Photo: Bradley Photography
Highview Stud has added another touch of Australian flavour to its stallion roster with the recruitment of Mr Mozart, a Group Two-winning son of the champion sire Snitzel.
The impeccably-bred entire was prepared by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes to win five of his 16 starts, placing in another three and earning A$796,900.
A Sydney debut winner at two, Mr Mozart’s highlight victory came in the Gr.2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m), beating Group One winners Never Been Kissed and Fangirl.
He also won the Gr.3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m), Gr.3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) and Listed Exford Plate (1400m), defeating multiple Group One winner Artorius in the latter.
A consistent galloper across three seasons, Mr Mozart boasts placings in the Gr.2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m), Gr.2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) and A$1 million Silver Eagle (1300m), and he was fourth in the Gr.3 Baillieu Handicap (1400m), Gr.3 Vain Stakes (1100m) and Gr.3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m).
“I’ve always been keen to stand a son of Snitzel. He’s a super stallion. When the opportunity arose to purchase a shareholding in Mr Mozart, we jumped at it,” Highview Stud’s Brent Gillovic said.
“It is what the Australians know and the best thing about this horse is he has got proper Australian form. He is a multiple Group winner in Sydney and Melbourne so his progeny will have appeal to the Australian buying bench.
“He raced against and beat top-liners including the likes of Artorious, Fangirl and Never Been Kissed.”
Highview Stud has joined forces with James Chapman of Jamieson Park to secure Mr Mozart. Chapman raced Mr Mozart’s well-related Group Three winning dam Euro Angel with a group of Australian owners and the same partnership enjoyed the ride with her first foal Mr Mozart.
“He is going to suit New Zealand. He has the Snitzel strength and is a good size and on his dam side he has a pedigree that should see him throw middle distance and classic horses too.
He is over 16hh and is a deep chestnut colour, very flashy. He is a good-looking horse with a lot of bone, powerfully built and very correct.
“He is a very attractive horse and I would encourage people to come and have a look at him.”
Mr Mozart will stand at $6,000+GST this spring and his pedigree on the dam side will resonate with New Zealand breeders.
He is out of the Rip Van Winkle mare Euro Angel, who was bred by Windsor Park Stud and won three races headed by Caulfield’s Gr.3 Ladies Day Vase (1600m).
Euro Angel’s dam is the Listed winner and Group One-placed Polish Princess, who also produced Australian Group Two winners Leebaz and Polish Knight, along with Zebrowski, who like Polish Knight finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m). Zebrowski won twice at Group Three level in Hong Kong.
Along with Highview Stud and another partner, Chapman is keen to throw his support behind the young stallion.
“He was a tough front running horse and just a very good horse, quite frankly,” Chapman said.
“I was looking for somewhere to stand the horse and I bought all the other owners out except for one owner who has a 10 percent interest.
“I will be putting some good resources behind him. I hope to send 20 mares and will be buying mares specifically to suit Mr Mozart. I’d like to find speed-type mares, that’s my plan.”
With more than 40 mares on the books, Chapman has recently purchased Colero Park in Ohaupo as he increases his investment in the breeding industry.
“I have brought most of my mares back from Australia now. I have done pretty well out of my New Zealand-bred horses,” Chapman said.
“If you mate a mare in Australia you are competing with the Australian breeders whereas here you have a New Zealand-bred horse which Australians come here to buy. That is where I am heading and hopefully I have got it right.”
Chapman said with the enhanced prize money in New Zealand, including the likes of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) and a bolstered $1.5 million Karaka Million 3YO (1600m), Mr Mozart was an ideal candidate to produce the required style of horse.
“I think there is a real opening in New Zealand for that type of horse. We have bred the classic horses for Australia but with these new races I think there will be demand for 1400m type of horses.”
Chapman said Mr Mozart comes from one of the best families in the stud book and the partnership that raced Euro Angel have more to look forward to.
“He was the first foal and an outstanding type,” Chapman said. “At the moment we have a two-year-old Pierro gelding out of the mare in work and a Snitzel full brother yearling who is a magnificent horse. We have a Maurice filly that has just been weaned and the mare is back in foal to Snitzel, so we have great faith in her progeny and I have no doubt Mr Mozart will make his mark at stud.”
Breeding Rights are available in Mr Mozart, with Highview Stud also committing to support the horse with 15-20 mares.
“Before he kicks off he has a good base between James and ourselves and we’d like to think Highview have always presented breeders with very reasonably priced stallions, and this is no exception,” Gillovic said.
“It represents a chance for breeders to do very well and he has all the right credentials.”
Meanwhile, Highview Stud have also announced service fees for proven sires Divine Prophet ($9,000+GST), Santos ($8,000+GST) and Wrote ($8,000+GST). – NZ Racing Desk
