Eureka forecast Boom in Spirit’s offspring with ‘best-bred crop’ to hit the track
Eureka Stud’s Harry McAlpine can’t wait to see what the next two-year-old crop of champion Queensland sire Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) can achieve, as his best-bred runners hit the track later this year.
The Queensland stud has consolidated the service fee of Spirit Of Boom, who is set to cover his eighth book of mares this coming season, offering him to breeders at $33,000 (Inc GST), down from the $44,000 fee he’s stood the last two seasons and $55,000 that he stood for in 2018, having covered his first four books at just $11,000.
“I’m extremely confident that Spirit Of Boom will go to the next level with these well-bred crops,” said McAlpine to ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday.
“His first crop bred at an $11,000 fee is running at a 9.3 per cent ratio of stakes winners to runners and 82 per cent winners to runners. These are very elite statistics and they were obviously some of the better mares he had being his first season.
“The strength of the pedigrees and the mares that have gone to him, and now have progeny that are yearlings, are very well reflected in the stock and the sales have appreciated that.”
Spirit Of Boom sold 75 offspring for an average just shy of $140,000 during the yearling sales season so far this year, highlighted by two progeny that sold for $500,000 or more, including a colt out of Personalised (Snitzel) – a half-sister to VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Personal (Fastnet Rock) – that sold for $575,000 to Tony Gollan, the trainer of Spirit Of Boom.
“Tony (Gollan) has obviously had a great affinity with the stallion having trained him himself,” said McAlpine. “He was one of the trainers that went out there in the first crop and bought his nicest ones which resulted in Outback Barbie and Ef Troop, so he’s had success doing that.
“It’s no surprise to see him back up this year with the quality that’s on offer.”
Judging by his first weanling sold this year at yesterday’s Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, it’s a trajectory that won’t stop with his latest yearling crop, as Silverdale Farm and Suman Hedge snapped up a colt by Spirit Of Boom from Swiftly Red (Testa Rossa), a half-sister to stakes winners General Truce (Brief Truce) and Arctic Command (Freeze), for $190,000.
McAlpine believes the difference in his stock from his last two crops is very much tangible, with the belief from buyers reflected in the demand for his progeny that he can progress beyond the heights of his first crop, which has yielded three million-dollar earners and 21 individual stakes performers.
“You see the difference in what he’s got coming through and people think he’s a very good chance of going to that next level,” he said.
“He’s had three very good books now having covered over 200 stakes winners in the last three years so he’s got some good crops coming through.”
At $33,000 he remains the highest-priced stallion in Queensland, but McAlpine says he offers exceptional value for breeders when his statistics are held up against stallions commanding a higher fee across the country.
“Up against other stallions that are competing at that same level he’s great value,” he said.
“There are not many other proven stallions around that throw a high percentage of stakes winners like he does and throw good sale types.
“A lot of those stallions have had big fee increases so I think he really stands out at this mark.”
Joining Spirit Of Boom on the Eureka roster is Encryption (Lonhro), whose first weanlings are selling this year as the Group 2-winning, Group 1 placed stallion enters a third season at stud.
He will stand for an unchanged fee of $13,200 (inc GST with payment on Live Foal).
“He’s an extremely well bred horse,” said McAlpine of the son of Lonhro (Octagonal) out of ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and ATC Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Guelph (Exceed And Excel).
“Bivouac is in his pedigree and Encryption’s full sister Emanate was placed in a Group 3 in the autumn carnival.
“He’s throwing very good looking stock which is typical of the Lonhro line and we’ve got some very promising youngsters to offer from his first crop next year, including a half to Finance Tycoon, half to Beat The Clock, half to Miami Fleiss, so he’s been well supported and he’ll have every chance.”
Defcon (Choisir) will be moved on this season, while Red Dazzler (Red Ransom) will be retired after 14 years at stud, having been represented by seven stakes winners, including Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Tinto.
Eureka Stud roster
2021 2020
Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) $33,000 $44,000
Encryption (Lonhro) $13,200 Unchanged