Identifying a sireline on the rise and getting on board is what separates the truly elite studs from the also rans and sometimes success appears where you may not expect to find it.
In a land that prizes brilliant speed in a thoroughbred above all else it seems somewhat surprising that a colt by Sadler’s Wells that won the Epsom Derby back in 2002 is now exerting a considerable influence on commercial breeding in Australia.
High Chaparral won the Epsom Derby the year after Galileo and while his overall record as a sire pales in comparison to the latter stallion, here in Australia it is High Chaparral that has hit the target in terms of establishing a sire dynasty.
He produced three outstanding sons in So You Think, Dundeel and the Irish bred Toronado (IRE), who have generated a steady stream of G1 horses and in the case of Dundeel, some absolutely outstanding colts.
His champion son Militarize hit the hurdle of infertility after one incomplete season at Newgate in the Hunter Valley and found himself back racing as a gelding, but Dundeel has smashed it out of the park with two other sons in Super Seth and Castelvecchio.
Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth retired to Waikato Stud in New Zealand and delivered four G1 winners (three in Australia) among 10 stakes-winners in his first two crops.
As a result, Coolmore came calling and he will stand his first season in Australia this spring at a fee of $137,500.
Winner of the G1 Champagne Stakes at two and Rosehill Guineas at three, Castelvecchio retired to Arrowfield and produced two G1 winners in his first crop and one of them is Aeliana, who may well emerge as the best racehorse in Australia this spring.
Castelvecchio will stand for his highest ever fee of $60,500 this year.
If you believe good things go in threes then it will pay to look closely at Wooodside Park Stud’s glorious grey Dundeel stallion Celestial Legend.
He was bred at Arrowfield and carries the same brand as both Super Seth and Castelvecchio.
Like Super Seth and Castelvecchio, he showed speed and precocity to win at two, but blossomed at three over a mile to win the Group I ATC Randwick Guineas and Doncaster Mile.
On pedigree, Celestial Legend is arguably superior to both Super Seth and Castelvecchio given he is from unraced Snitzel mare Saraqa, a three-quarter sister to a pair of South African Group I winning colts Rafeef and Mustaqueem, with the former being a highly successful sire.
His grand-dam National Colour (SAfr) was a triple Group I winner rated the Champion Sprinter of her time and the joint South African Horse of the Year in 2005/2006, so is very similar in profile to that other champion South African mare that came to Australia in Via Africa (SAfr), the dam of G1 stars Autumn Glow and In The Congo.
Celestial Legend is lining up for his second season at Woodside this spring at a fee of $24,200 and Stud Manager Mark Dodemaide revealed breeders will see a very different horse this year.
“When he came to us he still looked like a racehorse, but in the 12 months since then he has really let down and matured,” said Dodemaide.
“For anyone that saw him last year, you will notice a big difference and we just can’t wait to see his first foals.
“He did all of his racing Sydney and I can’t help but think down the track his yearlings will appeal in that market even though he stands in Victoria.”
Super Seth, Castelvecchio….. Celestial Legend, good things do come in threes!
