Waikato Stud announced the 2012 service fees for their highly successful stallion line-up today and with the release has come an exciting new initiative for Australasian breeders.

“The key for us, as always, is to offer breeders the opportunity to breed the best racehorses that they can and to be able to do so at great value,” said Waikato Stud’s Owner/General Manager, Mark Chittick.“This year, beyond market driven stud fees, we are introducing a Breeding Vet Fee initiative.

“This means that people breeding to Waikato Stud’s stallions in 2012 will have their Breeding Vet Fees included within the service fee.”With three of Australasia’s very best stallions on offer in O’Reilly, Pins and Savabeel (see Table 1), Chittick has had plenty to weigh up when setting the 2012 service fees.

“What Waikato’s top three stallions have achieved in the past season is nothing short of remarkable. O’Reilly and Savabeel each count 8 individual stakes winners this season. This puts them up there amongst the top five stallions in Australasia,” he said.

“Pins meanwhile is poised to take out his second Hong Kong Sire’s title and with 7 Stakes winners this term, he is fast closing in on becoming the 12th NZ-based stallion in history to exceed 50 stakes winners.”

The trio’s accomplishments are clearly illustrated by New Zealand’s sire awards (see Tables 2, 3 & 4)

“There are three major sire awards in New Zealand and remarkably O’Reilly, Pins and Savabeel are each dominating one a piece,” said Chittick.With three months of the season remaining, Pins is well positioned to take the Centaine Award (global earnings) for a second year running. Similarly, O’Reilly is nicely poised to take New Zealand’s Champion Sire title for a second time and Savabeel is showing just what an exciting sire he is with his domination of the Dewar Award for Australasian achievements.

According to Chittick, the incredible Australasian success is both understandable and exciting.

“When you look at the likes of O’Reilly, Pins and Savabeel, they are horses that excelled themselves in this extremely competitive racing environment. Because of their demonstrated ability, it comes as less of a surprise that their progeny should follow suit and excel in that environment also,” he said.

“When you look at these results, we are actually spoilt for choice." “Over the past year, our stallions have produced four individual Derby winners. What’s more, four of our stallions have shown an ability to get Melbourne Cup horses, so this proven line-up of sires is really pretty exciting for breeders”.

Despite the lofty achievements alluded to, the service fee for the stud’s headline act O’Reilly recognises the state of the economy at a fee of $45,000 + GST, LFG in 2012.

The 12 time Gr.1 producer is one of only 11 stallions in NZ history to exceed 50 stakes winners and was distinguished as the sire of ‘Champion Australian 3YO Filly’ Shamrocker at the 2011 Australian Racing Awards. This year he looks set to repeat the dose at the New Zealand equivalent, thanks to the four time stakes winning deeds of his Gr.1 New Zealand Derby winning daughter, Silent Achiever. 

Champion Sire O'Rielly

O’Reilly’s seven other star Australasian candidates this term have comprised President Lincoln, Pussy Willow, Villifye, Dating, Collar, The Solitaire and Eight Schillings.

Hong Kong’s Champion sire Pins is likewise superb value in 2012 at a fee of $37,500 + GST, LFG.

In what has been another landmark season for the 9 time Gr.1 producer, Pins has registered seven individual stakes winners this term across Hong Kong, USA, Australia and NZ. These black-type exponents have comprised of Hong Kong’s reigning ‘Horse of the Year’ Ambitious Dragon, Shopaholic, Our Nautique, Somepin Anypin, I’m Jake, Antonio Lombardo and Undisclosed.

New Zealand’s current leading sire in Australia, Savabeel, will stand for $35,000+ GST, LFG in 2012.

This figure represents exceptional value considering his slew of stakes level winners across Australia, Singapore and New Zealand and owing to the fact that he currently leads the Dewar Award despite oldest crop being just five.

The exciting young Zabeel sire added to daughter Scarlett Lady’s classic Gr.1 Australian success with son Sangster in the Gr.1 VRC Derby this term and has proven to be a real tour de force in this region with Tullamore, Strike The Stars and Zara Dancer.  In Singapore, he has enjoyed stakes reward with Derby hope Nandowra and closer to home he has been seen to maximum advantage with the likes of Lady Kipling, Floria and Dowager Queen.

Interestingly, with 15 stakes winners to date, Savabeel sits just three behind his own mighty sire Zabeel at exactly the same stage of their careers.

The stud’s legendary international triple Gr.1 winner Paco Boy returns for his second season and will represent strong value at a fee of $10,000 + GST, LFG. 

The Champion Miler served another quality book of mares at Highclere Stud in the UK and such has been the feedback about his Northern Hemisphere foals, that the stud is confident NZ breeders will be delighted with his first crop of foals due to arrive soon.

Waikato’s regally bred Redoute’s Choice sire Fast N Famous will stand for $6000 + GST, LFG.

With his oldest now three, Fast N Famous has enjoyed over 20 winners this term, with the stand out being Quintessential - winner of the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes and Gr.1 NZ Oaks placegetter.

Proven Gr.1 sire No Excuse Needed will stand for $6000 + GST, LFG in 2012.
The award winning sire of 2YO’s has proven himself to be a consistent source of winners and escalated his stakes winners count to 13 this term with the success of Justanexcuse and No Excuse Maggie.

Completing the roster, Rios - the Gr.1 performed Guineas winner from the Broodmare of the Year Gussy Godiva, will stand at $4000 + GST, LFG.

Rios remains the only son of Hussonet at stud in NZ and is strongly recommended by his oldest official crop, which are now weanlings.

“With the base that Garry (Chittick) and I have built, the stallions we are standing, the vet fee breeding initiative, the team’s expertise and Waikato’s world renowned environment, these are exciting times for us all,” concluded Chittick.