Woodshauna provided his sire Wooded with a first Group 1 winner when springing a surprise in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville.
The Francis Graffard-trained three-year-old was carrying the colours of John Stewart’s Resolute Racing for the first time, with the operation having bought the colt for £625,000 from Al Shaqab at last month’s Goffs London Sale.
Woodshauna’s career had followed that of his sire, the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye-winning son of Wootton Bassett, quite closely until Sunday, when they diverged in spectacular and successful style.
Both Woodshauna and Wooded had won the Group 3 Prix Texanita before the Group 1 contest over seven furlongs, but whereas Wooded’s stamina ran out and he could manage only fourth behind Pinatubo, Woodshauna came into his own, thriving over the seven-furlong trip.
Held up in last by Christophe Soumillon, Woodshauna came with a late run to snatch victory in the shadow of the post. Less than half a length covered the first four home, with Maranoa Charlie, by Wootton Bassett, a short neck back in second, followed by The Lion In Winter, who was a short head behind in third, and last year’s champion juvenile Shadow Of Light a neck further back in fourth.
Woodshauna’s Group 3 success had come over Sands Of Mali filly Time For Sandals, who went on to win the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on her next start. Both three-year-olds are from the first crops of their respective sires and are their first Group 1 winners.
Bred by Haras de Magouet, Woodshauna is out of Tosen Shauna, a daughter of former Tara Stud sire Alhebayeb who now stands at the McCarthy family’s Meelin Stud in County Cork.
See Woodshauna’s incredible victory below:
WOODSHAUNA wins the Prix Jean Prat | Credit: At The Races
Tosen Shauna was a Listed-placed sprinter and is a half-sister to the Listed Premio Eupili winner Maremmadiavola, by Kheleyf, and to the dams of black-type performers Beat Seven and Blood Moon.
She is out of Naked Poser, a winning daughter of Night Shift and the unraced Art Age who is a half-sister to the Listed Premio Rumon winner Attimo Fuggente. Art Age is out of the Moyglare Stud Stakes second and Irish 1,000 Guineas third Pepi Image.
Woodshauna is the first foal out of Tosen Shauna, who has a two-year-old colt from the second crop of Hello Youmzain, who was bought for €87,000 at Arqana’s October Yearling Sale by Equos Racing International from Haras de Grandcamp. She also has a yearling colt by The Grey Gatsby who has been named Shaunagrey.
Eight-year-old Wooded is the older full-brother of the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner Bucanero Fuerte, who was returned to training by Amo Racing this year following an abortive stallion career at Tally-Ho Stud.
Bred by Gestut Zur Kuste out of Frida La Blonde, the pair also have a three-year-old Dubawi half-sister who sold for €2,400,000 from Haras d’Etreham to Oliver St Lawrence at Arqana’s August Yearling Sale. She has been named Battle Rhythm and has a year-younger full-brother who went unsold at €600,000 at last year’s Deauville sale.
He has been named Franqueville and is in training with Yann Barberot for Maurice Lagasse, who also has a foal full-brother to Wooded and Bucanero Fuerte.
The success of Woodshauna is also a boost to Swettenham Stud in Australia as Wooded shuttles to the Sangster family’s Victoria farm for the southern hemisphere season and will have his first crop of runners later this year.
https://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/0def14d74325-aprh078348001.webp5671008swet1adminhttps://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/logo-2.pngswet1admin2025-07-08 15:12:222025-07-08 15:18:57Resolute Racing’s Woodshauna gives Al Shaqab’s Wooded a first Group 1 winner
WOODSHAUNA continued his upward trajectory with a convincing victory in the Group 3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly on Friday, showing speed and determination over the straight 1,200 metres to defeat six rivals on soft ground.
Ridden with confidence by Christophe Soumillon, the colt travelled strongly in mid-division before being produced with a decisive challenge in the final furlong. Already a Listed winner at Chantilly in March and placed at Group 3 level at Deauville last month, he was stepping back in trip for this assignment and handled it with ease.
Trained in France by Francis-Henri Graffard for Al Shaqab Racing, WOODSHAUNA is a son of WOODED out of the Alhebayeb mare Tosen Shauna. Speaking before the race, Graffard hinted that Royal Ascot could be under consideration for the progressive three-year-old, depending on how he comes out of this run and how the programme unfolds in the coming weeks.
Congratulations to breeder Haras de Magouet, as well as to all involved with this achievement.
