Brilliant Group winning 2-year-old McLaren (Bay 2016, Exceed And Excel-Serenada) has been retired to stud and will commence stallion duties at Riverdene Stud, Wagga Wagga, this coming breeding season.
McLaren made a huge impression at his first appearance in public when landing the Group 3 ATC Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on debut in February 2019. The naturally talented colt was sent to post a $1.55 favourite on the evidence of a seven-length barrier trial success and didn’t give his supporters any reason for concern.
Trained by Peter & Paul Snowden at Randwick, and ridden on that occasion by James McDonald, McLaren proceeded to score by a comfortable margin, living right up to the expectations of his connections… and virtually all and sundry!
Speaking after the coveted black-type win, jockey James McDonald remarked: “He’s got that much speed, he doesn’t know how to harness it yet. That’s the exciting thing. Once he does learn to harness it, he is going to be a very good horse because it’s all on raw ability at the moment.”
McDonald added: “I love his acceleration. He has a great will to win. He is a real racehorse and it will take him a long way.”
Despite showing the innate ability to land a feature event of the Sydney 2-year-old season on debut, co-trainer Peter Snowden was of the firm opinion that McLaren’s debut Canonbury Stakes success was only the start of a notable racing career.
“There’s definitely room for improvement,” declared Snowden Snr after the victory. “He did a few things that you don’t want to see them do, but he’s got a lot of talent and you can’t do any more than win… and he’s done that alright.”
Snowden also gave some indication of how highly he thought of his 2019 Canonbury winner. “He is an exciting colt,“ he declared in the post-race interview. “What he does at home is really, really good. I only let him go once and that was enough for me. I saw what he could do.’’
McLaren proceeded to place third in the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m) a month later, but pulled up with a problem. This effectively ended his chances of further success on the track.
Already a valuable stud prospect as an ultra-precocious son of Exceed And Excel from an Oakleigh Plate winning female family, the decision was made by his ownership Group — including the China Horse Club, Newgate Farm and Winstar Farm LLC — to retire him to stud for the coming breeding season.
To stand at a service fee of $6,600 (inc. GST), McLaren provides exceptional value. A $380,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale purchase bred by Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud, the quality addition to the domestic stallion ranks has the looks and temperament to match his race performance and pedigree.
Bought by Newgate Farm managing director Henry Field for his ownership group, Field recalls: “He’s an incredibly athletic type. Rangy, well-angled, big but well put together and you could see how he was going to take shape. He was a colt we just had to have.”
McLaren commences stud duties at a time when his sire is arguably the most fashionable stallion in Australia — even after already enjoying a phenomenally successful dual hemisphere serving career. Group 1 winning 3-year-old sons Microphone and Exceedance are already considered to be amongst the most exciting newcomers to the 2020 Australian stallion ranks, while there’s also the likes of Bivouac and Standout set to follow them into stud service in the not too distant future.
A maternal grandson of Encosta de Lago, both a Champion Aust. Sire and Champion Aust. Broodmare Sire, McLaren also boasts an impressive catalogue page. He was produced by a half-sister to the internationally performed Group 1 sprinters First Command (by Commands) and Oneworld (by Danehill Dancer), and hails from the family of Group 1 Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove.
