Connections to hold studmasters at bay after Ole Kirk’s Group 1 victory
Hawkes’ indicate second elite level tilt is on the cards for the well-related three-year-old colt following his Golden Rose Stakes win
Studmasters are likely to have to wait at least another fortnight before negotiations for a stallion deal for Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) ramp up, with the highly sought after colt set to embark on a Melbourne campaign after his breakthrough Group 1 victory.
The three-year-old’s principal owner Neil Werrett confirmed yesterday that the syndicate would more closely consider their stud options for the son of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) after his next start which is set to be in Melbourne.
The Hawkes Racing-trained Ole Kirk is expected to be given his chance to emulate The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) (2018) and In Top Swing (Beautiful Crown) (2003) in completing the Golden Rose-Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) double rather than be freshened up for a tilt at The Everest (1200m) or Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
Werrett, a shareholder in Max Whitby’s Everest slot alongside Steve McCann and Ole Kirk’s part-owner Colin Madden, admitted the proposition to freshen up Ole Kirk for the $15 million race on October 17 had been floated but at this stage he had been ruled out as a candidate.
“I think it’d be great to go down there (to Melbourne) as the Guineas is a race that will suit him. He looks to be a top three chance at worst and I would have thought, on current form, you’d have to put him in the top three,” Werrett told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday.
“We had discussed The Everest, but unless something dramatically happens between now and Wednesday and the Hawkes’ have another rethink, from what they were talking about (on Saturday night) it would be Caulfield Guineas if the horse horse pulls up well.”
Out of Naturale (Bel Esprit), an unraced sister to the Werrett-raced, unbeaten champion sprinter Black Caviar and a half-sister to Vinery Stud stallion All Too Hard (Casino Prince), Ole Kirk was a $675,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale graduate in 2019.
Written Tycoon, who also sired Friday night’s A J Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) winner Pippie, relocated from Woodside Park Stud in Victoria to the Hunter Valley’s Arrowfield Stud this year and is developing a reputation as a sire of sires, which has helped fuel interest in Ole Kirk.
Werrett stressed his affiliation with Vinery Stud and Kitchwin Hills would not give the two Hunter farms a headstart on any potential interest they may have in standing Ole Kirk and that a number of factors will be considered once a deal is eventually struck for the colt.
“We’ve had some very nice inquiries but, to be honest, none of us have spoken much about it because I don’t think you want to get too carried away with stallion deals until after you have kept celebrating for a little bit, so we will probably have a chat later in the week,” an elated Werrett explained.
“First of all, you have to be comfortable about where he’s going and then the money comes second, to be honest, because you want the horse to be well supported.
“A lot of the studs have already called and asked that if we’re going to do anything, can we speak to them first.
“I think we wait until after the Guineas.”
Written Tycoon’s son Rich Enuff has made a promising start at stud, while Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Capitalist and Group 2-winning sprinter Winning Rupert’s first crop two-year-olds are racing this season.
Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Written By’s first foals are also being born this year after attracting a quality book of mares at Widden Stud in 2019.
Brett Bradley, who bred last year’s Everest winner Yes Yes Yes (Rubick), is also a part-owner of Ole Kirk and he backed up Werrett’s comments that connections would not rush into a stud deal with the colt.
“The studs will have their own view on what they’re prepared to do and all we can do is just manage the horse and make sure he is in the right races and look after him and whatever offers come, will come,” Bradley said.
Werrett, meanwhile, indicated that the Whitby Everest slot would be vying with rivals for the remaining candidates for the race, with Saturday’s Premiere Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick and Gilgai Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Flemington to be crucial.
Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega), who ran sixth in the 2018 Everest and second last year, looms as a likely target for the remaining slot holders without a horse as does Libertini (I Am Invincible) who will resume in the Premiere.
He said: “We’re talking to everyone we can. I think it’s a bit up in the air after Saturday. Rothfire, unfortunately for the connections and miRunners went amiss, so they’re out looking for another horse now as well.
“I suppose everyone’s got about five or six horses in mind and two or three of them are running next Saturday, either in the Gilgai or the Premiere, so if anyone comes out and wins they will be snapped up within 30 seconds.”
Werrett also has a share in the Mike Moroney-trained Tofane (Ocean Park) who last week was announced as running in the Yulong Investments slot.
Werrett on …
Spring horses to look out for outside Ole Kirk …
Neil Werrett is one of Australia’s biggest owners and he is also a significant breeder. After Ole Kirk’s Golden Rose success, he has high hopes for Jen Rules (Redoute’s Choice) this spring.
Raced in partnership with Max Whitby, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Jen Rules ran third in Saturday’s Golden Pendant (Gr 2, 1400m). Werrett has also bought into international Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) contender Nickajack Cave (Kendargent) who is to be trained by Peter Moody.
“I am hoping (Jen Rules) will pick up a really good race and we’ve got a horse coming out from overseas who I have an interest in called Nickajack Cave, so I am looking forward to him running in the Melbourne Cup,” he said.
“It’s a really strong lot (of internationals). I’m surprised how strong they are, but they don’t run for too much money in the UK and if they can come out here and run for $7 million, that will certainly get them on that plane.”
2021 Australian yearling sales …
Werrett also remains optimistic that the 2021 Australian yearling sales will remain vibrant despite the wider economic outlook caused by Covid-19.
“We’re so lucky that we’ve got racing continuing through (Covid-19) and that prize-money has had a very little effect and it’s a credit to racing administrators that they’ve been able to keep it going with the governments’ support,” he said.
On next year’s yearling market outlook, he added: “It would only crash if the returns come down. If they decided to halve prize-money or something like that, then it would have to come off. You look at yesterday’s prize-money (for the Golden Rose), it’s really good.
“It was a million dollars, for a race like that – it’s a lot of money. People invest in horses to make money and there’s a lot of people who do it very well.
“While prize-money is holding up, I think horse prices will hold up, too.”