That's a question well over 100 mares owners will be now asking themselves
following the tragic loss of Yarraman Park's Group I sire Hinchinbrook, a
three-quarter brother by champion sire Fastnet Rock to reigning champion sire
Snitzel.If you selected Hinchinbrook for being a proven sire in that price bracket, the comparable alternatives are somewhat limited and several of these sires would be extremely hard to get into at this late date.
Looking at proven stallions priced $10,000 above and below Hinchinbrook's fee, the only options are More Than Ready (USA), Sebring, Zoustar, Lonhro, Spirit of Boom and So You Think, none of them Danehill line sires like Hinchinbrook, so any matings planned on that basis may have to be rethought.
Of the new or unproven sires in the $66,000 - $44,000 price range, you'd be looking at American Pharoah (USA), Capitalist, Merchant Navy, Russian Revolution, Vancouver and Pride of Dubai.
Russian Revolution is by Hinchinbrook's three-quarter brother Snitzel, while Royal Ascot hero Merchant Navy is an interesting one as he is bred on the same cross as Hinchinbrook being by Fastnet Rock from a daughter of Snippets, so if pedigree was the driving factor behind your choice of Hinchinbrook, the same theories would apply for Merchant Navy.
He's not proven, but what's not to like!
