Pinch Me – I Must be Dreaming!

Sponsored Content - by Tara Madgwick - Thursday September 5

A $1million Inglis Easter yearling by an iconic champion sire bought by a great judge, this colt went on to be a Group I winner at three and as a sire is ticking along at close to 70% winners to runners – so what sort of service fee does he command?

Wandjina, click for more info and a Hypo mating.

He is Wandjina and his fee at Larneuk Stud this spring is just $6,600 which offers a ridiculous amount of bang for buck for the owner breeder looking to produce a horse of quality.

A sire son of Snitzel that was bred and sold by Arrowfield Stud to James Harron Bloodstock, Wandjina comes from a top-class Australian speed female family bristling with stakes-winners. He was able to convert those good looks and pedigree into racetrack results winning the Group I VRC Australian Guineas and finishing second in the Group I ATC All Aged Stakes earning him a place on the roster at Newgate Farm.

A modern stallion making business that stands the biggest roster of sires in the Hunter Valley this spring, Newgate demands immediate success form it’s sires to maintain their place in the pecking order and those that take a while to hit their stride are quickly moved along.

Galaxy Patch is the reigning champion 4YO ibn Hong Kong - image HKJC

Wandjina has really hit that stride since the start of this year with his four year-old gelding Galaxy Patch winning multiple stakes races in Hong Kong to be honoured as the Champion 4YO for 2023/2024, while in Australia he has also sired two new stakes-winners in Infancy, winner of the Listed ATC Fireball Stakes and Terra Mater, who won the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes last Sunday.

Infancy wins the Listed ATC Fireball Stakes - image Steve Hart

Terra Mater wins the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes last Sunday - image Bradley Photography

Wandjina has sired seven stakes-winners in total and they are evenly spread across his six crops so far to race despite decreasing service fees and mare numbers, showing he can still get quality winners without the support of elite mares.

Wandjina Crop Analysis

Crop

Fee

Foals

Runners

Winners W/R

SW’s

2016

$33,000

96

79

59 (74%)

Wandabaa, Express Pass

2017

$27,500

113

92

66 (72%)

Mamaragan, Tiger Roar

2018

$27,500

63

50

31(62%)

SP Wanaroo

2019

$22,000

72

52

35 (67%)

Terra Mater, Galaxy Patch

2020

$22,000

6

4

2 (50%)

Infancy

2021

$11,000

26

7

2 - just turned three

Victorian owner breeders will see the merit in Wandjina and while he might be overlooked by the commercial market, the handsome bay will hold plenty of appeal for the budget conscious breeder looking for quality and a genuine chance to produce a winner.

For more information call Neville Murdoch on 0418 105 706

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