Newgate Farm had high hopes for stunning Snitzel colt Menari, but after
covering 64 mares and getting just 18 in foal he is now back in work with his
original trainer Gerald Ryan."The syndicate that purchased him as a stallion have retained ownership and he's back in work," said Newgate Farm's Henry Field.
"We're aiming towards the 2019 Everest and we're planning to eventually give him another try at stud at Newgate in the future…. We're hoping he can do a Starspangledbanner!"
Snitzel had six sons go to stud including Menari with Newgate Farm's other Snitzel son Russian Revolution proving extremely popular in covering 226 mares with Aquis Farm's Invader the next best with 155 followed by Sun Stud's Thronum on 122.
As popular as the Snitzel horses were, it was Coolmore's Merchant Navy that
emerged the most popular first season horse covering 246 mares at a fee of
$55,000. This dual Group I winning son of Fastnet Rock has a potent mix of
pedigree, performance and constitution to make him one of the most desirable
stallion prospects seen for a long time.Victorian breeders couldn't get enough of Lonhro's Group I winning son Impending, who covered 185 mares at a fee of $22,000 to be the busiest sire in Victoria last year. His supporters will be hoping he can follow win the footsteps of Lonhro's champion son Pierro, now one of the best sires in the country.
Yarraman Park might have missed out on standing the first Group I winning son of their superstar sire I Am Invincible in Brazen Beau, but they do have the second in Hellbent and he was super popular covering 182 mares at a fee of $27,500.
Below are the leading first season sires by covering statistics for 2018 at March 1 courtesy of Australian Studbook.
