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Arrowfield Stud believes Snitzel can become one of Australia’s top stallions and if the last month in Melbourne is anything to go by, it’s just a matter of time before that prediction comes to fruition.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Two of his classiest children clashed in the Blue Sapphire (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday with Snitzerland just outlasting Sizzling in a blanket finish.
It was Snitzerland’s fourth straight win since running second to Pierro in last year’s Golden Slipper, while for Sizzling it marked an eye-catching return to the track four months on from his Group 1 TJ Smith win in Queensland.
“His last 12 months have been stunning,” Arrowfield bloodstock manager Jon Freyer said.
“It’s probably elevated him to a new level, horses like Snitzerland and Sizzling and Hot Snitzel.
“He’s one of the more dominant two-year-old sires. He finished second on the list last year not far behind Lonhro who had the Triple Crown winner [Pierro].
“He did a great job and he’s got some nice two-year-olds coming through this year if you judge by the early trials.
“Based on most statistics he’s a horse that really could go to the next level and be on of the top two or three stallions in Australia.”
Along with his second placing to Lonhro in the two-year-old sires’ category last year, Snitzel won the third-season sires’ crown.
But most impressive is his APEX rating, which measures the earnings of his progeny.
“His APEX rating is over five, they’re the horses that are capable of winning the top two per cent of prizemoney in the country,” Freyer said.
“Ten per cent of all his starters win a hundred thousand or more. That puts him in an elite category, that puts him above horses around the world like Sunday Silence, Deep Impact and well above horses here including Redoute’s Choice and horses like More Than Ready and Fastnet Rock.”
