Rosemont Stud owner Anthony Mithen has announced Group 1 racehorse and sire Starcraft will transfer to Victoria this month.

Starcraft (NZ) has been based at Arrowfield Stud and is the sire of 15 stakes winners headed by Champion Australian 3YO Colt Star Witness.

In a joint-venture with Arrowfield chairman John Messara, Starcraft will stand for a $11,000 (inc gst) fee at Mithen’s burgeoning Gnarwarre nursery alongside Toorak Toff and Starspangledbanner.

“We’ve targeted Starcraft for some time now,” Mithen said.  “We contemplated approaching Arrowfield 12 months ago but had our hands full re-launching Starspangledbanner.  The timing for us this year was perfect.”

Starcraft (Soviet Star) is a rising 14 year-old and he was crowned Australia’s Champion 3YO Colt after winning the 2004 G1 AJC Derby.  He was then transferred to trainer Luca Cumani to win the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Newmarket and G1 Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.

“He’s such a stunning individual and gets great-looking stock,” Mithen said.  “Type is everything and he produces some of the most attractive yearlings around that sell incredibly well – up to $650,000 at Easter this year.

“Starcraft sold more than 50 yearlings at all the top sales earlier this year and they averaged nearly $70,000.  That tells breeders finalising their matings for 2014 that Starcraft has plenty of unraced quality progeny out there in some of the very best stables.  I am certain he will produce more top-line runners in the next 12 months.

“Add the fact Starcraft’s Victorian-bred progeny will qualify for the riches of Super VOBIS and VOBIS Gold, and he is a no-brainer.  I’ve got a feeling we are in for a very busy week!

“I’ve contacted a few of our best clients with mares here at the farm over the weekend to let them know he will be available here at Rosemont and they all booked mares to him on the spot.

“We will be sending a dozen or so very nice mares to him this season, including the mother of recent Brisbane Group 2 winner Sacred Star, as well as some of the stakes-winning American and European mares we’ve been collecting in recent years.”