The class of Proisir continues to rise

Cover image courtesy of Rich Hill Stud

Rich Hill Stud’s Proisir enjoyed another memorable weekend, with Angels Halo capturing the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton before Hyperbolic added a Listed victory at Hawkesbury, further highlighting the stallion’s versatility and growing influence.

Angels Halo (NZ) (Proisir) spearheaded a standout weekend for her sire, producing an impressive performance to claim the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton and deliver the Rich Hill Stud resident his seventh individual elite-level winner.

The reigning New Zealand Champion Sire also enjoyed success across the Tasman, with Hyperbolic (NZ) (Proisir) securing the most important victory of her career in the Listed Ladies’ Day Cup at Hawkesbury for local trainer Brad Widdup.

A memorable weekend for Proisir

Angels Halo had shown plenty of promise in the lead-up to her Guineas triumph, with her performance against the colts and geldings in the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas providing an early indication of her potential.

“Angels Halo had always looked promising, and naturally I always follow the Proisir’s from early on, and she ran a really nice fourth in the Hawkes Bay Guineas behind the boys which kind of put the flashing light on as a possible Guineas filly,” Rich Hill Stud’s Managing Director John Thompson said.

“She was a little disappointed at Te Rapa in the Annie Sarten but it sounds like she resented her tongue tie. But on Saturday she was impressive, put a couple of lengths on them and was strong through the line.”

Her Group 1 success was particularly satisfying given the commitment of the Hardy family, who have taken the traditional approach of breeding their own horses to race.

“It was a great result for the owners Mark and Sharon Hardy as they breed to race and there aren't many of them around now that used to happen and they have been rewarded with a Group 1-winning filly.”

The celebrations continued later in the day when Hyperbolic added another stakes success to Proisir’s record. The mare had been knocking on the door following previous stakes placings in Queensland and Sydney, and was rewarded with a deserved breakthrough victory.

“The day got better as Hyperbolic then won a Listed race at Hawkesbury, she had been knocking on the door and had been stakes placed in Queensland and Sydney prior, she was an expensive enough yearling, Brad Widdup purchased her and she has done well.”

There was also an interesting development on the breeding front, with Hyperbolic’s dam producing a Proisir colt that evening, making him a full brother to the stakes-winning mare.

“Funnily enough the dam of Hyperbolic foaled a nice Proisir colt that night, a full brother. Hyperbolic’s dam is a half-sister to the dam of Riodini who was one of Proisir’s first real good horses, he won the Bonecrusher as an early 3-year-old then went over to Gai’s stable and won the Gong which was a big money race and was placed at Group 1 level several times.”

The statistics that matter

While a weekend featuring two stakes winners is an excellent reflection of Proisir’s current standing, his broader record provides an even clearer picture of the stallion’s influence.

Proisir has produced 295 winners at 62% winners to runners, including 28 stakes winners at a stakes winners to ratio of 5.9%, 22 of them have been at Group level, with seven individual Group 1 winners. Notably, 25% of his stakes winners have won at the elite level outlining when he gets a good one, they are really good.

His record also highlights an impressive level of versatility across different pedigrees. Of his 28 stakes winners, 26 have different damsires, with Ekraar (USA) and Colombia (NZ) the only damsires to have produced two stakes winners each.

Consistency has been another defining feature of his career, with every crop, including his oldest 10-year-olds, producing at least one stakes winner.

His Group 1 winners have also demonstrated considerable range, succeeding over distances from 1200 metres to 2100 metres.

Proisir has now produced two individual G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winners and a G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner, alongside two individual Group 1-winning 3-year-olds in Australia.

His progeny have also made their mark across a broad range of major races, including the G1 Telegraph Stakes, G1 Australian Guineas, G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes, G1 New Zealand Stakes, G1 Livamol Classic, G1 Railway Stakes, G1 Waikato Sprint, G1 Otaki-Maori WFA, G1 Vinery Stud Stakes and G1 Tarzino Trophy.

