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Spartacus (IRE), the Ireland bred Danehill European dual Group1 winning juvenile who has relocated this year from The Oaks Stud at Cambridge in New Zealand to Jamie Mackay's Cangon stud at Dungog east Hunter Valley, had a good winner over 1600m in Hong Kong on Sunday who has emerged as a prospect for their international carnival in December.
He is the New Zealand bred 4-year-old gelding Scarlet Camellia and his effort on Sunday, one in which he was favourite in the 14-runner field, saw him come from sixth at the 1400m and score by 1.3 lengths.
Out of Avelina, an unraced daughter of the Blushing Groom sire Nashwan, Scarlet Camellia has attained an impressive record in his eight start career, all in Hong Kong and resulting in five wins and earnings of HK$2.8million.
He is one of two New Zealand bred winners by Spartacus in Hong Kong since the beginning of June. Successful to date in three races and earner of HK$1.7million, the other winner is Kingston Spartacus and, also producing good finishing speed, he came from tenth to land the money in an1800m event on June 3.
Hong Kong is one of 15 countries in which Spartacus, a sire who
commenced stud duties in 2004 in both Ireland and New Zealand, has had winners.
They include these two countries and Great Britain, France, Britain, Italy,
Germany, the United States, Singapore and Australia.
New Zealand's leading first and second season sire, 2007-08 and 2008-09, Spartacus has also included in his southern hemisphere sired progeny the stakes horses Spare A Fortune (6 wins 1400-1600m to Group 3 NZ), Spontaneous (won Moonee Valley and in NZ; second Otaki Classic-Gr.1), Hot Pursuits (3 wins NZ; second Ellerslie Championship Stakes-Gr.2), Fyfetheknife (NZ winner; third Trentham Wakeful Challenge-Gr.2) and Maureen Dorothy (second Ellerslie Eclipse Stakes-Gr.2).
Ireland sired stakes performers have included Strait of Mewsina (five wins to Group 3 North America), Rastignano (11 wins Italy, two Listed Stakes), All The Aces (three to Listed England; twice Group 3 second) and Balmoral (in India won Mysore Million-Gr.3, Bangalore Oaks-Gr.2; second Golconda Derby-Gr.1).
He has only had 16 runners in Australia, but they include nine winners and three others placed. Besides Spontaneous, they have included How Much My Love (7 wins, including Randwick, Eagle Farm, Wagga Town Plate; on Saturday 1.7 lengths fifth Eagle Farm Ascot Handicap-LR), The Red Emperor (4 wins,13 places including Sandown, Moonee Valley, Morphettville – second on Saturday), Vorenus (2 wins, third Sandown), Colossus of Rhodes (winner and second Sunshine Coast) and Hula Lua (five starts, won Ipswich, Ballarat).
Jamie Mackay, a member of a family which has been growing horses on Cangon for about 150 years, but who is only recently opened up the stud as a commercial thoroughbred sire complex, is delighted to have acquired a sire with Spartacus's credentials.
He said Spartacus exhibits all of the Danehill factors which have contributed to the successes of many of his sons at stud. "This, along with his correctness and body type, muscle and temperament, ticked all the boxes for me," Mackay added.
He is also very impressed with the outcross factors in Spartacus's maternal breeding. A brother to Hong Kong champion Johann Cruyff (6 wins, Aust$3.5million, Hong Kong Derby), Meteor Shower (7 wins to Group 3 South Africa) and Alstemeria (winner Ireland, fourth Irish One Thousand Guineas), he is from Teslemi, a mare by the Damascus triple Group1 winner Ogygian and from Martha Queen, a daughter of Nijinsky and the Round Table product Rosetta Stone.
Damascus, Nijinsky and Round Table are three of the great modern influences for ability, toughness and durability.
A 16.0 hands bay, Spartacus (fee $5,500) stands at Cangon with
Hot Danish's sire Nothin' Leica Dane (by Danehill; fee $4,500), Recapitalize
(Royal Academy; $3,300) and Sea Battle (Quest for Fame; $5,000). Jamie Mackay
is on 0428 499 231 and (02) 4992 1231.
Brian Russell Bloodstock Media
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