Westbury Stud Announce Fees

Media Release - Wednesday April 24

Westbury Stud have released the fees for their 2019 stallion line-up with Reliable Man and Tarzino heading the roster at $15,000 + GST.

Reliable Man has had an excellent time on the racetrack over the past twelve months headed by his daughter Sentimental Miss winning the Group 1 NZ Oaks, Belle du Nord the Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes, three-year-old Hypnos a Listed winner and Group 1 placed, and Aalaalune who was narrowly beaten by Champion 2YO Yourdeel in the Sistema Stakes Gr.1.

Aside from these notable performances during the past season, with the likes of Grinzinger Star (SA Derby bound), Nobu and Trusty Lad (both QTC Derby bound) it would appear that Reliable Man's season looks far from over, and he is a stallion quickly becoming recognised for getting classic winners and good middle distance performers.

Rosehill Guineas and VRC Derby winner Tarzino has had overwhelming support in his first two years at stud, serving 124 mares in his first season and backed that up with 133 mares last year. Tarzino was a high quality performer in Australia, winning the VRC Derby with ease in the spring and returning in the late summer to be narrowly beaten in the Australian Guineas over 1600m before running out a dominant winner of the Rosehill Guineas.

Tarzino's Rosehill Guineas victory was arguably a career highlight for the horse where he defeated Montaigne (now known as Beauty Generation) and the Champion racemare Jamekha. Tarzino possessed an outstanding turn of foot and looks well-suited to the New Zealand broodmare pool being out of a Zabeel mare from a Star Way mare.

Proven sires Redwood and Swiss Ace represent great value at $10,000. Like Reliable Man, Redwood has enjoyed a fruitful season with his performers, the highlight being when his sons Night's Watch and Rising Red provided the quinella in the Naturalism Stakes Gr.3 at Caulfield in the spring, after which Night's Watch was narrowly beaten in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes Gr.2 at Moonee Valley. Redwood has the exciting Rock on Wood stepping out in black type company this week, while the 3YO Platinum Invador posted a career best performance when finishing strongly in the Vodafone NZ Derby Gr.1. Another talented 3YO to emerge during the season was Sword in Stone who ran third in the Waikato Guineas Gr.2 at just his third career start and has since been sold to Hong Kong for a considerable sum.

Swiss Ace has been as consistent as ever with his progeny over the last year with the quality sprinters Julius and Passing Shot, Group winning two-year-old Miss Federer, high class Hong Kong sprinters Little Giant and Ugly Warrior, and the Group 2 placed Cantstopthefeeling. Swiss Ace has established an excellent strike rate with a near 70% winners to runners ratio, and a very respectable 3.7% stakes winner to runners with winners across a broad spectrum of countries.

First season sire El Roca has started his stud career in excellent fashion with the Group 1 placed (and winner) Bella Mente, his winning daughter First Rock, and the Group placed colt Moeraki while Why Big Bry is another to show good promise in Australia. A son of Fastnet Rock, El Roca is a three-quarter brother to Champion sprinter Redzel and has covered 440 mares in his first four seasons at stud with his stock well received in the market place selling up to A$210,000 to date.

Based on the performances of El Roca himself (and his sire Fastnet Rock) it is only fair to expect natural improvement from the stock as they mature at three and beyond, making 2019 an exciting prospect after a promising start as two-year-olds. El Roca kicked off his career as a spring three-year-old and recorded some of his best efforts as an autumn 3YO in Sydney where he had a great rivalry with Dissident, beating him in the Listed Eskimo Prince Stakes and going down to him by the barest of margins in the Randwick Guineas Gr.1.

El Roca also finished a close second to Terravista in the Liverpool City Cup Gr.3 and third against the older horses in the George Ryder Stakes Gr.1 and took out the title of NZ Champion 3YO (1200-1600m). El Roca will stand for $9,000 + GST in the upcoming season.

The sixth stallion standing at Westbury Stud this season will be Street Cry's son Telperion who like Tarzino and El Roca has received excellent support in his initial years at stud. A high class two-year-old, Telperion is out of the Redoute's Choice mare Yavanna making him a half-brother to the high class sprinter-miler Kementari who retires to Darley Stud at A$33,000 in 2019.

Telperion won the Listed Lonhro Plate at two defeating Prized Icon and Spright and went on to finish second to Yankee Rose in the ATC Sire's Produce Stakes, fourth in the ATC Golden Slipper Stakes and fourth in the Skyline Stakes Gr.2 . Telperion served 118 mares in his first season and increased his numbers to 122 in 2019. Telperion will remain at his introductory fee of $5,000 + GST.

The standard 1 June settlement date for service fees will be available to breeders again for the 2019 breeding season.