Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday January 11

Two weeks week’s into his 11th season at Widden Stud, the 2005 Group 1 Golden Slipper hero Stratum had a heart attack and died in his paddock.

He had already covered 22 mares and 15 of those had live foals, two of which were sold on the first two days at the Magic Millions.

So, his final full crop are two-year-olds this season and he has a likely type in Czarson who puts his unbeaten record on the line in Saturday’s $2 million Magic Millions Classic (RL) on the Gold Coast.


The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt kick-started his career with an authoritative win over Godolphin’s Magic Millions hope Exhilarates in a 1000 metre maiden at Gosford on November 24.

A fortnight later he led all the way over 1200 metres at Rosehill to defeat Kiamichi by two lengths with the $1.5 million Redoute’s Choice colt a further three lengths back in third.

His five weeks break from racing should not be a problem, but Tim Clark will need all his skills to overcome barrier 15.

A $200,000 purchase by PL Bloodstock out of the Amarina Farm draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Czarson (pictured as a yearling ) is the first foal of the talented Show A Heart mare Wobbly Boots who won five of her 10 starts.

A half-sister to the stakes-placed Aqua Vite (Northern Meteor), Wobbly Boots' dam Piquette (Grand Lodge) is a half-sister to Group 1 George Main Stakes winner Mr Celebrity (Peintre Celebre) whose dam Lamora (Marscay) is a sister to stakes-winner Marsking and a half-sister to Group 1 VATC Underwood Stakes and Group 1 QTC Castlemaine Stakes winner Prince Salieri (Salieri) as well as Group III winner Cate’s Mill (Watermill) and Listed winner Roseberry (Scenic),

It is the family descending from T J Smith’s Group 1 VRC Oaks winner Kiss Me Cait (Showdown).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Aussie Winner South Africa
Casting off maiden status at Kenilworth in South Africa on Saturday was three year-old Stratum filly Freedom Seeker, an $80,000 Inglis Premier purchase for World Wide Bloodstock  from the draft off Grenville Stud.
Stratum's Legionnaire Breaks Maiden in Exford PLate
The deceased Widden stallion Stratum came close to having a stakes-winner from his final full crop when Absolute Flirt was a luckless second on the Listed Cap D'Antibes Stakes at Flemington but thirty five minutes later he struck with the John Moloney-trained Legionnaire who broke his maiden in the Listed Exford Plate (1400m).
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Egyptian Symbol Wears The Crown at Last
Third in the Magic Millions Guineas at three, sixth in the Magic Millions Fillies and Mares at four and third in the Magic Millions Sprint at five, the Bjorn Baker-trained Egyptian Symbol made her fourth trip to the Magic Millions race day count when powering home from the rear of the field to win Saturday's $1,00,000 Magic Millions Snippets Sprint (1200m).
Another Widden Bred and Sold Stakes-Winner
The Listed SAJC Queen Adelaide Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday was won in good style by promising Stratum filly Absolute Flirt, a $100,000 Magic Millions Book Two purchase from the Widden draft for O’Brien Thoroughbreds.