It is further evidence of Godolphin and its owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's determination to make the Northwood farm one of the premier stallion operations in Australia. In recent years, star gallopers Helmet and Brazen Beau have also been retired to the farm.
The new sire announcement was made by Darley Australia's managing director
Henry Plumptre at the stud's annual stallion parade at Northwood on Sunday.But before his retirement, the Godophin operation will be aiming for further Group 1 glory on the track with the multiple stakes winning Holler.
The stallion's first target is the Group 1 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley in October.
He earned a trip to Royal Ascot earlier this year after winning the Group 2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley and Group 1 Canterbury Stakes. He was also bloused out of the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley, beaten a nose by Flamberge.
"He's come out of Royal Ascot well and had a good break," trainer John O'Shea said. "He benefited from that race up the straight and learned a lot.
"We're getting him ready for the big sprints in the spring and the race that springs to mind is the Manikato. He loves the Valley and has run some big races there."
Holler is a homebred for Sheikh Mohammed and he became the 10th Group 1 winner by Commands with a brilliant display of sustained speed in the Canterbury Stakes in March.
Commands, who died in July 2014, has several sire sons at stud including the popular Epaulette (Darley NSW) and Skilled (Darley Victoria).
"He is your quintessential Australian horse and has strong Australian pedigree. He is a big, tough galloping horse and raced at 550kg," O'Shea said.
Holler is the best of three winners overall from five foals out of Shouts (Strategic) who is a half-sister to triple Group 1 winning sprinter Yell (Anabaa). His second-dam Vocalised (Bluebird) is a stakes winning half-sister to Group 1 winner Anthems (Palace Music).
Further news coming out of the Darley stallion parade was that Godolphin's triple Group 1 winning filly, Guelph, will call Northwood home in coming months. With a Lonhro foal on its way, she will be covered by Darley's highly successful classics sire Reset (Zabeel) in the Spring.
News from Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria
