Fierce Impact to stand at Leneva Park Seymour
Three-time Group 1-winning miler Fierce Impact (Deep Impact) will stand at stud in Victoria next season, with the acquisition of the Sydney-trained import confirming Leneva Park’s expansion into the stallion business in 2021.
A Sydney autumn finale has been mapped out for the Matthew Smith-trained rising eight-year-old entire culminating in a tilt at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick on April 10.
Late last year, Leneva Park announced it would take over the Seymour property previously leased by Aquis Farm and stand incumbent stallions Lean Mean Machine (Zoustar) and Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit), complementing the spelling and pre-training operation at Longwood in North East Victoria.
At the time, in an interview with ANZ Bloodstock News, Leneva Park bloodstock adviser Mick Sharkie flagged the likely recruitment of the Japanese-bred Fierce Impact to help boost the farm’s stallion stocks ahead of its launch later this year.
“We are thrilled that the ownership group, trainer Matt Smith and Mark Pilkington have put their faith in Leneva Park to carry Fierce Impact forward as a stallion and we are so excited to join them this autumn as we chase more Group 1 success together,” Sharkie said.
By Japan’s late champion sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence), Fierce Impact is a brother to Grade 1 winner Keiai Nautique and is a son of dual Grade 3-winning mare Keiai Gerbera (Smarty Jones).
Bought by Tweenhills Stud principal David Redvers for ¥66,000,000 at the JRHA JRA Select Yearling and Foal Sale, he was a two-year-old winner in the UK before being resold for $120,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale to Smith.
Levena Park has bought a significant share in Fierce Impact and they will retain the support of Seymour Bloodstock as well as co-owners Frank and Christine Cook.
Limited shares are being offered to breeders by the ownership group.
“Given his pedigree, there’s no reason why Fierce Impact won’t produce high class two-year-old winners as well as horses capable of winning a Caulfield Guineas, Doncaster or a Cox Plate,” Sharkie said.
“We’ve already had calls from breeders keen to invest in his future, the added bonus of racing the horse in major Group 1 races this autumn is really appealing.”
Smith is expected to start Fierce Impact first-up in the George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m) at Rosehill on March 20.
“He is such a tough, hardy horse. He’s a very special individual and has been perfectly sound right through his career, he just keeps getting better,” Smith said.
“He is a Group 1-class horse from 1400 to 2000 metres with a great turn of foot and I think he’s a horse that breeders will really get behind.
“We’ve taken our time with him after the Cox Plate but he’s going super, he’s going as well as ever. It’s been an amazing journey so far and I’m sure he’s got more to give before he retires to Leneva Park.”