Group 1 sprinter Golden Archer is gearing up for another busy season after retiring to Raheen Stud last year.

He stood at $6,600 (inc gst) for his initial book and that fee will remain the same for 2014.

Golden Archer represents the Danehill sireline through Rock Of Gibraltar and he was a precocious two year-old who trained on to win black-type sprints as a three and four year-old.

“He served more mares than any other first-season sire in Queensland and, with a longer lead-in this year, will probably have 100 plus in his second book,” Raheen’s Basil Nolan jnr said.  “He’s a real professional in the covering barn and is highly fertile.

“We can see him being very popular with trainers looking for an ideal QTIS stallion,” Nolan added.  “He was a brilliant juvenile and was still going strong in Group 1 events as rising five year-old.”

Golden Archer raced 20 times and 17 of those outings were in black-type company.  He bowed out of Group 1 racing when third to stablemates Black Caviar and Moment Of Change in the Lighning Stakes at Flemington on February 2013.

Trainer Peter Moody said Golden Archer did very little wrong throughout his career.  “He was a tremendous horse and was a favourite with the staff here,” Moody recalled.  “Only Black Caviar won more black type races for the stable while he was in training.”

Golden Archer stands alongside Testa Rossa stallion Publishing who has two stakes performers among his current crop of two year-olds.  Flying filly Ruby Solo was placed in the RL Magic Millions 2YO Classic and his NZ based colt Stralis won at Tauranga before finishing third in the LR Castletown Stakes at Wanganui last month.

Raheen Stud graduates continue to pay their way in town.  The Nolan’s Dehere mare Countess Dehere completed a double at Eagle Farm last month with Widow’s Walk and Can She Move.