Changing of guard at The Oaks Stud

Media Release - Thursday April 27

As one door has closed at The Oaks Stud with the retirement from commercial duty of farm stalwart Darci Brahma another has remained wide open with U S Navy Flag to return to the Cambridge nursery.

Danehill’s son Darci Brahma has successfully led the lineup at the Dick Karreman-owned operation with a stallion career to compliment his glittering record on the track, which featured Group One victories as a two, three and four-year-old.

US Navy Flag (USA) is returning to The Oaks Stud.

At the other end of the scale, former crack European short course performer U S Navy Flag has made his mark at the highest level this season from a handful of first crop representatives and will stand at an unchanged fee of $15,000 + GST in 2023.

“We’ve come to an agreement with Coolmore to bring him back to New Zealand, he hasn’t had the stakes winners yet but he had second, third and fifth (Aprilia, To Catch A Thief, Chantilly Lace) in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr.1, 1400m),” The Oaks General Manager Rick Williams said.

“It’s the same terms and conditions for people who have used him before to get a discount and I’m thrilled with the interest in him.

“The most important positive to me is the trainers, we have a lot of horses in work and they don’t sugar coat anything with me and they love them and say they are horses that will be much better at three.”

U S Navy Flag has sired five winners from 17 starters to currently sit second on the First Season Sires’ Premiership.

“He’s $10,000 off Staphanos and with a number of trial winners that look like they can win their maidens before the end of the season he’s a big chance to go past him,” Williams said.

“On the Champion Two-Year-Old table there’s Satono Aladdin, Snitzel and Staphanos and then U S Navy Flag, I believe he is capable of ending up second, which to me is much more important because that’s against all the proven sires.

“They are sound with great temperaments as he is, he raced 11 times at two and not many can do that and come back and win a race like the July Cup (Gr.1, 1200m).”

A son of War Front, he was a three-time Group One winner before he retired to Coolmore’s Tipperary base and initially shuttled to Valachi Downs before relocating to The Oaks last season.

“We’re running a smaller ship and we are keen to stand stallions, but we’ve got to get the right ones and U S Navy Flag will be our sole commercial one this season,” Williams said.

Darci Brahma has retired from commercial stud duty. Photo: Trish Dunell

He shoulders that responsibility after Darci Brahma was laid low last season by illness and an issue that subsequently impacted his fertility.

“In early October, he had an infection in his abdomen that wasn’t obvious and it snuck through to one testicle and we had to treat him with antibiotics,” The Oaks General Manager Rock Williams said.

Advertisement

“While we cleared that up, the antibiotics affected his semen production. We test bred him through late January and early February and he wasn’t producing any viable semen.

“We haven’t given up hope, but realistically he isn’t going to breed commercially and if he showed some return to fertility we might breed a few shareholder’s mares to him.

“At the moment, I’ve told people he isn’t available and it’s a 90 percent chance that’s the way it will stay.”

Bred by Pencarrow Stud, Darci Brahma is out of the Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) winner Grand Echezeaux and was a $1.1 million Karaka purchase for Te Akau’s David Ellis.

He subsequently posted Group One victories in the TJ Smith Classic (1600m), New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), Otaki Maori WFA (1600m), Telegraph Handicap (1200m) and the Waikato Draught Sprint (1400m).

He retired to The Oaks in 2007 and to date has sired more than 540 winners in eight countries with 57 individual stakes winners and 12 at Group One level including multiple top-flight success stories Recite, Nashville, Sierra Sue and Julinsky Prince.

Darci Brahma claimed the leading New Zealand sire of three-year-olds titles in 2015-16 and 2019-20 and currently has progeny earnings in excess of $81 million.

“His results have always been consistent and he’s been a wonderful stallion,” Williams said.

“We have been lucky to have him, he’s been an absolute pleasure and a gentleman to work with. He has a great temperament and left a good style of horse.”

Recite claimed the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) and Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) in the colours of breeder The Oaks, who also raced Darci Brahma’s top-flight winning daughters Artistic and Devise and his son Catalyst.

“He’s been an extremely versatile stallion with two-year-olds like Recite and winners up to two miles (Dee And Gee, Gr.3 New Zealand Cup),” Williams said.

The stud will also offer Rock De Cambes at $3000 + GST while Williams said Niagara is likely to be relocated to the Central Districts for the 2023 season. – NZ Racing Desk.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Blueblooded Dual Group-winning 2YO Bodyguard to Stand at Armidale Stud
Armidale Stud is proud to announce the addition of three-year-old colt Bodyguard to its stallion roster.
Lightly Raced Stayer Wins Sandown Cup
The $175,000 Listed MRC Sandown Cup (3200m) on Sunday featured some battle hardened  old stayers, but it was the young kind on the block that got the prize with four year-old Tavistock gelding Diwali scoring his first stakes win.
Aussie Bred Trifecta in G3 Sha Tin Vase
Toronado (IRE) gelding Helios Express led home a tricta for Aussie bred sprinters in the Group III Sha Tin Vase (1200m) on Saturday defeating Invincible Sage (Thronum) and Patch of Theta (Zoustar).
Familiar Faces Win $100,000 Jumps Features at Sandown
Jumps racing took centre stage at Sandown on Sunday with some familiar colours and faces winning both the $100,000 Australian Steeplechase (3900m) and the $100,000 Australian Hurdle (3900m).
The Secret is Out!
He has big shoes to fill as a half-brother to a $12million earner, but there is no secret about his ability! 
Magic Justify x Fastnet Rock Cross Strikes in Hong Kong
With Justify’s very best son City of Troy (USA) shuttling to Coolmore Australia this spring it’s worth remembering the power of the Justify x Fastnet Rock nick and we saw it to the fore at Sha Tin on Saturday when Australian bred four year-old Pray for Mir took out the Group III The Lion Rock Trophy (1600m).
City of Troy Confirmed for Coolmore Australia- Fee Set
Unbeaten European Champion 2YO and three-time Group One-winning European Champion 3YO, City Of Troy (USA) will join the Coolmore Australia stallion roster in 2025 to carry on the legacy of his sire Justify.
Darley Announce 2025 Fees
Darley have announced fees on their powerful roster of 14 stallions split between NSW and Victoria with Broadsiding set to join the team at Kelvinside in the Hunter Valley at a fee of $66,000.
New Classic Prospect and New Aussie 2YO Winner for Wootton Bassett
The Group III JRA Derby Trial (2000m) at Baden Baden in Germany overnight produced a new stakes-winner for Wootton Bassett (GB) with lightly raced colt Juwelier staking a claim for classic success.
Vinery Announce 2025 Fees - Ole Kirk Headlines
Vinery Stud has announced its 2025 stallion roster, featuring an outstanding line-up of proven sires and rising stars, headlined by the exceptional Ole Kirk, who will stand at an increased service fee of $99,000 inc. GST following a sensational debut at stud.