Aquis considering offers to take on its NSW stallions for season 2021 and beyond
Aquis Farm will make a call on the future of its NSW-based stallions including high-profile Group 1 winners Pierata (Pierro) and Brave Smash (Tosen Phantom) by the end of this month as the Hong Kong racing and breeding business continues its rationalisation.
The Tony Fung-owned Aquis Farm operated a three-state stallion operation in 2020 including an eight-strong NSW roster based at Lincoln Farm at Blandford after the shock relocation from Emirates Park in July.
Aquis Farm managing director Shane McGrath yesterday told ANZ Bloodstock News that the organisation was considering its options for the next breeding season.
“Now that the dust has settled on the Magic Millions, obviously after outsourcing our Victorian stallions, we received a number of proposals from NSW-based farms in relation to our NSW stallion roster,” McGrath said.
“So, in fairness to the stallions and their various owners, we have decided to look at the options with a view to deciding by the end of January how we can add the most value to our stallions for the 2021 season.”
As well as standing Pierata, the winner of the All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), and Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Brave Smash, Aquis also had Bellevue Hill (Pierro), Santos (I Am Invincible), Invader (Snitzel), Divine Prophet (Choisir), Jukebox (Snitzel) and Spieth (Thorn Park) standing in NSW last year.
Last month, it was revealed that Leneva Park would take over the lease of the Darren Thomas-owned Seymour property where Lean Mean Machine (Zoustar), Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit) and Needs Further (Encosta De Lago) stood in 2020.
Both Lean Mean Machine and Royal Meeting will stand at the rebranded Leneva Park Seymour farm, but Needs Further has returned to his initial home at Armidale Stud in Tasmania while shareholders in the Group 1-producing stallion assess their options ahead of the next breeding season.
Before shareholders elected to send Needs Further to Victoria last year, there had been interest from stallion farms in the Hunter Valley and Queensland, as well as South Australia, and some of those options are believed to remain on the table.
Fung, who along with racing partner Phoenix Thoroughbreds, bought 19 yearlings at the Magic Millions sale for a combined spend of $11,645,000, with young Sydney trainer Annabel Neasham set to be the major beneficiary.