WALKING OR DANCING (NZ) has been relocated to New South Wales and will continue his promising stallion career at Bowness Stud, Young.
A Group 3 winning
son of Falvelon retired to Wattle Brae Stud in Queensland in 2011, WALKING OR
DANCING raced in the familiar black and yellow colours of Bert Vieira who
remains the stallion's major stakeholder. The stallion's relocation has
fundamentally come about through Vieira's recent decision to consolidate his
bloodstock portfolio in NSW and further enhance his association with Bowness
Stud principal John North.
Vieira and North have formed a very strong alliance in recent years. They co-own the southern hemisphere standing rights to Frankel's three-quarter brother Bullet Train (GB), who commenced his Australian stud career at Bowness Stud last breeding season.
Both Vieira and North consider the switch of WALKING OR DANCING to Bowness Stud as an obvious progression, giving accessibility of the young stallion to a fresh group of breeders for his fourth season in service.
WALKING OR DANCING proved himself to be a truly talented, versatile and consistent racetrack performer, winning no fewer than eight races and more than $600,000 in prizemoney over four consecutive racing seasons.
To his very great credit, not only did WALKING OR DANCING win as a 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-old, he also saluted at 900, 1100, 1400, 1500 and 1600 metres. His feature successes included the $500,000 Magic Millions Cup (1400m) and the Group 3 NJC Newmarket Handicap (1400m).
A son of Falvelon, one of Australia's most decorated international sprinters, WALKING OR DANCING is also a direct descendant of Courtessa, grand-dam of the colossal thoroughbred bloodstock breeding influence Eight Carat (GB). His bloodlines therefore offer a considerable number of options for breeders located in the southern districts of NSW.
As a paternal grandson of Alannon, WALKING OR DANCING's mating with daughters of the former Newhaven Park stalwart Zeditave provides a double-dose of the hugely influential broodmare Summoned. Of course the same applies to Zeditave's outstanding sire-son Strategic.
WALKING OR DANCING's female-line relationship with Eight Carat also makes him a very suitable option for mares by a vast range of stallions including the former Woodlands trio Octagonal (NZ), Viscount and Commands, as well as the likes of Danewin, Don Eduardo (NZ), Court of Jewels (NZ), Viking Ruler, Special Bond and a hosts of others.
The 2014 Bowness Stud stallion line-up will now consist of Bullet Train (GB), Walking or Dancing and Bon Hoffa, sire of this season's Adelaide Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Deiheros.
FOOTNOTE: One of the first major meetings of Britain's new flat racing season witnessed siblings to BULLET TRAIN (GB) add further black-type to his illustrious family.
Last Saturday's Newbury meeting in England saw Noble Mission (5h by Galileo) and Joyeuse (3f by Oasis Dream) both have their first outing in 2014 when placing in competitive Group 3 events.
Noble Mission took part in the John Porter Stakes (G3) over a mile and a half, finishing a narrow second. A well-supported 11/4 favourite, the 5-year-old missed by a neck in winning his first start of a new campaign but put the writing on the wall for another successful season. A four-time winner to date, his impressive race record already includes victory in the Goodwood Gordon Stakes (G3) as a 3-year-old.
Joyeuse was one of 11 fillies to line-up for the Fred Darling Stakes (G3), one of the major lead-up events to the Newmarket 1000 Guineas. Ridden out the back of the field until the closing stages, Joyeuse charged home over the final two furlongs to finish a highly encouraging third. A Listed Race stakes winner as a 2-year-old, the half-sister to BULLET TRAIN looks on course for an outstanding 2014 campaign.
Noble Mission and Joyeuse are two of four individual stakes winners produced by the remarkable Danehill mare Kind. The other two are of course BULLET TRAIN and the incomparable Frankel.
News from Bowness Stud
