Waikato Stud has announced the service fee for its Group 1 winning stallion Paco Boy will be NZ$12,500 (+ gst) in 2011.  The Irish-bred son of Desert Style is about to start covering his initial book at Highclere Stud in England.

“We are very excited to offer Australasian breeders with the opportunity to use a horse of this calibre at such a competitive fee,” Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick said.  “His international reputation makes him a must for breeders in 2011 and beyond.”

Paco Boy was crowned the Champion Older Miler of Great Britain in 2009.  He was trained by Richard Hannon to G1 victories in the Lockinge Stakes (1600m) at Newbury, Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot and Prix de la Foret (1400m) at Longchamp.

“He was such a lovely horse and will be a very hard horse to forget – I’ve got pictures of him all over the house,” Hannon said.  “He had a high cruising speed and a brilliant turn of foot.

“If he produces stock that look like him, I will be buying as many as I can get my hands on.”

Paco Boy boasts an outstanding record against the fiercest international company, with nine of his 11 career victories coming at Group and Listed level.  Beyond G1 success, he was the G2 winner of the Sandown Mile (twice), Hungerford Stakes & Lennox Stakes, G3 Greenham Stakes and the Listed Spring Cup.  He earned a Timeform rating of 128.  

“I always had it drummed into me that a horse’s turn of foot was paramount and I’ve never seen anything like this horse’s explosiveness,” Chittick said.  “He’s also going to provide a total outcross for all our Centaine, O’Reilly and Pins mares.”