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Victoria-based owner-breeders Dennis & Margaret Marks announced Ustinov (Seeking The Gold-Let’s Elope) will stand at Brighthill Farm stud in NZ’s Waikato region this spring. Dennis Marks told thoroughbrednews.co.nz: "We chose Brighthill Farm because of the enthusiasm & confidence which Nick & Anne-Marie King have shown in Ustinov.”

The Marks will support Ustinov in his 1st season with a number of their own mares, including Gem's Box, Amyride, Saving, Took A Chance, Via Roma, Mrs Tendulkar & Golden Sand; last year these mares visited stallions of the quality of Encosta De Lago, Royal Academy, Canny Lad & Scenic. Ustinov’s regal breeding came after the Marks sent their outstanding racemare Let's Elope (winner of the 1991 Gr1 Caulfield & Gr1 Melbourne Cups, plus Gr1 Mackinnon Stakes & Gr1 Australian Cup & 1992 Australian Horse-Of-The-Year) to the US, where she performed with distinction with 3rd placings in the Gr1 Arlington Beverley D Stakes (she won this race but was relegated behind 2-time US Horse-Of-The-Year Flawlessly), Santa Anita Oak Tree Invitational Handicap & Del Mar Ramona Handicap.

Let's Elope's first mating at stud in the US was with Danzig, followed by Storm Cat & then Seeking The Gold. Dennis Markes explained: "We got special permission from Seeking The Gold's owner Seth Hancock of Claiborne Farm to breed Let's Elope to Southern Hemisphere time. When Ustinov was born in Australia at Coolmore Stud it was the culmination of a dream for us.

" Ustinov's sire Seeking The Gold is one of the best sons at stud by legendary sire Mr Prospector; Seeking The Gold won 8 races during his career on the track (including the Gr1 Dwyer Stakes) & as a sire has produced 5 champions, 6 millionaires, 50 stakes winners, 35 Group winners, 83 stakes horses & the earners of US$52 million from 10 crops to race. Seeking The Gold is the sire of World Horse-Of-The-Year Dubai Millennium (9 wins & US$7.3 million) as well as Secret Savings, Eclipse Award winners Flanders & Heavenly Prize, as well as Seeking The Pearl. With 10% stakes winners from foals, Seeking The Gold is one of the Top 10 active sires in the world by life-time % of stakes-winners; his service fee at Claiborne Farm last year was US$250,000.

Ustinov won the Gr2 AAMI Vase (2040m) at Moonee Valley & finished 2nd or 3rd in 6 other group races as a 3YO at distances from 1200-2400m (including runner-up in both the Gr1 Caulfield Guineas & Champagne Stakes). Nick King summed up: "The arrival of Ustinov at stud marks the dawn of a new era in stallions in our part of the world - a horse conceived in the US with international pedigree & proven performance under Australasian conditions." Ustinov's fee for 2003 will be NZ$8,000 plus gst.

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