That depth of performance has translated into sustained success in the New Zealand sires’ premiership. Proisir was crowned Champion Sire in New Zealand in 2022-23 and 2025-26, having finished second in 2024-25, while also claiming the leading sire of 3-year-olds title in 2022-23. He currently sits at the top of the New Zealand sires’ premiership with a significant advantage.

Humble beginnings to headliner

For Thompson, Proisir’s development from a stallion who began his career at a relatively modest service fee to one of New Zealand's elite sires has been particularly satisfying.

“Proisir started off his career at a low fee, but he got very good support as he is a good looking horse and he had performed at the top level without quite winning a Group 1.”

That initial support provided the foundation for a stallion who has subsequently demonstrated an ability to work with a wide variety of mares and bloodlines.

“He served all sorts of mares and bloodlines and he has worked with all sorts.”

His increasing success has naturally brought an improvement in the quality of mares visiting him, something that has continued to build as his record has grown.

“Obviously now he is serving a much better quality of mare now, and that has only continued to rise in recent times.”

The depth of his current crop was also highlighted by the absence of Old Fashioned (NZ) from this weekend's G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, following his impressive win in the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas.

“It was a bit unfortunate that Old Fashioned is missing the Two Thousand Guineas after he was so impressive in the Hawkes Bay Guineas, we may have got the Guineas double like we did when Legarto and Pier both won.”

Despite that disappointment, Proisir’s ability to work across different bloodlines remains one of his major strengths, with no single pedigree pattern defining his success.

“But overall he suits a wide range of bloodlines and a whole mixture seems to work.”

The emergence of current performers such as Waitak is another reminder of the stallion’s continued ability to produce top-quality horses across different age groups.

“He is simply a very good stallion, Waitak is a warrior of a race horse and seems to always be a bit forgotten about, it’s important to keep getting current age-group stars and he is doing that, it confirms what we know, he is a very good stallion.”

There is also plenty of anticipation surrounding his younger stock, with Proisir having another promising group of 2-year-olds coming through from quality mares.

“He has some very nice 2-year-olds coming through also out of some very good mares.”

Continuing demand as the breeding season builds

As the 2026 breeding season moves towards its conclusion, Proisir has once again attracted a strong book of mares, with his popularity extending beyond New Zealand to Australian breeders.

“He has served another good book of mares, will probably end up around that 90-100 mark, so there is still room. Probably if he was standing in Australia he would be full, but that’s the way it is in New Zealand a little bit.”

His commercial appeal has continued to resonate across the Tasman, with Australian breeders increasingly recognising the opportunities presented by his record and the performance of his progeny.

“He has been well patronised by Australian breeders who have recognised his commercial appeal, a couple of seasons ago he had about 25 mares fly over.”

That demand has also translated into positive results for breeders who have supported the stallion, with a number enjoying commercial success from their Proisir progeny.

“Commercially he has done very well for a lot of people, a lot of breeders have done well off Proisir.”

Ready to Run and yearling prospects upcoming

Attention will soon turn towards the sales season, with Rich Hill preparing another strong representation of Proisir progeny at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale and the upcoming Karaka yearling sales.

“Proisir has a good group of Ready To Run horses going to the sales through a range of different vendors and we have a good group of yearlings that will be offered at Karaka so we are looking forward to that, in particular we have some really nice Proisirs and Satono Aladdins, the sales aren't far away so they are building nicely and will be close to the mark by Christmas.”

Among the Proisir 2-year-olds set to go under the hammer at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale are several particularly interesting pedigrees.

Kilgravin Lodge will offer Lot 374, a half-brother to the Champion Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands).

Pertab Racing will present Lot 75, a gelding out of the four-time Group 3 winner The Diamond One (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) and a half-brother to a Listed winner.

Kilgravin Lodge will also offer Lot 415, a gelding out of the dual Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Our Abbadean (NZ) (Lookin At Lucky {USA}), who has already left the winner and Group 3-placed Naraghi (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}).

With another successful season behind him, a growing list of stakes performers and further promising stock coming through, Proisir continues to reinforce his position among New Zealand's leading stallions.