A race to find a stallion

God’s Own, who stands at Eliza Park Stud, won the Caulfield Guineas in 2005.

Issue 29, October 9

Picholine is on the verge of making history if her son Shamoline Warrior (by Shamardal) can win the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington later this month.

Last year, Picholine’s first foal, Rebel Raider (by Reset) won the Derby and Shamoline Warrior is a firm favourite to give Picholine a unique double.

No brothers or half-brothers have won the Victoria Derby – a race that is six years older than the Melbourne Cup.

Picholine is by Dehere (USA) from the Dalmacia mare Jewel Of Africa. It is Dalmacia’s sire, the great Sir Tristram (IRE), who gives Picholine the ability to produce stayers.

She was a handy racemare, winning three times from 12 starts, over distances of 1100m, 1200m and 1300m – nothing to suggest she would become a superior producer of stayers.

Picholine’s third dam, the imported Out Of Africa (GB) is inbred 2x3 to Raise A Native (USA) (by Native Dancer), also a noted speed influence.

Dehere, being a son of the champion broodmare sire Deputy Minister (by Vice Regent (CAN), has always been expected to shine as a broodmare sire, but more of a sprinter-miler influence than for the longer races.

Picholine, owned by Toorak Park Stud, has a 2YO filly by Exceed And Excel (by Danehill (USA), but she has since missed to Artie Schiller and recently produced a dead Reset foal, a full relation to Rebel Raider.

The winner of Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) will be sought after as a future stallion prospect and his value will soar.

The field of 11 is made up of 10 colts and one gelding, Éclair Fastpass.

First prize is worth $600,000, but if the winner is a colt, then the owners can add millions in future revenue, be it as sale value or future returns from stud duty.

Already, the Group 1 winner Manhattan Rain (b c 2006, Encosta De Lago-Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad), a half-brother to champion sire Redoute’s Choice (by Danehill (USA)), is reported to be worth $40 million. Golden Rose winner Denman (br c 2006, Lonhro-Peach, by Vain) is probably worth between $10m and $20m as a stallion – not that owner Darley will part with him.

It will be very interesting to

see what Darley does with Denman if he wins the Guineas. His place in a luxury barn at Darley Kelvinside, in the Hunter Valley, is booked on the strength of his Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) win, but he could become a valuable shuttle stallion if Darley decides to target the Dubai World Cup carnival, and possibly Royal Ascot, with the colt next year.

Nathan Tinkler’s Patinack Farm only needs Trusting (b c 2006, Tale Of The Cat (USA)-Legible (NZ), by Zabeel (NZ)) to run to his talent to win a Group 1 and he will be standing in the Hunter in the near future.

So You Think is a different proposition as he is bred to stay and his sire line (Sadler’s Wells) is not a sought-after source of stallions in this part of the world.

His future as a stallion might be back in the place of his birth in New Zealand,

although, part-owner Dato Tan Chin Nam will be keen for the colt to stand at his Think Big Stud in the NSW southern highlands.

Some of the modern winners of the Caulfield Guineas to go to stud include Wonderful Word (2006, by Agnes World), God’s Own (2005, by Redoute’s Choice), Econsul (2004, by Pins), Helenus (2002, b Helissio), Lonhro (2001, by Octagonal), Show A Heart (2000, by Brave Warrior), Redoute’s Choice (1999), St. Covet (1994,by Covetous), Grosvenor (1982, by Sir Tristram), Luskin Star (1977, by Kaoru Star) and Vain (1969, by Wilkes).

Studmaster and broodmare owners will be watching the Caulfield Guineas with great interest, and that interest will wane only if Robbie Laing’s Fastnet Rock gelding Éclair Fastpass wins in an upset.

DANNY POWER

WORDS BY DANNY POWER

Mossman’s comeback Life at stud has been a roller coaster for Mossman (b h 1995, Success Express (USA)-Lichen Lady, by Twig Moss (FR)), but the faith Vinery Stud has had in the entire finally looks like being fulfilled.

Last weekend, Vinery’s Peter Orton, a long-time fan of the stallion, would have been buoyed by the brilliant first-start win of Mossman’s son Stirling Grove (b g 2007, ex-Kalamata, by Desert Prince (IRE)) in the Fulham Park Plate (1000m) at Morphettville. The gelding scorched the turf to win by nine lengths in a slick 57.24 secs.

