NZ Sires to the Fore in Australia

Media Release - Wednesday November 3

The NZ suffix has featured prominently in Australia this spring, so it’s no surprise a couple of Kiwi stallions are featuring prominently on the Australian Leading Sires table this season.

Zed

The Kiwi brigade is being led by Grangewilliam Stud stallion Zed, who sits fourth on the list with A$5.8 million in earnings, while Rich Hill Stud’s Shocking isn’t too far behind in sixth, with A$5.4 million to his credit.

Other New Zealand stallions to feature prominently include Savabeel (9th, A$4.5 million), Tavistock (17, A$2.7 million), Sacred Falls (32, A$1.9 million), and Per Incanto (33, A$1.8 million).

Zed’s success has once again been headlined by his daughter Verry Elleegant who sealed her champion status with her dominant win in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on Tuesday.

It was the Chris Waller-trained mare’s tenth Group One success, with her victories at elite-level now ranging from 1400m to 3200m.

“She didn’t just win, she demolished them,” Grangewilliam Stud principal Mark Corcoran said.

“A few people had their doubts about her on top of the ground on Tuesday, but it was no problem at all for her. She is just so versatile and tough; she is a champion.

“She’s another Melbourne Cup winner for New Zealand and the second Melbourne Cup winner for Grangewilliam Stud (Doriemus, 1995), so it’s a pretty proud moment for us.

Advertisement

“It’s a great result to have him feature so prominently on the Australian sires table. He just keeps leaving good horses and we are absolutely rapt.”

Corcoran is now looking forward to next week where he is hoping the John Wheeler-trained Beaudz Well can add another Cup to his mantle when he contests the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton.

“I’d say look out next week in the New Zealand Cup with Beaudz Well, I think he is a big chance,” Corcoran said. “With a bit of luck there might be another Cup coming his way.”

Zed stands at Grangewilliam Stud for a fee of $6,000+GST.

Keeping with the Melbourne Cup theme, former Cup winner Shocking, who stands at Rich Hill Stud in New Zealand, has also had a marvellous spring in Australia.

Shocking

His charge has been led by the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained I’m Thunderstruck, who has won two of this three starts this term, including the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) and A$7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m).

Rich Hill Stud principal John Thompson has been delighted with his results across the Tasman, which has him sixth on the Australian Sires table.

“He has always been capable of throwing a good horse and he has got a few good ones around at the moment, so it’s great,” Thompson said.

“He is a very good horse, he’s a Group One horse, and Group One winners in Australia are hard to come by.”

Thompson has enjoyed following I’m Thunderstruck’s success in Australia and was over the moon with his winning result in the rich Golden Eagle last weekend.

“The prizemoney they have over there is incredible,” he said.

“I think everyone in Australia really rates the horse. Just the way he has won his races, he hasn’t had a lot of luck in the running, but he has managed to make his own luck. It takes a pretty good horse to do that.

“Winning races like that is what it is all about. Australian racing is becoming almost the world benchmark these days. You have a stallion that can throw Group One winners over there and everybody takes notice.

“It is extremely important for any stallion and it is great to see the way the New Zealand horses have performed overall this spring, by a range of stallions.”

The uniquely named Elephant is another who has put Shocking’s name up in lights over the spring, highlighted by his Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) win, and placings in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) and Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m).

“He looked extremely promising, but from his first win at Caulfield he seemed to capture the imagination of people,” Thompson said.

“He has got a big future and he is relatively lightly raced.”

Shocking stands at Rich Hill Stud for a fee of $8,500+GST. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.
Melbourne Cup Tips – Tara Talks Racing
Tara Talks Racing is now online having had a Sunday arvo drink or two as we go through the Cup horses, so what do Clocker and I like for this year’s Melbourne Cup?
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.