Triple Group I winning Dubawi stallion Benbatl (GB), who won the Group I MRC Caulfield Stakes in 2018 and chased Winx home for second in the Cox Plate, will be a new addition at Woodside Park Stud in Victoria this spring.
The former Godolphin flagbearer has been standing at stud in Japan at Big Red Farm and is working through his third book of mares, but came to the interest of Woodside Park, who had been scouring the world for a new stallion to add to their roster of Shalaa (IRE), Vancouver, Foxwedge, Rich Enuff and Delaware (GB).
Dubawi has a growing reputation as a sire of sires courtesy of stallions such as Night of Thunder , New Bay and Zarak as well as Too Darn Hot, who has made a pleasing start to his shuttling career in Australia siring six winners this season.
Benbatl has been well supported at Big Red Farm in Japan and in his first year he covered 108 mares, then 115 last year and currently he is covering another good book which includes 2020 Japanese champion filly Daring Tact.
Bloodstock agent Satomi Oka was a key liaison for both parties from Big Red Farm and Woodside Park throughout the negotiations with Benbatl set for a warm welcome in Victoria later this year.
Benbatl was an outstanding racehorse with the overall record of 11 wins and seven placings from 25 starts winning from 1400 to 2000m with Group I victories in Australia, Dubai and Germany.
He is the best of five winners from dual Group I winner Nahrain, a daughter of Group II winner Bahr with his fourth dam New Zealand Champion La Mer, who went to stud in Europe.
In 2019, his rating was 125, inside the top 10-rated horses in the world. Currently residing at Big Red Farm in Japan, Hirokazu Okada said that Benbatl is an image of his sire.
“Benbatl looks very much like his sire Dubawi. A very muscular horse with a real will to win. He loves fast ground so he appears a perfect fit for Australia," Okada said.
Anthony Bueti (Woodside General Manager) said, “It has been a pleasure to deal with Hiro and we are committed to making him work in the southern hemisphere.”
Eddie Hirsch (Woodside owner) said. “I have always been a fan of Dubawi. I actually raced a stakes winner by him in Royal Island. I have watched him progress to his current fee of 350,000 Euros and become a breed shaping sire.”
