Son of Frankel to Stand at Brighthill Farm

Media Release - Friday June 21

In a coup for the King family's Brighthill Farm, Group One performed son of Frankel, Eminent, will retire to their Tauwhare property for the forthcoming breeding season, where he will stand for a fee of $8,000+GST.

Eminent ( image Scoopdyga.com ) becomes the first son of the all-conquering Frankel to retire to stud in the southern hemisphere.

EminentRaced by Sir Peter Vela, in conjunction with Hubie De Burgh, Eminent won three of his 14 career starts, prepared predominantly by Martyn Meade before transferring to the care of Olympic Eventer Sir Mark Todd for an Australian campaign earlier this year.

A Newmarket winner at his only start at two, Eminent resumed at three with victory in the Gr.3 Craven Stakes (1600m), a race in which Benbatl finished third.

He finished fourth in the Gr.1 English Derby (2400m) won by Wings Of Eagles, and Cracksman in third, and stamped himself as one of the best three-year-olds of his year when successful in the Gr.2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (2000m) at Deauville.

He signed off from his classic season with a game third in the Gr.1 Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) behind quality older gallopers Decorated Knight and Poet's Word.

Although his four-year-old season did not go to plan, Eminent resumed from a seven month hiatus from the race track to show his class when runner-up to Avilius in the Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.

"We're obviously very excited to have the first son of Frankel to stand at stud in the Southern Hemisphere," Brighthill Farm principal Nick King said.

"It's an amazing opportunity. We were approached by his owner Sir Peter Vela, who had weighed-up a possible autumn campaign with the horse in Europe, but he decided that that would push him another year before he could come to stud.

"We're now in the process of syndicating him and have enjoyed a great response.

"It has literally only been a handful of days since this has come about and to have the likes of Cambridge Stud, Windsor Park, Valachi Downs, Haunui Farm, Hallmark Stud and Curraghmore on board already, just shows you the regard in which the horse is held and what an attractive prospect he is.

"With Sir Peter Vela also staying in the horse and pledging to send some quality mares from his Pencarrow Stud, and obviously we're taking a shareholding and will be supporting the horse, Eminent is going to get every opportunity at stud."

King believes Eminent is very reasonably priced at $8,000+GST and was conscious of the later announcement of his retirement, with a limited number of shares selling for $30,000 via Brighthill Farm or New Zealand Bloodstock.

Advertisement

"We wanted to make him affordable and at $8,000 he represents great value," King said.

"There is a lot of quality through his pedigree, race record and physical type.

Frankel is the sire of Eminent"When you look at the quality of the races that he ran in and the quality of the horse himself, he certainly gets you excited."

The Frankel factor will no doubt be one of the most compelling reasons breeders look to Eminent.

A once in a generation racehorse, Frankel has made an exceptional start to his stud career and is the sire of 17.3 percent stakes-winners to runners, seven at Group One level headed by star galloper Cracksman.

He is the sire of 31 Group winners, and surpassed the 30-mark faster than any other stallion in history.

"For many people he is the best horse they have seen in their lifetime and he is doing an amazing job at stud too," King said.

"He leaves beautiful looking horses and I think when people see Eminent they are really going to be impressed."

King said Eminent was born to be a stallion given the impressive bloodlines on both sides of his pedigree.

Eminent's dam is the Gr.1 Ascot Fillies' Mile (1600m) placegetter You'll Be Mine, a Kingmambo daughter of Group One winner Quarter Moon, also the dam of Group One winner Diamondsandrubies.

"Obviously with Frankel you are miles ahead, but to see the first three dams are by Kingmambo, Sadler's Wells and Darshaan, they are three of the best broodmare sires in the world," King said.

"It's a very strong female family and the race records are so strong within those bloodlines."

King highlighted Eminent's ability to come to hand as an early three-year-old and the fact he had performed successfully in New Zealand's major export market, Australia, as significant positives for breeders.

"With his international pedigree and performance and the fact he boasts a Group One placing in Australia, there is little doubt Australian buyers will have no trouble buying progeny by this sire. We feel he is the perfect fit for New Zealand." – NZ Racing Desk
Advertisment
More Reading...
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G1 Winning Champion 2YO Velocious to be Offered on Inglis Digital
The G1-winning Champion 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) will be offered for auction in the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
Winning Hat Trick for So You Think Filly
So You Think has ticked over $12million in seasonal earnings with 150 plus winners including seven stakes-winners and while Covert Thinking is not among the luminaries by her sire, this tenacious 3YO has won three on the trot and landed her first metro victory on Wednesday.
Sword Poised to Strike
When the first crop yearlings by a young stallion are well received and go into the right stables that’s always a good sign and then a few months after that is when things start to get really interesting.
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Lisa Kennedy Recognized for Thoroughbred Welfare
Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 2
Here is the full list of 44 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.