Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
Group One winner Little Brose (Per Incanto) will stand at Little Avondale Stud next year, alongside his sire Per Incanto, after a deal was brokered with the Wairarapa farm recently.
Out of Group Three performer Mohegan Sky, Little Brose was purchased out of Sledmere Stud’s 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Lindsay Park Racing for A$200,000.
He made a quick return on the Victorian operation’s investment, going on to finish runner-up on debut in the Gr.3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) later that year before going one better in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at his next start.
Following a freshen-up, he finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) before his crowning achievement when taking out the Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).
He returned as a three-year-old to place in the Gr.3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) before he continued his racing career in Hong Kong with trainer David Hayes, where he finished runner-up over 1200m in Class 3 company before suffering a career-ending injury.
Being a son of resident stallion Per Incanto, Little Avondale principals Sam and Catriona Williams have followed Little Brose’s career with interest, and they were delighted to be able to secure his services for stud duty when approached by his former trainers.
“It is a big coup for Little Avondale. I was very excited that the opportunity arose,” Sam Williams said.
“Catriona and I had contemplated getting out of the stallion business, but I thought this was a massive opportunity - to be able to stand a Group One-winning two-year-old son of Per Incanto.
“The Street Cry sire line is so dominant at the moment in Australia with three sons inside the top 20 over there in the premiership. Per Incanto is sitting in ninth position and Pride Of Dubai is leading the premiership.”
Williams is excited to stand a stallion that showed such precocity as an early juvenile.
“This guy came out and ran second in the Maribyrnong Plate (Gr.3, 1000m) at his first start and then won the Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m). For a New Zealand two-year-old to do that pre-Christmas is staggering,” he said.
“To win the Blue Diamond, one of only five Group One two-year-old races in Australia, is enormous.”
While his success came on the track in Australia, Williams said he also left a big impression on his trainer in Hong Kong.
“He went to Hong Kong and he ran a very good second in his second start and then he won a trial very impressively, and David Hayes said he thought he had a serious international sprint horse on his hands leading up to this year’s international meeting,” Williams said.
“Unfortunately, in his next trial he had a leg injury. They were still trying to get the horse back and rehab him but unfortunately the injury was career ending and hence why we managed to get in on the act.”
Little Avondale has syndicated Little Brose amongst several leading breeders, both domestic and international, and Williams said interest in the stallion is already strong amongst breeders.
“He has been syndicated out to all the leading breeders here in New Zealand, and there are some Australian breeders and even one from Germany and Singapore,” he said.
“People are already asking for bookings to the horse. The response has been overwhelming, and I think it is a big plus for the New Zealand industry that we have been able to secure a horse like this.”
Little Brose will stand at Little Avondale Stud next year for an introductory service fee of $15,000 + GST
