Rob Courtney
There is genuine excitement leading into the coming breeding season with the arrival at the Cobbitty Equine Farm of American superstar Confederate, the world’s fastest 3yo pacer ever. The 2020 son of Sweet Lou from Geothermal (by A Rocknroll Dance) won 18 of just 22 starts when winning just over $2M and taking the outstanding time under race conditions of 1:46.1 at the Red Mile.
He was only once out of the top 3 with an unplaced run at his very last raceday start.
Confederate – July 2024
(c) Barbara Livingstone
On many occasions, his racing style had him back in the running but still with an ability to power over the top of his rivals with ease, something that was quite a contrast to the ‘normal’ on the speed style of racing over the mile in America.
Bred, born & owned by Diamond Creek, he has been massively supported by American breeders in his first season at stud and now NZ breeders will be afforded that same opportunity at the starting fee of $12500 + gst.
Bred on the same cross, Cannibal (Sweet Lou – No More Losses/A Rocknroll Dance) won 15 of 27 starts winning $785k and with a best time of 1:48.1
He too will be available from the same venue at the introductory fee of $5k to NZ breeders.
The difference in the service fees strongly suggests that one was far better than the other on the racetrack but that won’t necessarily be the case in the breeding barn.
Many of the breeding purists will see sons of Sweet Lou (very much an outcross stallion across Australasian mares) as a way forward and out of a breeding tight spot as the sons of Somebeachsomewhere and his grandsons begin to dominate the sires statistics in this part of the world.
There are subtle changes at foot at Southlands major stud & agistment farm Macca Lodge, proudly owned by Brent McIntyre and his family.
Due to legal proceedings related to previous seasons between his American owners and the semen transportation companies and beyond the control of Macca Lodge, Fear The Dragon will not be available to NZ breeders in the coming season but it is hoped that matters can be resolved and that he can come back at a later time.
Brent McIntyre is scratching his head over the poor response to the first season down under to Perfect Sting (Always B Miki – Shebestingin/Bettor’s Delight). He attracted 27 mares in NZ.
The 1:48.1 + $1.86M stallion was never out of the money in 26 starts and had the perfect 10 from 10 2yo campaign back in 2020 winning the Breeders Crown at both 2 & 3.
With his sire Always B Miki kicking goals in this country and being out of a very smart 1:47 Bettor’s Delight mare, one might have thought that Perfect Sting held strong appeal to a wide range of NZ’s broodmare band. With discounts available on his $6k service fee, he deserves closer scrutiny from breeders.
The American owners of Perfect Sting have also offered ‘Macca’ the frozen semen of Six Pack, the 1:49.2 son of Muscle Mass who won 19 races on his way to winning $2M in prizemoney.
He was available here in 21/22 (4 mares) & 22/23 (22) but only attracted minimal support.
His sire, Muscle Mass, has been very successful worldwide, including here in NZ, as has his dam sire Cantab Hall. Six Pack was the highest earning trotter in Nth America in 2018 and at the time of his retirement, as a 4yo, was the fastest 3yo trotter ever !. He broke numerous track records and race timed on multiple occasions around the 1:50 mark.
He commands a fee of $10k in America.
Six-Pack
Here in NZ this coming season, his frozen semen fee will be set at $6k, payable on live foal with discounts for early payments & multiple bookings.
Raging Bull was potentially one of the best horses ever to enter the Cran Dalgety barn but sadly he never realised his true potential, being limited to just 10 starts and winning half of them.
At stud in NZ, he suffered the same fate as many colonial breds with commercial breeders staying away and his quality of mares being questioned. His largest ever crop in NZ numbered 48 (20/21 season) and not long after he was sent over the Tasman for greater opportunities.
In the upcoming season, Llowalong Farm, Australia, is advertising their son of Christian Cullen as the best value out there on the market available to breeders.
51 starters in Australasia have won nearly $2M in stakes, averaging $33k per starter, with Wild West ($600k), Our Bare Knuckle & Princess Holly (both $100k+ performers) being standout performers for their sire.
Recently, he sired a very impressive 2yo debutante called Knock Out (from a Falcon Seelster mare) who won in 1:54.3 over 1740m
He will be standing for a fee of $3300 + gst.
15 July 2024