Widden fees down across the board in show of support for breeders
Widden fees down across the board in show of support for breeders
Widden Stud, whose roster is led by Zoustar (Northern Meteor) at a fee of $121,000 (all fees inclusive GST) and will be joined by his first season sire son Zousain ($19,800), last night also made public its 12-strong line-up.
A softer market outlook has seen Widden Stud reduce their 2020 stallion fees by an average of 20 per cent as they look to support their long-standing clients and loyal breeders.
Widden’s 12-strong roster is headed by flagbearer Zoustar (Northern Meteor) and sees the introduction of his son Zousain to the market.
“I think it’s where we are across the board,” Widden Stud owner-proprietor Antony Thompson told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday. “We saw early signs of it at Inglis Easter, and I think we’ll see some more adjustments as we get into the mare sales and other pointers going forward. I think it’s a year to be conservative. You’re seeing that across all walks of life and I think a 20 per cent reduction in our service fees is in line with what’s happening today.
“I think it’s a good way to repay the breeders who have been so supportive of our stallions and hopefully we continue to get their support. I feel we have something for everyone in our line-up.
“We are the only nation to have been able to continue a widespread racing program that has allowed our major autumn carnivals to proceed and we achieved a world first in being able to trade our premium yearlings at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in a virtual online format.
“Our stallions are priced this year to put breeders back on track after a very challenging period for all of us.”
Zoustar will once again headline the Widden roster, standing at a reduced fee of $121,000 (all GST inclusive), down 21 per cent on his fee last season of $154,000. However, it is twice his 2018 service fee of $60,500 and comes after a season in which his best daughter Sunlight continued to perform at the highest level. She is set to start favourite in tomorrow’s TAB Classic (registered as Robert Sangster Stakes) (Gr 1, 1200m) at Morphettville.
“Zoustar’s credentials and statistics are phenomenal,” he said. “With his best books to come now, if you’re going to be breeding to him, you’re in a position where you can really capitalise on what’s happening. He’s had another great season, not only on the track but in the sales ring too. On the track, he’s had six Group winners, he’s had 13 stakes winners, he’s doing it all.”
Zoustar is currently in the UK, standing at David Redvers’ Tweenhills Stud alongside other horses to have carried the Qatar Racing claret and gold of Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and his brothers, like Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit), Havana Gold (Teofilo), Hot Streak (Iffraaj) and Lightning Spear (Pivotal). He is serving his second season in Gloucestershire, with his first European foals receiving plenty of plaudits.
“It would be an added string to our bow if we could have success in Europe with Zoustar,” Thompson said. “I know personally we’d get a lot of satisfaction. He’s a horse I have enormous belief in and I think he can work in Europe. The idea that he’s been so popular in Europe gives us great confidence going forward.
“It doesn’t really change what happens to him down here in the marketplace. His statistics show him to be a phenomenal young stallion. The fact that he’s getting such a great opportunity up there at Tweenhills, covering his second full book this year, is very exciting for us as well.”
Zoustar’s son Zousain retires to Widden Stud this season and will start at a fee of $19,800. Zousain was a nose away in three Group 1 races – the J J Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m), the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) and the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) – and victory in any one of those races sees him commencing his stud career off a higher mark.
“I think Zousain is great value if you look at his career in context,” Thompson said. “He was a bob of the head off winning three Group 1s and in three big sire-making races too – in the J J Atkins as a two-year-old and in the Golden Rose and the Coolmore as a three-year-old. It took two champions to beat him in Sunlight and The Autumn Sun.
“He’s a very good-looking horse and a great option. And there is the option for a lifetime breeding right for those who send two mares to Zousain the first three years. They have proven very popular in the past, we did it with Written By last year and we’ll do it for a limited number of good breeders with Zousain.”
Three-time Group 1 winner Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) and Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) conqueror Written By (Written Tycoon) will serve their second books in 2020, having served full books at their first attempt last year. Trapeze Artist is down 12.5 per cent to $77,000, while Written By has been reduced by 11 per cent to $22,000.
“Last year, Trapeze Artist and Written By were very well-patronised and we were happy with the support they received,” Thompson said. “We’ve dropped them not because of demand by any means, they both had full books, but it’s a consequence of what is happening currently and as a way to repay the breeders. Off the back of good books last year, there could be some good opportunities for breeders as they prepare for their second season.”
On a day in which his son Nature Strip was announced as the first runner in this year’s The Everest (1200m) in October, Nicconi’s (Bianconi) fee was reduced by almost 29 per cent, dropping to $27,500. His long-term companion at Widden Stud, Star Witness (Starcraft), has been reduced 20 per cent to $22,000.
“Nicconi and Star Witness are proven options and they are great value, especially if you are looking for a proven stallion,” he said. “I think they have the runs on the board, they are Group 1 stallions and they are sure to be popular.
“Nicconi has always had terrific statistics, a great strike rate of winners to runners, and so many lovely horses and we’ve always had plenty of time for him. We believed he’d get that star and he’s certainly done that in Nature Strip, who is the fastest horse in the world and a leading contender for Horse of the Year, definitely the Champion Sprinter. He’s been a great feather in the cap for Nicconi and it really cements what a fantastic sire he is.”
Widden also has four sons of champion stallions: Stratum Star (Stratum), Supido (Sebring), Your Song (Fastnet Rock) and Outreach (Exceed And Excel). All four are available under $10,000.
“All of them have plenty to offer and they provide an opportunity to access proven sirelines at a good price,” said Thompson.