Alamosa will be the star turn at the Manawatu Breeders’ Association annual stallion day this Sunday, July 26.
Alamosa (O’Reilly – Lodore Mystic by Centaine) will stand for an introductory fee of $27,500 (plus gst) at Wellfield Lodge this year.
Shareholders in Alamosa include Belvedere Farm, Cambridge Stud, Curraghmore Stud, Fairdale Stud, Goodwood Stud, Hallmark Stud, Haunui Farm, Pencarrow Stud, Rich Hill Stud, Trelawney Stud and Whakanui Stud.
Alamosa was a 2yo G1 winner of the ARC Ford Diamond Stakes and he added another two elite level victories the following season in the WRC Thorndon Mile and Otaki Maori WFA Stakes.
He was prepared by Peter McKay at Matamata before Wellfield Lodge stepped in with an offer to stand him at stud.
To enhance his stud value, the shareholders sent him to Mick Price in Melbourne and the move paid off with a G1 triumph in the prestigious MRC Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.
Alamosa was retired after contesting the Doncaster Handicap during the autumn and has thrived in his new home. “He is letting down wonderfully and I reckon he’s put on 50kg since arriving here,” Wellfield Lodge spokesman Hugh Taylor said.
Alamosa will stand his first season alongside Handsome Ransom (Red Ransom) at the Palmerston North property.
MICK PRICE will attempt to win a second Toorak in a row with Heart Of Dreams this year.
Heart Of Dreams (3g Show A Heart-Academy Of Dreams by Royal Academy) was a G1 winner of the VRC Australian Guineas in March and owner-breeder Larry Bartle has since knocked back a seven-figure offer from Hong Kong for him.
Heart Of Dreams will be gunning for a widely-spaced hat-trick when he races first-up. He won the G2 Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill a fortnight after his Flemington first.
Price has indicated the Show A Heart gelding will also run over a mile in the Waterford Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley and Emirates Stakes at Flemington.