Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association is proud to announce the 2017 Queensland Breeding Champions.
Rothesay has won Champion Sire, Sidereus is the Champion 2yo Sire, Golden Archer is the Champion First Season Sire, and Broodmare of the Year has been awarded to Mrs Windsor, dam of Egg Tart.
"Queensland bred runners have once again had a tremendous season and matched it with the best on the national stage," said TBQA President, Basil Nolan.
"I would like to congratulate all the award winners, and think it's a particularly fitting swansong for Glenlogan Park that Rothesay has taken the title of Champion Stallion."
After decades at the forefront of the Queensland breeding
industry, Glenlogan Park announced earlier this year that they would no longer
be standing stallions. They were obviously thrilled to go out with this award.
"It is a wonderful feather in the cap of Rothesay to claim Champion Stallion so early in his career but to do so with only three crops of racing age (his oldest were just 4YO's), is nothing short of outstanding", Glenlogan Park Manager Steve Morley said.
"In my opinion, he has more upside than any other sire in Queensland, as he has really good sized crops to come and his progeny are only getting better with age. He is a stallion really on the rise!"
"He joins Show A Heart and Jet Spur as recent Champion Stallions for us and it is a rewarding way for Glenlogan to bow out of the stallion scene."
Rothesay's crowning brings it to seven of the last nine years that sires from Glenlogan Park have been awarded the Champion Sire title, an absolutely amazing achievement.
Champion 2yo Sire, Sidereus made a strong start to his breeding career, sitting high on the Queensland, and National tables with his first crop. He has maintained consistency with this next batch of two year olds.
Sidereus was an exceptionally good two year old himself, and was pre-post favourite for the Golden Slipper, so it's no surprise his juveniles are getting such good results.
"We're happy to have him here at Oaklands," said Oaklands Stud proprietor, Neville Stewart.
"He only just missed First Season Sire last year, so he's proving very consistent with his early two year olds.
"The trainers are really happy with them, they say they have a good outlook as young horses, they eat up well and do what's expected and that's eighty percent of the battle."
Mr Stewart is confident that based on Sidereus' breeding, his young runners should go on.
Another young stallion with plenty of promise is the Champion First Season Sire, Golden Archer.
Golden Archer only had twenty five starters for
the season, with eight winners and six placegetters – 77% of all starters were
money earners, including Whistling Win – winner of $90,000 Singapore Silver
Horseshoe Open 2YO Hcp.
"We're obviously thrilled with the job he's done," said Raheen Stud Manager, Basil Nolan Jnr.
"To not only be the leading first season sire in Queensland, but to run third in Australia from such a small crop is a testament to the horse."
Golden Archer was recommended to the Nolan family by Champion Australian trainer, Peter Moody. He was a tough, precocious race horse that excelled at the highest level and this has clearly flowed through to his progeny.
"He's made good money for everyone who has invested in him; from buying a weanling to turn around at the breeze-ups, to racing, everyone's getting great results," said Basil Jnr.
"We really need to thank Peter Moody for his recommendation, and to everyone who has supported the horse.
"We're really looking forward to watching these horses as they get older because he finished the season hard, the last month was his best, which shows the horses are getting stronger as they get older."
Another
horse that everyone will be following closely this season is Egg Tart.
This Queensland-bred filly has had six wins from eight starts – two of them Group 1 Oaks – and she's earned just under $800,000.
Egg Tart was bred by Tony and Julie Brown, from Jorson Farm at Wondai in the South Burnett. They owned her dam, Mrs Windsor.
"This is great, it's a huge surprise," said an ecstatic Tony Brown.
"It's really outstanding and is great for the entire Queensland industry."
Mr Brown said he follows all his foals closely, but he didn't realise Egg Tart was as good as she is.
"You always dream of getting results like that," he said.
"It inspires you to continue breeding and it also gives buyers confidence in your stock.
"Then of course you need a lot of good luck, and it always helps if the horses go to good trainers."
The Brown's are excited about the season ahead, after being told of more big plans for Egg Tart.
Unfortunately Mrs Windsor died from a possible snake bite at the end of last year, but she has a 2yo Shamus Award colt that sold in Melbourne last year.
The Queenslanders really dominated The Oaks this year. Not only did Egg Tart win the Queensland Oaks and the Schweppes Oaks at Morphetville, but Lasqueti Spirit won the Group 1 VRC Oaks.
Lasqueti Spirit's dam is Supriym Story, bred by long-time supporter of the Queensland industry, David Watkins.
"It's a feather in the cap for Queensland breeders to be able to win three of these major races," said Mr Nolan.
And the Rockhampton trained, Paradis Imperial won the QTIS Horse of the Year, with trainer, Tony McMahon collecting the award for his fantastic filly.
"We're honoured to add this title to her list of achievements," said Tony McMahon, the trainer of Paradis Imperial.
"There's about ten owners, three of them have never owned a horse before and it's remarkable to buy her for just $9,000 and have these results.
