21 Freshman Sires at Karaka 2014

A fresh batch of feature stallions are set to have progeny hit the sale ring at Karaka 2014, with 21 first season sires represented across the Premier, Select and Festival catalogues.

Westbury Stud's Makfi.

Amongst the selection that have resided in New Zealand or Australia during the 2011 season are seven shuttles sires that covered books in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

The lightly raced but brilliant Makfi (Dubawi) raced on six occasions claiming four victories that included two Group 1 races, including the three-year-old classic The Two Thousand Guineas. By champion sire Dubawi, Makfi has 40 Lots catalogued between the Premier and Select Sales, including a half-sister to stakes winning fillies Dolmabache and Pure Elegance (Lot 171).

American-bred sire Congrats (A.P. Indy) has made a fantastic start to his stud career in the USA, becoming Champion First Season Sire and already the sire of three Group 1 winners in his homeland. His success prompted Vinery Stud to shuttle the Group 2 winner out to Australia for the 2011 breeding season, where he now has 5 lots entered across the three Karaka Sale sessions.

Five-time Group 1 winner Lookin at Lucky (Smart Strike) was a brilliant racehorse in America, winning at Group 1 level as two- and three-year-old, including the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the famed American Triple Crown. Coolmore Stud purchased the sire and shuttled him to its Hunter Valley base for one season. Lookin at Lucky has 3 lots catalogued in the Premier and Select Sales, including a colt out of Group 2 winning mare Ballybleue (Lot 372).

Multiple Group 1 winner Paco Boy (Desert Style) was the winner of over �1 million, ranking among the top milers of his generation. A feature lot for the sire will be a colt out of Volkrose, a half-brother to Group 1 winning sprinter Shamexpress (Lot 335) among the 12 lots entered across all three Sales sessions.

Coolmore shuttle sire Rip Van Winkle (Galileo) was a three-time Group 1 winner and was crowned World Champion Miler of his year. He is the highest-rated son of Galileo at stud with a Timeform Rating of 134 and covered a strong book of mares at Windsor Park Stud in his first season. He has 71 yearlings entered at Karaka 2014, including 37 lots in the Premier Sale, the most of all the freshman sires.

Among the local crop of freshman sires is 2009 Melbourne Cup hero Shocking (Street Cry). The Rich Hill Stud sire was also a Group 1 WFA winner over 2000m in the Australian Cup showing his brilliance. His progeny at Karaka 2014 includes the offspring of stakes performers Fairfield Flame (Lot 1) and Mill Duckie (Lot 648). Shocking has 43 lots catalogued across all three Sale sessions.

Showcasing (Oasis Dream) was the fastest-ever winner of the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes in his brief seven-start career that included a Group 1 placing. The Haunui Farm-based sire carries a strong pedigree and featuring among his 39 yearlings at Karaka 2014.

Starspangledbanner (Choisir) was an international racehorse that produced four Group 1 wins in Australia and Great Britain and earned over A$2.2 million in stakes. The son of Choisir hails from the family of Elvstroem and Haradasun and has two lots at Karaka 2014.

Italian sprinter Per Incanto (Street Cry) was an undefeated three-year-old and was named Champion 3YO in Italy for 2007. He is by champion sire Street Cry, the sire of champions such as American sensation Zenyatta. Per Incanto has 19 entries across all three Sales including son of stakes winning and producing mare Sound Lover (Lot 263).

Australian sire Hinchinbrook (Fastnet Rock) is a three-quarter brother to successful young sire Snitzel and is by sire of the moment Fastnet Rock whose first sire sons proved popular at 2013 Sales. Hinchinbrook was a Group 3 winner and competed at the highest level throughout his career, placing four times at Group 1 level. Hinchinbrook has 1 entry in the Premier Sale.

Group 1 winning sprinter Star Witness (Starcraft) won Group 1 races as a two- and three-year-old in Australia before placing second in the Group 1 King�s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Australian-based sire will be represented by 2 yearlings in the Premier Sale.

New Zealand-bred stayer Monaco Consul (High Chaparral) was a dual Group 1 winner as three-year-old winning the VRC Derby and the Spring Champion Stakes before being retired to Patinack Farm. The son of High Chaparral has a single entry catalogued in the Select Sale.

Australian speedster Rothesay (Fastnet Rock) is a Group 2 winning sprinting son of champion sire Fastnet Rock and is from the speed family of Canny Lass, Canny Lad, Sepoy and Guelph. Rothesay has 2 entries in the Select Sale.

Another speedy son of Fastnet Rock, Stryker (Fastnet Rock) was a Group 3 winning racehorse and multiple Group 1 placegetter from a strong black-type family. He is represented by 3 yearlings in the Select Sale.

The well-bred Tickets (Redoute�s Choice), another new sire son of Redoute�s Choice, is a half-brother to young sires Duporth and Excites and was Group 2 winner as a two- and three-year-old as well as placing twice in Group 1 company. He will be represented by 2 horses in the Select Sale.

Shamoline Warrior (Shamardal) is a brother to Group 1 Derby winner Rebel Raider and a Group 3 winner himself. The son of dual hemisphere sire Shamardal has 13 yearlings entered across the Select and Festival Sales.

Victorian-based sire Equiano (Acclamation) was among the top sprinters of his generation capturing the Group 1 King�s Stand Stakes on two consecutive occasions, defeating Australian stars such as Takeover Target and Nicconi. The Swettenham Stud resident sire is by proven sire Acclamation and has 1 yearling entered in the Select Sale.

The precocious Beneteau (Redoute�s Choice) finished an unlucky third in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes as a two-year-old. Out of a full-sister to brilliant racemare Alinghi, he is the son of the well-known sire of sires Redoute�s Choice. He has 1 entry in the Select Sale.

Another sire by the successful Redoute�s Choice is Man of Power (Redoute�s Choice), a son of Caulfield Cup winner Mannerism and four-time Group 1 winner. Man of Power is a half-brother to two stakes winners including sire Manner Hill. He has 4 entries in the Festival Sale.

A blueblood stallion of the studbook is Prince Conti (Redoute�s Choice). Unraced due to injury, the son of Redoute�s Choice is a three-quarter brother to five-time Group 1 winner and hot young sire Darci Brahma, and is the son of Group 1 Oaks winner Grand Echezeaux. Prince Conti has a sole entry in the Festival Sale.

Montjeu�s staying son Gorky Park (Montjeu), a stakes winner over 3200m, was Group 1 runner-up in the Victoria Derby as three-year-old. He has 2 entries in the Festival Sale.