Doull to join Rosemont roster, but not before swansong as ‘value’ Shamus Award has fee cut
Doull (Snitzel), a stallion prospect with model looks, will attempt to add to his stakes-winning record in a final racing campaign before the Group 2-winning sprinter is retired to Rosemont Stud.
The Victorian operation confirmed on Thursday that the four-year-old entire – the Caulfield Sprint (Gr 2, 1000m) winner of last spring – would join a proven son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), the Group 1-producing Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) winner Shamus Award, on its five-strong roster in 2024.
Rosemont Stud’s Ryan McEvoy has little doubt that Shamus Award is among the best value stallions in Victoria at his fee of $38,500 (all fees inc GST) while he is equally excited about the prospects of Doull, a highly touted $1.2 million colt.
Doull, who is accepted for the Hawkesbury Gold Rush (Listed, 1100m) on Saturday as a possible pre-cursor to a Queensland winter carnival swansong, will stand for an $11,000 fee.
The pair will be on the roster alongside bullet-like former two-year-old Hanseatic (Street Boss) ($16,500) as he enters his fourth season at stud and the electrifying stakes-winning three-year-old Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice) ($16,500).
A seven-figure Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate, Doull who is a son of Listed-winning two-year-old Bulbula (Shamardal) and a half-brother to Ottawa Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) winning filly Aryaaf (Epaulette), won his first start in the May of his two-year-old season at Flemington in a fashion that saw him the early favourite for the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
Also a winner at three, Doull returned at four for new trainer Annabel Neasham to win the Caulfield Sprint (Gr 2, 1000m).
“He set the Flemington straight alight on debut and he had huge promise and that race, for the ratings guys, was judged really highly and a performance that rated him up amongst the better two-year-old colts of that generation,” McEvoy said of Doull’s initial racecourse exposure.
“He did have some issues as a three-year-old that held him back, and perhaps they were fair excuses in terms of him not being able to show what he’s capable of, but a change of environment stimulated him and when he won the Group 2, it wasn’t by a big margin but he ran really slick time.
“He was super that day. He showed a good combination of brilliance and fight and I love that in a stallion and we maintain he’s as good a looking stallion in the country to go to stud this year.
“The best-looking Snitzel I’ve seen with a big pedigree. There’s a few things there to suggest he’s got a bit going for him at a price point makes him an attractive option.”
Doull’s proven paternal brother Shamus Award has sired four stakes winners – Group 1 scorer Quintessa, Quickster, Roll On High and Served Cold – in his first Rosemont Stud-conceived crop of three-year-olds from a then fee of $11,000.
Older sprinter Irish Songs is also a stakes winner this season by Shamus Award while Group 1–winner Duais was placed at the highest level while Umgawa, Cosmic Ride and El Patroness have also been stakes-placed in 2023-24.
Possessing a 6.5 per cent stakes winners to runners ratio with 25 black-type winners, Shamus Award has averaged 170 mares for each of the past four years.
Those stakes winners figures, McEvoy said, sees Shamus Award compare favourably up against the likes of So You Think (High Chaparral), The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice), Toronado (High Chaparral) and Written Tycoon (Iglesia).
“We think he is a real upgrader and what we wanted to do this year is back up what’s been a really positive four years in terms of patronage and ensure that he backs up with a similar book of mares,” McEvoy said.
“With good quality and numbers of mares, he’s a good chance of getting his next Group 1 winner, so we want to make him attractive to breeders who not only breed commercially but those who breed to race and I think his fee reflects that.
“I’d like to think he looks incredible value.”
In keeping with the trend, Rosemont has reduced the service fees of Hanseatic and Extreme Warrior heading into their fourth and third seasons respectively.
Hanseatic’s first crop yearlings sold at the major sales for prices of $375,000, $250,000, $220,000, $160,000 and $150,000 to a buying bench that included agent Damon Gabbedy, the stallion’s trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman, Lindsay Park, Peter Moody and Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock.
“If you look at it through a Victorian lens, he had the most amount of yearlings sell for $60,000 or more and amongst those first season sires he had the highest-priced yearling as well,” McEvoy said.
“We couldn’t be happier with the reception they had, he’s got the numbers, they look like dynamic, tough, hardy and forward two-year-old types, so we are feeling confident and excited about next season.
“I think he’s a great punt and I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out with a glut of early two-year-old winners.”
McEvoy also holds blistering Blue Sapphire (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Extreme Warrior in high regard as well.
“He was a pretty dynamic two-year-old and a high-class three-year-old son of Extreme Choice from a big pedigree and I reckon that’s a proven combination for future sire success.
“If you go back and look at the Zoustars, the Pieratas, the Snitzels, those horses who were good two-year-olds but ended up being the highest-rated three-year-old by their sire is a profile that [seems to work],” he said.
“His first crop foals are great. We’re really happy there and, again, I think it’s a smart play at pretty good value.”
Fellow Rosemont-based stallion Strasbourg (I Am Invincible) will stand at a private fee this year.
Rosemont Stud stallion roster (All fees incl GST)
2024 2023
Shamus Award (Snitzel) $38,500 $60,500
Hanseatic (Street Boss) $16,500 $17,600
Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice) $16,500 $19,800
Doull (Snitzel) $11,000 new
Strasbourg (I Am Invincible) private $8,800