyer said.
Maurice (Jpn) missed the 2020 season, so has no 5-year-olds. The Autumn Sun injured his pelvis in April 2024 and missed the 2024 season, meaning that he has no yearlings for the 2027 sales season. Castelvecchio missed half of the 2024 season and has only 40 live foals in his 2025 crop.
This season, Vandeek (GB) injured himself in quarantine and missed the 2026 season.
“We've had to dance around a little bit in terms of the number of mares we've had over the past few years and the stallions that we've had available. We liked Palace Pier. We thought it was a good mating for that particular mare. We sent him a handful of mares, and we bred Regal Ambition and also Wolf Gap, who's been Group-placed so far,” Freyer said.
With Snitzel being such a great success, Arrowfield Stud has plenty of Snitzel mares to breed the next generation of champions from. Snitzel already has seven Group 1 winners as a damsire.
Lead Artist | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
“We’ve liked to send our Snitzel mares to our own stallions, Castelvecchio, Dundeel, Maurice and a lot of them have gone to Lead Artist this year,” Freyer said.
“He's a horse that we rate extremely highly and we've sent him some exceptional mares. We've got great faith in him. He's a Dubawi horse, so we think that'll work well with Snitzel. Dubawi has been a great stallion and his sons are doing particularly well all over the world.”
G1 Lockinge Stakes winner Lead Artist (GB) stands his first season at Arrowfield Stud in 2026.
Can The Autumn Sun be Snitzel’s heir apparent?
The Autumn Sun, who like Snitzel is a son of Redoute’s Choice, added stakes winner number 14 when 3-year-old colt The Roaring Sun won the G3 Carbine Club Stakes over a mile early on the Derby Day card.
“He’s had a champion in Autumn Glow and a whole number of Group 1 winners already, which is extraordinary. The Roaring Sun looks a Group 1 winner in waiting,” Freyer said.
Tim Roberts Bloodstock paid $240,000 for The Roaring Sun, and he was having just his third race day start.
The Roaring Sun is the third live foal and first winner for unplaced Let’s Get Loud (NZ) (Pour Moi {Ire}) who has a 2-year-old filly by Hitotsu and recently foaled a filly by Hitotsu. She was covered by The Autumn Sun this season, so will have a full sibling to The Roaring Sun in 2027.
This is a stout family with Let’s Get Loud being a half-sister to G1 Auckland Cup winner Chenille (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) and G2 Rich Hill Mile winner Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel) who placed in the G1 Easter Handicap and is the dam of G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes winner Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt).
The Roaring Sun | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We're confident the next 12 months will show The Autumn Sun. He’s got a lot of nice horses coming through and not just Autumn Boy and Autumn Glow. There's a lot of others and he looks to be the really exciting stallion for the next decade for the farm,” Freyer said.
The Autumn Sun has five Group 1 winners with his oldest progeny now 6-year-olds. Reigning Horse Of The Year Autumn Glow leads the charge with five Group 1 wins. Autumn Boy won the G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 Rosehill Guineas last season.
The Autumn Sun | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
Autumn Angel won the 2024 G1 Australian Oaks, Coco Sun won the G1 South Australian Derby and Vibrant Sun led home a trifecta for The Autumn Sun in the G1 Australasian Oaks.
Unlike Snitzel, who tended to get early maturing juveniles and sprinters, The Autumn Sun is getting horses who get can a mile and more.
“He’s still very young. People forget some of the things that he's done, he had a Group 1 trifecta in the Oaks. That's extraordinary with his first crop. It takes a pretty good station to get multiple runners in Group 1s, let alone run first, second and third. So he’s a special stallion.”
“He’s still very young (The Autumn Sun). People forget some of the things that he's done, he had a Group 1 trifecta in the Oaks. That's extraordinary with his first crop.” - Jon Freyer
There aren’t many days on the calendar that beat Derby Day for its character and history-making events. The focus might have shifted from the Derby to the Coolmore Stud Stakes in terms of breeding significance, but one thing is certain. It’s the big days like this that any farm strives to succeed on.
