New Stallions Set to Shine at Karaka

The young guns will come out to play at Karaka 2020, with a new wave of exciting young stallions set to make a massive impact. This year’s Sale will showcase an especially high number of first season sires, with 25 featuring in the catalogue for Book 1 alone.

Here is a snapshot of the first six exciting stallion prospects with progeny offered at Karaka 2020.

New Zealand-based Stallions

BELARDO

Alphabetically, the first of the New Zealand-based newcomers is Belardo (Lope de Vega), who shuttles to Haunui Farm for a service fee of $12,000.

Belardo was a Group One winner as a two-year-old in the Dewhurst Stakes (1400m), then added the Lockinge Stakes (1600m) as a four-year-old to earn a Timeform rating of 126. He also ran second to champion American mare Tepin (Bernstein) in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot, and ran second to five-time Group One winner Solow (Singspiel) in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1600m).

Belardo is by Lope de Vega (Shamardal), the outstanding sire of more than 50 stakes winners including the sprint stars Santa Ana Lane and Vega Magic. Belardo is his only son at stud in Australasia.

Belardo’s dam, the Danehill mare Danaskaya, placed at Group One and Group Two level as a two-year-old in the UK.

Belardo is the sire of 26 yearlings offered at Karaka 2020. Lot 476 is out of the New Zealand Oaks winner Boundless (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy), while Lot 60 is a half-brother to stakes winner London Line (Blackfriars) and Lot 144 is a half-brother to this season’s stakes-performed two-year-old Ohio Showgirl (NZ) (Showcasing).

PREFERMENT

Standing for $12,500 at Brighthill Farm, Preferment (NZ) is by the legendary Zabeel (NZ) (Sir Tristram), who has become an outstanding sire of sires – headed by the current champion Kiwi stallion Savabeel.

There are only three Group One-winning sons of Zabeel currently standing at stud in Australasia – Savabeel, Don Eduardo (NZ) and Preferment.

Preferment won the Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) as a three-year-old, and he was voted champion stayer in Australia following a four-year-old season that featured Group One victories in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m), Australian Cup (2000m) and BMW (2400m).

Preferment defeated Group One-winning gallopers such as Hallowed Crown (Street Sense) and Awesome Rock (Fastnet Rock), who are embarking on their own stud careers in Australia.

Preferment’s brother to Rezoned (NZ) (Zabeel) won at Group Three level and is the dam of this season’s Group One MRC Thousand Guineas (1600m) placegetter Southbank (Fastnet Rock).

There are 30 progeny of Preferment catalogued.

Lot 87 is a half-sister to three stakes performers including the current Queensland cult hero The Candy Man (Casino Prince). Lot 503 is out of a half-sister to the Group Two winner Natalie Wood (NZ) (Yachtie), dam of Melbourne Cup placegetter Maluckyday (NZ) (Zabeel). Lot 591 is out of a full-sister to the Group One winner Age of Fire (Fastnet Rock).

PUCCINI

A multiple Group One-winning son of Encosta de Lago, Puccini (NZ) commands a $5,000 service fee at Mapperley Stud.

A champion sire himself, Encosta de Lago (Fairy King) is making his mark as a sire of sires. He is grandsire of Group One stars such as Golden Slipper heroine She Will Reign (Manhattain Rain) and Australian Guineas winner Mystic Journey (Needs Further).

Puccini is one of seven winners from six foals to race out of the Paris Opera mare Miss Opera (NZ). Two of that group were successful at Group One level.

Sir Slick (NZ) (Volksraad) won a total of 22 races in his remarkable career, six of them at the elite level.

Miss Opera’s other successful foals include Mr Jinky (NZ) (Volksraad), who placed at Group Two level, and the Group Three performer and successful broodmare Shortblackmini (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe). She is the dam of Group Two winner Amarula (NZ) (Thorn Park), Group Three winner and Group One-placed Little Wonder (NZ) (Volksraad) and Group Two-placed Langkawi (NZ) (Helmet).

Puccini himself was New Zealand’s champion three-year-old in 2013-14, winning four stakes races including the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m). He returned as a four-year-old to win the Group One Thorndon Mile (1600m).

Puccini is the sire of Lot 126 at Karaka 2020, a half-brother to the stakes-placed Naval Fleet (NZ) (Declaration of War). The colt’s dam is a three-quarter-sister to Don Garcia (NZ) (Danehill), who was a million-dollar yearling at Karaka in 2005 and won at stakes level.

RAGEESE

Rageese (Street Cry) is one of a trio of new sires at Windsor Park Stud who will feature at Karaka 2020. His service fee is $5,000.

Windsor Park has been a nursery for terrific young stallions in recent seasons, claiming first season sire titles with Shamexpress (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit) in the last two years.

