Matings Mix: Kia Ora Stud to support its roster with powerful broodmare band

The Scone-based Kia Ora Stud has returned to standing stallions, beginning with the G1 Golden Slipper victor Farnan and the dual Group 3 winner Prague as their foundation stallions. They later added the G1 Champagne S. hero Captivant to their roster.

Fast forward to spring 2024, and the Kia Ora team is eagerly anticipating the first runners from their two foundation stallions in the coming months. The Thoroughbred Report recently caught up with Kia Ora’s bloodstock and breeding manager, Shane Wright, to discuss the excitement surrounding this moment and some of the mares the stallions will serve.

“It’s been a whirlwind few years since we re-engaged back into standing stallions, but time has moved so quickly and now we are eagerly awaiting the first runners for both Farnan and Prague in the coming months, alongside with Captivant’s first yearling’s being presented at the sales,” Wright told TTR.

“As well as re-establishing the stallion division we have invested substantially in rejuvenating our broodmare band both in Australia and internationally. We have sourced mares and new bloodlines from all over that we believe suit both our stallions and also the Australian racing environment.

“We are always looking towards the future in every facet of our model, be it, stallions, broodmares, the Kia Ora team, partnerships or infrastructure. It really is an exciting time with what’s going on now for the farm and also what’s in the pipeline to come.”

Gypsy back to Farnan

Gypsy Robin (USA) (Daaher {Can}), will again be part of the Champion 2-Year-Old Farnan’s stellar book of mares this season. Gypsy Robin herself is a six-time winner, with victories in the G2 Raven Run S. and the G2 Beaumont S. She has also proven her worth as a broodmare, producing the G1 Moir S. and G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint winner Wild Ruler, as well as Pavitra (American Pharoah {USA}), who won the G3 Kembla Grange Classic and was placed in both the G1 Vinery Stud S. and the G1 VRC Oaks.

“This was an easy mating decision for us,“ says Wright. “Gypsy has been a spectacular mare for the farm, and we’re building families around her, with daughters Pavitra and Caravan already in our broodmare band.

“Her Farnan filly from last year was truly a star. She’s been a favourite of mine since the day she was born, and I’ve said every day that this filly will be something special. I still stand by that.

“Apart from being absolutely beautiful, she had an unflappable temperament. I’m a firm believer that this is a key ingredient in good racehorses, especially in good 2-year-olds. Henry Field liked quite a few Farnans in our Easter draft, and on the morning of the sale, he asked me for my pick. Without hesitation, I said it was this girl. He had to dig deep but secured her for $725,000. Afterward, Henry joked that he’s holding me personally responsible for her future success.

“The good news is that reports from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, who are training her, have been very positive. She’s definitely one to watch. All of this, combined with our belief in Farnan’s ability to produce tough, early, sound-minded stock, made it an easy decision to send one of our very best mares back to him.“

All quality

Also visiting Farnan this season is Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), who was purchased for 850,000 gns (AU$1,700,500) at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mare Sale. Mooneista claimed victories in the G2 Sapphire S. and the Woodlands S., alongside a second-place finish in the G2 Greenlands S. and a fourth in the G1 King’s Stand S. at Royal Ascot.

The South African-bred Vernichey (SAf) (Vercingetorix {SAf}), winner of the G1 Allan Robertson Championship at Scottsville and the G3 Strelitzia S., will also be served by Farnan. Vernichey’s third dam, Burst (Marauding {NZ}), was crowned the Australian Champion 2-Year-Old, with victories in the G1 Golden Slipper, the G1 Sires’ Produce S., and the G1 Champagne S.

Zain Claudette (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), a winner of the G2 Lowther S. and the G3 Princess Margaret S., along with California Angel (USA) (California Chrome {USA}), who won the G2 Jessamine S. and finished fourth in the G1 Keeneland Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, are also set to visit Farnan.

When asked about the ‘typical‘ Farnan, Wright said, “We are quite lucky in the sense that Farnan is producing straightforward stock. They all possess his strength, natural muscle tone, and, as mentioned, a very sound mind. Given his profile and how the yearlings (now 2-year-olds) presented at the sales, they have every chance of being a precocious breed, which is backed up by his book being full for this coming season.

