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Enterprising Scone stud owners George and Felicity Fraser, the breeders of 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, are offering mare owners the opportunity to use the four sires, including two Group1 winners, in the 2011 season at their Ilala stud at very modest cost.

George Fraser says that in fact they are letting the user decide the cost. Describing it as a 'free hit', he invites the breeders: 'You tell us what you want to pay for the service and, provided it is a reasonable offer, we'll do the deal. No reasonable offer will be refused.'

In addition, owners taking advantage full time of Illala's mare boarding service rec

eive a complimentary stallion service.

Breeders attending the second session of the 2011 Inglis Hunter Valley breeders' Scone yearling sale Sunday May 15 will have the opportunity of examining the products of one of these sires. The most expensive at Ilala last season ($7,700 including GST), he is American bred Honor in War and he has eight first crop yearlings in this section of the catalogue.

A son of Lord at War, a Group1 winner in South and North America, and from a daughter of the eminent broodmare sire Diesis, Honor in War was a tough, high class turf miler. He won ten races to Group1 on leading American tracks and wound up his career with victory in the historic Villiers at Randwick.

The other Group1 winner on the Ilala sire roster is We Can Seek, a Chilean 3-year-old champion by Mr. Prospector's grandson Seeker's Reward and from a mare by the Danzig star Polish Navy. At three in Chile We Can Seek won three Group1 races to 2200m and finished second in their Derby.

Although did not win at Group1 level, Classic Endeavour, another import at Ilala, was a grand campaigner in America, particularly on the New York circuit, one on which he recorded 14 of his 16 wins. He is a rare source in Australia of the Buckpasser male line.

Access to the Star Kingdom line is available at Ilala through the very smart Canny Lad colt Grand Reve. He raced 14 times for six wins, headed by the Chief de Beers at Doomben. He was second to Gold Edition in the Turf Classic at Doomben and Gold Coast Guineas and also runner up in the Magic Millions 3YO Trophy.