Waikato Stud presents a roster of seven stallions for the 2024 season, headlined by New Zealand’s sire sensation, Savabeel.
With a reputation for producing tough sprinter/ milers, the line-up also offers diversity in bloodlines for breeders and opportunity for value at every level.
“We continue to place emphasis on good, tough miler types and our 2024 roster represents that,” said studmaster, Mark Chittick.
“Longevity is a key part of our recipe for success, and rather than focussing solely on a successful first few seasons for our sires, we decide upon fees that we hope will set them up for the long term and provide commercial opportunity for breeders.
“We are also experiencing a piqued interest from Australian breeders off the back of their success with proven New Zealand stallions that continue to achieve at the highest level within Australasia.”
SAVABEEL – $100,000 + GST (NO LFG)
The eight-time New Zealand Champion sire, Savabeel, remains a major flagbearer for Waikato Stud and his progeny continue to perform at the highest level on the world stage. With a roll of honour which numbers 32 individual Group 1 winners, Savabeel’s top flight performers this season include the effortless Gr.1 New Zealand Derby winner Orchestral, who backed up the performance across the Tasman Sea with success in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes.
Atishu added another Group 1 win to her list of accolades in the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington and Skew Wiff took out the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy.
Savabeel is the second highest producer of Stakes winners ever to stand in New Zealand and with
a tally of 145, he is closing in on his own all- conquering sire Zabeel who finished his career with 166.
“He has had runners for the last 15 years and they just go from strength to strength,” said Chittick
“Who knows when his incredible run will end, but at this stage he continues to have a high fertility rate, is in great health and doesn’t look a lot different to when he was 12 – it’s hard to believe that was ten years ago.” The multi- award winning sire has won the Grosvenor Award (Champion NZ Sire) for eight consecutive sessions, in addition to seven Centaine Awards (Worldwide Progeny Earnings) and six Dewar Awards (Australian and NZ Progeny Earnings).
Savabeel is on track to pick up more awards this season and Chittick explains;
“Last year’s NZ Premiership was won at $4.1 million and Savabeel currently sits at $4.6 million which has eclipsed the record domestic earnings figure, with three months still left in the season.”
“He will stand again at $100,000 +GST (No LFG) this season. He continues to be fit and healthy – it’s business as usual for Savabeel.”
OCEAN PARK – $20,000 + GST (LFG)
Another stalwart of the Waikato Stud stallion roster is five-time Group 1 winner, Ocean
Park. A Champion in both Australia and New Zealand during his racing career, Ocean Park was renowned for his remarkable toughness and enduring soundness; qualities which he has undoubtedly passed to his progeny.
Multiple Group 1 winners that include Tofane and Kolding propelled him onto the top table as a sire and his offspring continue to dominate races across Australia and New Zealand, with Kovalica’s impressive Gr. 1 Queensland Derby win a more recent victory at the highest level.
Underpinned by consistency throughout his career as a racehorse and now sire, Ocean Park has produced 782 race wins from 278 winners, across distances that range from 1200m to 3200m. He has sired four individual Group 1 winners, with 21 black-type winners in total.
With prize money that amounts to over NZ$51 million, his progeny also continue to be popular at the sales and achieved a top price of AUD$700,000 at this year’s Inglis Easter Sale.
Chittick said;
“Ocean Park is a really solid option for breeders – he’s a very good proven stallion that always has a headliner. His progeny are still loved by Australian trainers for their soundness and toughness.
“This year he will stand at $20,000 +GST (LFG), which is down $10,000 from last year and offers breeders and racing enthusiasts an opportunity to get in on great market value for a proven sire.”
TIVACI – $8,000 + GST (LFG)
Group 1-winning sprinter/miler Tivaci is an exciting prospect on Waikato Stud’s roster. Showing consistency and versatility as a racehorse, the son of exceptional sire High Chaparral won four times in Stakes company over distances ranging from 1000 to 1600 metres.
His first two crops included Gr.1 ATC Flight Stakes winner Never Been Kissed and the dual Group 2-winning Wolverine. This season, Tivaci has been represented by exciting three-year-old Gold Wolf who won the Listed Galilee Series Final at Caulfield.
While the young sire has already stamped himself as a source of quality, it is believed that Tivaci’s offspring turning two and three this year represent his best books in terms of quality and quantity, so there is a feeling that the best is still to come.
Chittick confirms;
“His progeny that are rising three, two and yearlings are his best crops and those in training are already showing great potential so we’re looking forward to seeing what they can do on the track.
“When you kick off with a Group 1 winner out of a Savabeel mare and a Group 2 winner out of a Zabeel mare, it once again highlights the strength of that Sadler’s Wells/Zabeel cross and there’s plenty of that amongst his upcoming crops”
Catching the eye at the sales, Tivaci’s yearlings sold for up to AUD$320,000 in 2024 and are in the hands of some of Australia’s top trainers including Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, John Foote, Wexford Stables, and Busuttin Young Racing.
