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The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Cambridge Stud is offering six well-credentialled mares – Critical Angel (NZ) (O’Reilly), Friwi (Almanzor), Runway Queen (Star Witness), Stellar Maccartney (NZ) Tavistock), Western Belle (Domesday) and Ziffel (NZ) (Zabeel). They are all being offered in foal to Cambridge Stud stallions.
“We’re very fortunate that Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s significant investment in yearling sales and their own breeding programme leads to a number of a high-class fillies and mares coming off the racetrack to join the broodmare band every year,” Cambridge Stud’s sales and nominations manager Scott Calder said.
“That obviously means we have a large broodmare band that’s continuing to grow, and the challenge that creates is that we need to regularly sell mares just to keep our numbers at the same level.
“But the fact that we’re selling these mares shouldn’t reflect badly on them in any way. These mares all have plenty going for them, with deep pedigrees and carrying pregnancies to our Cambridge Stud stallions. We think this sale will provide a great opportunity for buyers to secure some mares that they could go on to have a lot of success with.
“A young mare like Friwi is coming off the track, carrying her first foal and has a very bright future in front of her, while several of the others have progeny on the racetrack and have already achieved good results with their yearlings in the sale ring. There’s plenty happening in the families and there could be a number of pedigree updates to come.”
Friwi, Runway Queen, Stellar Maccartney and Ziffel are all being offered in foal to Sword Of State. The Group One-winning son of Snitzel has made waves with his first yearlings this season, averaging over $200,000 and selling for up to $540,000.
“Those Sword Of State pregnancies are going to be a real drawcard,” Calder said. “His first yearlings have sold amazingly well this season, and that continued at the National Weanling Sale at Karaka last week with demand for his progeny remaining very strong.
“Sword Of State is our most popular stallion going into the new season. These mares will have Sword Of State foals on the ground within the next few months, giving people an opportunity to quickly secure his progeny without the expense of breeding to him themselves.”
Friwi is by Almanzor out of the winning So You Think mare Brisida. The pedigree page is stacked with German black type, with Brisida’s half-brother Brisanto (Dansili) being Champion 2YO Colt in Germany in 2014 while second dam Briseida (Pivotal) won the German One Thousand Guineas (1600m). Briseida is the dam of eight winners from nine foals to race. She has produced three individual stakes winners and is the granddam of the Listed winner and Group Two-placed Pappalino (Makfi).
“There’s so much that can be said about Friwi,” Calder said. “She comes from a high-class family and is a really good-looking Almanzor mare retiring off the track. I think she has a lot going for her and I see her as a very good match for Sword Of State.”
Runway Queen is a half-sister to the dual Group One winner Stratum Star (Stratum) and the multiple Group Three winner and Group One placegetter Prague (Redoute’s Choice). Runway Queen’s full-sister Red Velvet Swing (Star Witness) is the dam of this season’s Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) placegetter Declichy Boulevard (Snitzel). Runway Queen was herself a winner over 1300 metres in Australia.
“Runway Queen comes from a family that’s had huge success on the racetrack, but has also been highly sought after in the sale ring with a couple of million-dollar yearlings,” Calder said.
Tavistock mare Stellar Maccartney comes from the family of Group One winners Fairy King Prawn (Danehill) and Cosmic Endeavour (Northern Meteor).
Critical Angel is by O’Reilly (NZ) out of the Group One-winning Centaine mare Critic (NZ). Herself a winner over 1200 metres and a second placegetter in the Group Three Vanity Stakes (1400m), Critical Angel has made her mark as a broodmare with her son Scathing (Trusting) winning three races and finishing fourth in the Group Three Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) and Fred Best Classic (1350m).
Western Belle is a half-sister to the Group One winner Regal Power (Pierro) and Group Two winner Action (Pierro), while their stakes-winning dam Broadway Belle (Redoute’s Choice) is a half-sister to the multiple Group One-winning star mare Arcadia Queen (Pierro).
Ziffel, a half-sister to the Group Two winner and multiple black-type producer Amelia’s Dream (Redoute’s Choice), has had yearlings sell for up to $500,000 and is the dam of the multiple winners Earl Of Devon (NZ) (Tavistock) and War Of Succession (NZ) (Tavistock).
Bidding is open in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus with the first lot closing from 7pm (NZT) on Wednesday 9th July.
