Group 1 winner Portland Sky to stand at Widden Stud
Top-class sprinter Portland Sky (Deep Field), the first Group 1 winner by Deep Field (Northern Meteor), has been retired from his racing career and will join the Widden Stud roster for the 2022 season.
Portland Sky showed his stakes potential early on in his career, winning his debut maiden at Ballarat on August 25, 2020.
After two disappointing efforts in a 1000-metre handicap and 1000-metre Listed contest, Portland Sky, an $85,000 purchase as a yearling for trainer Matt Laurie, proved to be a shrewd acquisition as he won the Red Anchor Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), beating subsequent Group winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) in the process.
Making his reappearance after a two-month spell, the then three-year-old was last of 17 in the Vo Rogue Plate (Gr 3, 1400m) on his only start over more than 1200 metres.
Bouncing back to his best, he was then a winner of the Manfred Mann (Gr 3, 1200m), beating a high-class field which included Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) runner-up Aysar (Deep Field) and Blue Diamond (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa).
The crowning moment in his racing career came as he gained a first and only elite-level success when a dead-heat winner the Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) on his next start.
“A look at the honour roll tells you it takes an exceptional three-year-old to win the race. Furthermore, Portland Sky defeated Anders, Dirty Work and Hanseatic that day, all of which have proven to be extremely popular freshman stallions with breeders this season,” said Widden’s Antony Thompson.
Proving that form to be true, Portland Sky was then runner-up behind multiple Group winner Masked Crusader (Toronado) in the weight-for-age William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on his final start as a three-year-old.
“The William Reid was a crack field and tellingly, Portland Sky beat home fellow three-year-olds September Run and Swats That, who ran the quinella in the Coolmore during the spring,” Thompson added.
Returning as a four-year-old this season, the signs looked very promising as Portland Sky was again runner-up at Group level, this time behind The Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor) in the McEwen Stakes (Gr 2, 1000m).
However, after a poor showing in the AJ Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) in which he finished tenth of 11 runners, the decision was made for the four-year-old to be retired to stud duties, finishing with a race record of four wins from ten starts and prize-money earnings of $583,075.
A second foal out of placed mare Sky Rumba (Shrewd Rhythm), who herself is a half-sister to Australian Listed winner London Line (Blackfriars) out of a half-sister to three-time Australian Group 1 winner Scenic Shot (Scenic), Portland Sky will be the second son of Deep Field to take up stud duties after Cosmic Force, who currently stands at Newgate Farm for a fee of $16,500 (inc. GST).
“He’s from a sireline we have the utmost respect for and is the best colt by Northern Meteor’s top class sire son Deep Field,” Thompson said. “He’s a masculine, good-looking horse with elite Group 1 sprinting form.”
Trainer Matt Laurie was also complimentary about the horse that provided him with his first ever Group 1 success. “He is a particularly good-looking horse, a magnificent animal and he’s definitely got the right attitude,” he said.
“I was offered big money early days as a young horse off his very first trial, but it wasn’t enough, wasn’t anywhere near enough! We had a big opinion of this horse right from the beginning.
“Although there has been interest from a number of parties, I am thrilled that Portland Sky will become resident of a stud with Widden’s history and status as one of Australia’s most iconic farms.
“Portland Sky has been a special horse for myself, our team and of course, his owners. Not being breeders ourselves, our first goal was to ensure he went to a farm where he would be given every opportunity to excel in the breeding shed.
“History says these colts, who excel in open company, have the makings and ability to become great Australian sires, remembering he has the looks to boot,” Laurie continued.
Thompson said that it is yet to be confirmed whether Portland Sky will stand in the Hunter Valley or at their Victorian farm.
“He is a stallion that is bound to be popular in either state and once we’ve taken stock of the situation, we’ll determine where the best opportunities lie for a horse of his class,” Thompson said.
Widden have confirmed that they will be offering shares and lifetime breeding rights in the horse.