Coolmore Stud’s management team rates Peter Snowden’s training capabilities high and the Darley mentor will prepare part of its huge racing string.
Snowden begins a new chapter in his career on Saturday week after the stand-alone Hawkesbury meeting. Following Snowden's resignation, John O’Shea was selected as Darley’s private trainer.
Coolmore has a tremendous rapport with most of Australia’s leading trainers and was quick to approach Snowden, inviting him to come to its Hunter Valley base and inspect its rising two-year-olds for next season.
“Peter is part of Coolmore’s plans," said the Irish operation's Australian studmaster, Michael Kirwan. "His record speaks for itself and we asked him to come up and look at our yearlings and gain his thoughts regarding our young horses.”
“We are leaving two horses with Peter which were formerly under John O’Shea’s care – a Fastnet Rock named Papillon Rouge and an Encosta De Lago youngster Olympic Dream.”
Snowden had another windfall last week when contacted by former jockey Mick Dittman, who is the agent for a wealthy Singapore owner.
“Mick rang me asking if I could visit Singapore to meet his owner, who is interested in racing in Sydney," Snowden said. "He’s planning on giving me three or four young horses to train, which is great.”
The trainer said he had received great support and was happy with his 60-box block of stables at Randwick, which have been refurbished by the ATC for him and his son Paul.
Sebring share up for grabs
A share in the exciting young sire Sebring is to be auctioned at the marathon Magic Millions National sale on the Gold Coast from May 25.
This year's sale should capture worldwide interest because of the reduction of Muzaffar Yaseen's Teeley Assets and more than 80 lots have been catalogued for the unreserved sale.
The strength of the catalogue for the weanlings, broodmare and yearling sales is enormous and Sebring's share on behalf of a West Australian breeder comes up as lot 759.
Widden Stud is finalising Sebring's covering fee, which will rise substantially on last year's $38,500 (including GST).
The WA share owner should be able to show a handsome profit on the purchase price, taking into account Sebring's huge group 1 treble during the Sydney autumn carnival.
Wins in the Rosehill Guineas and Australian Derby by Criterion followed Dissident's Randwick Guineas triumph - all group 1s - have ensured a full book for Sebring this spring.
Two-year-olds Believe Yourself and Bring Me The Maid also were great advertisements for Sebring as the duo were successful at group 2 level before the Golden Slipper.
The National sale begins with 600 weanlings being offered and in recent years many pinhookers have made good profits when reselling them as yearlings seven months later. The Kiwi bargain hunters will be out in force, no doubt.
Arrowfield fees out
Arrowfield is the first big stud to announce its new-season fees. Redoute’s Choice continues to head its list at $110,000, a drop from $137,500 last year.
Snitzel has had a leap from $49,500 to $71,500, which takes into account his progeny's phenomenal season on the track and in the sale ring.
During that period, Snitzel has sired Cox Plate winner Shamus Award, Snitzerland (Lightning Stakes) and Sweet Idea, winner of the group 2 Light Fingers.
Arrowfield’s latest acquisition, It's A Dundeel, has an introductory price of $27,500. It will be most surprising if breeders don’t flock to the six-time group 1 winner.
Animal Kingdom and Not A Single Doubt remain at $33,000; Smart Missile and Charge Forward also remain at last year's fee of $22,000, while Manhattan Rain drops from $27,500 to $16,500 – the same fee for All American.
Starcraft, the last of Arrowfield’s 10 stallions, had a decrease in his fee – $11,000, down from $22,000. All prices include GST.
Darley dominant at Newmarket
Darley’s Alister Pulford has produced some statistics following this year's Easter yearling sales at Newmarket and its sires combined to set up several strong performances over the three days of selling.
“This was the best Easter sales Darley has ever enjoyed, – Street Cry, in particular, coming away as the top stallion," Pulford said. "His average of $465,000 was the highest of any stallion.”
As head of sales for Darley, Pulford has compiled this list of achievements recorded by Sheikh Mohammed’s world-famous stud.
• Darley had seven of the top 15 stallions by average (three or more sold).
• Three of seven lots sold for $1 million or more were by Darley sires.
• The progeny of Darley stallions accounted for 24 per cent of the gross takings.
• The average of Darley sires' progeny was $269,000, higher than the $254,000 average for the sale.
• The clearance rate for Darley-sired progeny was 84 per cent, slightly better than the 82 per cent of the sale.
• Compared with last year, gross receipts by the progeny of Darley sires was up 49.4 per cent.
• The average price for Darley-sired youngsters rose by 26 per cent on last year.
Triple treat for Zenyatta
Zenyatta, the 10-year-old daughter of Street Cry which won 19 of her 20 starts, gave birth to a third foal last weekend – a filly by US sire sensation War Front, which commands a $US150,000 ($161,000) service fee.
The filly was born last Sunday and is a half-brother to colts by Bernardini and Tapit that foaled in 2012 and last year.
johnhollysenior@yahoo.com.au
