Value the theme to 2014 Cambridge Stud stallion offering

By Dennis Ryan

The 2014 breeding season will be the first in 39 years that Cambridge Stud will have neither Sir Tristram nor his fellow champion sire-son Zabeel to present to broodmare owners.

That in no way, however, impacts on what Sir Patrick Hogan sees as a stallion line-up that offers genuine value in what could be only be described as a competitive racing and breeding industry economy.

“I’ve set my stallion fees this year continuing a policy at Cambridge Stud that appreciates the need for broodmare owners to be able to breed a horse with a minimum of risk,” says Sir Patrick.

On the score of seniority, the rising 17-year-old Group One-winning Danehill horse Keeper heads the Cambridge Stud roster, offering extreme value at a fee of $8,000. The sire of six individual Group One winners is seen by some as a predominantly filly stallion, a scenario that Sir Patrick puts some balance into.

“Sure his fillies have made headlines, but the fact is that more male horses than female are winners. As well as that he’s consistently in the top five on the premiership and second or third on the number of winners.

“They win races everywhere, just last week he had six winners in three countries. If you get a filly by him you’re happy and his colts get snapped up at the sales.

“The fee isn’t the only reason broodmare owners should support him,” Sir Patrick added. “He has more than 100 offspring in each of his three-year-old, two-year-old and rising two-year-old crops, so there are going to be a heap of horses out there performing for him in the next couple of seasons.”

Northern hemisphere classic champion Cape Blanco is also offered this breeding season at a significant discount, down from $20,000 to $14,000.

“For a son of Galileo that won eight Group races and five of them at Group One, you couldn’t get better value than that,” Sir Patrick said. “His first crop yearlings can’t be described as anything but outstanding, but with this being his third year at stud, he deserves to get another strong book.

“You couldn’t get a better incentive than his fee for this year, it gives breeders and the horse himself an outstanding opportunity.”

Last year’s Cambridge Stud newcomer, dual European Group One winner Power, will stand at $9,000, reduced from the $12,000 of his introductory year.

“He was a Group One winner at two and three years, in the right place and in the right races, plus he’s a son of one of the world’s leading current sires in Oasis Dream,” says Sir Patrick. “His pedigree and performance suggest he should leave a good autumn two-year-old to go through to the early Guineas races.”

The fees for Cambridge Stud’s two remaining stallions, Tavistock and Burgundy, have also been trimmed for 2014. Tavistock will stand at $7,000 (down from $8,000) and Burgundy at $6,000 ($7,000 in 2013).

“Tavistock is at a very interesting stage, being a son of Montjeu with his progeny about to turn three. From what he’s already achieved with his two-year-olds, all the signs are that he’s really going to step up next season.

“As for Burgundy, you could not get a better stallion prospect combining his pedigree, performance and type. He’s letting down into a magnificent horse with a faultless pedigree and at $6,000 he’s great value, as are all the stallions we’re offering at Cambridge Stud this year.”

“For the stallions I’m offering, the main mission is to provide the right return, and really you can’t do more for breeders than to offer them the chance for a margin.”

A special feature of Cambridge Stud’s 2014 fees structure will be the offer to broodmare owners to not have to pay their dues until June 2015. 

“All our fees come with a live foal guarantee, but to help in these difficult times any breeder with a mare in foal to a Cambridge Stud stallion will not have to pay the fee until June 30 next year,” said Sir Patrick.

“Along with the value I believe we’re offering, it will provide breeders with more breathing space.”