Vinery launches its Group 1 winning Caulfield Guineas winner Ole Kirk for a $55,000 fee this year on a roster comprising All Too Hard ($33,000), Exceedance ($33,000), Headwater ($16,500), Star Turn ($16,500), Press Statement ($13,750) and Casino Prince ($5,500).

All fees (inc GST) with payment on a live foal.  For bookings or further information, please contact Adam White (0414 800 918) or Harry Roach (0401 970 006).

OLE KIRK

Ole Kirk is gearing up for his first book at Vinery after playing a significant role in Written Tycoon’s quest for Champion Australian Sire honours in 2020-21.

Written Tycoon sired the winners of $17.03million to claim his first Australian premiership and Ole Kirk was his leading earner contributing $1.98million from Group 1 victories in Sydney and Melbourne.

“He was certainly the best colt of his generation and he’s a son of Written Tycoon who has taken all before him,” Vinery general manager Peter Orton said.  “He’s going to get the best of opportunities and his pedigree offers a vital outcross to all the Danehill-line mares in Australasia.”

Ole Kirk joins a Vinery roster on a roll with Australian Top 10 sire All Too Hard, Champion second-season sire Headwater, exciting freshman Star Turn and last year’s critically acclaimed newcomer Exceedance.

Team Hawkes was a common denominator in all of their racing careers and Ole Kirk’s dam Naturale (Bel Esprit) is a full sister to Black Caviar and a half-sister to All Too Hard.

Ole Kirk won the Golden Rose Gr.1 in Sydney before travelling to Melbourne for the Caulfield Guineas Gr.1 where he shouldered out of a pocket to claim the stallion-making classic for our elite colts.

“I don’t normally get nervous but it was a particularly strong Caulfield Guineas this year,” co-trainer Wayne Hawkes declared.  “He’s the best 3yo in the country and it doesn’t get much better with his pedigree.  And hats off to Willie Pike.  He was on the best horse in the race but was cool, calm, relaxed and got the job done.”

Ole Kirk peaked at three but he was also forward enough as a two year-old to win the VRC Talindert Stakes LR at Flemington on debut before a close third in the Champagne Stakes Gr.1 at Randwick.

He was bred by Rick Jamieson at Gilgai Farm in Victoria and sold for $675,000 at the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.  “Ole Kirk has the genetic potential and the elite racetrack performance to play a major role as a sire at Vinery,” Jamieson claimed.  “I believe he will be a great speed stallion of the future.”

 

HEADWATER

No other First-season stallion sired more winners in Australia in 2019-20 than Headwater and he went to another level in claiming the Second-season title with earnings over $3.55million in 2020-21.

The premiership double has elevated Headwater into rare company.  He sired 13 individual first-crop winners as did his own sire Exceed And Excel in 2007-08 and that same title has since been won by I Am Invincible and Northern Meteor.

Now second-season honours have seen him emulate recent champions Medaglia d’Oro (USA) and Zoustar.

Jamaea led the Headwater charge winning the $1million Percy Sykes Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m) at Randwick in April.  She is scheduled to reappear at Randwick on August 21 to launch her spring campaign in the Silver Shadow Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m).

“She was a striking-looking athlete with an outstanding physique when we bought her as a yearling,” co-trainer Rob Price recalled.  “She showed natural ability from the outset – Tommy (Berry) and I couldn’t see her getting beaten in the Percy Sykes.”

Jamaea was a $130,000 yearling buy on behalf of brothers Bruce and Ken Noble at the Gold Coast and her long-term goal this season will be the $2million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1400m) on January 15.

Jamaea won her Group 2 just weeks after Headwater filly Mileva delivered in a deep renewal of the Manihi Classic (LR, 1100m) at Morphettville in March.  “She’s a valuable filly now,” trainer Dan Clarken said.  “We gave her time to grow after a trip to Melbourne in the spring and she’s really improved off that break.”

The Stakes winning double propelled Headwater to the top of the Australian second-season table and he made it even harder for the chasers with 12 individual winners the following month.

Headwater 3yo Starlight opened up another front with a black-type breakthrough in the Singapore Classic (LR, 1400m) at Kranji on July 18.  He’s the first of the breed to race in Singapore and elated trainer Michael Clements said he had always been keen on the Headwaters.

“I had missed quite a few at the yearling sales,” Clements recalled.  “Starlight was the last one available at the Inglis 2YO Sale and I had to bust the budget to buy him at $210,000.  He looked a powerful type with a lovely action and I liked the way he moved in the breeze-ups.”

Headwater yearlings sold to $280,000 at the Gold Coast this year and $200,000 at Melbourne Premier.  That was off a $16,500 service fee and, two titles later, he’s still available at that price this spring with payment on a live foal.

 

ALL TOO HARD

All Too Hard’s rapid rise up the Australian sire ranks showed no signs of stopping in 2020-21.