“Breeders see him as a great chance going forward and were very keen to secure their spot early.”

With the expectation that Farnan’s progeny will be early, Wright added, “All first-season sires about to have runners tend to have stock with glowing reports, funnily enough, but I can honestly say I’ve never had so many breakers and trainers reaching out to say just how much they love the Farnan stock. I believe this is solidified by the number of trainers who have actually booked mares into him this year.

“The feedback is very consistent—everyone absolutely loves their work. They are all very forward types and thrive in the racing environment due to their good attitudes. We have a few in our racing team that look like they’ll put their hands up early, particularly three colts—ironically, all with Gai and Adrian. They love the breed and know better than anyone how to train a 2-year-old, so it all fits in place.

“The colts in question are out of the mares Comprende, I Am Excited, and Jennifer Eccles, and are all being aimed at the early trials.”

Prague’s first runners this season

Prague, a son of Redoute’s Choice, is also expecting his first runners this season. A standout 2-year-old, Prague claimed victories in the G3 Pago Pago S. and the G3 Canonbury S., and was placed in the G1 Sires‘ Produce. As an older horse, he added placings in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint S. and the G3 Eskimo Prince S., alongside fourth place finishes in the G1 Newmarket H. and the G1 All-Aged S.

Set to be served by Prague this season is the proven producer Carribean Sunset (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), a winner of the G3 Leopardstown Derrinstown Stud One Thousand Guineas Trial and the G3 Desmond S. She was also placed in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot and the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas.

At stud, Carribean Sunset has produced the Listed Lord S. winner Holbien (Pierro) and the Lonhro-sired pair Lovani and Amenable. Lovani was Group 2 and 3-placed, while Amenable finished second in the G1 All-Aged S. last season.

Insta Erma (USA) (Pioneerofthenile {USA}), a winner of five races, including the G3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S. and the Listed Santa Anita Swingtime S., and placed in the G1 Del Mar Matriarch S., will also be served by Prague.

Additionally, the Cable Boy (USA) mare Liz’s Cable Girl (USA), a winner of 13 races in North America, including the Listed Roamin Rachael S. and the Listed Eleven North H. twice, is set to be served by Prague.

“Feedback from Prague’s first 2-year-olds, who are about to hit the track, has been very pleasing. For a sire in the lower end of the service fee bracket, he is represented in some of Australia’s best stables.

“Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald have a beautiful filly they bought for $375,000, and they hold a good opinion of her. She’s out of the stakes-winning mare Sabatini. Peter Moody has a colt out of I Am Speedy, for which he paid $300,000, and we bought into that one as well. He also holds him in high regard.

“Philip Stokes purchased a filly from our draft for $180,000. She’s out of the stakes-winning and stakes-producing mare Decelerator, and she is doing all the right things early and looks promising. Having young horses in these top-flight stables really gives a young stallion the edge, so we feel Prague is well-placed to reach his full potential.

“Prague has all the credentials to be a very good stallion, and some very good judges in the industry have noted that given his profile and the type of stock they’ve seen, he could be the ‘smokey‘ in the First Season Sire Premiership this year.

“Statistically, being a son of Redoute’s Choice, who was a multiple Group winner as a 2-year-old—winning the Pago Pago and Canonbury S., two of the main build-up races for the Golden Slipper—and then a tenacious 3-year-old always mixing it with the best in some of Australia’s top races, he has the profile to do what so many sons of Redoute’s Choice, such as Snitzel and Not A Single Doubt, have done before him.

“He comes from an extremely tough and fast damline, with the likes of Emancipation and Virage De Fortune being prominent. Not to mention, along with his own Group 1 placings, he is a three-quarter brother to a Group 1 winner. It is a real pedigree, and as such, it has to be respected when selecting a stallion for your mare.

“Not surprisingly, being a $1.6 million yearling, he also produces stock in his mould, with all his quality and athleticism. As they say, you can’t buck your genes, and in Prague’s case, that is very much a huge positive. We have supported him every year with some very good mares from our band and feel with a small bit of luck, everything is in place to reap some very big benefits when his progeny hit the track later this year.“

Could be an important stallion

Kia Ora Stud’s Captivant will be represented by his first yearlings at the sales next year, and his prospects have Wright excited. “Captivant could be a very important stallion in Australia over the next decade. He is the best son of Capitalist, who in turn is the best son of Written Tycoon. This is a sireline that Australia needs to continue to support as it provides options for breeding outside of the Danehill line.