Original Article: https://www.alshaqabracing.com/post/wooded-s-woodshauna-lands-gr-3-prix-texanita-aiming-at-royal-ascot
https://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Wooded.png9841478swet1adminhttps://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/logo-2.pngswet1admin2025-05-23 15:49:502025-05-23 15:49:50Wooded’s Woodshauna lands Gr.3 Prix Texanita, aiming at Royal Ascot
Rising costs are hitting breeders harder than ever, with service fees, feed, and interest rates stacking up fast. As pressure builds, some studs are beginning to rethink how they support breeders beyond the mating shed. Swettenham Stud’s new Breeder Protection initiative offers a glimpse at what that shift might look like – and raises a bigger question: is this the start of a broader change in how risk is shared across the industry?
Across Australia, the rising cost of groceries, fuel, power, childcare and housing has become the backdrop to daily life. Interest rates are biting. Disposable income is evaporating. And decisions are being made with increasing costs in mind.
It’s no different in the breeding game, except the stakes are measured in service fees and seasonal cashflow, and the costs of production are really adding up.
As TTR readers know well, breeding decisions are made long before any return is seen. A service fee paid in the autumn of 2025 may not yield income until the yearling sells in 2028, and even then, only if the foal survives, thrives, and finds a buyer in a selective market.
It’s cashflow blackjack and for many breeders in the current cost climate, the goal is simply avoid going backwards.
Swettenham’s new risk policy
That’s why the quiet introduction of a new initiative by one of Victoria’s leading stallion farms sparked interest. Swettenham Stud’s Breeder Protection scheme offers breeders financial cover in the early months of a foal’s life, a move that also reduces the need for costly neonatal insurance policies.
It’s a small but potentially meaningful shift: support that kicks in after the service fee is paid.
But is it a one-off gesture? Or a sign that studs are starting to think how costs are adding up for breeders?
“There are risks associated with breeding,” says Swettenham Stud’s General Manager, Sam Matthews. “And we want to make sure breeders have as little risk as possible.”
As Sydney bloodstock agent Will Johnson recently wrote in an opinion piece on his website, the system might be overdue for an overhaul.
“The cost of production has climbed steeply: service fees, agistment, wages, feed, vet, insurance… it all adds up.”
Will Johnson | Image courtesy of The Image is Everything
Those escalating costs are pushing breeders to the brink, particularly as the market top-end focuses on a narrow slice of horses: early-running types with commercial shine and fashionable pedigrees. For many, the margins are simply disappearing.
“We’ve become an industry of two gears,” Johnson wrote. “The ‘haves’… and the ‘have-nots’, smaller breeders and trainers, are facing a squeeze.”
In that context, any step toward risk-sharing isn’t just helpful, but signals a mindset shift. A quiet rebalancing of where responsibility sits in one of the most unpredictable businesses in sport.
The move is designed to provide breeders with a little more security during those vulnerable first three months.
Developed to offer financial cover in the event of misfortune, the initiative is designed to take away the risk of bad-luck for breeders navigating the unpredictable early stages of foal development.
Sam Matthews | Image courtesy of Swettenham Stud
Sam Matthews, Swettenham’s General Manager – Operations and Nominations, explained the motivation behind the move.
“We want to be able to take away some risk for breeders. We did this with a couple of people last year that had a bit of bad luck.”
Many things can go wrong for breeders, including issues at birth that can lead to death, foals can often be easy targets for early sickness, or accidents can happen. Breeders’ do need a bit of support if this occurs, and they are struck by misfortune or bad luck. The industry benchmark is that around 6 per cent of foals will die from natural causes or accidents before they reach yearling sale age, so it’s not a small risk to get them safely through that early period.
“It’s expensive to be unlucky. If something goes downhill, it’s a good sense of cover for breeders. In a tough market, people should not be out of pocket from a bit of bad luck.”
Unlike standard insurance, the Breeder Protection initiative is built directly into Swettenham’s service model – offering security within that early time period.
“This is separate to insurance and is the case for all stallions at Swettenham.”
“It wouldn’t matter if we had a stallion standing for $300,000, we are making sure people are looked after and we are protecting them.
“Adam (Sangster) is very strong on looking after people and breeders and was keen to formalise this and put it into each individual contract.”
Adam Sangster and Sam Matthews | Image courtesy of Swettenham Stud
How are initiatives helping out breeders?
While the top end of the Australian breeding and bloodstock market continues to perform with remarkable strength, the commercial reality is far less forgiving for smaller players, and many are being squeezed out.