Rageese is by Street Cry (Machiavellian), the sire of champion mares Winx and Zenyatta. He is also a successful sire of sires, with Per Incanto consistently ranking among the top three on New Zealand’s sire standings.

Rageese won four races including the Group Three L’Oreal Paris Stakes (1400m) at Flemington. He ran second to the highly rated young Australian stallion Pride of Dubai (Street Cry) in the Group One ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), beating another stallion prospect in Odyssey Moon (Snitzel).

Rageese descends from fourth dam Emancipation (Bletchingly), who was an Australian Horse of the Year and won six Group One races including the Doncaster Handicap (1600m) and George Main Stakes (1600m). The family also features the Group One winners Rumya (Red Ransom), Stratum Star (Stratum), Virage de Fortune (Anabaa) and Caulfield Cup winner Railings (Zabeel).

There are nine Rageese yearlings in Book 1 and Books 2 & 3 of Karaka 2020. Lot 274 is a half-brother to stakes winner Flavigny (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) and well-performed Hong Kong sprinter Pingwu Spark (NZ) (Mastercraftsman), while Lot 354 is closely related to Rattan (NZ) (Savabeel), a Group One performer in Hong Kong. Lot 367 is out of the multiple Group One placegetter Trepidation (NZ) (Falkirk), and the dam of Lot 579 won at Group Two level in South Africa.

TARZINO

Standing at Westbury Stud for a fee of $15,000, Tarzino (NZ) is the first son of high-class stallion Tavistock (NZ) (Montjeu) to retire to stud.

Tarzino is closely related to the Group One winner Kindacross (NZ) (Cape Cross), the Group Two winner Respect (NZ) (Zabeel) and the Group One-placed Kind Return (NZ) (Zabeel).

On the racetrack, Tarzino collected four wins including the Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) and Rosehill Guineas (2000m).

In the Rosehill Guineas, he defeated the subsequent multiple Group one winners Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock) and Jameka (Myboycharlie).

Tarzino was voted champion three-year-old in Australia in 2015-16, beating highly rated young stallions such as Exosphere (Lonhro), Spill the Beans (Snitzel) and Press Statement (Hinchinbrook).

Tarzino is represented in big numbers offered at Karaka 2020, appearing as the sire of 36 quality yearlings.

Lot 39 is a half-sister to Singapore’s Champion 2YO of 2016, Lim’s Racer (NZ) (Red Giant).

The dam of Lot 179 is a three-quarter-sister to the dam of Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist (Monsun).

Lot 15 is out of a half-sister to the multiple Group One winner Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj), the dam of Lot 47 is a half-sister to multiple Group One winner Lotteria (Redoute’s Choice), and the dam of Lot 112 is a half-sister to a Grade One-winning two-year-old in America.

TELPERION

A barn mate to Tarzino at Westbury Stud, Telperion (Street Cry) stands at a service fee of $5,000.

Telperion is a half-brother to Kementari (Lonhro), who won the Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) and is beginning a stud career at Darley Australia for a fee of A$33,000.

Telperion is by Street Cry (Machiavellian), the sire of champion mares Winx and Zenyatta. He is also a successful sire of sires, with Per Incanto consistently ranking among the top three on New Zealand’s sire standings.

In a short racing career, Telperion won the Listed Lonhro Plate (1100m), beating subsequent Group One winners Prized Icon (More than Ready) and Spright (Hinchinbrook). Prized Icon now stands at Kooringal Stud for A$11,000.

Telperion finished second to that season’s champion filly Yankee Rose (All American) in the Group One ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick. He also finished fourth in the Golden Slipper (1200m) behind Capitalist (Written Tycoon), who commands a A$55,000 fee at Newgate Farm.

Among those behind him in that Golden Slipper were Star Turn (Star Witness), who stands for A$22,000 at Vinery Stud, Extreme Choice (Not a Single Doubt), whose fee at Newgate Farm is also A$22,000, Astern (Medaglia d’Oro), who commands A$33,000 at Darley, and Kiss and Make Up (More than Ready), an A$11,000 stallion at Aquis Farm.

Telperion has 29 yearlings entered for next year’s Sale. Lot 486 is a half-brother to the multiple Listed winner Global Thinking (So You Think), and Lot 502 is a half-brother to Ho Ho Khan (NZ) (Makfi), whose five wins include the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin. The colt’s dam is a half-sister to Group One winner Royal Descent (Redoute’s Choice).

KARAKA 2020 SCHEDULE

Karaka Million Twilight Meeting: Saturday 25 January

Book 1: Sunday 26 January – Tuesday 28 January

Book 2: Wednesday 29 January – Friday 31 January

Book 3: Friday 31 January

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