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Vespa to join New Zealand-based stud roster.
Dual Group 1 winner Ten Sovereigns (No Nay Never) will join the Valachi Downs roster for the 2020 season where he will stand for a fee of NZ$20,000 (plus GST).
A winner of his first two starts as a two-year-old for Aidan O'Brien, including the Round Tower Stakes (Gr 3, 6f), the colt's juvenile career culminated with an impressive victory in the Middle Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f).
After posting a fifth behind stablemate Magna Grecia (Invincible Spirit) in the 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) and fourth place finish in the Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f) at Royal Ascot, the son former shuttler No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) beat the older horses in a strong renewal of the July Cup (Gr 1, 6f) at Newmarket.
"Our goal is to pull together a stallion line-up of high-quality individuals that are genetically and physically suited to the New Zealand market, with a mix of local and international bloodlines," Valachi Downs general manager Gareth Downey said.
"While the industry is in a challenging place at the moment, New Zealand breeders are a resilient bunch and we want to support them in the best possible way with an elite and diverse roster.
"We are delighted to further develop the partnership with Coolmore and stand the fast and precocious juvenile colt Ten Sovereigns this season.
"Like U S Navy Flag, he has a speed profile and can physically be described as a beautifully scopey individual. We believe this exceptionally fast duo of elite sprinters will complement each other on the Valachi roster."
Purchased by Charlie Gordon-Watson for 200,000gns at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Ten Sovereigns is out stakes-placed Exceed And Excel (Danehill) mare Seeking Solace, making him a half-brother to two further winners.
Further back he is from the same family as 2015 Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) winner Shamal Wind (Dubawi). He stood the 2020 northern hemisphere fee of €25,000 at Coolmore Stud.
Meanwhile, the Kevin Hickman-bred Vespa (Elusive City) has returned to Valachi Downs for the 2020 breeding season where he will stand for an unchanged fee of NZ$5,000 (plus GST) having previously stood at Wellfield Lodge.
The stallion has sired two winners from eight starters and is represented by stakes-placed Kelly Renee and Piaggio.
"The team at Wellfield Lodge have done an exceptional job with Vespa's early stud career," Downey said.
"We would like to thank them and the shareholders in the horse for their support of the decision by Valachi and Wellfield to move Vespa to the Waikato where he will have access to a larger broodmare pool."
The pair will join US Navy Flag (War Front) who will stand the 2020 season for a reduced fee of NZ$17,500 (plus GST), down from NZ$20,000 a year ago.
"We have slightly reduced U S Navy Flag's fee this season to support breeders in the challenging economic climate," Downey said.
"This is no reflection on our opinion of him, which has only grown after seeing the incredible physical types he has thrown in his first crop of Irish foals. New Zealand breeders should be very excited to see his first locally-bred foals arrive, as I know we are."
The Valachi Stud roster is completed by Zacinto (Dansili) and Savile Row (Makfi), who will be offered to breeders for the upcoming breeding season at fees of NZ$8,000 (plus GST) (down from NZ$12,500) and NZ$2,500 (plus GST) (down from NZ$5,000) respectively.
