Horses for Courses – Sire Making Race?

Tara Madgwick - Thursday October 24

The Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) is run at Randwick this Saturday and while it’s not seen as a key sire making race as such, the 2012 edition did produce two exceptional stallions and one of them is set to have an impact on the race this year.

 

 

 

From last to first, Dundeel, or as he was known then It’s a Dundeel surged home for James McDonald to win in a great tussle over another quality colt in Proisir with both horses eventually retiring to stud.

Dundeel added a further five G1 wins to his resume and retired to Arrowfield Stud at a fee of $27,500, while Proisir never managed a G1 win and found himself in New Zealand at Rich Hill Stud, where he kicked off at a fee of $7,000.

Advertisement

Dundeel

Fast forward to 2024 and both are now leading sires with Dundeel commanding a fee of $88,000 this spring at Arrowfield and Proisir is priced on a par at Rich Hill on $80,000.

Proisir

Proisir is yet to have a sire son at stud, but Dundeel is already on his way in that department through Castelvecchio, who has a top chance to win the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes on Saturday with El Castello. Castelvecchio ran second in the Spring Champion Stakes in 2019 to Shadow Hero and then went to Melbourne and ran second in the Cox Plate behind Japanese raider Lys Gracieux (Jpn). He later won the Group I ATC Rosehill Guineas and retired to Arrowfield to stand alongside his sire.

The Anthony Cummings trained El Castello has three wins on the trot leading into his first G1 with each victory better than the last as the distances have increased. His dam is a half-sister to dual Group I winning stayer Fiveandahalfstar (VRC Derby , ATC BMW) and his third dam is a sister to Group I ATC Sydney Cup winner Crossed Swords.

Also of interest are two runners in the race for Dundeel in Henlein and Duvana, while the High Chaparral (IRE) (sire of Dundeel) sireline accounts for another three with So You Think’s G1 winning son D’Argento represented by three runners in Due Calzini, Flying Argento and Rag Queen.

Race favourite Swiftfalcon does not have a pedigree that screams 2000m potential, being by Exceedance from a daughter of Northern Meteor, but it might pay to look a little further back in the mix!

His grand-dam is Zabeel mare Hansuyen, who is a full sister to a pair of G1 winning stayers in St Reims and Champagne, who was second in a Melbourne Cup, so he’ll need to be channelling her input when he turns for home.

 

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
World First G1 Success for Rachel King in Japan
Leading Australian jockey Rachel King is no stranger to Group I success, but achieved a first in Japan on Sunday in becoming the first woman to ride a G1 winner on the JRA circuit when steering Costa Nova to victory in the February Stakes (1600m) on the dirt.
One to Watch – Grafton
Kooringal Stud’s bargain blueblood sire Sandbar has been the most searched stallion on Breednet this year through hypothetical matings and that’s thanks to his unbeaten super exciting 2YO Shaggy and at Grafton on Monday he produced another scintillating debut winner.
How Do You Measure Success?
There are a lot of ways to measure the success of a stallion, but for elite breeders looking to produce serious racehorses it’s all about Black Type horses and this young stallion has really spread his wings.
Sires With Winners - Monday February 24
Here is the full list of 16 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Trelawney Stud Excited to Offer Shanwah Half-Brother at Inglis Easter
Shanwah’s victory in the Gr.2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday was timely for his breeder’s Trelawney Stud, who are set to offer his half-brother at Inglis’ Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Randwick
There were four heats for juveniles at Randwick on Monday including a couple of interesting winners, one unraced by Too Darn Hot (GB) and one bred on a nick that works for Tricolours Thoroughbreds, plus a commanding trial winner at Hawkesbury by first season sire Anders.
G1 Bonecrusher Stakes Next for Orchestral
Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood will head into next week’s Champions Day at Ellerslie with a trio of leading chances, with all three pleasing in their final hit-outs at the Auckland track on Saturday.
G1 Pedigree Watch – Helen Street Making Her Presence Felt
We saw two brand new Group I winners in Australia on Saturday and both super interesting on the pedigree front with one of them a $1.4million yearling and the other a Kiwi bred sprinter, who continued the G1 winning run for the Street Cry sireline and we also take a look at why you need to know more about Helen Street.
Zoustar Filly a Standout for Twin Hills
The team at Twin Hills Stud are prepared to be busy at Inglis Premier this week presenting a diverse draft of 25 by 24 different stallions and they include champion sire Zoustar, who has a filly to be offered that is bred on a nick that spells stakes success!
Three Fillies Share Top Honours at MM Tasmania
The three top sellers all sold for $80,000 with local buyers competing with those from interstate and overseas to secure the next generation of racetrack stars from the Apple Isle.