Securing a top quality racehorse to stand at stud is just the first of many hurdles stallion masters have to navigate.
Blue Gum Farm can at least tick that first box with exciting newcomer, Sejardan, a pre-Christmas Group winning 2YO who raced on to success in the (Group 2) Todman and $1 million Golden Gift, before winning the (Group 3) Red Anchor at 3.
However, ensuring a stallion is afforded the ‘right’ mares from his initial book onwards? … well, that’s Becher’s Brook.
So many stallions have come a cropper right out of the gate due to indifferent support, but Blue Gum Farm is determined that Sejardan will have clear running come spring.
“We (Blue Gum) have already purchased a number of well bred and/or well performed mares specifically to be covered by Sejardan,” Blue Gum Farm’s Sean Dingwall points out, “and we’ll be up at the Gold Coast this week for the National Broodmare Sale to hunt for some more.
“A major factor in Sejardan’s favour right away is his athleticism. You just won’t see a better type and, despite being on farm for only a week or two, everyone that’s inspected him reckons he has that wow factor.”
Indeed, while a limited number of shares remain in Sejardan, he has already been given major support by a number of key investors including Trilogy Racing, Widden Stud, Bowness Stud, Watershed Farm and Hillside Downs.
By the late and very great Sebring, who has sired the winners of over $135 million – along with 80+ stakes winners – Sejardan hails from a massive speed family … which, of course, Sejardan himself contributed massively to and was accurately described as ‘explosive’ by a number of commentators. What’s more, Sebring is emerging as a sire of sires with up and comers Gold Standard and Supido bother producing Group 1 performers.
But just what ‘lines’ do Blue Gum consider will match up best with its multiple Group winning newcomer?
“That’s the great thing about Sejardan … I reckon he’ll work with so many broodmare sires and there’ll be a ton of opportunities at the Gold Coast this week,” Dingwall adds. “Interestingly, there will be a lot of mares (not just at the National Broodmare Sale) that will be coming off the track for the spring by stallions like I Am Invincible, Dundeel, Street Cry, Lonhro, Written Tycoon.
“Lonhro’s daughters have produced well over 60 stakes winners (including Group 1 winner Golden Mile), while Street Cry is the damsire of 20 Group 1 winners and, for that matter, proved to be a very good match up with Sebring (3 stakes winners).
“Others up close and present that should go well with Sejardan are Show A Heart, Ocean Park and Nicconi, while we’ll also be on the close look out for anything with (9-times Champion Broodmare Sire in Australia & New Zealand) Zabeel, O’Reilly (damsire of 24 Group 1 winners), Invincible Spirit, Shamardal, Kingmambo and Iffraaj, who is the damsire of Kiwi superstar Melody Belle.
“Pedigree buffs will likewise have a great time with Sejardan because our in depth research shows that Bletchingly, Twig Moss, Zeditave, Kenmare, Century, Damascus, Centaine and Habitat could be key influences as well.”
For further information phone Sean Dingwall on 0414 555 901, sean@bluegumfarm.com.au or Nominations Manager, Mark Lindsay, on 0474 347 252, mark@bluegumfarm.com.au
