Let the Games Begin!

Tara Madgwick - Friday August 11
It's a new season and a new generation of colts are about to stake their claim for stud careers starting this weekend with the Listed ATC Rosebud Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill that has delivered past winners Eurozone (Newgate Farm) and Scissor Kick (Arrowfield Stud) both now standing in the Hunter Valley.

The field this year features six colts in the field of eight with the two top fancies being Menari (Snitzel) and Siege of Quebec (Fastnet Rock). (images Steve Hart)

MenariThe Gerald Ryan trained Menari is yet to win a stakes race, but a good second to Pariah in the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes and a brave fourth to She Will Reign in the Group I ATC Golden Slipper have shown he's not far off top class.

Recent trials would indicate he's come back well and Menari could easily take the next step to convert Group I potential to Group I wins.

As a homebred for Corumbene Stud, who bred and sold leading sire Sebring, Menari will be on the radar for commercial stallion farms and has an appealing pedigree.

He is the best of two winners from stakes-winning General Nediym mare Isurava, a full sister to Group II winner Ichihara and stakes-winner Au Chocolat from the family of $6million earner Tie the Knot.

Menari is bred on the same cross as Snitzel's Group I winning son Sizzling, who stands at Newgate Farm and will have his first two year-old runners this season.

Given the ever increasing profile of Snitzel as our reigning Champion Australian Sire, his sons are hot property and deservedly so.

Siege of QuebecA $1.2 million Inglis Easter purchase for Coolmore and partners, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Siege of Quebec has won each of his two starts to date in lesser grade, but has race fitness on his side and a pull in the weights as he takes on stakes company for the first time.

By proven sire of sires Fastnet Rock, Siege of Quebec is a full brother to Group III winner Bull Point and brother-in-blood to Group III winner Comin' Through.

He is the third winner from Rose of Cimmaron, who is a full sister to celebrated producer Mica's Pride the dam of $7million earner Criterion.

This has become a highly successful and highly commercial family in recent years and has also produced Fastnet Rock stakes-winners Upon this Rock and Amah Rock, so it seems a foregone conclusion that at some point in his career going forward Siege of Quebec will follow suit and gain some Black type of his own.

The level of that Black Type success will determine his future and no doubt connections will be hoping he's Group I standard so he can follow in the footsteps of his champion sire Fastnet Rock at Coolmore Stud.

Spendthrift Australia have been investing heavily in Australian colts with the aim of creating stallions and already have two on their roster this year in Hampton Court and Swear, both sons of champion sire Redoute's Choice.

They have a Rosebud runner in I Am Invincible colt Overshare, who has shown good ability in three starts to date and will be well primed for this assignment by Team Hawkes.

Click here for the Rosebud form.

Footnote : Nearly all of the stakes racing during the Sydney Autumn Carnival was run on heavy tracks, so be prepared for some form reversals as two year-olds that sank like a stone in the mud find their true form. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
First Win for $2.1million Magic Millions Sale-Topper
It was a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at Te Aroha on Wednesday when Avantaggia, the filly that topped the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, broke through for her maiden win in the Donaghys Moxipor (1150m).
TBA Mourn Passing of So You Think
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) and Aushorse join the wider industry in mourning the passing of So You Think, one of the modern greats of the Australian turf and a truly elite sire.
Inglis Digital - Darby Swoop on Amazing Eagle for $310,000
Scott Darby believes today’s Inglis Digital sale-topper Amazing Eagle (Capitalist) can continue along the same successful mould as the likes of former online Darby acquisitions Robusto, Caballus and Imperial Force and progress on to become a future racetrack star.
G1 Champions Mile Next for Ceolwulf
Trainer Joe Pride will likely keep stable star Ceolwulf to a mile as he looks to round off his spring campaign with a first trip away.
Magic Millions - The Book
The famous US sports journo, Red Smith, once proclaimed that : “writing is easy … I just sit down at my typewriter and open a vein”.
2025 G1 Cox Plate Field and Barrier Draw
A field of nine has been finalised for the 2025 Cox Plate with favourite Via Sistina drawing gate seven for Chris Waller and James McDonald, while one three-year-old has accepted to run in Nepotism.
End Of An Era - 2025 G1 Cox Plate
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still” - Franklin D Roosevelt.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 22
Here is the full list of 37 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
NZB Ready to Run Breeze Ups Complete for 2025
The final day of NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups saw a further 202 two-year-olds gallop down the home straight at Te Rapa Racecourse.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 21
Here is the full list of 15 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.