In The NZ Breeding Barn…….Stallion News
Rob Courtney
Woodlands Stud would have been very happy with Lather Ups first Australian 2yo winner recently when Ogedie (from a Somebeachsomewhere mare) duly delivered at Redcliff for trainer Chantal Turpin in a 1:58MR.
The 1:46 son of I’m Georgeous was at one time the equal fastest pacer in the world, until Bulldog Hanover came along, and did a super job on the track, winning 23 of 37 starts & nearly $2M in stakes.
He served 38 mares last season, his 4th at stud in this part of the world, a number consistent with his previous 3 seasons and the stud sees him as real value for money at $4500 + gst.
Lather Up
Several of our leading stables have bought his progeny at recent weanling & yearling sales which no doubt will help his cause.
Of interest in America, his 3yo crop has him 15th on the 3yo sires table (as of July 2024) where 54 of his 82 foals have got to the races. His 2nd 2yo crop has him sitting just outside the top 10 sires for $$$ won from a foal crop very much smaller than of those sires that sit above him.
*** That list is currently headed by Huntsville but that son of SBSW remains out of reach for mares based in NZ.
Home bred trotting stallion Marcoola is also in that category of having had 4 seasons at stud in NZ, serving books of 32, 29, 22 & 22 again last season. The richest & fastest son of the mighty Sundon, many would still remember his 1:53 mile at Ashburton and the dominant win at Group 1 level in the time honoured Dominion Handicap.
His versatility & natural athleticism, had him winning 16 races from aged 2 to 7 and now he looks set to pass those qualities on to his offspring.
At the Rangiora trials recently, 2yo filly Senior Constable Liz (from a Raffaello Ambrosia mare) dipped under the qualifying standard for owner/breeder/trainer Bernard Lomas.
While a number of our homebred stallions fail to attract the top commercial mares historically, research of this fillies pedigree traces directly back to top mare Thriller Dee, the very same family that gave harness racing trotting millionaire Sundees Son & his full sister (Oaks & Derby winner) Sunny’s Sister.
Marcoola
Marcoola, himself, comes from the immediate family of our greatest ever trotter in Lyell Creek and at $1500 with discounts available, courtesy of Nevele R Stud, he perhaps deserves greater scrutiny from trotting breeders.
With the exception of Confederate & Cannibal, both sons of Sweet Lou and the arrival of Tactical Approach on the trotting front, the stallion ranks will generally look the same for the coming season minus a few who have not made it back to our shores for one reason or another.
Bulldog Hanover, the fastest standardbred of all time, served just 44 mares here last season and unless there is a late reprieve, he will not be available to NZ breeders in the coming season.
Well performed sons of Somebeachsomewhere in Huntsville & Cattlewash will only have their frozen semen available to Australian breeders while the connections of McWicked obviously didn’t see the worth of returning after only getting 6 mares last season.
The latter was on the Cobbitty Equine roster previously and they have also dropped Capt Midnight (the 1:48 son of Captaintreacherous) who got a small number of mares (13, 28, 5) over 3 seasons of availability.
It is understood that frozen semen of Capt Midnight is available courtesy of Brad Reid at JC International.
Catch The Fire (P5 1:46.4), another son of Captaintreacherous was available for the first time last season but did not attract one mare according to HRNZ records, and not surprisingly, will not return.
It was great to see a couple of Aussie ‘heavyweights attending the stallion ‘expos in the form of Pat Driscoll (Haras des Trotteurs) and Belinda McCarthy (Cobbitty Equine).
Just their attendance was enough to suggest that their desire to attract NZ breeders towards their respective stallion rosters was indeed very encouraging from a breeders’ point of view.
Driscoll has been a highly regarded leader & innovative pioneer of the straight-out trotter for a long time in this part of the world, and his level of connectedness to other parts of the harness world are arguably unmatched.
The roster offered by Haras Des Trotteurs has been burgeoning over recent seasons and offers breeders a wide range of choices ranging from the sensational Walner (@ $40k Service Fee) to the great value of a proven horse like E L Titan (@ $5k SF).
Haras Des Trotteurs will offer frozen semen only to E L Titan (son of Muscle Hill), Classic Connection (son of Love You), Ecurie D (son of Infinitif), On A Streak (son of Cantab Hall), Walner & Orlando Vici (son of Quadrophenio) to NZ breeders for the upcoming season.
The latter, of course, is the sire of Australasia’s current premier trotter in Just Believe, fresh from his raid on NZ turf when he took out the Group 1 Rowe Cup amongst his four straight victories.
Like many stallion ‘managers’ on the day, Driscoll acknowledged the tough times for breeders during this period and was mindful that his team offer some financial incentive to the NZ breeders to motivate them to breed their trotting mares.
*** With that in mind, it was announced that Haras Des Trotteurs would pay the 1st $1000 of any vet bill incurred while getting the mare in foal to any of their roster for the new season ahead.
For many breeders, this is welcome news as the costs of getting a mare in foal extend well beyond the actual service fee, as many well know.
Cobbitty Equine farm has gone into stallion management ‘boots & all’ and their growth over the last couple of seasons has been impressive to say the least.
They too offer a wide range of sires to cater for all budgets and the acquisition of a stallion like Confederate (1:46.1 & fastest 3yo pacer in history) is indeed a ‘feather in their cap’.
The very approachable McCarthy cut her teeth with the colonial breds For A Reason & Bling It On who have done a super job with the support of local NSW breeders who have given ‘their own’ a real chance with good numbers on the ground. (Something that doesn’t happen in NZ)
Having the Australasian rights to a stallion like Huntsville (sire of recent Meadowlands Pace winner Legendary Hanover) has given their roster a considerable boost.
*** The Cobbitty ‘chief’ assured this writer that Huntsville would be available to NZ breeders in the 25/26 season
What does have McCarthy shaking her head is the lack of support the NZ bred King Of Swing has received from NZ breeders. He served just 13 NZ mares last season! 
“His foals are just fantastic, his fillies look like colts & his colts are so strong and correct,” she enthused.
“He was a beautiful horse when in work and wore no extra gear, he only wore a boot for self protection, and he has passed on his great temperament to his progeny”.
Until Leap To Fame came along, King Of Swing was indeed the ‘king’ of Grand Circuit racing during his time, winning nearly $1 million each of his last three seasons on the track & was never defeated over a mile in 11 attempts at Menangle which included 3 Miracle Miles.
With discounts (20%), King Of Swing is available to NZ breeders for $5200!
He represents a champion sire line from a Group 1 winning broodmare, herself from a very commercial stud book family.