Represented by just five crops, All Too Hard finished Top 10 with 138 individual winners for prizemoney of $10,041,066.  He left it late to break eight-figures after Imperial Lad earned $41,250 for winning Victoria’s last race of the season at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

The Vinery champion is also Top 10 for Stakes wins (11) with a black-type team led by Group 1 stars Behemoth and Forbidden Love.

Behemoth launched last season winning the Spring Stakes (1200m, Gr.3) at Morphettville before landing a lucrative Group 1 double in the Memsie Stakes and Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield.

They catapulted him to the top of All Too Hard’s rich-list with prizemoney of $2.54million.  “He’s a big horse with a huge-stride,” trainer David Jolly said after the Rupert Clarke.  “And he showed today he can find another gear in the straight.”

Jolly will set him for a similar campaign this season after a regulation home-town return in the Spring Stakes Gr.3 at Morphettville on August 14.  He will defend the Caulfield double and then target the Cantala Stakes Gr.1 at Flemington.

Forbidden Love was good value for her Group 1 in the Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick in February.  She had been placed at the elite level in the Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington in November before winning the Gosford Guineas LR on New Year’s Eve.

“She left them for dust with an outstanding turn of foot,” co-trainer Michael Freedman said after the Surround.  “She is only now coming of age and just wants to be a racehorse.”

Forbidden Love has more big-race goals at the spring carnival.  “We will take her through to the Golden Pendant and possibly the Epsom Handicap,” Freedman predicted.  “The Golden Eagle looks an ideal race for her, too.”

All Too Hard is also making waves in Hong Kong and Singapore where he finished Top 10 in both jurisdictions this year.  His Hong Kong star Wellington won the Chairman’s Sprint Gr.1 at Sha Tin in April while Hard Too Think claimed the Singapore Derby (Sing-Gr.1) in July.

“Syndicators and trainers both here and abroad know they can bid with confidence when they’re buying an All Too Hard,” Vinery’s bloodstock manager Adam White said.  “And breeders have recognised he’s a great source of Group 1 horses and his service fee is terrific value.”

 

STAR TURN

Star Turn took the prized First-season winners’ premiership down to the wire on Saturday when Turning bolted in for trainer Kim Waugh

Turning became the 19th individual 2yo winner for Star Turn on the last day of the season in the Horsepower 2yo Maiden Hcp (1000m) at Muswellbrook.  The Vinery sire would have shared the championship with Capitalist a half-hour later if Montana Flash had saluted at Moonee Valley but he finished fourth first-up after a spell for Team Hawkes.

Ironic really because Montana Flash was touted one of Star Turn’s most precocious youngsters at the start of the season and it wouldn’t surprise to see his lookalike graduate to 3yo Stakes wins in either Melbourne or Sydney.

Capitalist (61 starters – 20 winners) managed to hold out Star Turn (41 starters – 19 winners) in what was a vintage season for freshman sires.  “Star Turn is doing a really good job with fewer runners,” Scone Bloodstock’s John Hutchinson said towards the end of the season.  “He’s getting pretty classy stock as well.”

Star Turn’s tally would have been good enough to win in any other season bar 2018-19 when Better Than Ready sired 23 winners.

Brisbane filly Miss Hipstar led the Star Turn black-type division winning the Dalrello Stakes (LR, 1000m) in May.  She led home a Star Turn quinella from Stellar Magic at Eagle Farm.

“Miss Hipstar has a big ticker and has got so much speed for such a big girl,” trainer Kelly Schweida said.  “She led them up in the Magic Millions Classic but was beaten by the barrier.  We might take her to Melbourne for the spring carnival but she we will be back here in January for the Magic Millions Guineas (RL, 1400m).

Making an early impression helped escalate the value of Star Turn’s second-crop earlier this year.  His filly ex Agueda (General Nediym) sold for $310,000 at Inglis Classic and his colt ex Logan’s Choice (Redoute’s Choice) made $300,000 at Inglis Easter.

“We’ve been thrilled with how Star Turn has been received,” Vinery Stud general manager Peter Orton said.  “His stock are precocious and athletic – just like their sire.   He’s an excellent outcross option and has averaged 140 mares in his first four seasons.”

 

PRESS STATEMENT

Press Statement’s rise to Top 5 on the Australian second-season winners’ table in 2020-21 signals an encouraging start to his stud career at Vinery.

A Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner, he completed the season with 37 winners of 57 races with several preparing to take the next step as 4yo spring aspirants.  Among them is Equation who completed a winning hat-trick in the Canberra Guineas (LR, 1400m) before going for a spell in March.

“Equation is a progressive colt and I’m sure he will eventually get a mile,” trainer Annabel Neasham said.  “He’s got bigger and better things in store.”

Neasham branched out on her own last year after looking after the Sydney satellite stable for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.  The Caulfield-based trainers have Press Statement filly Incredulous Dream back in work after an autumn prep that paid dividends in the Nitschke Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m) at Morphettville.

