Sky’s the limit for Darling View’s Playing God as new fee is set
Western Australia’s premier stallion Playing God (Blackfriars) will stand for a joint state record fee of $33,000 (inc GST) at Darling View Thoroughbreds this year, in recognition of his growing reputation locally and interstate.
The sire of 12 stakes winners from 129 runners, the dual Kingston Town Classic (Gr 1, 1800m) winner has had his fee increased in each of the past four years, the past three at Darling View, and studmaster Brent Atwell believes Playing God deserves another rise in 2023.
He stood for $27,500 last year, up from $16,500 in 2021.
Atwell told ANZ Bloodstock News that Darling View had considered increasing his fee beyond $33,000, but he was mindful of the economic constraints and ensuring he remained within the budget of the vast majority of Western Australian breeders.
“He’s been very well received already. People are booking mares without even knowing his fee and we’ve had some good interest from eastern state breeders as well,” Atwell said.
“The Westspeed scheme is going unbelievably well, so I think people can see there’s money to be made and our [Magic Millions Perth] sale was obviously right up there with the best this season as far as percentages go, so it presents an opportunity and why not visit a horse like Playing God.
“I see him in the top echelon at the moment – he’s at nearly 9.5 per cent stakes winners to runners, so he sits right up there in the stats with a lot of the good horses.”
Playing God has sired four stakes winners so far this season – Feels Playful, Playing Marika, Nerodio and Bustler – and Atwell is confident that the best is yet to come from the offspring of the rising 16-year-old stallion.
His 14 yearlings, conceived off a $13,200 service fee, sold at this year’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale averaged $133,929 and sold to a top of $280,000.
“He has done what he’s done, with all due respect, off a few mid-range books, so to speak, and now the past couple of seasons he’s really getting every breeder’s best mare, really,” he said.
“I see him only improving on what he’s been able to do so far. Every breeder that rings me, they’re offering up their best couple of mares.
“When it comes to the sales, everyone wants to be selling the best, so we are very fortunate that he’s the best the state has to offer.”
The fee for five-time champion Western Australian stallion Oratorio (Stravinsky), who stood at Mungrup Stud in the state’s Great Southern, peaked in 2010 at $33,000, the same fee Playing God will stand for in 2023.
Darling View’s second–season sire Splintex (Snitzel), who covered 118 mares in his maiden season at stud, will remain at an unchanged fee of $11,000 while new recruit, Group 2-winning, Group 1-placed entire Lightsaber (Zoustar), will stand at $6,600, a fee which was announced in February.
“Splintex has let down into a magnificent looking stallion. We couldn’t be happier with how he has improved,” Atwell said.
“I don’t think there’s been a freshman sire in the last 20 years in WA who has covered more than 100 mares, so he was able to get 118, which gives him a really good kick.
“I think he’s a really good option for breeders off the back of that where he’ll have high 80s into the 90s foal numbers on the ground (in 2023).
“Hopefully he has some runners by the time they’re trying to sell his second season foals (at the 2026 Perth Yearling Sale).”
Atwell revealed the early support from breeders for first–season sire Lightsaber had been welcomed, with mare owners joining a large group of shareholders in the young stallion pledging to back the son of Zoustar (Northern Meteor).
“We sat him in that mid-range market for WA and I thought we were crying out for that. He’s an outcross, the first son of Zoustar to come into WA and people are really keen,” he said.
“He obviously had a good race career and he gives people that option being a Group-winning two-year-old and a Group-winning three-year-old.
“It is pretty hard for people to get their hands on a Zoustar, so why not visit a son of his.”
Darling View has invested heavily in stallions in recent years and Atwell is optimistic about the long-term outlook for his stud and the state’s racing and breeding industries.
He said: “We give every breeder an option I think, whether it be breeding to the best in the state in Playing God or exciting sons of Snitzel and Zoustar.”
Long-standing Darling View stallions Patronize (Redoute’s Choice) and Lucky Street (Oratorio) remain on the roster and they will stand at private fees this year.
Darling View Thoroughbreds stallion roster
2023 2022
Playing God (Blackfriars) $33,000 $27,500
Splintex (Snitzel) $11,000 unchanged
Lightsaber (Zoustar) $6,600 new
Patronize (Redoute’s Choice) private $4,400
Lucky Street (Oratorio) private $3,300
*All fees including GST