Foals at Swettenham’s paddocks | Image courtesy of Swettenham Stud
Australia’s thoroughbred foal crop has declined steadily for more than thirty years. It reached a peak of 23,697 in 1989. In 2024, just 11,666 foals were reported, with late registrations expected to lift that number to around 12,000, potentially the lowest figure since 1977.
Much of this long-term drop is attributed to a more commercially efficient industry. The numbers support this: since 2000, the foal crop has decreased by 30 per cent, yet the number of active racehorses has fallen by less than 4 per cent. Breeding, in other words, has become leaner and more targeted.
But there’s growing concern that the foal crop may continue shrinking. While overall averages and aggregates held up at historically strong levels at the yearling sales, the lower end of the market is facing major challenges – pain felt particularly aggressively due to the rising costs of production.
Table: Yearling Sale results for Australia and New Zealand in 2025
That pain was most evident at sales tailored to smaller commercial operations. For many breeders, prices simply didn’t meet costs. Some are scaling back their breeding numbers, many have stepped away altogether. This is also reflected with the number of stallions at stud shrinking from 1241 in the year 2000 to 440 in 2024.
One of the contributing factors is the rise of digital trading platforms, which have reshaped how trainers and syndicators source horses. These online sales are particularly appealing to those operating on tighter budgets or unwilling to take on the higher risks of yearling purchasing. Why buy a yearling when you can buy into a tried horse whose form is there to be seen for the right price?
It’s not hard to see why. Buyers can assess a horse’s performance with far greater certainty. Form analysts and agents now target sourcing talent through these channels, which enables more profitability opportunities for new owners with much less cost, and risk, in terms of knowing whether their horse can ‘gallop or not’.
Mare and Foal at Swettenham’s paddocks | Image courtesy of Swettenham Stud
In response, studs are being more flexible than ever to attract mares, especially to their freshman stallions. Nomination fees are increasingly negotiable. Bulk deals, foal shares, and creative incentives have become part of the toolkit.
Because at the heart of the issue is one simple truth: for many breeders, bad luck has become too costly to carry. And without meaningful ways to reduce risk and increase certainty, more of them may choose to leave the game altogether.
Thinking outside the box
These innovative ideas aren’t entirely new for the studs across Australia, and Swettenham Stud have been particularly proactive in this area, having trialled a number of risk-sharing arrangements in the past.
“About seven years ago, we did a foal share/whole share where breeders could decide up until a few weeks of age whether they wanted to keep the horse, or go into a foal share arrangement.” Matthews said
This earlier program, allowed breeders using selected Swettenham stallions to enter a foal share agreement if desired. Once the foal was born, breeders had 14 days to decide whether to exercise a buyout clause, paying the service fee to retain full ownership, or continue under the shared model.
Mares and foals at Swettenham’s paddocks | Image courtesy of Swettenham Stud
If the breeder chose not to buy out, no service fee was required. The foal would then be raised at a location of the breeder’s choice and offered at public auction, with net proceeds split equally between the breeder and Swettenham. Sales commissions and entry fees were also shared 50/50.
“We did the foal share/whole share for about two years.” Matthews commented, “It gave people the opportunity, if there was a pedigree update, or it was a really nice foal, or the stallion kicked up.
“We have offered a range of different things, including individual payment plans throughout pregnancy,” Matthews added.
“We have worked with individual breeders in ways that assist them, utilised transport plans, and some other small things that have all had some success.
“They have all been implemented to help people out and we have mixed it up and tried a range of different things.”
Other studs have also introduced a range of initiatives, bonuses, and incentives to draw breeders in.
Coolmore Stud launched the ‘Ferrari Bonus’ when Justify (USA) first entered stud in Australia, offering a luxury Ferrari to the breeder of the first of his progeny to win a selected feature race at two or three. Newgate and Aquis have also experimented with race bonuses for breeders.
Pushing for creative solutions
While the Breeder Protection initiative has benefited from team input, Matthews is quick to highlight the key figure behind its creation, Swettenham’s principal, Adam Sangster.
“It all stems from Adam (Adam Sangster). He was the one to say, ‘Let’s do something different and find a way to do it.’ At the end of the day, it is his business, his farm, and his money, and he wanted to do this.
Adam Sangster | Image courtesy of Swettenham Stud
“First and foremost he wants to make breeders’ lives easier and help them achieve financial goals” Matthews said.
The market for selling horses across the sales this year has been very selective, aside from the top end of the market. It has tended to be tough for breeders in the softer middle market of sales – likely a reflection of economic challenges (particularly mortgage interest rates) limiting disposable spending on yearling shares.
