Cambridge Stud excited about the future for Sword Of State
Cambridge Stud are allowing themselves to hope Sword Of State (Snitzel) could be “one out of the box” after another impressive winner on Saturday kept the first-season stallion’s perfect Australian record intact.
Warwoven – the second-most expensive lot from Sword Of State’s first crop of yearlings – debuted in highly impressive style with a 2.2-length victory in Randwick’s TAB Plate (1000m).
Sword Of State has only a small sample size, but the fact his only other Australian runner – and run – yielded a black type win via Lindsay Park’s Torture in Caulfield’s Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) has made for a dream start for the Cambridge sire.
With Warwoven, a $380,000 Gold Coast buy for trainer Bjorn Baker and associates, headed for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m), expectations are high that Sword Of State’s 50 yearlings at next month’s Karaka Sale will be in keen demand – as will his three at the season-opening Magic Millions sale.
Sword Of State’s early on-course results are in keeping with the rare strides he’s made at stud – with a fee increase from NZ$15,000 to NZ$20,000 (all fees plus GST) before he’d had a runner being met with a boom in his mares book, from 131 covers in 2024 to more than 170 in the spring just gone.
“He’s begun incredibly well, really,” Cambridge’s sales and nominations manager Scott Calder told ANZ News.
“To have his first two Australian runners win is one thing, but for one of them to be a stakes winner, and the other to win at Randwick like Warwoven did on Saturday and be headed towards the Magic Millions, you have to pinch yourself a little bit. It’s been a fantastic start.
“He’s building momentum in New Zealand, but certainly the Australian results are what’s really driving the excitement.
“He was by far our most popular stallion this year through the spring, which was largely because of how well his yearlings sold earlier this year. And then When Torture came out and won a stakes race earlier in the spring, the hype just went into overdrive really.
“We try to keep our feet on the ground, but it’s hard not to get ahead of yourself with what he’s doing so far.
“For a stallion to have a fee increase in year four is a bit out of the ordinary and then we saw his mare numbers go through the roof. It’s just a reflection of everyone’s confidence in him.
“That’s why it’s been extra heartening to see his early runners justify that faith. We hope it’s a sign of what’s to come, and we’ll cross our fingers that he might be one out of the box.”
Across the Tasman, Sword Of State hasn’t had a winner yet from three runners, but the signs are encouraging.
Te Akau Racing’s Sword Of Stars has been second in both of her starts and is on her way to the rich Karaka 2YO Million (RL, 1200m).
And last Tuesday at Avondale, two of the stallion’s progeny won barrier trials in gelding High Goal – his second-top priced New Zealand yearling at NZ$400,000 – and filly O’Valerie, who beat another Sword Of State into second place in Imperial Rose.
“He’s got a couple entered for the two-year-old race at Ellerslie on Boxing Day as well, so he’s building momentum over here,” Calder said.
“He was by far our most popular stallion this year through the spring, which was largely because of how well his yearlings sold earlier this year, and hopefully they’ll sell well again next month.”
Bred by Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock, and bought by Te Akau’s David Ellis for $600,000 at the Gold Coast, Sword Of State had long been destined to stand at Cambridge.
The stud was part of the colts syndicate that raced him with Te Akau in a brilliant career of six wins – four at stakes level – from 11 starts, including the Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) for juveniles.
Cambridge increased their stake in him after that stellar two-year-old season, hoping for the precocity that he so far looks to be delivering, which Calder admitted made for an exhilarating change within the New Zealand landscape.
“It’s a bit new for us really. Normally in New Zealand we’re waiting for late season two-year-olds or three-year-old Classic horses, so it’s a bit of a unique position to be in,” he said.
“But he’s always been a horse who’s appealed as a precocious stallion, and if you look at his pedigree and everything about him, you’d have liked to have thought he could measure up with the Aussies. That’s what he’s got to do and he’s making a good fist of it.
“It’s exciting for us, and it’s exciting for everyone in the industry in New Zealand really.
“He’s got 50-odd yearlings at Karaka. Everyone’s always waiting for that next young stallion to put their hand up, so hopefully it can be him.
“In the New Zealand context we found he really stood out for his precocity. If you compare his race record and his bloodlines, there are some very highly rated horses in New Zealand, but I don’t think many of them can compare to Sword Of State when it comes to that two-year-old form.”
Sword Of State’s 29 Karaka yearlings last January averaged a robust NZ$155,000, topped by the NZ$540,000 colt bought from Cambridge’s draft by Mulberry Racing out of Perth Listed winner Fuld’s Bet (I Am Invincible).
One of them, a filly from Cambridge’s draft, was co-bought by the England cricket team’s Kiwi coach Brendon “Bazball” McCullum, who’ll be hoping the stallion can bring him better fortune than he’s enjoyed in the current Ashes series.
This year’s 25 book one yearlings are set to be highlighted by Lot 513, a half-brother to Cambridge-bred star Ceolwulf (Tavistock), who boosted the page in timely fashion with his back-to-back elite spring double of Randwick’s King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 1609m) and Flemington’s Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m).
Cambridge is also buzzing over its Lot 214, a filly out of Vera Drake (Footstepsinthesand), a winning half-sister to triple stakes-winning stayer Vengeur Masque (Monsun).
“Ceolwulf had an amazing spring, and is one of the best horses to come off Cambridge for quite some time,” Calder said.
“To have a half-brother by Sword Of State, who’s sort of the sire of the moment, he’s a horse we’re very excited about bringing to the sale. Conformation wise he also stacks up to his pedigree.”
As for the Kia Ora Stud-bred Warwoven – the first foal of 2021 ARC Royal Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) winner Needle And Thread (Makfi) – Cambridge couldn’t hope for a better advertisement for its seven-year-old stallion.
“Late last year, once the on-farm parades started in Australia, he was a horse who kept getting mentioned to us back in New Zealand,” Calder said.
“He was the highest seller of a nice group of Sword of States at Magic Millions Gold Coast, and it’s vindication for everyone that he’s gone on and shown ability. Hopefully he can continue to do that – it certainly looks like he’s got upside.
“It was interesting to hear Bjorn’s comments after the race. The horse hadn’t worked that flash during the week, and he thought 1000 metres might be a bit sharp for him, so to win like that was impressive. Plus, he could potentially be better over a little bit further. Leading to the Magic Millions, that’s a really good sign.”