Taunton Vale Stud has secured exciting Group winner Demerit for stallion duties at its Dardanup nursery in Western Australia.
Demerit is a son of Champion sire-elect Lonhro and will stand at Taunton Vale after a deal was negotiated by Belmont Bloodstock Agency. He will be the first son of Lonhro to stand in WA.
Taunton Vale studmaster Kent Johnston flew to Victoria to inspect Demerit and was suitably impressed. “Demerit is a striking, athletic colt with a wonderful temperament, very much in the mould of Lonhro. He will be well suited to WA and should appeal to a wide range of mares, providing a great outcross for breeders.”
Demerit (4h Lonhro – Shame by Scenic) hit the ground running as a two year-old and was runner-up to world champion Black Caviar on debut in the Listed Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield in May 2009.
The Darley colt started well in the red when resuming as a spring three year-old at Cranbourne. He bowled along in front and in the words of course broadcaster Terry Bailey was “off and gone” in the straight to win eased down by the best part of four lengths.
Second-up, Demerit travelled three wide but was still too strong for a star-studded field in the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m). The beaten brigade included the G1 performers Trusting, Manhattan Rain and Starspangledbanner.
He finished the spring carnival with another outstanding performance in a vintage edition of the G1 Coolmore Stakes at Flemington. He was always in the firing line down the straight six and was only beaten a length by Headway and King Pulse.
Demerit was G2 placed behind More Joyous and Hot Danish last year before being retired to stud as a lightly raced four year-old. “At the peak of his career we thought he was as good a colt as Denman,” trainer Peter Snowden explained. “He was a genuine Group 1 horse, but the cards didn’t quite fall his way on wet tracks in the second half of his racing career.
“As a son of Lonhro, Demerit must be considered an outstanding prospect at stud.”
Darley sire Lonhro is about to be crowned Champion Australian sire. He will be the first Australian Horse of the Year horse since Vain to go on and claim an Australian sires’ premiership.
Demerit’s dam is outstanding Scenic mare Shame who was a G1 winner of the QTC Sires’ Produce Stakes and VATC Thousand Guineas.
Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock negotiated the deal between Darley and Taunton Vale Stud. Belmont Bloodstock also secured WA first-season leader Saxon for Heytesbury Stud.
Demerit will stand at Taunton Vale for a fee of $6,600 (inc. gst). For more information contact Kent or Nina Johnston on (08) 9728 1310, 0418 932 849 or by email tauntonvale@gateway.net.au