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22.
Darley Throws Down The
Gauntlet
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09/03/2003 |
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A
stellar list of 10 international stallions will stand under the Darley banner in
the Hunter Valley in 2003.
The challenge of Arab-owned Darley to the dominance of the shuttle stallion
market by Coolmore and to a lesser extent Arrowfield and Widden Studs has been
substantiated by the announcement that five new stallions will stand at its
newly-dveeloped Hunter Valley base near Aberdeen this spring.
The new Darley shuttle sires are US champion Elusive Quality, Dubai World Cup
winner Street Cry, champion European miler Noverre, multiple G1 winner Tobougg
and US Group winner E Dubai.
Also returning after missing the 2002 southern hemisphere breeding season is
King’s Best.
They will supplement the return of Darley’s 2002 Hunter Valley-based shuttle
sires Carnegie, Fantastic Light, Xaar and Lujain.
Darley also stood Bertolini, Cape Cross, Saratoga Springs and Lion Cavern by
arrangement at other stud farms in Australia and New Zealand in 2002.
The expansion of the Darley roster has been possible following last year’s
purchase of the former Kelvinside property of former jockey Hilton Cope.
Kelvinside, long regarded as one of the prime thoroughbred properties in the
Hunter Valley, has been re-developed by Darley as a stallion station with
facilities to support numbers to rival Coolmore and Arrowfield.
The arrival of Elusive Quality is a coup for Australia as he was the champion US
freshman sire in 2002. The son of Gone West produced eight stakeswinners from
his sensational first crop including G1 winner Elusive City.
The other new Darley imports are:-
? Street Cry (Machiavellian): Highest rated juvenile of his generation in the US
and winner of the G1 Dubai World Cup. He retired last year as the highest rated
horse in the world in 2002.
? Noverre (Rahy): Brilliant European champion three-year-old miler and G1
juvenile regarded as the most precocious son of champion sire Rahy;
? Tobougg (Barathea): Unbeaten champion UK juvenile colt after winning the G1
Dewhurst Stakes (beating Mozart)and the G1 Prix de la Salamandre. AT three he ws
third in the second fastest Epsom Derby in history.
? E Dubai (Mr. Prospector): Winner of the Dwyer Stakes in record time, emulating
other outstanding Mr Prospector stallions Seeking The Gold and Gone West.
Darley’s Australian manager Oliver Tait believes the 2003 roster offers
exceptional choice for Australian breeders.
“Darley has selected an exceptional roster of horses for the 2003 season,”
Tait said.
”We have several who are noted for their excellence at two, others who have
set records,and numerous champions.
“All are extremely well-bred and we are particularly pleased to be able to
introduce to Australia a proven stallion as exciting and as brilliant as Elusive
Quality.
“He’s already produced two stakes winners to Danzig line mares, which bodes
well for a big future here in Australia.”
Tait said he was sure the return of King’s Best (Kingmambo), a world champion
miler who was prevented from returning to Australia last spring due to injury,
will be another asset for Darley this year.
However Carnegie, who began his shuttle seasons in New Zealand where produced
such outstanding classic winners as Amalfi and Carnegie Express, is expected to
top the Darley stallion fees this year.
World Racing Series champion and record-breaking Breeders ’Cup Turf winner
Fantastic Light successfully completed his first Australian season in 2002.
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