Kia Ora Stud’s investment into building their bloodstock portfolio continued buying Last Call (USA) at the recent Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale. TTR AusNZ spoke to Shane Wright about the mare and if she’d be going to Farnan.

G1 Golden Slipper Farnan has given Kia Ora Stud the perfect start with Golden Gift winner North England, giving the team plenty to be excited about. Their latest acquisition adding to a deep broodmare band is from North America – a happy hunting ground for the farm in the past – picking up G1 Natalma S. winner Last Call (USA) (English Channel {USA}).

Kia Ora Stud spent US$550,000 (AU$850,000) on G1 Natalma S. winner Last Call (USA) on the first day of the mammoth Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale.

“Kia Ora has always had good success at the American and European sales, and we ended up buying a nice filly, Last Call, off the track,” said Bloodstock and Breeding Manager Shane Wright.

“We bid on a few but the market was very strong. We were happy to pick up Last Call. It’s so hard to get Group 1 winning 2-year-olds in Australia, so she’s a nice asset for our broodmare band. She’ll arrive here in January and we will make a decision on who to send to her once she’s settled in. Yes, she could be a candidate for Farnan first up.”

Second on debut at two at Canada’s Woodbine track, Last Call won the G1 Natalma S. for 2-year-olds before running a creditable sixth in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. At three she placed a couple of times at stakes level, and at four, she added another win to her record.

A full sister to Group 3-placed winner English Tavern (USA), her dam is a winning half-sister to G2 Del Mar Palomar Handicap winner Yearly Tour (USA) (Half A Year {USA}) and G2 Aqueduct Fall Highweight Handicap winner Victor Avenue (USA) (Avenue Of Flags {USA}).

 

Farnan’s excellent start

With the reputation of being a stallion making race, the G1 Golden Slipper puts certain expectations on a stallion, and Farnan has, at this early stage, lived up to those. He’s currently leading the Australian Champion 2YO Sire table by prizemoney thanks to North England’s win in the Golden Gift last Saturday.

“Farnan’s great. He’s had a terrific start. North England looks like an exciting colt to follow, and we are looking forward to his Golden Slipper campaign. Congratulations to Newgate Farm and partners,” said Wright.

Farnan won on debut as a mid-November 2-year-old and followed that up with victory in the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic. He came back in the autumn to win three in succession, the G2 Silver Slipper S., G2 Todman S., and G1 Golden Slipper to end his juvenile season with five wins from six starts.

“He’s also had a couple of nice trial winners. We have a couple of our own that we are excited about. Most of them trialled and are now spelling but we have several aimed at the races around Christmas time. We are expecting a big showing from them in the next few months.

“He was a pre-Christmas 2-year-old himself. All the way through his first four years at stud, he’s had full books but the quality of mares seem to be improving each year. Once breeders have seen the type of stock he’s producing and now with his early runners, they are sending better and better mares to him. The future is looking very bright for him.”

 

Kia Ora’s racing team continues to improve

Over the past few years, Kia Ora Stud have been investing back into the yearling market and have been building a strong racing team to support their farm. Racing Manager Luke Wilkinson went over a few of their exciting prospects.

“Chisholm will head to the Blue Diamond. She’s quite quick, and a daughter of Snitzerland. We’re in two minds as to if she’ll do the Blue Diamond Preview or the Chairmans, but she’s on the Blue Diamond path. She’s talented and fast,” said Wilkinson.

Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Chisholm (I Am Invincible) ran second on debut in the R. Listed Inglis Banner S. last Saturday behind Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}). Kia Ora purchased her from Vinery Stud for $500,000 at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Her dam, Snitzerland (Snitzel) ran second in the G1 Golden Slipper and later won the G1 Lightning H. with a career tally of eight wins from 20 starts and just under $2 million in earnings. At stud, she’s already produced Chisholm’s Group 3-winning half-brother Hard Landing (All Too Hard).

Another from a Group 1-winning mare is 2-year-old colt Farcited (Farnan) who was sold by Bell River Thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to Kia Ora Stud and partners Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the Farnan Partnership and Mt Hallowell Stud.

“He’s a lovely colt and has shown us enough in training to be excited. He won’t be a pre-Christmas 2-year-old, so keep looking for him in the autumn as we head towards the Golden Slipper.” Farcited is the second foal of I Am Excited (Snitzel) whose first foal is unraced 3-year-old Still Excited (Lonhro). I Am Excited won the G1 Galaxy H.

Satirically (Snitzel) is the first foal of Group 2 winner Paradee (Epaulette) and Kia Ora, along with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds, purchased him for $800,000 at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. “He’s a nice moving colt. He’ll be a horse that shows tenacity on the track as an autumn 2-year-old.” Paradee won six of her 18 starts including the G2 Peter Young S. and G3 Alexandra S.

“Peter Moody has a lovely colt by Prague who has shown plenty to date and I think is a horse who might be a sneaky nice surprise.” Kia Ora’s stallion Prague has his first juveniles this season, and this colt, Parak, is the second foal of unraced mare I Am Speedy (I Am Invincible) who is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Sweet And Speedy (Street Cry {USA}) out of Group 3 winner Speedy Natalie (Al Maher).

Tuscany (Zoustar) is the other 2-year-old that Wilkinson mentioned. “We are involved in Tuscany. He’s a Zoustar who had one start. He trialled really well, but the race was probably too soon for him. Being a Zoustar, he’ll get better with time and I can’t wait to see him in six month’s time.”

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Tuscany was sold by Widden Stud at the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $1.55 million to Newgate Farm, China Horse Club, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy Racing, and they brought in several other partners including Kia Ora Stud. Tuscany won a trial on September 23, then ran fifth on debut in the G3 Breeders’ Plate won by King Kirk (Ole Kirk). Tuscany is a full brother to Group 2 winner Schwarz, and both are out of Group 2 winner Summer Sham (Not A Single Doubt) from the Shantha’s Choice family of Redoute’s Choice.

 

Story by The Thoroughbred Report