“I can’t see this going away soon, and it’s purely to do the right thing and give support to breeders’ no matter who they are. It could be a billionaire or a breeder of one mare, it’s the same policy for everyone.”
Positive early response from clients
Although the Breeder Protection initiative has only been recently launched, the early response from breeders, particularly smaller operators has been positive.
“Swettenham were keen to make everyone aware. There is no hidden clause, and we want people to know that,” Matthews said.
“We have had very good response, particularly from smaller breeders, I think they have seen it and have been very receptive. I think with awareness the reception will be even stronger.
“We just want everyone to be aware, you never know, it could be a line-ball decision on breeding the mare or on what stallion a breeder wants to go to and this could help us get over the line.”
Breeding thoroughbreds has always come with risk – but in a tightening economy, the stakes are higher, and the margins slimmer.
Initiatives like Swettenham Stud’s Breeder Protection scheme may not rewrite the rulebook overnight, but they represent something deeper: a willingness to evolve, to share risk, and to give breeders more than just a service fee and a handshake.
Because if the breeding model adapts to support its base, the industry as a whole stands to grow stronger.
We want to hear from you!
Have you introduced new models? Stepped back? Adapted your business model to make the numbers work?
Email us at editorial@ttrausnz.com.au and we’ll share the most insightful responses in the next article in this series.
Because the more ideas we put on the table, the better chance we have of building a system that works, for everyone.
Original Article: https://www.ttrausnz.com.au/edition/2025-05-20/its-expensive-to-be-unlucky-new-initiative-helps-breeders-shoulder-the-risk-in-a-time-of-rising-costs
https://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mares.png7201122swet1adminhttps://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/logo-2.pngswet1admin2025-05-23 15:45:252025-05-23 15:46:58‘It’s expensive to be unlucky’: New initiative helps breeders shoulder the risk in a time of rising costs
Emma-Lee and David Browne feel compelled to consider the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas as an option with McGaw, but his early season form in spring will dictate whether he goes down that path.
“Whether we stick to the sprints or push out to the Caulfield Guineas is a decision we will make after he has had a couple of runs in the spring,” Emma-Lee Browne said.
The undefeated McGaw was sent to the paddock after his meritorious win in The Showdown, where he overcame an outside barrier draw to win the $1 million event at Caulfield.
“When you’ve got a two-year-old who has done what he has, you definitely have to put in a Caulfield Guineas nomination,” Browne said.
“On pedigree, he might be able to run a mile, as his dam had a miler’s pedigree, but we will see how he is going early on in his preparation.”
She added that McGaw, who is by I Am Immortal, will come back and target early three-year-old sprint races such as the Vain and Danehill Stakes.
“He’s been in the paddock and he’s enjoying spelling and we’ll get him back for the early three-year-old races and we will see how he is going in those races and take it from there,” Browne said.
According to Browne, Hong Kong interest in the gelding might have waned after any prospective purchasers saw the number of happy owners there were in the Caulfield mounting yard after The Showdown.
Puissance De Lune filly Tel Aviv could make the leap from maiden to Group 1 grade in her first racing campaign, after scoring comfortably at Mornington on Sunday.
The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper was desperately unlucky last start at Hawkesbury, but Ben Allen took luck out of the equation in her first Victorian start.
Tel Aviv ($1.80) went straight to the front and never looked in danger throughout the 2050-metre circuit, keeping on for a soft win on the line.
“On paper, she was the best horse in the race, and I rode her like that,” Allen said.
“Once we hit the crossing, she spat the bit out and relaxed nicely. I was more worried about getting her around the bend – she’s got a big stride.
“She was getting a bit unbalanced, but she was too good today.”
With her maiden comfortably out of the way, a sharp class rise could be on Tel Aviv’s horizon, with the 2000m G1 Australasian Oaks and 2500m G3 SA Fillies’ Classic both realistic options.
Feeling his mount will race better on a bigger track and with horses to follow, Allen said a trip west could be worth a shot with the Brae Sokolski-bred filly.
“When you’re winning, that’s all you can. She didn’t beat much today, but the way she did it was nice,” he said.
“She’ll probably be better on a bigger track, and with a few to follow, she was a bit green in front.”
“Adelaide’s a big, wide-open track, and if anyone’s going to get her there, it’ll be Ciaron.”
Toronado (Ire) led the sire’s table at Inglis Premier across both books with gross sales of $3.7 million for his 14 yearlings sold. His sale topper, Lot 197, was sold for $1 million by Gilgai Farm to Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) and Hong Kong Bloodstock.
