In the face of widespread competition, Rich Hill Stud has won the race to sign multiple Group One winner and reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year Jimmy Choux.
In an agreement reached by the farm and Nearco Stud principal Greg Tomlinson with the former outstanding galloper's owner-breeders Richard and Liz Wood, the popular bay will begin his career at the Walton operation on the outskirts of Matamata.
"We weren't originally planning to have a new stallion, but the decision by Sir Percy's English owners to rest him from shuttle duty this year coincided with the retirement of Jimmy Choux," Rich Hill studmaster John Thompson said.
"A horse with his looks, racetrack ability and pedigree doesn't come on the market very often and sometimes when they do you have to act to secure such a stallion prospect.
"We feel he will be a great addition to the roster here and a horse of his charisma will command a real following and enjoy strong support from the New Zealand breeding industry. He also made such a mark in Australia that his future progeny will demand serious attention from overseas buyers."
Thompson said discussions at the recent May sale at Karaka with Tomlinson and his bloodstock manager Adrian Clark had provided the catalyst to Rich Hill becoming Jimmy Choux's new home.
"Greg and Adrian felt that the next step for Nearco Stud, the fastest-growing privately-owned breeding entity in the country, was to take a significant interest in a commercial stallion prospect.
"With that in mind they had targeted Jimmy Choux a while ago so their thoughts on his potential were similar to mine.
"Greg has purchased a lot of well-bred stakes performed mares in the last three years and he will be supporting Jimmy Choux heavily in his initial years – that's a huge assist to any horse's career to be assured mares of that premier quality."
Rich Hill and Nearco Studs have taken significant holdings in the stallion and the Woods have retained an interest with a limited number of shares available for public purchase.
Trained throughout his career at Hastings by John Bary, Jimmy Choux was the winner of the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at two and placed in both the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes and the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.
His career went to another level at three when he completed the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas-New Zealand Derby double and carried on his stellar form in Sydney in the autumn with victory in the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas.
Jimmy Choux returned as a four-year-old to claim the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate and Gr.1 Spring Classic after finishing runner-up in the opening leg of the Hastings Triple Crown.
He then crossed the Tasman again and beat all but Pinker Pinker in the Gr.1 Cox Plate and ran fourth under 58kg in the Gr.1 Emirates before he was unplaced in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin.
Jimmy Choux was to have just two more starts and the decision was made to retire the four-year-old this autumn after Bary said it became evident the horse now "wanted to be a stallion."
He posted 12 wins and eights placings from his 26 starts and earned $NZ3,626,763 during a formidable partnership with jockey Jonathan Riddell. He rode him in all but two of his starts and in all his Group successes.
Bred and raced under the Woods' Chouxmaani Investments banner, Jimmy Choux is a son of the Grosvenor Award winner Thorn Park out of the Centaine mare Cierzo.
"He's by a champion sire out of a mare by a champion broodmare sire and he has four separate lines of Star Kingdom in his first six generations, which is now a rarity in Australasian breeding," Thompson said. "He was an outstanding racehorse with a fine physique so he's got absolutely everything in his favour to make a successful stallion."
Jimmy Choux will stand his first season at $NZ10,000 + GST, a fee set with the firm agreement of all the major parties involved the horse.
"Richard and Liz wanted to make sure, as we all did, that Jimmy Choux would be available to as many breeders as possible and we all believe he will offer excellent value at that service fee," Thompson said.
- Rich Hill Stud
In an agreement reached by the farm and Nearco Stud principal Greg Tomlinson with the former outstanding galloper's owner-breeders Richard and Liz Wood, the popular bay will begin his career at the Walton operation on the outskirts of Matamata.
"We weren't originally planning to have a new stallion, but the decision by Sir Percy's English owners to rest him from shuttle duty this year coincided with the retirement of Jimmy Choux," Rich Hill studmaster John Thompson said.
"A horse with his looks, racetrack ability and pedigree doesn't come on the market very often and sometimes when they do you have to act to secure such a stallion prospect.
"We feel he will be a great addition to the roster here and a horse of his charisma will command a real following and enjoy strong support from the New Zealand breeding industry. He also made such a mark in Australia that his future progeny will demand serious attention from overseas buyers."
Thompson said discussions at the recent May sale at Karaka with Tomlinson and his bloodstock manager Adrian Clark had provided the catalyst to Rich Hill becoming Jimmy Choux's new home.
"Greg and Adrian felt that the next step for Nearco Stud, the fastest-growing privately-owned breeding entity in the country, was to take a significant interest in a commercial stallion prospect.
"With that in mind they had targeted Jimmy Choux a while ago so their thoughts on his potential were similar to mine.
"Greg has purchased a lot of well-bred stakes performed mares in the last three years and he will be supporting Jimmy Choux heavily in his initial years – that's a huge assist to any horse's career to be assured mares of that premier quality."
Rich Hill and Nearco Studs have taken significant holdings in the stallion and the Woods have retained an interest with a limited number of shares available for public purchase.
Trained throughout his career at Hastings by John Bary, Jimmy Choux was the winner of the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at two and placed in both the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes and the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.
His career went to another level at three when he completed the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas-New Zealand Derby double and carried on his stellar form in Sydney in the autumn with victory in the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas.
Jimmy Choux returned as a four-year-old to claim the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate and Gr.1 Spring Classic after finishing runner-up in the opening leg of the Hastings Triple Crown.
He then crossed the Tasman again and beat all but Pinker Pinker in the Gr.1 Cox Plate and ran fourth under 58kg in the Gr.1 Emirates before he was unplaced in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin.
Jimmy Choux was to have just two more starts and the decision was made to retire the four-year-old this autumn after Bary said it became evident the horse now "wanted to be a stallion."
He posted 12 wins and eights placings from his 26 starts and earned $NZ3,626,763 during a formidable partnership with jockey Jonathan Riddell. He rode him in all but two of his starts and in all his Group successes.
Bred and raced under the Woods' Chouxmaani Investments banner, Jimmy Choux is a son of the Grosvenor Award winner Thorn Park out of the Centaine mare Cierzo.
"He's by a champion sire out of a mare by a champion broodmare sire and he has four separate lines of Star Kingdom in his first six generations, which is now a rarity in Australasian breeding," Thompson said. "He was an outstanding racehorse with a fine physique so he's got absolutely everything in his favour to make a successful stallion."
Jimmy Choux will stand his first season at $NZ10,000 + GST, a fee set with the firm agreement of all the major parties involved the horse.
"Richard and Liz wanted to make sure, as we all did, that Jimmy Choux would be available to as many breeders as possible and we all believe he will offer excellent value at that service fee," Thompson said.
- Rich Hill Stud
