Time To Reign ‘a coup’ for Kingstar Farm
Talented Silver Slipper Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) winner Time To Reign (Time For War) has been acquired by Kingstar Farm to spearhead their stallion roster from 2021, as the Matthew Sandblom-owned operation announced their fees for their four-strong line up for this upcoming breeding season.
Time To Reign will stand for $9,900 in his first season at stud, alongside Unite And Conquer (Hinchinbrook) and Bull Point (Fastnet Rock) at $6,600, while Lord Of The Sky (Danerich) will stand at a $3,300 fee.
A $325,000 yearling and half-brother to Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain), Time To Reign announced his precocious talent early on when defeating subsequent three-time Group 1 winner Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) by two-and-a-quarter lengths on debut and ran out a dominant two-and-a-quarter length winner of the Silver Slipper when beating then Golden Slipper favourite Tassort (Brazen Beau).
The Darby Racing-owned colt went on to finish fifth in the Golden Slipper on a heavy track behind Kiamichi (Sidestep), however suffered a viral infection on his return as a three-year-old and never recovered as he failed to add to his win column in four further starts.
Kingstar Farm manager, Adam Cook, described the acquisition as a ‘coup’ for the fledgling operation.
“We’re pretty excited about him. He was a very good two-year-old that beat some high-profile, now stallions. And also a half to a Golden Slipper winner,” said Cook. “It’s a very good coup for Kingstar Farm to get a stallion of his quality.”
The three-time juvenile winner recorded one of the highest ratings from that crop of two-year-olds through his Silver Slipper win, following in the footsteps of several high quality colts-turned-stallions to have won the race, including Farnan (Not A Single Doubt), Astern (Lonhro) and Headwater (Exceed And Excel) in recent years.
“The ratings are important, a lot of people gauge the sires that are coming forth on ratings and he does have a high rating. We’re essentially looking at what works and this works,” Cook continued.
“The simple fact is that Silver Slipper winners make good stallions. If you go through the list of Silver Slipper winners that have made good stallions, there’s a plethora of them.
“Tassort was the favourite for the Golden Slipper at the time and he got nowhere near him. And look at Bivouac. He’s standing this year for $66,000 and never got near him on debut. It just shows you what ability this horse has and very early on.”
Out of potent broodmare Courgette (Charge Forward), Time To Reign features several attractive bloodlines within his pedigree, with Time For War being out of a Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare, while his dam side features the dynamic speed influences Marscay (Biscay) and Bletchingly (Biscay).
It’s a make-up that Cook believes opens doors for some unique opportunities for Australian breeders.
“This bloke’s got a pedigree to die for as well,” he said. “It’s a very good family, this one of Time To Reign, while Time For War, as a stallion is very good as well off the back of limited opportunities.
“He’s (Time For War) a son of Snitzel out of a Zabeel mare that’s related to Might And Power and Mosheen.
“Time For War being by a Zabeel mare opens up a lot of opportunities for breeders. Getting that Zabeel through Time For War and Snitzel, it opens up the doors for double crossing with Eight Carat and all sorts of stuff,” Cook continued.
“If people do their homework here with the pedigrees with this horse, they’ll find that this horse is a very good match with a lot of mares that he’ll suit very, very well in the Australian market.
“We’ve done the research as to what mares suit him, and we then went through our own broodmare band of 100 plus mares, and 80 per cent of them suited.”
The standing of Time To Reign is a further move into acquiring precocious speed stallions for Kingstar Farm, which has only been in operation since 2016, and Cook said he epitomises what the farm is trying to achieve in what it offers to the industry.
“This is what we’re trying to do at Kingstar. Most importantly to stand at the Hunter Valley you have to have a type, especially at this price point that we’re standing them at,” he said.
“Yes, you’ve got the race performances, you’ve got the pedigree, but people have got to come and have a look at this horse. He’s a $325,000 Time For War. That tells you how much of a type that he is. He’s an outstanding type and if someone comes and looks at him, they will not be disappointed whatsoever.
“He’ll be very popular and I’d encourage any breeders to come and have a look at him and come on this journey with us through the breeding rights that are available.”
Bull Point continues to make a good impression on the track with his first two crops of runners, and Cook says we can expect more from the stallion to make their mark before the season is up.
“Bull Point has got his filly Star Point who ran fourth in the Adrian Knox behind Duais, Bargain and Flexible.
“She’s on a Queensland Oaks path which hopefully she will perform well in on the back of that form.
“Will Freedman’s got a horse called Tipping Point out of a Don Eduardo mare that recorded one of the most impressive wins you’ll see at a showcase meeting at Orange. He races at Hawkesbury on Saturday and may be on a Derby path.
“The Bull Points, Australasian–wise, are nudging 50 per cent winners to runners, he could be leading second season sire by that measure.”
Unite And Conquer will cover his second book of mares this year having been well received in his first year at stud, and the farm are looking forward to his first foals.
“We’re keenly awaiting the first Unite And Conquer foals,” said Cook. “He’s a brute of a stallion. A two-year-old all over.”
Kingstar Farm stallion roster
2021 2020
Time To Reign (Time For War) $9,900 New
Unite And Conquer (Hinchinbrook) $6,600 unchanged
Bull Point (Fastnet Rock) $6,600 $8,800
Lord Of The Sky (Danerich) $3,300 $4,400
*all fees inclusive of GST