Evergreen Lodge shuttler Trade Fair has had his service fee reduced to $7,150 for the 2009 season. The announcement comes just before the son of Zafonic is about to begin his third season at Dr John Yovich’s stud at Myalup, southwest of Perth.
Shuttling from Tweenhills Farm in Gloucestershire, Trade Fair (Zafonic-Danefair by Danehill) has been well received by Australian broodmare owners and served 92 mares in 2006 before returning last year following the EI outbreak to serve a book of 91.
Trade Fair’s first northern hemisphere foals proved popular at the Goffs and Tattersalls weanling sales late last year. His colt from US stakes winner Aswhatilldois sold for $83,000 at Goffs in November and his colt out of Rich Dancer fetched $139,000 at Tattersalls in December. The Goffs colt was purchased by Irish agent Bobby O’Ryan and was widely acclaimed as being one of the best foals on offer at the Kildare Sale.
“He’s a cracker,” O’Ryan said. “He’s got a great walk and he’s just a very good individual.”
Top European bloodstock agent John Warren is another Trade Fair fan.
“Having always admired the horse, I have supported Trade Fair because he is an outstanding looker who was a very good two-year-old,” Warren said. “I also like the idea of Zafonic and Danehill for a sire of precocious two-year-olds”.
The first of Trade Fair’s Australian progeny were offered at the Perth Magic Millions in February this year and proved a huge hit averaging $38,682 compared to the sale average of $38,257 for 11 sold.
Producing impressive types, Trade Fair was the only active WA based sire to better the sale average (4 or more sold) eclipsing proven sires Bletchley Park($35,523), Blackfriars($32,029), Hurricane Sky($25,800), Key Business($21,200)and Oratorio ($37,197) He also bettered the average of Eastern States based sires Barely A Moment ($36,000),Bel Esprit ($25,222) Choisir($30,375) and Mossman ($30,600).
A G1 placegetter in the time honoured Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, Trade Fair competed at the highest level throughout his career and appeared in Group or Listed events in 13 of his 15 starts. Regarded as strictly a top of the ground performer, he won twice at G3 level and twice at Listed level for a total of five wins over three seasons. He was Timeform rated 124 and was Second Top 3YO Miler on the 2003 International Classifications.
Trade Fair carries a world class pedigree and is a grandson of Mr Prospector’s champion performer and sire Gone West (sire of 75 stakes winners), from a Danehill daughter, who is closely related to former Irish One Thousand Guineas winner Cairn Rouge.
Trade Fair’s sire Zafonic headed the 1992 2yo and 1993 3yo European Classifications and has sired 50 stakeswinners from his nine foal crops.