“We’ve always had a big opinion of Incredulous Dream,” Eustace said.  “We knew she would develop into a lovely type and she’s got a future.”

Notions is another promising Press Statement being set for a spring campaign.  She won first-up at Nowra last month as part of a long-term program for a syndicate managed by Dynamic Syndications.

“That win was about teaching her to be a racehorse and lay the foundations for better races,” Dynamic manager Adam Watt noted.  “We had Love Tap break his maiden at Nowra last year and he went on to win a Group 3 in the Gloaming Stakes.

“She’s a stayer on the rise and can measure up to similar company in the Spring.”

Press Statement’s Australian strike-rate has been augmented by a half-dozen first-crop winners in Hong Kong, South Africa and New Zealand.  His Hong Kong-winning expats include Hurry Hurry Gain, Free Foal and Steel Win and his South African filly Kitty Cat Chat completed an unbeaten hat-trick at Kenilworth in February.

The Kiwi contingent is headed by Hold The Press who also won for the third time in four starts in February while Taranaki trainer Trudy Keegan has spring plans for Winston after two wins from his first three starts.

“Winston should be unbeaten and is an exceptional horse,” Keegan said last month.  “We’ve been patient and he will keep improving over more ground next season.”

 

EXCEEDANCE

Vinery sire Exceedance took the next step towards a successful stud career when his first foal arrived in the Hunter Valley last week

Exceedance covered 142 mares in his initial book and among them was Catchulata (Charge Forward) who delivered a colt at Sledmere Stud on July 29.  “Our Exceedance colt is a beautiful sight,” Sledmere’s Royston Murphy said.  “He’s from the same family as Golden Slipper winner Estijaab and he’s a ripper!”

An explosive sprinter by breed-shaping sire Exceed And Excel, Exceedance scored a career-defining victory in the 2019 Coolmore Stud Stakes Gr.1 at Flemington and consistently clocked times that put him in the elite category.

That blistering turn of foot was palpable when Exceedance scored a devastating victory over Bivouac in the San Domenico Stakes Gr.3 at Rosehill.  He then flashed home on the back of a sizzling split when placed in the Golden Rose Gr.1 before overcoming a check at the start to beat Bivouac again in the grand-final for colts in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

“Exceedance has enormous potential at stud and what he achieved in just 9 starts was amazing,” Vinery general manager Peter Orton said.  “He is a beautiful looking horse and Exceed And Excel is a terrific source of early speed.”

Exceed And Excel (Danehill) was raised at Vinery and he carried the ‘Big V’ brand to a Group 1 victory in the 2004 Newmarket Hcp at Flemington.  That link continued when Vinery (as agent) sold Exceed And Excel colts for $2.1million and $1.05million at this year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

The bottom half of his pedigree added more kudos for Exceedance this year.  His NZ-bred dam Bonnie Mac (Thorn Park) won five races including Proud Miss Stakes LR. and she has really blossomed as a broodmare.

After foaling Exceedance, she was bred back to Exceed And Excel to produce this year’s MRC Zedative Stakes Gr.3 winner Oxley Road.  Her third live foal Mac ‘N’ Cheese (Sebring) made for a perfect black-type record in the Oaklands Plate LR at Morphettville last month.

Exceedance was supported by leading farms like Yarraman Stud, Edinburgh Park, Amarina Farm, Kitchwin Hills and Sledmere Stud first-up and he will be fully subscribed this year at $33,000 (inc GST) with payment on a live foal.

 

CASINO PRINCE

Casino Prince is renowned as a prolific winner-getter and has a long-standing and massive winners to runners strike rate of 70% that proves he’s one of the best value sires around.

The Vinery stalwart has cracked 100 wins for the 8th season in a row highlighted by Sweet Deal’s feature wins in the Toy Show Quality Gr.3 at Randwick, $1million The Hunter at Newcastle and Hawkesbury Crown Gr.3. She was sold for $850,000 at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in April and bowed out with a Group 1 placing for new owners Lustre Lodge in the Tatt’s Tiara at Eagle Farm last month.

Bandersnatch also chimed in for three Listed wins this year in the Carrington Stakes, Civic Stakes and Winter Stakes last Saturday.

His Brisbane-based mare Baccarat Baby sold to Spendthrift Australia for $650,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in May.  She has earned over $500,000 for owner-breeders Peter Harris and Matthew Irwin with eight wins including the Sunshine Coast Guineas Gr.3 and Princess Stakes LR.

Casino Prince is the go-to stallion for anyone who breeds to race using a stallion in the $5,500 (inc. GST) price-bracket. His average progeny earnings are almost $93,000 per starter and just in the last month, his Sydney winners Bandersnatch, Casino Kid and Our Bellagio Miss have collectively banked $246,000.

Our Bellagio Miss was the winner of the inaugural Midway Handicap in Sydney, which is a great race incentive, carrying $100,000 prizemoney, aimed at giving small to mid-sized stables a pathway to Saturday metropolitan racing.