Chatswood Stud has signed a second stallion this week to join champion sire Reward For Effort at its property in Seymour.

On Tuesday, owner Greg Willis announced All American will be returning east from Western Australia and he followed that with news Ajaya (GB) will be shuttling from Ireland this year.

Ajaya (Invincible Spirit) was a distinctive juvenile of his generation winning the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York defeating subsequent Group 1 winner Ribchester.  He finished a head second in the G2 Prix Robert Papin and a bold fourth in the G1 Middle Park Stakes behind star colt Shalaa.

The William Haggas trained colt earned a Timeform rating of 116, higher than that of Cable Bay (112), Zebedee (111) and his own sire Invincible Spirit (112).

“Ajaya was a high class two year old blessed with bags of speed and a good temperament,” Haggas said.  “His performance in the Gimcrack was a top-class one, and he loved fast ground.  He’s a thoroughly likeable colt who thrived on racing.”

Retired sound after 8 runs, he is the first foal out of unraced mare Nessina, a daughter of Hennessy who is the damsire of Australian stakes winners Irish Lights, Krupt, Fast ‘n’ Rocking, Zululand etc.

Chatswood Stud introduced Invincible Spirit to Australia back in 2003 and his son I Am Invincible has taken the sireline to another level in the southern hemisphere.  “Ajaya is the right shuttle stallion to bring to Australia,” Willis said.  “He loved firm tracks, Redoute’s Choice is in his female family and he will be in the same barn as Invincible Spirit.”

Ajaya will stand at a fee of $13,200 (inc gst).

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