He will stand this season for $8,000 + GST (LFG).
SUPER SETH – $45,000 + GST (LFG)
Super Seth has enjoyed an outstanding first crop of runners this season and showcases an eye to the future for Waikato Stud.
The Group 1-winning son of Dundeel was an exceptional racehorse, winning his first two juvenile starts before dazzling in the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas as a three-year-old against a stellar field that included previously unbeaten Alligator Blood.
With pedigree and looks to match his outstanding race record, Super Seth’s highly anticipated first runners have included Group 3 winner and Gr.1 Champagne Stakes runner up Linebacker, as well as the Group 2-placed Poetic Champion.
Of his exciting first-season sire, Chittick explains “He’s the type of horse that really suits the tough, high level Australasian racing. We’ve sourced him from what we believe is the toughest racing in the world and we knew he was a high profile colt the day he beat Alligator Blood in the Caulfield Guineas.
“He was an expensive stallion purchase but he was exactly the type of horse we wanted and at this early stage his progeny are proving that they are following in his footsteps. They are good horses. That’s exactly what we are trying to achieve with a horse like Super Seth at Waikato Stud.”
Results on the racetrack have been supported by results in the sales ring for Super Seth’s offspring. Across yearling and two-year-old sales, his progeny have sold for up to $700,000.
Chittick continues;
“There has been lots of speculation as to what his service fee would go to and we know we potentially could have significantly increased it but we’re playing the long game in our ownership of stallions. For us it’s not just about the first the first season on the racetrack, it’s about the next 15 or 20 years for Waikato Stud, the Super Seth Syndicate and breeders.”
He will stand this season at $45,000 +GST (LFG)
ARDROSSAN – $20,000 + GST (LFG)
Group-winning sprinter Ardrossan, offers breeders another opportunity for diversity on the Waikato Stud roster. By outstanding sire of sires Redoute’s Choice, the young sire is out
of Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) runner up Miss Argyle, representing precocity on both sides of his pedigree.
During a brief racing career, Ardrossan showcased immense Group 1 potential and while an injury forced early retirement from the track, he was unbeaten in two starts in New Zealand before beating top tier competitors in Australia in the Gr.3 ARC Concorde Stakes. Winning four of his nine starts, he showed his class when a close third to multiple Group 1 winners Melody Belle and The Bostonian in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint.
With a distinguished pedigree and untapped potential on the racetrack, Ardrossan’s first runners have evidently inherited his qualities and his first two crops have included Stakes winners Saltcoats, Codigo, Loch Katherine and Beau Dazzler.
Chittick says; “From humble beginnings, Ardrossan has already achieved so much. The quality he has produced from relatively low profile broodmares is just incredible – he leaves a fantastic type that is always recognised in the sales ring.
Ardrossan’s yearlings sold for up to NZ$390,000 in 2024. “The benchmark for a fantastic sire is 10% Stakes winners to foals and he’s achieved that already with four Stakes winners from his first crop of just 40 foals.”
Explaining his increase to $20,000 + GST (LFG) this year, Chittick continues;
“He covers a book of 150 mares and his popularity last year was overwhelming. An increase in his fee to $20,000 for this season reflects the high demand.”
NOVERRE – $10,000 +GST (LFG)
Standing his first season in 2022, Noverre is the most recent addition to Waikato Stud’s line up of stallions. Achieving $800,000 as a yearling, the Group 1-winning son of Champion sire Savabeel, has the physique to match his race record.
Finishing second on debut over 1200 metres as a two-year-old, he broke his maiden three weeks later. He went on to win the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m) in late October, before displaying a scintillating turn of foot to go from last to first in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton, assuring his position on the Waikato Stud roster.
“He’s developed into one of the most magnificent stallions that we’ve ever stood at Waikato Stud and has left foals just like himself,” enthused Chittick.
“We cannot wait to take the Noverre yearlings to the sales in 2025 and to put them in front of judges across Australasia. On pedigree and type, they are extremely exciting”
Noverre stands the 2024 season at a fee of $10,000 +GST (LFG).
BANQUO – $3,000 +GST (LFG)
Rounding out the septet of Waikato Stud stallions is Banquo. The well-related son of Written Tycoon, was a Listed winner over 1400 metres and is a full brother to Gr.1 MRC Oakleigh Plate winner Booker from the Group 1 sprinting family of Gaelic Dancer.
Chittick says; “Banquo was given his chance at Waikato Stud based on his pedigree, his type and turn of foot. He is the first son of Written Tycoon to stand in New Zealand who had an outstanding season – proving himself as a sire of sires.
“Banquo’s eldest are turning two and we have retained a couple of fillies which are fantastic types and will be given every opportunity on the racecourse.
While Banquo hasn’t served the biggest books, I certainly believe that there is potential for increased popularity as we get his progeny to the track. We are very enthusiastic about his future from what we have seen so far.”
He will stand for $3,000 +GST (LFG) this season.