Many of the greatest horses around the globe have been bred upon the adage of 'breed the best to the best and hope for the best,' and history shows that success often does create more success.
Spendthrift Australia have developed their stallion roster
with a focus on standing exceptional sons of champion sires so that breeders
have a greater chance of high prices in the sale ring and winning races that
count.
Knowing that you are sending your mare to a champion stallion with a successful sireline is a considerable factor in the breeding decision and it increases the odds of his speed, soundness and temperament being passed on to the progeny.
Take a look at the leading sires list and you will see that majority of the stallions are backed by generations of top sires, attesting to the age-old saying about breeding to the best.
The success of a champion stallion's influence can also be felt for generations after his last runners hit the track. The legendary Northern Dancer's (CAN) impact now extends through his champion sons Danzig (USA) and Danehill (USA), with the later the sire of current leading Australian sires Fastnet Rock, Redoute's Choice and Exceed and Excel.
Sir Tristram (IRE), who at one point in time saw him as the world's leading sire for individual Group 1 winners, continued his legacy through his world-class son Zabeel (NZ) who is also the sire of New Zealand's reigning champion sire Savabeel.
Spendthrift Australia's Hampton Court and Swear are by the breed-shaping Redoute's Choice, a fourth-generation champion sire. He comes from the legendary sireline of Northern Dancer, Danzig and Danehill.
Redoute's Choice has already proven his sireline will continue the tradition with Snitzel leading the Australian general sires list and Not A Single Doubt trailing closely behind. Their success only bolsters the confidence in the stallion careers of Hampton Court and Swear.
Record-setting sire I Am Invincible is another champion sire that features in the Spendthrift Australia roster with his son Overshare. By Invincible Spirit (IRE), son of legendary sire Green Desert (USA), I Am Invincible has been on the rise since he won Champion First Season Sire honours and looks to add the Champion 2YO Sire title to his accolades this year.
Overshare is an identical type to his champion sire which is only strengthened by his female family featuring five global champions, a convincing example of breeding the best to the best.
Gold Standard joined the roster alongside Overshare in 2018 and is another exceptional type by a champion sire. He beat home some of the best runners of his generation, including Trapeze Artist and Merchant Navy, and follows in the mould of his Golden Slipper-winning champion sire Sebring.
His grandsire More Than Ready (USA) has sired the most winners of any stallion in history and his great grandsire Southern Halo (USA) is a son of Halo (USA) – the sire of Japan's breed-shaping sire Sunday Silence (USA) whose influence is still felt through his champion son Deep Impact (JPN).
More Than Ready's line in Australia is looking to have a similar impact, with Gold Standard positioned nicely to continue the late Sebring's legacy.
Spendthrift Australia have also invested the same focus into
finding shuttle stallions that will provide opportunity to every breeder in the
Australian marketplace.
Many of the top sires to shuttle to Australia have been sired by champions with the likes of Shamardal (USA) being a son of Giant's Causeway (USA), Teofilo being a son of Galileo (IRE), and the above mentioned More Than Ready being a son of Southern Halo.
Jimmy Creed (USA), who is currently producing over 70 percent winners worldwide and two winners from three Australian runners, is among the leading sires of his generation in the United States.
The success flows through multiple generations with Jimmy Creed being the son of champion sire Distorted Humor (USA), grandson of influential sire Gone West (USA) and great grandson of the breed-changing Mr Prospector (USA).
New to the Australian market this breeding season is US shuttle sire Bolt d'Oro (USA), a precocious dual Group 1-winning son of the exceptional sire Medaglia d'Oro (USA). In addition to the accomplishments of Medaglia d'Oro as an Australian sire, he was a Champion Second Season Sire in his home country.
Just like every stallion on the Spendthrift Australia roster, Bolt d'Oro descends from a long line of champions with the dominant Sadler's Wells (USA) and Northern Dancer just a few generations behind him.
By focusing on champion sirelines, Spendthrift Australia are giving its stallion every chance of success. Not only does it fuel their chances of becoming a champion sire in their own right, but it also gives breeders the confidence their mares will be bred to a stallion with increased odds of producing a successful racehorse.
