Trish Dunell
Waikato Stud has enjoyed another outstanding season with the progeny of their top-quality stallion roster again playing starring roles in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Heading the line-up is the champion sire Savabeel, who has produced five new Group One winners already in the 2017-18 term, including the New Zealand 2000 and 1000 Guineas double with Embellish and Hasahalo respectively, Kennedy Mile winner Shillelagh and New Zealand Oaks winner Savvy Coup.
Savabeel is now the sire of 17 individual Group One winners and 73 individual stakes winners.
Demand for the stock of Savabeel remained high during the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale with his 61 yearlings sold at Karaka at an average of $261,066 to crown him the overall leading New Zealand-based sire by average.
The 2018 yearling sale series were record-setting for Savabeel with his first $1 million yearling sold and a further six yearlings selling for more than $500,000 in both New Zealand and Australia.
Savabeel’s world class book of mares in 2017 included Sofia Rosa, Valley Girl, Suavito, Eleonora as well as older Group One-producing mares Iguazu’s Girl and Trocair, among others.
“We are extremely proud and overwhelmed by the success and popularity of Savabeel and we are conscious of the numbers and book we will commit him to this season,” stud principal Mark Chittick said.
“The Savabeel syndicate will therefore be managing the numbers and book he will serve from this season on and his book will be private going forward.”
Exciting young sire Ocean Park’s career is away to a roaring start with 28 individual winners in three different countries. With his oldest progeny only three, he has already sired Australian stakes winner Ocean Jewel, Gr.1 New Zealand Derby and Gr.2 Waikato Guineas runner-up Mongolianconqueror and Listed Geelong Classic runner-up Ocean’s Fourteen.
There was fierce competition in the sale ring this year to secure progeny of Ocean Park.
“To see Ocean Park’s progeny sell so well is extremely rewarding as a breeder,” Chittick said.
“His yearlings averaged well over $100,000 and there were five lots that sold for over $200,000.”
On the leading Australian second season sires’ premiership, Ocean Park is the top New Zealand-based stallion and he will remain at a fee of $30,000 plus GST.
The highly-anticipated first crop of yearlings by Sacred Falls went under the hammer at Karaka earlier this year and they didn’t disappoint.
His youngsters averaged more than four times his service fee and sold up to $300,000.
Claiming the leading first season sire by average title, his progeny averaged $121, 547 during the Book 1 session and were chased by astute judges from around Australasia and Asia.
Sacred Falls will remain at a fee of $30,000 plus GST.
Leading sire and broodmare sire Pins has secured the top spot as New Zealand’s leading (living) broodmare sire. His daughters of Pins have left 28 stakes winners and this season alone have produced Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks winner Savvy Coup, Gr.1 Hong Kong Centenary Sprint Cup winner D B Pin as well as Group Two winners Ocean Emperor, Xbox and Savapinski.
The champion stallion Pins has now sired 11 Group One winners and 75 individual stakes winners and will stand again at a fee of $25,000 plus GST.
Gr.1 All Aged Stakes winner Tivaci was extremely well supported by breeders last season, covering 139 mares.
“The calibre of mares Tivaci covered during his first season at stud came as no surprise, he’s an impeccable looking stallion with all the quality attributes needed to make a successful sire,” Chittick.
Tivaci, whose first foals are eagerly awaited in the spring, will again stand for a fee of $20,000 plus GST.
Emerging young sire Rock ‘n’ Pop has enjoyed early success with seven winners in four different countries, including Gr.3 Sunline Vase runner-up Gold Spice and stakes performers The Lord Mayor and Paris Rock.
Results in the sale ring remain strong with Book 1 yearlings selling for up to $90,000 for an average of $72,500. Rock ‘n’ Pop will remain at a fee of $9000 plus GST.
Rios was sold via gavelhouse.co.nz earlier this week and we wish his new connections all the very best with him.
In keeping with the esteem in which the stud holds their roster, Waikato Stud welcome visitors to the farm to inspect the stallions first-hand.
“All of our stallions are based here throughout the year. We are very proud of our roster and love showing the stallions off to people,” Chittick enthused.
