What Could Have Been

Tara Madgwick - Sunday August 20

He stood for just four seasons, but what a lasting legacy this stallion is leaving.

Widden Stud have stood many champion sires over the years, but in modern times Northern Meteor stands as a stallion we would all love to have seen a lot more of.

Northern Meteor stood at Widden between 2009 - 2012 - RIP.

By champion sire Encosta de Lago from a female family tracing in tail female line to Rough Shod, whose descendants include legendary sires Sadler’s Wells and Nureyev, Northern Meteor was always held in high regard.

Advertisement

He retired lightly raced after winning the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes and in his first crop produced two colts that would go on to become champion sires in Zoustar and the now sadly pensioned Deep Field.

Zoustar and Deep Field are now both looking to extend the sire dynasty through their myriad of sire sons, but it’s the daughters of Northern Meteor that were making news last Saturday.

He sired the dams of two exciting stakes-winners that are headed on Group I paths this spring in Buenos Noches and Charm Stone.

Buenos Noches won the Group III ATC Show County Quality (1200m) and will look to secure an Everest start.

 

Charm Stone won the Group III MRC Quezette Stakes (1100m) and will head towards the Group[ I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes and possibly the Golden Rose.

 

Northern Meteor sired 24 stakes-winners from his four crops to race with six of those SW’s Group I winners and as a broodmare sire has produced the dams of 10 stakes-winners so far with Group I ATC Randwick Guineas winner Communist the best of them.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Coolmore Announce Euro 2025 Fees
Coolmore have announced fees for their 20 strong European sire roster with three new additions City of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact)and Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) and a significant increase for Wootton Bassett, who is currently in Australia.
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!
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.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
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.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
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.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.