There is a group of young sires in New Zealand who are producing results on the track and in the sale ring that is adding new depth to the kiwi stallion ranks and sharing the limelight with their more established rivals.
While proven sires like Savabeel and O’Reilly need no introduction and have once again had stellar seasons, a collection of talented young sires are making names for themselves in New Zealand, Australia and further afield.
New Zealand is cementing its prowess for producing Classic, Derby and Oaks winning horses and this new wave of stallions is already promising to continue that tradition.
Following the retirement of the legendary Zabeel, Cambridge Stud looks to have found an heir apparent inTavistock, a dual Group 1 winning son of Montjeu. Tavistock has made a huge impression through his first two crops and is the leading sire of winners in New Zealand currently.
Leading the way for Tavistock are two Group 1 winning three-year-olds; Tarzino (NZ), the winner of the Group 1 Victoria Derby this season, and Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ), the winner of the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas last year.
A trio of freshman sires hit the ground running last season with feature winners from their first crops.
The progeny of Little Avondale Stud sire Per Incanto impressed buyers as yearlings and that promise has quickly turned into reward with the son of Street Cry siring Group 1 winner Dal Cielo (NZ) from his first crop. The leading first season sire by winners, Per Incanto is also responsible for the dual Group 1 placed Rocanto (NZ).
Another freshman sire to score a Group 1 winner from his first crop is shuttle sire Makfi, a son of one of the world’s hottest sires, Dubawi. The Westbury Stud sire was a high-class racehorse himself, winning twice at Group 1 level, and has already left a Group 1 winner from his first crop in the northern hemisphere.
Completing the trio is Showcasing, the sire of 2015 $1m Karaka Million winner Hardline (NZ). While the Karaka Million is not a Group 1 race, it is New Zealand’s richest race and every year attracts some of the best young horses in the country. The Haunui Farm sire was both the leading first season sire and leading two-year-old sire in New Zealand.
Also with the first of their three-year-olds on the track are Rip Van Winkle and Shocking, both sires carrying classic and staying attributes meaning their progeny should come to the fore as three-year-olds. Kiwi three-year-olds set the benchmark in Australia and these two sires are set to follow in the footsteps of Savabeel, Tavistock, Darci Brahma, O’Reilly and the many that came before them.
Windsor Park Stud shuttle sire Rip Van Winkle is a triple Group 1 winner by Galileo, one of the most dominant sires in Europe. Rip Van Winkle is the sire of the promising filly Sofia Rosa (NZ), winner of the Group 2 Royal Stakes. The most famous victory of Shocking’s career came in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup, but he proved his absolute class with victory in the Group 1 Australian Cup over 2000m under weight-for-age conditions. Standing at Rich Hill Stud, Shocking has already produced winners on both sides of the Tasman.
There is a wealth of talent coming through that will have their progeny hit tracks for the first time this season.
Internationally sourced sires that are likely to complement the star kiwi breeding include Cape Blanco, Dalghar, Pour Moi, Redwood and Zacinto, all with their first yearlings well received at auction. This quintet of sires fits the mould of what has worked well in New Zealand previously and they will be looking to add their weight to the immense success of the classic kiwi three-year-old.
Home grown talent Jimmy Choux was a Derby winning three-year-old as a racehorse and will be looking to pass on the talent that saw him victorious in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas, and four other Group 1 victories to his progeny. The son of Thorn Park is the sire of Karaka Million race-favourite Manolo Blahniq (NZ) and is currently the leading sire of two-year-olds in New Zealand.
The future looks bright for the New Zealand sire ranks with a powerful line-up rising to the top.
This bunch of emerging sires are a versatile group, producing speedy juvenile Group 1 winners through to classic winning three-year-olds, with the promise to deliver so much more.
This wave of sires gives buyers a precious chance to continue to dominate the Derbies, Oaks, and other classics and cups of the future.
