Foreplay for value in Victoria

Woodside Park’s leading second-season sire Foreplay will stand for a reduced service fee of $13,750 in 2011.  The Danehill stallion’s stud career has been rejuvenated with stem cell treatment since transferring to Victoria.

“We were delighted with the results from Foreplay last year,” Woodside Park’s bloodstock manager Dean Harvey said.  “He was only announced as standing commercially late, yet he attracted 61 mares.  Of the non walk-in mares he covered, which was a majority of his book, he got 82% in foal.

“Foreplay is being offered at a price that is hard to beat when compared with young stallions with a similar record.”

Foreplay has made a significant impact in the second-season sires’ premiership with exciting stakes winners Decision Time (G2 Stan Fox Stakes), That’s Not It (G3 Red Anchor Stakes) and Playcidium Mint (G3 Lee Steere Stakes).

He’s fourth behind Stratum (2011 fee $55,000), Snitzel ($27,500) and Starcraft ($44,000) with 23 winners of 39 races and $1.22 million in prizemoney.  His strike rate of 52% is the highest of any stallion in the Top 20 second-season premiership.

Foreplay is also third among active sires on the Australian premiership for stakes winners to runners with an exceptional strike rate of 6.8%.

Group 1 winners Econsul (NZ) and Grey Swallow (Ire) will both stand for $4,400 at Woodside Park in 2011.

Econsul (Pins) sired his first winner on Monday when Mr Jansz broke through in the $25,000 Inglis Red Centre Classic (1200m).  

The Caulfield Guineas winner has 191 foals from his first three crops.  “Now is a really good opportunity for Victorian breeders to get on board with Econsul,” Harvey predicted.  “His yearlings have been popular with trainers who like their strength and bone.

“We are extremely confident Econsul will prove himself to be yet another Caulfield Guineas winner to make it as a stallion.  We have a few promising two year-olds by him at Wadham Park that haven’t been produced yet.”

Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow (Daylami) meets a growing demand for staying horses in Australia.  He was a tremendous stayer with a wonderful turn of foot and Wadham also have several of his first-crop two-year-olds in training.  “Grey Swallow was a world-class racehorse,” Harvey revealed.  “And he sires well-balanced, lovely-moving horses.”

Harvey can be contacted for more information on 0408 641 424  or dean@woodsideparkstud.com.au