Woodside Park drops fees

Woodside Park Stud has announced a fee reduction on its stallions for 2011, including the exciting Foreplay (pictured).

Foreplay, who has had his stud career rejuvenated after stem cell treatment, will stand for $13,750 (inc. GST), a drop of 17 per cent from last year’s fee of $16,500.

“We were delighted with the results from Foreplay last year,” Woodside Park’s bloodstock manager Dean Harvey said. “He was only announced as standing commercially late, yet he attracted 61 mares – we are pleased to say that of the non walk-in mares he covered, which is a majority of his book, he got 82 per cent in foal.

“We are now offering Foreplay at a price that is hard to beat when compared with young stallions with a similar record.”

During last spring, Foreplay, an imposing son of Danehill, raced to the top of the second-season sire list after a trio of exciting Group winners – Decision Time (Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes), That’s Not It (Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes) and Playcidium Mint (Group 3 Lee Steere Stakes).

Foreplay sits fourth – behind Stratum (2011 fee $55,000), Snitzel ($27,500) and Starcraft ($44,000) – on the second-season sires’ list with 23 winners from 44 starters and $1,225,000 in prizemoney. His strike rate of 52.5 per cent winners to runners is the highest of any of the top 20 second-season stallions.

“An indication of how well Foreplay is doing is the fact he sits fifth on the Australian sires’ table for Stakes winners to runners – the third active stallion – and that list includes the great Danehill, who is third. Foreplay has an exceptional strike rate of 6.8 per cent Stakes winner to runners,” Harvey said.

Caulfield Guineas winner Econsul, who on Monday recorded his first winner, also has had a fee reduction – from $7700 to $4400 (inc. GST) – that makes him one of the best-value young Group 1-winning stallions in the country.

“Logically, this will be Econsul’s toughest year as his first-crop 2YOs are only just starting to hit the tracks. He is tremendous value for a Caulfield Guineas winner whose first two crops were quite commercially accepted by the market at the yearling sales, particularly with the trainers who liked their strength and bone,” Harvey said.

“The reports from the trainers on his two-year-olds are such that we are extremely confident that Econsul will prove himself to be yet another Caulfield Guineas winner to make it as a stallion. We have a few in our Wadham Park stable that we haven’t produced as yet – our confidence in the horse remains high.

“Econsul has 191 foals from his first three crops to represent him, so he is poised to make an impact. Now is a really good opportunity for Victorian breeders to get on board.”

Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow also will stand for $4400 (inc. GST) in 2011. There is a growing demand for staying horses in Australia, and Grey Swallow ticks a lot of boxes, as he was a tremendous stayer with a wonderful turn-of-foot. Grey Swallow’s oldest progeny are two-year-olds.

“We have some very nice young horses in training by Grey Swallow, and like him, they are very well-balanced, lovely-moving horses. I think as a stallion, he’s a bit of a sleeper, because he was a world-class racehorse,” Harvey said.

To discuss your mare and the use of any of Woodside Park’s stallions Dean Harvey can be contacted on 0408 641 424 or by email – dean@woodsideparkstud.com.au

Note: Woodside Park is a client of the Slattery Media Group.