A chance sighting of a for sale advertisement on an auction web site convinced New Plymouth horseman Jeff Bliss to go back into the stallion business.
He didn't have any intention of replacing Eighth Wonder, a son of Zabeel who died pre-maturely last year, at Sentry Hill Farm until he spotted the availability of the well-related Keano.
"I wasn't going to bother about another stallion and then I saw him on this site in Australia and we bought him," Bliss said.
"He's beautifully-bred and he would be the quietest horse you would ever come across. I can do his feet in the paddock without putting a lead on him.
"He stands 16.1h and is from a blue blood family. He's a lovely horse."
Bliss was more than satisfied with the welcome Keano, who stands at $2000 + GST, received after arriving in Taranaki last year.
"He served 30 mares and got 29 of them in foal – we're only a small set up and I was really pleased with that number considering he was late getting here," he said.
Bliss has also been delighted with the impact Keano's handful of representatives are now making in Australia where he has produced five winners from eight starters.
A Waikato Stud-bred son of Pins out of a half-sister to the champion sire O'Reilly, Keano won six races and was stakes placed in Australia for trainer Danny O'Brien.
He also returned home briefly in 2010 and finished fifth and seventh respectively in the Gr.1 Telegraph Handicap and the Gr.1 NRM Sprint before going back to Australia. – NZ Racing Desk.
He didn't have any intention of replacing Eighth Wonder, a son of Zabeel who died pre-maturely last year, at Sentry Hill Farm until he spotted the availability of the well-related Keano.
"I wasn't going to bother about another stallion and then I saw him on this site in Australia and we bought him," Bliss said.
"He's beautifully-bred and he would be the quietest horse you would ever come across. I can do his feet in the paddock without putting a lead on him.
"He stands 16.1h and is from a blue blood family. He's a lovely horse."
Bliss was more than satisfied with the welcome Keano, who stands at $2000 + GST, received after arriving in Taranaki last year.
"He served 30 mares and got 29 of them in foal – we're only a small set up and I was really pleased with that number considering he was late getting here," he said.
Bliss has also been delighted with the impact Keano's handful of representatives are now making in Australia where he has produced five winners from eight starters.
A Waikato Stud-bred son of Pins out of a half-sister to the champion sire O'Reilly, Keano won six races and was stakes placed in Australia for trainer Danny O'Brien.
He also returned home briefly in 2010 and finished fifth and seventh respectively in the Gr.1 Telegraph Handicap and the Gr.1 NRM Sprint before going back to Australia. – NZ Racing Desk.