At Randwick, Mossman’s daughter Mafia Miss (b f 2007, ex-Omerta Blue, by Sunday Silence (USA)) charged home to just fail to overhaul Gype (by Fastnet Rock) in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m).

It’s a wonderful kick along for Mossman who had his early stud career, when in Queensland, interrupted by injury, and then in 2004, after his move to Vinery, near Scone, he had to halt service after covering 45 mares due to a colic attack.

Since then, Mossman has covered his biggest books – 131 (2005), 164 (2006) and 120 (2007) – before dropping back to 95 last season, and he has been a hard sell for Vinery this spring.

The results of last weekend could see a resurgence of interest in Mossman. “His 2YO crop of this season always shaped as likely to be his best,” Orton said.

His 2009 service fee is $13,200 (inc. GST) after peaking at $27,500 in seasons 2005 to

2007.

Stirling Grove defies family A study of Stirling Grove’s pedigree (see previous story) reveals that he comes from a strong female line known for producing quality racemares. He’s bucking the trend with his dominant win in the Fulham Park Plate (1000m) at Morphettville.

Stirling Grove’s dam Kalamata (by Desert Prince (IRE)) was a smart juvenile who won the 2003 Listed Waikato Stud Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa before she was bought by the now defunct Written Bloodstock Group to race in Melbourne, where her best effort was a third behind Glamour Puss in the Listed Hyderabad Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in February 2005.

Kalamata was sold in 2006 –for $90,000 at the Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale – in foal to Good Journey (by Nureyev (USA)) to Scone Bloodstock Services, acting for Alan Green’s Echo Beach Bloodstock, a long-time client of Vinery Stud. Green got only $11,000 in 2007 for the weanling colt by Good Journey, but earlier this year sold

Stirling Grove at the Melbourne Premier Sale to Richard Jolly for $52,500, a top-end price for a Mossman at the time.

Kalamata is from another former Melbourne mare Kirtlington (by Scenic), who was raced by Barrie and Midge Griffiths. Kirtlington, whose dam is the Group 1 winner Acushla Marie (by Lord Ballina), also is the dam of the Stakes winning filly Kirvinsky (by Stravinsky).

Raheeb’s best chance Patinack Farm’s stallion prospect Raheeb won’t get a better chance to win a Group 1 and secure his place as a stallion than in Saturday’s Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield.

The son of Royal Academy (by Nijinsky (CAN)) is really starting to hit his straps for trainer Mick Price, who last year trained Alamaosa (by O’Reilly (NZ)) to win the Toorak and guarantee him a place as a stallion with Group 1 wins both sides of the Tasman.

Price set Raheeb for this race at the start of the season and it is a tribute to the Caulfield horseman that he has Raheeb peaking at the right time.

Raheeb’s previous best win was in the 2008 Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1400m), but that level of success guarantees him only a bit part in the Patinack stallion roster.

Raheeb is a handsome chestnut with the right pedigree – he is a brother to the former brilliant juvenile Piccadilly Circus (b m Royal Academy (USA)-Gatana, by Marauding (NZ)), who is the dam of the star sprinter and now boom young sire Fastnet Rock (by Danehill (USA).

Other recent Toorak winners at stud include the Price-trained Red Dazzler (2006, by Red Ransom), Barely A Moment (2005, by Gilded Time) and Show A Heart (2001, by Brave Warrior).

Sylvaner’s promising son Former top mare Sylvaner produced her first winner when Conscribe, by Zabeel, won his maiden (1600m) at Bendigo on Thursday.

Sylvaner (b m 1997, Danasinga–Isla Bijou, by Noble Bijou (USA)) retired the winner of six Stakes races, including two Group 2 Marsh Classics (1600m) at Morphettville and the Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.

The mare was initially sold for $625,000 (in foal to Zabeel) at the 2005 Easter Broodmare Sale to Paul Makin, who sent her to Starcraft and resold her in foal to that horse at the Magic Millions Winter Sale for $620,000. She is now owned by the Arrowleave Joint Venture.

Nick Williams bought Sylvaner’s first two foals for $300,000 (the second Vesper is yet to race), and the Starcraft colt was sold at Easter 2009 for $120,000. She has since missed twice to coverings by Hussonet (USA), so her new owners have had little return.

DANNY POWER

Mossman, enjoying life under his favourite tree at Vinery Stud, near Scone.