“It’s a discerning market currently and buyers are selective in what they are pursuing. The biggest difference between Classic and Premier was that we had more sire power at Premier,” said Hutch.
The sire power was apparent with three yearlings by global sensation Frankel (GB) making over $1.5 million, at an average of $520,000. Proven sires were the most popular with the top nine stallions by average all being proven sires, and the tenth, Lucky Vega (Ire), has performed well with his juveniles so far this season.
sire
lots catalogued
withdrawn
sold
aggregate
average
Toronado (IRE)
21
2
14
$ 3,735,000
$ 266,786
Zoustar
14
3
7
$ 2,180,000
$ 311,429
Written Tycoon
22
6
9
$ 2,160,000
$ 240,000
Wootton Bassett (GB)
13
3
9
$ 2,085,000
$ 231,667
Ole Kirk
13
2
10
$ 1,725,000
$ 172,500
The Autumn Sun
14
10
$ 1,620,000
$ 162,000
I Am Invincible
11
4
6
$ 1,570,000
$ 261,667
Pinatubo (IRE)
12
10
$ 1,565,000
$ 156,500
Frankel (GB)
7
1
3
$ 1,560,000
$ 520,000
Home Affairs
14
2
10
$ 1,550,000
$ 155,000
Table: Inglis Premier (Book 1 and 2) sires by aggregate
“Toronado’s first million dollar yearling was an incredible result. This is the first crop off an $80,000 fee, his 2-year-olds are off a $45,000 fee, and the rest were at that $20,000 or lower.
“With each increase in fee, the quality of mares has increased too. It’s not just better mares, but also a different type of breeder. He started out with breed to race mares, but now breeders are spending $80,000 they are sending more commercial mares and looking to take the stock to the sales,” said Swettenham Stud’s Sam Matthews.
“Written Tycoon is probably the closest comparison, he really kicked along and got sons at stud once he hit an $80,000 fee. We also capped his book to ensure that breeders could get into the sales they wanted. Toronado can handle more mares, but we felt it was the right thing to do for our clients, if they are spending that much, we want to give them the best chance to get a return on investment. It’s the making sure the quality is there, and quality over quantity.
sire
lots catalogued
withdrawn
sold
aggregate
average
Frankel (GB)
7
1
3
$ 1,560,000
$ 520,000
Zoustar
14
3
7
$ 2,180,000
$ 311,429
Toronado (IRE)
21
2
14
$ 3,735,000
$ 266,786
I Am Invincible
11
4
6
$ 1,570,000
$ 261,667
Written Tycoon
22
6
9
$ 2,160,000
$ 240,000
Wootton Bassett (GB)
13
3
9
$ 2,085,000
$ 231,667
Extreme Choice
3
3
$ 675,000
$ 225,000
Too Darn Hot (GB)
6
2
4
$ 840,000
$ 210,000
Snitzel
8
4
4
$ 820,000
$ 205,000
Lucky Vega (IRE)
13
3
6
$ 1,140,000
$ 190,000
Table: Inglis Premier (Book 1 and 2) sires by average (3 or more sold)
“His colts are easy to sell, even though his fillies are slight better, but there’s a market perception that he only leaves colts. His last three Australian stakes winners are fillies.”
Gilgai Farm, who sold the seven figure colt, also bred Toronado’s debut crop G1 William Reid Stakes winner Masked Crusader. Toronado’s last three Australia stakes winners are Listed Stutt Stakes winning 3-year-old filly Suntora, Listed Scenic Blast Stakes winner Twain’s Angel, and Listed Black Pearl Stakes winner Romantic Choice.
Five first-season sires—St Mark’s Basilica (Fr), Stay Inside, Pinatubo (Ire), Home Affairs, and Wild Ruler—achieved an average sale price exceeding the overall Book 1 average.
sire
lots catalogued
withdrawn
sold
aggregate
average
St Mark’s Basilica (FR)
4
4
$ 720,000
$ 180,000
Stay Inside
14
4
7
$ 1,152,500
$ 164,643
Pinatubo (IRE)
12
10
$ 1,565,000
$ 156,500
Home Affairs
14
2
10
$ 1,550,000
$ 155,000
Wild Ruler
8
2
6
$ 920,000
$ 153,333
Wooded (IRE)
9
1
6
$ 562,000
$ 93,667
Portland Sky
7
1
6
$ 460,000
$ 76,667
Palace Pier (GB)
7
1
6
$ 400,000
$ 66,667
Sword of State
1
1
$ 65,000
$ 65,000
Extreme Warrior
2
1
$ 60,000
$ 60,000
Captivant
3
1
1
$ 55,000
$ 55,000
Tiger of Malay
5
4
$ 193,000
$ 48,250
Acrobat
5
2
3
$ 80,000
$ 26,667
Profiteer
3
1
$ 20,000
$ 20,000
Table: Inglis premier (Book 1 and 2) first season sires by average
“Wooded was incredible. I was over the moon to see him go so well and using his multiplier of fee, he led the first season sires. He’s had exceptional support from buyers, and they were bought by good judges. It validates that he is the right sort of horse for Australia. People understand who he is and what he offers, and for me, his return on investment was as exciting as it was to see Toronado’s results.”
