The historic Widden Stud celebrates its 150th Anniversary in standing duel Group 1 winning first season sire Stratum Star, saying he has all the credentials to emulate Widden’s past champions of Todman, Vain, Bletchingly, Marscay and General Nediym.
Stratum Star, a chestnut at 16.1 hh, raced for four seasons winning 8 races from 1300m to 2200m, with his principal victories being the Gr1 Sir Rupert Clark Stakes 1400m, Gr1 Kingston Town Classic 1800m, Gr2 Peter Young Stakes 1800m and Gr3 David Jones Cup of 2000m.
A winner of over $2.45m in stakes he was placed on 15 occasions finishing second in Gr1 Futurity Stakes, Gr2 Sandown Guineas and Gr2 Alister Clarke Stakes, plus three Group 1 thirds.
Stratum Star is now the best son of his former Widden based sire Stratum, the former Golden Slipper winner and Champion 2YO Sire, who also sired the Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily.
Startum Star, a grandson of Redoute’s Choice , is from the Pins mare Purely Spectacular, who is also the dam of stakes placed winner Serenade. Purely Spectacular is a full-sister to stakes winner and producer Raid, and three-quarter sister to Queensland Derby second Pinstripe Lane.
Your Song celebrates 2016-17 as Leading First Season Sire by wins, winners, city winners and stakes horses with Split Lip in winning the listed Dequetteville Stakes the best of his 11 two-year-old winners of 15 races. Memento, Soundcheck and Peristrophe were group and stakes placegetters with Bold Kingston and Tabbing duel city winners.
At this year’s Magic Million Yearling Sale the Bay Trixie colt was Your Song’s top price yearling selling for $400,000 to Tom Moore, consigned by Southern Cross Breeders, NSW.
Former Champion 3YO Colt Star Witness was last season’s Leading Third Season Sire with Global Glamour winning the Gr1 Flight Stakes, Gr1 Thousand Guineas and Gr2 Light Fingers Stakes, and Star Turn the Gr2 Schillaci Stakes and Gr3 San Domenico Stakes plus four Group 1 placing’s.
Also, Mella Maris won the Gr2 Johannesburg Spring Fillies & Mares Challenge, Fuhryl the Gr3 Kevin Hayes Stakes with Lord Balmoral and Lycurgus being stakes winners, plus five stakes placegetters.
The Star Witness popularity in the sale ring ranged from $240,000 top price for his Pearl in The Sea filly at the Australian Easter Yearling Sale, to $350,000 for the Touch in Flight colt acquired by James Herron Bloodstock at the Magic Million Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The former Champion 2YO Colt Sebring finished second on the Leading 3YO Sires table with Egg Tart winning the Gr1 Queensland Oaks and Gr1 Schweppes Oaks. Lucky Bubbles won the Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, Gr2 Premier Bowl and second in Gr1 Hong Kong Sprint, She Brings Joy the Gr2 Royal Stakes, in addition to Group 3 winners Supido, Turbo Miss, Acatour and Broadband.
Sebring’s 25 yearlings in Book One at the Australian Easter Yearling Sale averaged $339,800, with his Stella Vinnia colt selling for $1.4m to Spendthrift Australia and his National Anthem filly for $800,000
The Champion 3YO Sprinter Nicconi, who had 190 mares tested in foal last season, completed the 2016-17 season with Faatinah winning the Gr2 Bobby Lewis Quality Handicap, plus second in Gr1 Oakliegh Plate and Gr2 Caulfield Sprint.
In addition, Sircconi won the Gr2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and fourth Gr1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes while Time Awaits, Niccanova and Hear The Chant were his Group 3 winners.
The Champion 3YO Colt Shamus Award’s first yearlings sold this year for an average of $180,000 in the main sessions of the Australian Easter Yearling Sale and Magic Million Gold Coast Yearling Sales. The Courgette filly was his top price yearling of $425,000 from the Yarraman Park Stud draft.
The Group 1 Golden Rose and Coolmore Stud Stakes winner, Zoustar, who stands at Woodside Park Stud, Victoria, had 78 first crop yearlings average $194,000 at the Magic Millions and Sydney Easter Sale’s, with the Listen Here filly being his $1 million top price.
Outreach, by Exceed And Excel and a full-brother to the Golden Slipper winner Overreach, has foals on the ground and is standing his second at Widden Stud.
By Bernard Kenny