“Captivant himself was a Group 1 winner as a 2-year-old and showed tremendous potential with his honourable second to the Champion Anamoe in the Caulfield Guineas. He looks like he could be a very versatile stallion.

“As a pre-Christmas winner by a Slipper winner, with his grandsire Written Tycoon having sired multiple Golden Slipper winners, there is sure to be plenty of 2-year-old speed in his progeny. However, they may also have the scope to train on and excel as Guineas horses, particularly over the 1600-metre range, making him a universal stallion and a good match for all types of mares. He could provide a lot of longevity to his stock.”

Among the mares to be served by Captivant this spring is Dreamplay (USA) (Hennessy {USA}), a winner of the G2 Comely S. and dam of the G2 Sires’ Produce S. and G1 Champagne S.-placed Zululand. Another mare, Ravi (Redoute’s Choice), who won six races including the G3 Sheraco S. and the Listed Just Now H. will also visit Captivant. Additionally, the proven producer Warpath (Reset), dam of the G2 Emancipation S. winner Positive Peace (Stratum) and several other stakes performers, will be covered by him.

The well-related Tabata Set (Snitzel), who finished fourth in the G3 Ottawa S. and is a full sister to the Listed Hinkler S. winner Willinga Beast, will also visit Captivant. She comes from the family of Group 1 winners Alizee (Sepoy) and Astern.

“Captivant physically is a very easy horse to mate here in Australia. He possesses more quality than most stallions, super handsome but also very athletic with great scope. He suits all your atypical Australian mares, strong running type of mares that lack a little leg, scope and quality in their genetic makeup.

“On pedigree he matches with a multitude of mares, we have been trying to identify and purchase nice mares for him and have found Lonhro, Hussonet lines and also the Northern Meteor line through the likes of Deep Field and Zoustar suit incredibly well. He got a very strong book of 128 mares in his first year, so he has every chance.”

Outside stallions

Kia Ora will again send several of their top-class mares to outside stallions this season. Among them is Bubble Rock (More Than Ready {USA}), a US$1.5 million (AU$2.2 million) purchase from last year’s Fasig-Tipton Lexington November Sale, who will visit I Am Invincible. Bubble Rock won five races, including the G2 Mrs Revere S. and the G3 Belmont Matron S.

The G1 New Zealand Oaks victress Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) is set to head to Snitzel. Meanwhile, the proven producer Keysbrook (So Secret) will return to Extreme Choice, with their previous union having produced the G1 VRC Oaks and G1 Champagne S. winner She’s Extreme.

Star mare Lighthouse (USA) (Mizzen Mast {USA}), who won the G1 Coolmore Classic and is currently in foal to Anamoe, will also be served by Snitzel. Another notable mare, More Than Real (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}), a winner of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and dam of Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock)—herself the dam of this season’s G1 Golden Slipper victress Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon)—will visit Zoustar.

Haughty (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}), a winner of the G1 Lake Placid S. at Saratoga and placed in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, will also visit I Am Invincible.

Explaining the decisions on these outside matings, Wright said, “Kia Ora has always been very proud of our broodmare band, and more importantly, the success of our graduates on the track. So, along with supporting our own stallions with very good mares, we also breed to outside stallions that we believe match well.

“Success comes at the winning post, not in the sales ring, so we always put the emphasis on breeding the athlete. To do this, you have to utilise the Champion Sires—they are Champions for a reason. In essence, our strategy hasn’t changed, as we like a good mix of both our stallions and proven stallions. That said, given the current market climate, especially in the middle and lower ends, breeders do need to be careful and find value where they can.

“We are quite fortunate in this regard, as we can utilise our own stallions, all of whom represent extremely good value in their respective ranges. As sale results have shown, they can all sell well above the averages at every sale, giving breeders a great return on investment without the risk associated with some other higher-priced stallions.”

Story by The Thoroughbred Report