Wooded (Ire) stood his first season for $20,000 plus GST and he achieved an average of $93,700 for six yearlings sold at Inglis Premier.
“I Am Immortal had his record price with Widden selling a filly for $160,000. She’s a full sister to a recent debut winner. And I Am Immortal has a strong hand in the Showdown.” Lot 354 was purchased by Busuttin Racing, and her full brother 2-year-old gelding McGaw won on debut at the end of January for trainers Emma-Lee and David Browne.
Lot 354 – I Am Immortal x Niki Piki Milo (NZ) (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Swettenham Stud haven’t had a draft at the yearling sales for the last five years.
“It was the best decision we ever made. It allows us to support our clients at the sales, without being stuck at our barn with our own horses. Our clients know that we’ll be at the sales promoting our stallions and their progeny.
Sam Matthews and Hannah Penfold | Image courtesy of Inglis
“We have around 35 broodmares and we race all the fillies through leases, and sell the colts across all the different sales through other people’s drafts. We had only one yearling in Premier, and it wasn’t by one of our stallions,” said Matthews.
And on the sale itself. “It felt that people were nervous at the start, but then once horses were on the market, they were easy to sell and many made overs.”
Victorian-based stallion Toronado (Ire) topped the sire’s list by gross over the two days with 13 sold for $3.68 million, while Zoustar and Written Tycoon came in second and third with almost identical aggregates at $2.18 million and $2.16 million respectively.
“I absolutely love him,” said Gilgai Farm’s Rick Jamieson of Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (Ire) and whilst we may put that down to this week’s stellar results as the reason for that, the fact is that Jamieson has been on the Toronado bandwagon from day one.
He bred the G1 Sussex Stakes and G1 Queen Anne Stakes winner’s first Group 1 winner Masked Crusader; the G1 William Reid Stakes winner who he sold for $340,000 to the Hawkes stable at the 2018 Inglis Premier.
Toronado (Ire) | Standing at Swettenham Stud
Three of his 11-strong draft at this year’s sale are sons of Toronado and each sold well, exceptionally so in fact with the equal sale-topping $1 million colt being a Gilgai product.
He went through the ring on Sunday whilst another two sold well on Monday; Lot 322, a three-quarter brother to Masked Crusader fetching $475,000 to the bid of Mulberry Racing and Lot 449 $400,000 to Upper Bloodstock (discussed below).
“Our Toronado colts are beautiful,” Jamieson enthused, “the stand-outs of our draft.”
Sending “six or eight mares to Toronado,” Jamieson currently has six in foal to the horse he said is his “second favourite stallion after Ole Kirk (who he bred).
There is, he told us, so much to like about Toronado.
“He is fertile, he gets them in foal and he sires good types. When a stallion does that, it’s a good start; you are a fighting chance.”
“And I don’t think we have seen the best of Toronado yet as the quality of his books has improved over the last few years.”
“And I don’t think we have seen the best of Toronado yet as the quality of his books has improved over the last few years.” – Rick Jamieson
“Adam Sangster deserves a lot of credit, he has supported Toronado all the way through.”
Swettenham Stud’s Sam Matthews was understandably delighted by the demand for Toronado colts though also a bit disappointed in the response to his fillies.
“The Hong Kong factor is a major part of his sons selling better than his daughters,” he said, “and the fact that he doesn’t yet have a good son at stud.”
“But we are big believers in his fillies as well.”
Matthews is fully aware of the perception that the sire line of High Chaparral (Ire) – and Sadler’s Wells (USA) before him – has been much better represented overall by its boys than its girls, but believes that has been overstated.
Matthews loves the consistency of the stock sired by Toronado.
“You can send a 15.3hh mare to him or a 16.3hh mare and you are going to get the same good type. He has been consistent right from the start. He gets great sales results and they can run.”
