It has not taken long for Springview Farm's Peter Smith to become smitten with new arrival Mezyaan, the handsome young stallion impressing him in every way.
"He is just a beautiful horse," the Euroa based stud master and trainer enthused.
"He has the loveliest, most genuine temperament - he is a pleasure to do anything with. And he is a stand-out on type, a great mover who at 16.1hh is still maturing."
So confident is Smith in Mezyaan's potential that he is in the process of
accumulating 20 or so mares especially to support him and he hopes fellow
breeders will join him in launching this well credentialled stallion's career.
"I reckon in four or five years time people will be saying 'gee I wish we'd sent our mare to Mezyaan'!"
"I can't see how he won't throw winners," Smith continued, noting that Mezyaan's family is one of the most remarkable in the Stud Book.
"Due to bad luck Meyzaan's grandam and third dam between them produced just five named males," he said... "and two of them are Champion stallions!"
Bred by Emirates Park Stud, Mezyaan is out of Zyoon, daughter of Redoute's Choice's Australian Guineas winning 3/4 brother Al Maher - consistent and successful sire of 33 stakes winners and an emerging broodmare sire influence. Zyoon, who sadly died late last year, has been represented by four named foals with Mezyaan's half-brother Wayed Zain and half-sister Eyre (served last spring by Pride Of Dubai)both being metropolitan winners.
Meanwhile Zyoon is one of only five named foals produced by the Star Way mare Shoal Creek who, despite producing just two runners managed to foal a high class galloper of great influence - the two times Champion Sire Encosta de Lago.
The winner of three of his eight starts - all at stakes level including the Gr.1 VicHealth Cup, Encosta de Lago was a stud sensation, during a long and prolific career that kicked off in Victoria siring 113 stakes winners.
An amazing 22 of his sons and daughters are millionaires, 27 of them Group One winners including the truly outstanding gallopers Chautauqua, Sacred Kingdom, Racing To Win and Alinghi.
His progeny earnings exceed $172 million and he has had stakes winners in ten different countries. And his stats make for impressive reading - a winners-to-runners strike rate in excess of 70% with 7% stakes winners to runners.
Of course Encosta de Lago is not the only stallion of influence from this family, his dam being a half-sister to one of Danehill's finest sons, the gifted Flying Spur.
A three times Group One winner of the Golden Slipper Stakes, the All-Aged Stakes and the Australian Guineas, Flying Spur sired 99 stakes winners - earning the Champion Sire title in 2007 with progeny earnings of $127 million.
The sire of stakes winners in nine countries, Flying Spur has been represented by 13 Group One winners including the successful stallions Magnus and Casino Prince.
Like his nephew, Flying Spur sired genuine, classy stock with his winners-to-runners strike rate a high 67.8% and his black type ratio a smart 6.7%.
In summary between them Encosta de Lago and Flying Spur have sired a massive 212 stakes winners with earnings just below $300 million!
"It is just an incredible family," Smith said - adding that its ancestress Fanfreluche, arguably Northern Dancer's best daughter - is responsible for several number of other topliners... Group One winners Aube Indienne, Erupt, L'Enjoleur, Holy Roman Emperor and Majestic Roi all descendants.
And this is a family that fares especially well in Australia, recent success
stories including I Am A Star and Tulip.
"This is one of the world's great families and I am delighted to be standing such a well related stallion," Smith said, keen to also pay credit to Meyzaan's sire - the champion Lonhro.
An eleven times Group One winning son of the ten times Group One winner Octagonal from the popular Zabeel/Sir Tristram sire line, Lonhro has sired 68 stakes winners, nine of whom are Group One winners.
He too is proving a strong international influence with stakes winners in nine different countries whilst his overall strike rate is an outstanding 71% - and 6.5% stakes winners to runners.
Already four of Lonhro's sons - Pierro, Demerit, Denman and Benfica - have sired stakes winners with the former recently crowned Champion First Season Sire with his biggest prize money earner to date being Tulip from Mezyaan's family.
Smith is happy to field enquires from breeders and can be contacted on 0418 531 255. Meyzaan debuts at a fee of just $2200 (incl gst) and stands alongside multiple stakes winner Swift Alliance.
