The next breeding season in Australia is still three months away from its commencement on Sept. 1, yet already studs are putting up the 'book full' signs as the market becomes increasingly polarised towards the proven stallions, while of course the freshmen also remain as popular as ever. In this column we take a look at the five new stallions in Australia for 2016 standing for fees in excess of A$25,000.
VANCOUVER (AUS) (Medaglia d'Oro–Skates {Aus}, Danehill)
Coolmore Australia, A$66,0000
After his European campaign, Vancouver will be arriving to commence his new position on the Coolmore Australia roster a matter of weeks prior to the beginning of the breeding season, as his return quarantine will begin the day after his planned G1 July Cup start. Vancouver was a brilliant 2-year-old in a country that craves as such, unbeaten in his four juvenile starts for Gai Waterhouse. He began with a victory in the first Sydney stakes race of the 2-year-old season, the Listed Breeders' Plate, which has a remarkable record for producing future stallions, particularly in recent years. Current leading stallions Snitzel (Aus), Sebring (Aus) and Choisir (Aus) are all past winners, as are exciting young stallions Smart Missile (Aus) and Pierro (Aus). Vancouver followed that up with victory in the G3 Canonbury S. before a sensational performance in the G2 Todman S., his performance on the clock exemplary, almost 1.5 seconds faster than the fillies' equivalent on the same day, won by subsequent Group 1 winner and Golden Slipper runner-up English (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}). In the Slipper he showed toughness and grit to go with his ability, overcoming barrier 16 to defeat English by almost a length.
Vancouver is the leading performer in Australia for Medaglia d'Oro, who is very quickly establishing himself as part of the rare group of stallions who are leading performers in both hemispheres. After a Golden Slipper winner last year, Medaglia d'Oro has followed up in Australia with a pair of group-winning juveniles in the current season: Astern (Aus), winner of the G2 Silver Slipper S.; and Tessera (Aus), winner of the G3 Canonbury S. Vancouver, like outstanding mare Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) produced from John Camilleri's select band of broodmares, also hails from an exceptional Australian pedigree, his dam Skates responsible for two further stakes winners including Group 1 winner Juste Moment (Aus). His second dam is G1 Doncaster H. winner Skating (Aus) (At Talaq), a blue hen producer of seven black-type horses, including group-winning 2-year-old Murtajill (Aus) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Bradbury's Luck (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}).
Now in the care of Aidan O'Brien, Vancouver's European campaign of three planned races begins this Saturday at The Curragh in the G2 Greenlands S., with the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot also on the agenda before the July Cup.
PRIDE OF DUBAI (AUS) (Street Cry {Ire}–Al Anood {Aus}, by Danehill)
Coolmore Australia, A$55,000
The loss of Street Cry at just 12 years old is one which has been keenly felt worldwide, particularly in Australia, where he represented a valuable proven outcross option for a mare population saturated with Danehill blood. This affinity is ably demonstrated by his first domestically bred and raced son to retire to stud in Australia, G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Pride of Dubai. Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, Pride of Dubai's career began in Sydney with a third-placed effort behind 'TDN Rising Star' and subsequent Group 3 winner Ottoman (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) at Randwick before a switch to Melbourne. He was tremendously unlucky in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) at Caulfield, ending up too far back and meeting interference in running. Despite this he managed to finish a fast-closing second to Of The Brave (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Such was the impression of the effort that he was sent off half Of The Brave's odds in the Blue Diamond itself, with only the Fillies' Prelude winner, Fontiton (Aus) (Turffontein {Aus}) shorter in the market. Much more went the way of Pride of Dubai on the big day, and he was always holding the charge of Reemah (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) to take out the race. He followed up his Blue Diamond win when completing an unprecedented double by taking the G1 ATC Sires' Produce S. at Randwick, defeating dead-heaters Rageese (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) and Odyssey Moon (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) by almost a length. Pride of Dubai then missed the entire spring campaign with bone bruising and, after disappointing on his return in the Autumn, was retired to stud as the winner of three of his five starts.
Like Vancouver, Pride of Dubai hails from an exceptional female line, his with an international flavour. He is out of the stakes-placed Al Anood, making him a half-brother to Melbourne listed winner Al Aneed (Aus) (More Than Ready). Al Anood is bred in the purple, a half-sister to G1 Prix de Diane winner Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}), dam of four stakes winners, notably leading Irish stallion Invincible Spirit (Ire). She is also the dam of popular sire Kodiac (GB).