Sam Matthews | Image courtesy of The Image is Everything
He is looking forward to even better performances with this yearling crop the first sired by Toronado when his fee was raised from $49,500 incl GST to $88,000 incl GST.
Ross Lao of Upper Bloodstock is an unabashed Toronado fan and when he put in the successful $400,000 bid for Lot 449 it was the fifth time he has bought one of the bay’s yearlings.
Another nice one from the draft of Gilgai Farm, the colt is out of the placed Exceed And Excel mare Segosha whose dam is a half-sister to the Group 2 gallopers Chinchilla Rose (Lion Hunter) and Ferocity as well as the Group 3-winning high-class broodmare Leone Chiara (Lion Hunter).
Lao purchased the horse for Hong Kong where Toronado has been represented by 23 individual winners of 67 races; three stakes winners including the Group 1 sprinter Victor The Winner.
There are several traits of the breed that make Toronado an attractive proposition for Hong Kong racing, Lao noting that “they are very tough, they have the right action, they are a good size with a strong girth and they handle the firm tracks.”
“They are robust and they have great temperaments which makes them so suitable for racing in Hong Kong.”
https://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-07-at-10.56.13 am.png497747swet1adminhttps://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/logo-2.pngswet1admin2025-03-07 10:50:152025-03-07 10:57:09Toronado comes of age
At the weekend, Spirit Of Boom and So You Think became the fifth and sixth Australian stallions so far to register 100 individual winners for the 2024/25 season. It is a historically high number for this time of year. Run The Numbers digs into the background of this trend.
Eureka Stud’s Spirit Of Boom is the fifth Australian stallion so far to register 100 individual winners for the 2024/25 season. (Photo: Eureka Stud)
When Blake Shinn picked his way through the field to salute aboard Mighty at Sandown on Saturday, it represented a milestone 100th winner of the season for Spirit Of Boom.
It was far from the Eureka Stud stallion’s first seasonal century – he has now reached that mark in each of the past five Australian seasons, but he had never reached the milestone so early, just six months and one day since 2024/25 got underway.
It puts Queensland’s leading sire well ahead of pace to better his previous seasonal mark of 149, achieved in 2022/23. In that season, by early February, he had 81 winners. His century would not arrive until March 8.
Spirit Of Boom has had eight two-year-old winners, the most of any sire in Australia, and 20 three-year-old winners, with the vast proportion of his winners being four and over (72). Given that sire’s own race profile, it is not surprising to see his horses training on past their classic year.
He is not the only stallion on record pace in 2024/25. Swettenham Stud’s Toronado recently brought up his century in record time. He currently sits third when it comes to total Australian winners with 106. At the same point last season, he had 77, while two years ago it was only 59.
His rise, in terms of the volume of winners, has been one of the under-the-radar trends of the 2024/25 season. He remains on track to easily eclipse his previous overall seasonal best for Australian winners of 145, set last season
His total runners have also increased significantly, 212 at this point last season as compared to 273 currently, as he benefits from the big books he received in 2019 (197) and 2020 (210).
Unlike the four others to have reached the century mark this year, Toronado has had no assistance from his current two-year-old crop, only one of which has hit the track. A total of 27 of his winners are from his three-year-old crop while 79, including his three stakes winners in Australia this year, are four and older.
Unsurprisingly given it is where he is based, the majority of Toronado’s winners have been in Victoria, with 62 individual horses represented, 59 per cent of his overall total.
What is a quirk is that the most successful trainer in Australia this season when it comes to the progeny of Toronado has been Queensland-based Tony Gollan, with seven wins from two horses led by Torabella, who registered her fifth win of the season at Doomben on Saturday.
Less startling is that Gollan is also the most successful trainer of the progeny of Spirit Of Boom this season, with 23 wins from 18 individual horses across 2024/25 to date. Of Spirit Of Boom’s 100 Australian winners, 81 have been in Queensland.
So You Think became the sixth sire to notch the century of Australian winners when So Nataya won at Bunbury on Sunday. It is his seventh straight season of breaking that barrier, but by far his quickest ton, as he chases down his seasonal best of 149.
The other three stallions to have reached the century are familiar names, I Am invincible, Zoustar and Written Tycoon.
It is the seventh season in a row that I Am Invincible has reached the 100-winner mark by the halfway point of the season. He is currently on 123, which is 13 more than he had at this point of last season when he finished with 175.
Zoustar is on 121, nine fewer than he had halfway through last season when he equalled I Am Invincible’s record mark of 208 winners. Both have had slightly fewer runners – Vinnie 287 compared to 294 and Zoustar 298 compared to 300 – to the same point.
