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Pride Of Dubai crowned champion first-season sire

3 minute read

Son of Street Cry’s progeny net $1,311,389 - $300,000 clear of nearest rival.

Pride Of Dubai.
Pride Of Dubai. Picture: Coolmore Australia

Coolmore Stud's Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry) has been crowned Australia's first-season sire by earnings, with 11 of his progeny winning 13 races between them, which saw them accrue  $1,311,389 in prize-money.

The son of Street Cry (Machiavellian) who stood for $55,000 (inc GST) in his season and his 11 winners are headed by Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) winner Tanker, while his highest earner with $550,975 in prize-money was consistent filly Bella Nipotina, who finished second in both the Inglis Banner 2YO Stakes (RL, 1000m) and the Inglis 2YO Millennium (RL, 1100m). The stallion's first-crop also includes Dubai Star, who finished second Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m) on debut in November and went on to break her maiden at Canterbury in February. 

"Pride Of Dubai has had a great first season and we expect him to progress to the next level with his rising three-year-olds as he has a host of contenders for big races in the spring," said Tom Magnier. 

"He's one of many exciting young stallions on the Coolmore Australia roster."

Pride Of Dubai - who will stand for a fee of $38,500 (inc GST) in 2020 - finished ahead of the late Aquis stallion Spill The Beans (Snitzel) - who sired 13 winners which saw him net $1,033,561 in prize-money.

The son of Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) finished tied with Vinery Stud's Headwater (Exceed And Excel) for champion first-season by number of winners. 

Coolmore Stud will be hoping to land successful first-season premierships, with the first-crop of their Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) set to hit the track this season. 

"We have been particularly pleased with how the American Pharoah's have trained on in the northern hemisphere," said Magnier. 

"He already has nine first crop stakes winners, most of them are on turf and many are over sprint distances. His first yearlings here sold extremely well and are with all the big stables so everything is pointing in the right direction for him too."

American Pharoah has made a brilliant start to his career in the northern hemisphere, siring nine stakes winners including Grade 2-winning pair Four Wheel Drive and Sweet Melania. 

Meanwhile in New Zealand, Novara Park's Sweynesse (Lonhro), who sired three winners including Bonita Aurelia, who won the Taranaki 2YO Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) and placed in the Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) was crowned leading first season sire.

"It's a really good result, and a great way for the stallion to start his career," said Novara Park manager Ray Knight.

"It's been a funny old year for everyone with coronavirus, but it's been very encouraging for us to see his first progeny perform as well as they have.

"The particularly exciting thing is that we've heard a number of very positive reports about some of his other progeny who are still in the wings and haven't yet stepped out on the racetrack.

"He's had very good support all of the way through from the syndicate and the breeders, so we're very pleased for them that he's delivered these results and rewarded them for that support.

"Bonita Aurelia is obviously a very good filly, and she's just been nurtured along by some top trainers [Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman]. She's a tall, leggy sort of a thing, and it was always obvious that she was going to get much better as she strengthened up, so everything she's done so far has really been a bonus.

"But she's game and she's tough, and those are attributes we've been seeing across many of his progeny.

"Walkthisswey is very highly rated, and I thought it was a great performance by the horse and her trainer (Paul Harris) to get that win first-up. She hadn't done much at all before then, but she was very professional and tough and won it very well."

Knight has been encouraged by the level of interest from breeders in recent weeks for both Sweynesse and fellow stallion Staphanos, whose first foals will be born in the coming spring.

"In such an uncertain climate, everyone's been in a bit of a holding pattern and breeders have probably waited a little bit longer before making their decisions on what to do with their mares," Knight said.

"But interest in both of our stallions has really ramped up just recently, which is a very good sign. My feeling at this stage is that more mares will be mated this year in New Zealand than many of us might have expected." 

Sweynesse will stand at an unchanged fee of NZ$6,000 (plus GST) for the forthcoming breeding season.


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