"But I'm a realist, this may not continue, however if it does I'd love to contest the top 3YO races, or send her to Melbourne next year where she'll be better weighted."
The award winners were presented with their trophies at the glamourous Racing Queensland Thoroughbred Awards at Gambaro's Restaurant in Brisbane last night.
"It was a fantastic night that showcased these tremendous results for Queensland and I look forward to watching our horses, breeders, owners and trainers excel again this season," said Mr Nolan.
Champion Statistics
2017 Qld Stallion of the Year – Rothesay
Top Performer – In His Stride (2012 g – In Her Shoes) 15 starts 1-5(1)-2(1) A$311,200
Rothesay is no stranger to the Queensland honour roll, after winning Champion Freshman Sire in 2014/15.
He has had another outstanding season with his top performers, the Stakes winning Too Good to Refuse and the Stakes placed In His Stride. Rothesay has had an impressive 71 winners and 109 place getters from 158 starters this season with his progeny amassing $3,451,017.
Rothesay is by the Champion sire, Fastnet Rock from the winning mare, Schiaperelli (by Woodman), coming from the family of Champion racehorse and stallion, Canny Lad, a dual Group 1 winner of the Golden Slipper and VRC Sires Produce Stakes.
Rothesay had just nine starts for four wins including the G2 BRC Qld Guineas, the G3 Lord Mayor's Cup, the STC 2yo Blackberry Hcp, the STC Myboycharlie Hcp. He placed second in the G2 STC Theo Marks Hcp and the STC De Bortoli Wines Hcp and third in the Listed Gosford Guineas.
Rothesay joins Show a Heart and Jet Spur as recent Champion Sires for Glenlogan Park Stud.
2017 Champion First Season Stallion – Golden Archer
Top Performer – Lady Lark (2014 f – Vital) 10 starts 1-4-2 A$118,800
Golden Archer was the best performing first season sire for Queensland, and his presence was also felt on the National First Season Sire table, where he placed fourth for earnings and third for winners, all with a very modest 25 runners!
Golden Archer stands at Raheen Stud and is by Champion Sire, Rock of Gibraltar out of Viennetta, who won the 2006 NZ Group 2 Breeders Stakes. Viennetta has had four foals to race for three winners.
Golden Archer was an outstanding racehorse, trained by Peter Moody, and had eight wins, four seconds and two thirds from twenty starts with prizemoney totalling $676,950. He won the Group 3 McNeil Stakes at Caulfield in 2011, along with a number of Listed races including The Gold Sovereign, the Streets Stakes, the St Albans Stakes and The Shark.
Golden Archer finished the season with 25 starters, eight winners and 11 placed with total progeny earnings $383,000. His top performers were Lady Lark and Royal Myth. He also had the winner of the $90,000 Singapore Silver Horseshoe Open 2YO Hcp, Whistling Win.
His best month was the last month of the season, showing that his progeny is getting stronger with age so should go on.
2017 Champion 2YO Sire - Sidereus
Top performer – Cabin Fever (2014 f – Feline Flyer) 5 starts 1-0-0 $94,950
Sidereus performed strongly as a freshman sire, and his 2yo crop in the 2017 season were also impressive. He had 28 2yo starters for 8 winners and 7 placegetters, amassing a total of $479,350 in prizemoney.
Sidereus, by Champion Sire General Nediym out of Hootenanny, was only lightly raced, having just eight starts. He won the Gr 2 Pago Pago Stakes in April 2008 and placed second in the Listed Schweppes Stakes in March 2008.
Sidereus stands at Oakland's Stud on the Darling Downs and his top juveniles this season included Cabin Fever ($94,950), Pure Luck ($88,200) and The Bank Manager ($69,300).
Broodmare of the Year – Mrs Windsor (dam of Egg Tart)
Egg Tart (2013 m by Sebring) 8 starts 6-0-1 $795,150
Once again Queensland had a number of elite performers for the racing season, but there were two particularly outstanding choices for Broodmare of the Year; Supriym Story (dam of VRC Oaks winner Lasqueti Spirit) and the winner by a narrow vote, Mrs Windsor (dam of Egg Tart).
Egg Tart (2013 by Sebring) is trained by Chris Waller at Rosehill and has had six wins and a third from just 8 starts, collecting $795,150 in prizemoney. Her most prestigious wins include the Gr 1 Qld Oaks at Doomben in June and the Gr 1 Schweppes Oaks at Morphettville in May.
Mrs Windsor, by King's Best, was unraced and has had five foals, three to race, including 6yo Tropez, by Bernadini who had 18 starts for two wins, two seconds and a third, earning $34,308 in prizemoney; a 5yo gelding by Congrats, named Vivacious Winner, who is racing in Hong Kong and has had one second from 19 starts, her champion, Egg Tart, and she has a 2yo colt by Shamus Award, called Storm the Beaches who is yet to start.
Unfortunately Mrs Windsor died from a possible snake bite towards the end of last year, aged 13.
She was owned by Tony and Julie Brown, from Jorson Farm at Wondai, in the South Burnett.
