Arrowfield buy into star colt Militarize
Triple Group 1-winning three-year-old Militarize (Dundeel) has a new part-owner, with Arrowfield Stud teaming for the first time with Newgate Farm to take a share in the colt’s ownership.
A statement from Newgate confirmed that Arrowfield – who stand Dundeel (High Chaparral) for $82,500 (inc GST) – would “look forward to participating in the colt’s racing career and supporting him upon retirement to Newgate with mares from their quality broodmare band”.
Militarize, winner of the ATC Sires’ Produce (Gr 1, 1400m)-Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) double in the autumn, took a third top-tier success in Rosehill’s Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) last month. Racing in the China Horse Club’s colours, he’s now a $2.80 favourite to take another stallion-making Group 1, the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), next Saturday.
“Miltarize is an elite racehorse with an elite pedigree and we feel honoured to welcome Arrowfield Stud into the ownership,” said Newgate’s managing director Henry Field.
“The power of the Arrowfield broodmare band, coupled with the broodmares owned by the many outstanding breeders in our colts partnership, will give Militarize an unparalleled opportunity when he retires to stud at the completion of his racing days.”
Arrowfield chairman John Messara said the group’s first teaming with Newgate “was driven by the horse”.
“We got offered a small stake in Militarize from one of Henry’s investors, and with Henry’s agreement we bought it,” Messara told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“As a long-term breeding proposition, we’re very enamoured with the horse. He’s by my favourite stallion, he’s done more than enough already on the track and I think there’s more to come.
“He’s got a good turn of foot, a lovely pedigree and there’s nothing to hold him back. It’s not one we’ll control, we’ll be a passive investor, but we’ll have access to him and breed to him.
“It was a friendly deal. We’ve never been in with Newgate before, but this was a great opportunity, driven by the horse, and as the crow flies Newgate is not far from us. And Henry’s a good customer of ours too, buying yearlings from us, and we felt very comfortable in having a passive interest in one of their stallions. Luckily, he felt the same way.”
Entirely Danehill (Danzig)-free, Militarize would “work extremely well” with the mainstays of Australia’s broodmare band, Messara said.
“The Redoute’s Choices, the Snitzels, and all those types will suit him,” Messara said. “He hasn’t got any of that blood in there.
“He’ll be an attractive stallion for all sorts of bloodlines. Certainly, being free of Danehill helps. There’s not much wrong with him at all from a stallion point of view. And I also feel Dundeel is now emerging as a real force in Australian breeding.”