CRITERION (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}–Mica's Pride {Aus}, by Bite The Bullet
Newgate Stud Farm, A$35,750
As far as longevity and racecourse performance goes, they don't come much more accomplished than Criterion. In four seasons of racing on three continents Criterion amassed an incredible A$7,268,869 in earnings and was a winner from two to five years old. Twenty-six of his 36 lifetime starts came in Group 1 company and he was a winner four times at that elite level. As a 2-year-old he was amongst the best of his crop, a winner against subsequent Group 1-winner Sweet Idea (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) in November before going on to victories in the Listed Black Opal and the G2 Todman S., a race taken by many important stallions over the years, including current top-10 stallions Exceed and Excel (Aus) and Written Tycoon (Aus). As a 3-year-old Criterion excelled upped in trip, winning the G1 Rosehill Guineas over 2000 metres–defeating his now studmate and 2014/15 Horse of the Year Dissident (Aus) (Sebring {Aus})–and the G1 ATC Derby over 2400 metres at Randwick. Criterion's 4-year-old season saw him go winless for the first half of the year, but again he performed with great credit at the highest level, including on his first overseas trip when third to Designs on Rome in the G1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin. He chose as good a day as any to return to the winners' circle when a superbly impressive winner of the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., the country's richest weight-for-age race, at Randwick at The Championships. The field of 12 that day included nine previous Group 1 winners, so to put daylight on such a field represented a top-class effort from Criterion. He then went once more on his travels, again third at Sha Tin, this time to Blazing Speed in the G1 QEII Cup before two creditable efforts in England. As a 5-year-old he returned to his best to defeat another strong field in the G1 Caulfield S. prior to running into a superstar at the top of her game when second to Winx (Aus) in the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, solidly accounting for the remainder of the field. In his next start Criterion would show incredible versatility for a horse who won a G2 race over six furlongs as a 2-year-old by finishing a strong third in the G1 Melbourne Cup over two miles, and probably unlucky not to finish even closer after suffering interference in transit. His best effort this autumn came when third to The United States (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Ranvet S. at Rosehill, and he retires to Newgate as the winner of seven of his 36 starts.
Criterion was retained by his breeder Sir Owen Glenn, and hails from a family which has been exceptionally productive in Australia. He is the best of three stakes winners for his dam Mica's Pride, who is herself a Group 3 winner in Sydney. This is a family littered with recent stakes winners, notably Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Bull Point (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who also retires to stud this year, commanding a A$7,700 fee. His sire, Golden Slipper winner Sebring (Aus) (More Than Ready), is now well-established as one of the leading stallions in Australia, and will stand for a career-high A$77,000 in 2016.
EXOSPHERE (AUS) (Lonhro {Aus}–Altitude {Aus}, by Danzero {Aus})
Darley Australia, A$27,500
When he was on-song there is little doubt that Exosphere was a tremendous talent, his peformances in the G1 Golden Rose and the G2 Roman Consul in particuar both being as impressive on the clock as they were to the eye. A son of Lonhro, like Triple Crown winner Pierro (Aus), Exosphere was out before Christmas as a 2-year-old but fluffed his lines on debut. Given time in the paddock, he returned to win twice before the end of his 2-year-old year. He was an impressive winner at Kembla Grange and took a marked step-up in grade in his stride when similarly dominant in the G2 Skyline S. at Warwick Farm, accounting for subsquent Group 1-placer Odyssey Moon (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) by four lengths, his final 600 metre time on the day bettered only by the year- older Group 1 winner First Seal (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). He was a leading fancy for the Golden Slipper, sent off at 7/2 behind 6/4 favourite Vancouver, but proved a disappointment, finishing last and reportedly suffering from cardiac arrythmia. In his first three starts as a 3-year-old he suffered no such problems, an imperious winner by daylight on all three occasions. He defeated subsequent Group 1 winners Press Statement (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) and Holler (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) in the G2 Run to the Rose, a performance he followed up in tremendous style when taking Sydney's 3-year-old showcase, the G1 Golden Rose, over 1400 metres by more than two lengths from Group 1 winner Speak Fondly (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}). He then stepped back to 1200 metres for the G2 Roman Consul S. and produced staggering acceleration to account for a top-class field in a matter of strides, sauntering home more than three lengths ahead of his competition. Unfortunately that would be the final victory for Exosphere, below his best in his final three starts, and he retires to Darley Australia as winner of five of his 10 starts.
PRESS STATEMENT (AUS) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}–Kaaptive Empress {Aus}, by Kaaptive Edition {NZ})
Vinery Australia, A$27,500
It is around 12 months ago to the day that Press Statement announced his arrival on the Australian racing scene, unbeaten in his first three starts. After two wins in Sydney metropolitan company, he was pitched into Group 1 company at Doomben for the JJ Atkins S. Such was the impression of his two previous victories that he was sent off second-favourite and he didn't disappoint, winning by almost a length. As a 3-year-old he progressed to become leading 3-year-old miler of his crop in the spring, bouncing back from a below-par run in the Golden Rose to take the G2 Stan Fox S. over 1500 metres prior to a win in the G1 Caulfield Guineas over 1600 metres. Press Statement, and his pilot Hugh Bowman, did a good job in the Caulfield Guineas, overcoming a wide barrier in 14 of 16, sitting just off the pace and accounting for the field by daylight. He returned for his autumn campaign with a strong win the G2 Hobartville S. at Rosehill over 1400 metres, accounting for Le Romain (Aus) (Hard Spun) by over two lengths. That rival would turn the tables two weeks later in the G1 Randwick Guineas over 1600 metres, Press Statement enduring a chequered passage from barrier 12. Press Statement rounded off his career his a pair of efforts against older horses, the best of them when third behind Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) and Kermadec (NZ) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the G1 George Ryder S. at Rosehill. He retires to Vinery Australia the winner of six of his 11 starts.
Press Statement is the second JJ Atkins winner produced by his dam Kaaptive Empress, who is also responsible for 2001 winner Pressday (Aus) (Domesday {Aus}) when the race was known as the BRC TJ Smith Classic. He is from the first crop of Yarraman Park's stallion Hinchinbrook (Aus), a Group 3-winning half-brother to Snitzel who will stand for a fee of A$38,500 in 2016, more than double his 2015 figure of A$16,500.
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