Photo: New Zealand Bloodstock
Hilal (Fastnet Rock) has made an encouraging start to his stud career, with the Grangewilliam Stud stallion producing a strong result from limited representation at last week's New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale.
The first-season sire was represented by a colt out of the placed Pierro mare Drama Series, offered by Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore on behalf of Nearco Stud. The youngster attracted strong competition before selling to Paul Pertab Bloodstock for $65,000.
Cunningham said the result reflected the quality of the colt, who had impressed from an early age.
"I wasn't surprised that he was very popular and made a nice price," Cunningham said.
"From the time he was born he impressed us and continued to progress. Even in the early stages, we rated him so sufficiently that we decided to breed the mare back to Hilal.
"He's one of three foals by Hilal that we had that were born here last year. They've all been good foals, and they've continued to progress and are definite chances to be good racehorses."
With Drama Series being a smaller mare, Cunningham said Hilal provided the ideal physical match.
"He certainly fitted the bill," he said. "You can see his physique comes from his bloodline, he's by Fastnet Rock, who we love, he's got a terrific dam line, being a half-brother to a Golden Slipper winner, Marhoona, from a great Australian family."
A 12- time leading vendor at the New Zealand Weanling Sale, Cunningham had smaller representation than usual but implored his fellow breeders to continue to support the sale, with all key metrics significantly up.
"The demand for the four we offered this year didn't surprise me, but what was very noticeable was the benefit of the sale being at a mid-June date for its third year," Cunningham said.
"There was definitely an increase in the level of quality offered, and the vendors were well rewarded.
"This sale is pivotal for our industry going forward. There was excellent representation from Australian buyers and every New Zealand pinhooker who has trekked to Australia for weanlings was there and was bidding with pretty consistent values to what they would have done so in Australia.
"The success of last week will hopefully encourage vendors and we will have an even better catalogue next year."
The result also provided further encouragement for Grangewilliam Stud principal Mark Corcoran, whose young stallion has enjoyed strong support since retiring to stud.
Hilal covered 137 mares in his debut season before increasing that figure to 154 in his second year, an uncommon trend for a young sire.
"We're really pleased with the type of foals he's been leaving, and he's been very well supported in his first two seasons," Corcoran said.
"We knew people were keen on his pedigree and race performance but it's good to see the market bullish on him too."
Hilal's appeal received an additional boost after his first season at stud when his Snitzel half-sister Marhoona captured the Gr.1 Golden Slipper (1200m).
"That pedigree update certainly spurred a lot of interest for last season," Corcoran said.
"Hilal was a very good two-year-old himself, which is not really the norm for Fastnet Rock. He beat King Of Sparta on debut and was runner-up to Anamoe in a Sires' Produce (Gr.1, 1400m) and runner-up to Captivant in the Champagne (Gr.1, 1600m)."
Standing at an introductory fee of $7,500, Corcoran believes Hilal fills an important niche in the New Zealand market by offering breeders access to a proven pedigree at an affordable price.
"There aren't that many studs left in New Zealand standing stallions, you could probably count on two hands how many studs that are," Corcoran said.
"We're in a bit of a niche environment in South Taranaki, and we've got to cater for that market. We've got a lot of people that breed horses to race or take through and trade at a later stage.
"He's leaving a great type and he is going to be well supported again this year, because he's at a very affordable fee compared to a lot of stallions."
Corcoran is now looking ahead to Karaka next January, where Grangewilliam Stud expects to offer a good selection of yearlings by the first-season sire.
"We will have 16 or 17 to take to the sales," Corcoran said.
"He leaves physically strong horses with good temperaments and they are all bay.
"They get a great head start being raised on very good land, and we're really excited to present them at the sales in January."
