Eliza Park has announced Wanted will stand at its Victoria base this year.  The Fastnet Rock three year-old had been the subject of industry conjecture since he – literally – stormed to victory in the G1 VRC Newmarket Handicap at Flemington last month.

There had been ongoing speculation about his future in breeding circles since Widden owner Antony Thompson stated he had finalized a deal to stand the son of Fastnet Rock in NSW.  After Eliza Park’s press release on Thursday, it would appear the horse will, instead, head to the Super VOBIS State.

Outpacing both the fastest horses in Australasia and the worst hailstorm to hit Melbourne in living memory, Wanted joined leading sires Century, General Nediym and Exceed And Excel who also took out the Newmarket as three year olds.

Hailing from the first crop of Danehill’s boom stallion Fastnet Rock, Wanted was his sire’s most expensive yearling when making $800,000 at the 2008 Inglis Easter Sale.  

His dam Fragmentation (Snippets) was a Listed winner at Flemington and was also G3 placed at Moonee Valley in the C S Hayes Stakes.  Second dam Southern Sprinter (Southern Appeal) is a winning sister to Listed Morphettville Guineas winner In The Mist.  The latter is the dam of G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner De Lago Mist (Encosta de Lago).

Wanted was runner-up to All Silent in the G1 VRC Patinack Farm Stakes during the spring carnival and returned this year for seconds to Nicconi in the G1 VRC Lightning Stakes and Turffontein in the G1 MVRC William Reid Stakes prior to winning the Newmarket.

Trainer Peter Moody has always maintained a high opinion of Wanted.  “There’s probably no better sprinter in the land,” he said after the Newmarket and Timeform agreed with that rating.  Timeform ranked Wanted the leading three year old in Australia along with G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Starspangledbanner.

While it’s been well documented that Wanted is a ‘rig’ and there were initial issues in regards to obtaining fertility insurance, Eliza Park aggressively chased the horse following the opinion of two of the world’s leading reproductive veterinary surgeons in Dr Angus McKinnon and Dr Geoff Hazard.

Eliza Park CEO Cameron Croucher announced Wanted’s acquisition after striking a deal with managing owner Eddie Hayson.  “This is a tremendous coup for both Eliza Park and the Victorian breeding industry,” Croucher said.  “Wanted will be limited to a book of 80 mares in his first season and will stand at an introductory fee of $38,500 (inc gst).”