Both are trying to chase down Pride Of Dubai – currently on $17.2 million progeny earnings – for the Australian sires championship, with Zoustar on $14.5 million and I Am Invincible on $12.1 million.
Fourth overall, and fourth when it comes to winners, is Written Tycoon.
The Yulong resident has 105 Australian winners, which is nine more than he had at the same point of last season, although in the four previous seasons before that, he had cracked the century by halfway through the campaign.
Written Tycoon’s number of Australian runners has increased by around 10 per cent from 249 to 276 so far this season. All that growth has been from his current three-year-old crop, conceived during his one season at Arrowfield. His three-year-old runners to this point of the season have grown from 54 to 86 and his winners from 21 to 39.
Swettenham Stud’s Toronado currently sits third on the table of total Australian winners this season with 105. (Photo: Sweetenham Stud)
As far as our records go back, there has never been a season where six stallions have surpassed 100 Australian winners by this point. Last season to this point, it was three, while it was two in the previous five seasons before that.
Deep Field (92), Snitzel (92) and Capitalist (91) are all poised to mark the milestone soon, while Better Than Ready, who had five individual winners across Australia on Saturday, is on 87, as is Dundeel.
https://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SPIRIT-1600x860-1.jpg5381000swet1adminhttps://swettenham.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/logo-2.pngswet1admin2025-02-05 11:11:212025-02-05 11:12:57Toronado Setting Record Pace in 2025
Queensland farm Daandine Stud have bred and sold a lot of good horses including Golden Slipper and Magic Millions 2YO Classic winning sire Capitalist and a mare they purchased at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale in 2023 for $250,000 produced a great result for them on Tuesday at the Gold Coast.
$400,000 Toronado (IRE) colt from Write the Score.
Lot 103, a flashy chestnut colt by Toronado (IRE) from Write the Score caught the eye of all the good judges and was duly knocked down to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for $400,000.
He is the first foal of young Written Tycoon mare Write the Score, who was purchased on the advice of Boomer Bloodstock in foal to Toronado with the star colt the result of the mating.
Write the Score was bought for $250,000 at MM National Broodmare Sale.
From the family of Group I winners Yell, Microphone and Holler, Write the Score had no foal last year after missing in 2023, but is now in foal to Russian Revolution.
Archie Alexander has Group 1 autumn ambitions with Somewhere, who will go for a break after a bold third in last Saturday’s G2 Sandown Guineas.
The son of Puissance De Lune made a big impression on debut at Ballarat and lost zero admirers stepping straight up to Stakes level at start two.
Settling midfield under John Allen, Somewhere was stuck behind a wall of horses when the sprint came on around the bend, but let down superbly once in some daylight.
Even without the clearest passage home, the gelding flashed home to pinch third on the line and while there is a natural element of frustration after the luckless run, Alexander was delighted with Somewhere’s big effort.
The Ballarat-based trainer said that Somewhere had come through the run well, but had certainly left everything on the track and will now head to Nagambie for a spell.
“He’s good, but you know he’s had a race, he tried so hard. He slept well on Saturday night and he did us really proud,” he said.
“There’s always a little frustration when you don’t win, just with the way the race turned out. Johnny (Allen) did nothing wrong, he had him in a nice spot, we just never got the smooth run we needed.
“But to go from a maiden to a Group 2 and run that well, we were chuffed. He’ll go back to Gerry Ryan’s farm tomorrow for a little break.”
Nothing is yet set in stone but, on the limited evidence available, Alexander said the G1 Australian Guineas could be a suitable target next campaign.
Though Alexander expects Somewhere to get slightly further over time, he is keen to see what he can do over a mile on the spacious Flemington track.
“We’ll bring him back in the autumn with no solid plans, but you’d think maybe the Australian Guineas at Flemington might be a good goal,” he said.
“He’s probably looking for a bit further than the mile – the 1800-2000 metres might be where he ends up – but a big track and a solid mile would really suit him.”
Alexander will likely have two runners for his local cup meeting on Saturday, with Prince Eric in the McKellar Mile and Bizot in the VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade (1200m).
Prince Eric will be second-up in Australia after a solid third in the Donald Cup, while Bizot has had a slight freshen up after two Stakes runs, including a third placing at Caulfield two back.
“Hopefully it’s a good day, only two runners, but two horses that should go really well,” he said.
https://www.racing.com/news/2025-04-06/news-contenders-caulfield-guineas-a-mcgaw-option
(Image: Racing Photos)
$400,000 Toronado (IRE) colt from Write the Score.
