30 Mar 2009
Sir Patrick Hogan had the many New Zealand and Australian breeders at the forefront of his mind when deciding on the 2009 service fees for his stallion roster at his famous Cambridge Stud.
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It's up to us to keep breeders in the business," Sir Patrick told New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing.
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Cambridge Stud has a track record of setting its service fees at a level which gives the breeder the opportunity to get a fair return. That same philosophy applies in the market conditions which prevail today," he concluded.
Accordingly, Sir Patrick Hogan has announced across-the-board cuts to the fees his stallions stand at, including super sire Zabeel, Australasia's greatest living stallion.
ZABEEL - 2009 fee: NZ$90,000 + gst including live foal guarantee
There are two significant changes to Zabeel's fee this year. Firstly his fee drops from NZ$100,000 to NZ$90,000. Previously Zabeel's service fee did not include a live foal guarantee, meaning an additional cost (around NZ$12,000) was necessary to insure the foetus.
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Our live foal guarantee policy at Cambridge Stud - for all our stallions - is based on a cash refund if the mare doesn't produce a live, insurable foal," said Sir Patrick.
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Zabeel stands at unequalled value for any stallion standing in Australasia," he added.
Sir Patrick revealed that 95 live foals were produced from Zabeel's 2007 coverings; while he achieved 75 pregnancies from the 100 mares he was restricted to last year.
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Zabeel is in great shape. He looks great and is in excellent health," said Sir Patrick who added that Zabeel will have his book limited to 85 mares this year.
KEEPER - 2009 fee: NZ$12,000 + gst including live foal guarantee
A 20% service fee reduction (was NZ$15,000) applies to the up-and-coming young stallion Keeper. With only four crops of racing age, Keeper is already the sire of 9 individual black type winners, including last season's NZB 3YO Filly of the Year, Insouciant and another Group One winner from the same crop, Keepa Cruisin.
Keeper is in a prominent position on 'The Dewar Award' (Australasian earnings) standings, with only Zabeel, O'Reilly, Pentire, Volksraad and Pins in front of him amongst stallions still standing in this country.
Keeper covered 307 mares in the last two seasons and represents a pedigree which keeps on improving.
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He's a half-brother to the dam of Metal Bender, who's already won the first two legs of the Sydney 3YO Triple Crown," said Sir Patrick.
ONE COOL CAT - 2009 fee: NZ$10,000 + gst including live foal guarantee
The young Storm Cat stallion One Cool Cat has had a 33% service fee reduction (was NZ$15,000). Already the sire of five individual black type winners from his first crop in the northern hemisphere, One Cool Cat achieved the status of 2008 leading first season sire of stakes winners.
The stock of One Cool Cat has sold up to NZ$950,000 and Sir Patrick Hogan is looking forward to the spring when his first NZ crop will be three-year-olds.
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Like other Storm Cat stallions proven in this part of the world - the likes of Tale of the Cat, Statue of Liberty and Van Nistelrooy - it's all ahead of One Cool Cat and he's had wonderful quality in his books including 160 mares in 2008," said Sir Patrick.
LUCKY UNICORN - 2009 fee: NZ$6,000 + gst including live foal guarantee
The year three Redoute's Choice horse, Lucky Unicorn, has a 25% service fee reduction (was NZ$8,000). His year one booked numbered 140 outstanding mares and last year he covered a further 105 mares.
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Lucky Unicorn has had an excellent opportunity with shareholder & Cambridge Stud mares," said Sir Patrick.
A Listed Race winner himself at Flemington, Lucky Unicorn is a half-brother to one of the highest-rated horses in Hong Kong, Inspiration. The John Moore-trained horse is a dual Group One winner, having taken both the HK International Sprint and the Centenary Sprint Cup.
VIKING RULER - 2009 FEE: NZ$6,500 + gst including live foal guarantee
A 35% reduction applies to the service fee of Viking Ruler (was NZ$10,000) who produced Red Ruler (2
nd Australian Derby & Kelt Capital Stakes) from his first crop and backed it up with Court Ruler (Trentham Stakes-Gr.3, 4
th New Zealand Derby) from his second crop.
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Viking Ruler has proved he has the ability to throw a middle distance, staying-type of horse," said Sir Patrick.
A rising star by Viking Ruler in Australia is the Bart Cummings-trained Kroner, a half-brother to the Australian Derby winner Headturner. Kroner has won three races in Sydney to date and is highly rated by his champion trainer.
STRAVINSKY
Cambridge Stud is hopeful of Stravinsky returning from Japan for this year's southern hemisphere breeding season.
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Every endeavour is being made to secure Stravinsky's return to Cambridge Stud for the 2009 season, "said Sir Patrick.
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Negotiations are continuing and an announcement will be made as soon as possible," he added.
In concluding, New Zealand's most famous thoroughbred breeder told New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing that he was hopeful that Australian breeders would look very seriously at the option of breeding in New Zealand this year now that the borders are open between the two countries.
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There is a wonderful opportunity for Australian breeders to patronise stallions in this country who are utterly-proven on the international stage."
Footnote: As an additional assist to breeders, Cambridge Stud has announced a 15% cut to agistment costs for the 2009 breeding season. The daily rate for in-foal mares drops from NZ$14 to NZ$12 (+gst), while the daily rate for dry mares drops from NZ$12 to NZ$10 (+gst).