home  > Latest News Items > May 2003, Item 47.

Main News Desk 

Back

Comparison of 2003 stud fees between the northern & southern hemispheres “reflects not only the generally lower level of the Australasian bloodstock market, but also the slightly different fashions of the regions,” summed up racingpost.co.uk in an analysis of the international market for shuttle sires.

“Sires noted for speed & precocity have a buoyant Australian fee compared with their northern level, while stouter, ‘Classic’ sires take a greater fee drop on their travels.” Cited as “the most notable example of this” is Coolmore Australia’s Thunder Gulch, whose $22,000 Australian fee this southern spring is just 21.6% of his price at Ashford Stud In the US. It can also work the other way, “as Darley Australia’s fees for the shuttling stallions at its base at the former Kelvinside Stud in the NSW Hunter Valley demonstrate: Elusive Quality, sire of high-class 2YOs on both sides of the Atlantic in his 1st crop & rattling up the stakes performances again this time, has an Australian fee way in excess of his 2003 figure at Gainsborough in Kentucky.”

It partly reflects the stallion’s good US results in the early months of this year, & also the fact that he has 4 stakes winners out of mares by Danzig-line stallions. “But basically his profile – precocity & speed, with a strong pedigree – has great appeal in Australasia,” noted racingpost.co.uk; his dam is a half-sister to Gold And Ivory, who stood in NZ. Of the 16 Coolmore stallions standing in Australia this season, 7 come from Ashford in the US, 8 from Coolmore Ireland & King Of Kings is at East Stud in Japan. Darley’s team also includes Japanese resident Carnegie. Both Coolmore & Darley are also sending stallions to NZ. Coolmore is yet to finalise its NZ list, but it is likely to include 2003 newcomer Golan. Darley is sending Bertolini & Cape Cross.

TBA Latest News Items

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia News Headlines