This
time last year Australian racing fans and breeders were looking forward to
Royal Ascot, not just because of the big sprint races, but also for the debut
of the first runners by Aussie bred Royal Ascot hero Starspangledbanner.
A dual Group I winner in Australia, Starspangledbanner cut a swathe through the
European sprinters in 2010 winning the Group I Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot
and the Group I July Cup at Newmarket before finishing second in the Group I
Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
Starspangledbanner retired to Coolmore with much fanfare, but subsequent fertility
issues put his stud career in serious doubt.
And then something magical happened at Royal Ascot last year that made
Starspangledbanner hot property – fertility issues or not.
The superstar son of Choisir produced the two best juvenile winners of arguably
the world's greatest racing carnival with The Wow Signal capturing the Group II
Coventry Stakes and Anthem Alexandra taking the Group II Queen Mary Stakes.
Having just his second race start following a nine length debut win at Ayr, The
Wow Signal cruised home to win by a length and three-quarters and followed up
to win at his next start at Deauville in the Group I Prix Morny.
On that occasion he won the six furlong sprint over Hootenanny and Ervedya, both
subsequent Group I winners.
Sadly for his owners Al Shaqab Racing, The Wow Signal had just one more run at
two and was injured earlier this year curtailing his racing career prematurely.
Harry Herbert, racing advisor to Al Shaqab Racing, said on the owner's Facebook
page: "We are very sad that The Wow Signal has had to be retired. It is
always disappointing when a horse like this is prevented from reaching his full
potential. His two-year-old form emerged as some of the best in the world and I
have no doubt that he would have gone on to be an exceptional three-year-old."
That's something we'll all be left to ponder, but one thing we do know for sure
is that The Wow Signal was a fast and precocious two year-old, which is something
very much in demand in Australia and he is very true to type for his sireline.
The Wow Signal will be the first son of Starspangledbanner to go to stud
anywhere in the world and as such will be looking to continue the legacy of his
forbears.
Starspangledbanner was a brilliant debut juvenile winner of the Inglis Banner
on Cox Plate day, while his sire Choisir opened his career with a debut win in
the Listed AJC Breeders Plate before going on to become the original Royal Ascot
Aussie hero in 2003.
Go back another generation and we come to Danehill Dancer, arguably the best
two year-old ever sired by the legendary Danehill in the Northern Hemisphere.
He won three of four starts at two, winning on debut at Newmarket in July before
reeling off Group I wins in the Phoenix Stakes and National Stakes in Ireland
before finishing second in the Group I Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
The Wow Signal has only to follow in the footsteps of all that has gone before
to become a significant asset for the Victorian breeding industry and at a fee
of $15,000 has been priced competitively by Swettenham Stud against his sire
Starspangledbanner, who stands at $44,000.
The Swettenham Stud roster bristles with talent and diversity, but for sheer precocious
juvenile speed, The Wow Signal is your man!
For more information on The Wow Signal contact Adam Sangster on 0418
543 633 oradam@swettenham.com.au or Chris Belli on 0417 514 552 or chris@swettenham.com.au