Multiple Group I winner Artorius will have one final run in the Group I Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot on June 24th before retiring to stud.
The globetrotting sprinter stud will be an exciting addition for Newgate with his fee been set at $27,500 including GST for the 2023 breeding season.
Emultaing grandsire Redoute’s Choice, Artorius was a dominant winner of the Group 1 Blue Diamond defeating Champion Anamoe, before training on to win the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes and placing in the Group 1 Platinum Jubilee, July Cup, Coolmore Stud Stakes, Caulfield Guineas, and George Ryder Stakes.
“Genetically Greg Perry line bred Artorius to be elite; he has a big pedigree and he hit the bullseye! He won the Blue Diamond at two just like his damsire Redoute’s Choice, defeating 9x Group 1 winner Anamoe. As a three-year-old he lined up in all the majors placing in some of the finest sprint races in the world,” said Bruce Slade Newgate’s Director of Bloodstock.
“His consistency at the top level is incredibly impressive and was again highlighted in his return as a four-year-old this season, where he landed another Group 1 victory in the Canterbury Stakes.
“Artorius will run again in the Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot in June before taking up stud duties at Newgate, but we have set his fee at $27,500 including GST nonetheless. We are basically saying to breeders who book in early - his base price is locked in but come along for the ride and any upside is on us if Arotorius happens to win this important Group 1. He was unlucky not to win the race last year, and he is racing as well as ever.”
“Artorius has been a high-class racehorse his entire career,” said co-trainer Anthony Freedman.
“From his first preparation at two he has stamped himself as elite and has shown incredible consistency and elite Group 1 form at three and now at four. Artorius has an incredible turn of foot, no horse has been able to go past him from 600m out. He possesses that elite sustained speed that good stallions have. He’s an incredible type physically and I have great confidence he’ll pass on all these attributes to his progeny.”
Slade continued, “I think breeders won’t go past the value Artorius represents given his body of work. Then when they see him in the flesh they will be blown away. He was selected by a couple of great judges in Anthony Freedman and Julian Blaxland as a yearling. He is a nice medium size, short coupled, and blessed with a big hip and action. He has that lovely dark brown colour from his great grandsire More Than Ready, and a terrific head and skin on him. Breeders will back Artorius in to leave commercial yearling types for them.”
