Telemon Celebrate Crowning of Sidestep as Champion First Season Sire

Media Release - Thursday August 1
Telemon Thoroughbreds today paused to toast their Champion First Season sire SIDESTEP.

Joe Heather & SIDESTEP taking a selfie to commemorate the afternoon that KIAMICHI won the Group 1 Golden Slipper. The young son of EXCEED AND EXCEL adds the honour to his title of Champion 2YO Colt of 2013, and joins an illustrious group which, in preceding years, includes ZOUSTAR (2018), PIERRO (2017), SMART MISSILE (2016), HINCHINBROOK (2015), I AM INVINCIBLE (2014) and NORTHERN METEOR (2013).

ZOUSTAR, sire of superstar SUNLIGHT, was the only member of that group to exceed SIDESTEP'S first season prizemoney total.

SIDESTEP's first crop was headlined by multiple stakes winner KIAMICHI, winner of the Group 1 Golden Slipper and Group 3 Magic Night Stakes.

With KIAMICHI's win, SIDESTEP became the first sire since STRATUM to sire a Golden Slipper winner in his first crop.

In a phenomenal season, SIDESTEP placed fourth in the 2YO Sires table behind I AM INVINCIBLE, SNITZEL and his own illustrious sire EXCEED AND EXCEL, with the latter only passing him on the final day of the season.

SIDESTEP is currently a runaway leader on the First Season Sires table in France. If he can prevail as a dual hemisphere Champion First Season sire, it will be a history-making feat.

SIDESTEP having a play in his paddock during the recent filming of a 'Bred To Win' episode with Caroline Searcy to feature in the coming weeks on Sky Thoroughbred Central. Image courtesy of Searcy Media. The results of SIDESTEP's first crop have been a coup for Telemon Thoroughbreds which will stand him for a second season on its Queensland roster under an arrangement with Darley.

Telemon General Manager Joe Heather said:

"Being crowned Champion First Season Sire and producing the Golden Slipper winner from his first crop is a dream start.

"It is testament to the work of Darley where the foundation of his success was laid.

"SIDESTEP has enjoyed plenty of rest and relaxation in recent months, and after a few celebratory carrots today, will set his mind to easily his largest and highest quality book of mares yet."

Telemon owner Dan Fletcher said:

"We are so proud of what Sidestep has achieved.

"He has given us an amazing start at Telemon as well as justified the faith in him from Darley and those breeders that have sent mares to him across his first four years at stud.

"It is a coup for the Queensland breeding industry and a privilege for our farm to have another champion stallion in our ranks."

For more information on Telemon Thoroughbreds visit www.telemonstud.com.au
Advertisment
More Reading...
French Stakes-Winner for Sidestep
Exciting young sire Sidestep sired his first Northern Hemisphere stakes-winner overnight with promising two yea-rold colt Real Appeal winning the Listed Prix La Flèche at Maisons-Laffitte.
No Shock in Supernova
The good times keep on rolling for connections of winning machine Here To Shock(NZ) (Shocking) who plundered the inaugural A$1 million Supernova at Pakenham over his favoured 1400m distance for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes.
Another Stakes Win For This Burly Enigma - Leave The Whip At Home
Enigmatic is a word often bandied about in racing but it certainly sits well upon the ample shoulders of Cannonball, a big odds winner of the Listed Magic Millions Falvelon at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Four for Sidestep
Friendless in betting, I Am Courage was sent off a $61 chance at his career debut but he cut a swathe through nine opponents in a QTIS Two-Years-Old Handicap over 1050m at Toowoomba on Easter Monday to credit the First Season Sire frontrunner Sidestep with his fourth individual winner.
Zoustar Mare Wins for Te Akau - Half-Brother for K1
Consistent sprinting mare Egyptian Queen was rewarded for a string of solid performances at Te Rapa on Saturday, powering away with the Lodge Real Estate 1200.
First Stakes success for Savabeel's Gold Bullion
Four-year-old gelding Gold Bullion dug deep to stave off all challengers when leading throughout to land the Listed Seven Members Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
G2 Winner Brings Magic Update for Yarramalong Park
Stakes-placed at three of his past four starts, progressive American Pharoah (USA) gelding In Good Order broke through for his first Black Type win in the Group II WATC Van Heemst Stakes (2100m) at Ascot on Saturday bringing a massive pedigree update for his yearling half brother headed to Magic Millions for Yarramalong Park.
Arriving Home Goes Two for Two – Three-Quarter Brother for MM 2025
Talented I Am Invincible filly Arriving Home does her best work on the line and we saw it when she scored on debut at Warwick Farm earlier this month and again when she got there in the last stride to win at Randwick on Saturday.
Stakes Racing Catalogue Updates Last Week
A dozen stakes updates in the past week into catalogues for yearlings coming up.
Sidestep Winner Brings Joy to Breeder
Tamworth based owner breeder Errol Leicht has had a lot of success with his broodmare Time Release and she made it four winners from four foals to race when her two year-old filly by Sidestep scored her first win at Grafton on Wednesday.