Group One performer Staphanos will join the stallion ranks of Novara Park Stud, just outside of Cambridge, in the new season.
A winner as a juvenile, the son of Deep
Impact went on to record a trio of victories as a three-year old, defeating
subsequent Japanese Horse of the Year and stallion Maurice at Kyoto before
rounding off his campaign with victory in the Gr.3 Tokyo Fuji Stakes
(1600m).
As a four-year-old he was runner-up in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin before returning to Japan to finish runner-up in the Gr.1 Tenno Sho (2000m) at Tokyo.
His five- and six-year-old seasons yielded a further three placings at Group
One level, including the Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
The acquisition of Staphanos follows on from the loss of promising young sire Jakkalberry, who was the foundation stallion for Luigi Muollo's Novara park Stud in Waikato.
"We were on the lookout for a highly-ranked Group One racehorse to replace Jakkalberry who died last year," Novara park manager Ray Knight said.
"We looked at a large number of stallion prospects for 2018, but none ticked all the boxes, so we decided to wait for the right one.
"Staphanos fits all the criteria we set when selecting a stallion - performance, pedigree, physique and commercial appeal.
"His ranking in Japan as one of the best three, four, five and six-year-olds is
unmatched. He was a multiple Group One performer in Japan and represented his
country as a multiple Group One performer in Hong Kong.
"Staphanos is an outstanding and correct physical type and full of quality."
Staphanos is a son of Deep Impact, one of the world's great stallions, having
sired 39 individual Group One winners and 10.4 percent stakes winners to
runners.
The entire's three-time winning dam Kokoshnik is by successful Japanese stallion Kurofune, who hails from the immediate family of New Zealand-raced mare and Gr.1 Great Northern Oaks (2400m) winner Catania.
Staphanos is a sibling to four winners, including the stakes-placed Finift, while his multiple Listed-winning granddam Gold Tiara is a half-sister to the late Darley shuttle stallion Poet's Voice, whose progeny include Gr.1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) hero Trap For Fools.
"He is by the world's hottest sire Deep Impact who has an advertised service fee of NZ$540,000 and is greatly sought after by all our main international markets," Knight said. "This is a fantastic opportunity for the New Zealand breeding industry to access a top-class racehorse with a globally pedigree."
Staphanos will stand for a service fee of NZ$7,000+GST and joins the roster of the emerging breeding operation which also stands young Lonhro sire Sweynesse. – NZ Racing Desk
