Innovative points-based system sees Waikato Stud in running for leading vendor in Australia
Sire premierships are decided on monies earned, that’s just how it is, and how it has been, for some considerable time.
Another measure, such as AEI (Average Earnings Index), has been used over time, providing further analysis of a sire’s performance.
Wins and winners; stakes wins and stakes winners; stakes-winners-to-winners ratio; stakes-winners-to-runners ratio – are more categories to assist in determining a stallion’s quality.
In an innovative attempt to further quantify and assess the quality of runners, sires, dams and vendors, an organisation named Black Type Premiership (BTP) have entered the fray with yet another measure: Allotting points for all black-type performances.
And, in quite a coup for the famed New Zealand stallion farm and nursery, Waikato Stud, the Mark Chittick-owned operation has, until recently, topped the rankings as the leading vendor for not just New Zealand, but Australia as well.
Their system, which is certainly subjective, has some merit. The only argument might be their settling upon certain values, and the differences in values, assigned to each winning or placed performance.
The full points criteria is as follows;
One point is given to any horse that finishes third in a Listed or Restricted Listed race. Second earns two points and winning earns four points.
BTP believes that a Group 3 third placing is equal to a Listed win, thus awarding four points. Second earns five points and a Group 3 winner seven points.
This pattern repeats itself for Group 2 and Group 1 races. Third in a Group 2 earns the same seven points as a Group 3 winner. Second earns eight points and the Group 2 winner ten points.
For Group 1 race performances, third earns the same ten points as a Group 2 winner, second earns 11 points and a Group 1 winner earns the maximum 13 points.
| BTP pointing system | First | Second | Third |
| Group 1 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
| Group 2 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Group 3 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Listed/RL | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Several weeks ago, one of Chittick’s associates forwarded him a report that, using this new points allocation method, had Waikato Stud as the leading vendor of stakes performers for Australia. Not New Zealand and Australia combined, but Australia alone.
Quite rightly, Chittick was very interested to learn that his operation, despite being based in New Zealand, had them heading Arrowfield as leading vendor as of that particular week.
Bolstered by Group 1 winners Probabeel (Savabeel), Mo’unga (Savabeel), and Saturday’s Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Kukeracha (Night Of Thunder), as well as a plethora of Group winners including All Saints Eve (Sacred Falls), All Hallows Eve (Sacred Falls), Aegon (Sacred Falls), Fabric (Ocean Park) and Missybeel (Savabeel), Waikato Stud find themselves in such a lofty position.
The points ranking, which is calculated weekly, has, since May 30, seen Waikato Stud ease to second behind Arrowfield. Third lies Widden, followed by Bhima, Tyreel, Rosemont, Sledmere, Coolmore, Mill Park and Newhaven rounding out the top ten. Segenhoe, Newgate, Gilgai, Bowness and Vinery follow and the next New Zealand vendor is Wentwood Grange, the vendor of George Main (Gr 1, 1500m) stakes and All Aged Stakes winner (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Kolding, a son of Ocean Park (Thorn Park).
Leading vendors in Australia by BTP method, as of May 31
| Vendor | Points |
| Arrowfield Stud | 251 |
| Waikato Stud | 239 |
| Widden Stud | 200 |
| Tyreel Stud | 158 |
| Bhima Thoroughbreds | 153.5 |
| Coolmore | 147 |
| Rosemont Stud | 147 |
| Sledmere | 144 |
| Mill Park Stud | 142 |
| Newhaven Park | 124.5 |
Waikato Stud’s Ocean Park, due in large part to the exploits of Kolding, also holds a prominent position in the BTP leading sires table in Australia. When points are compared to the current Australian Sire Premiership by earnings table, it makes for interesting reading, and one that reflects favourably on New Zealand stallions.
Leading sires in Australia by BTP method and earnings, as of May 31
| BTP Method (points) | Earnings (earnings) | ||
| 1 | I Am Invincible (268) | 1 | Written Tycoon ($15,030,147) |
| 2 | Fastnet Rock (244) | 2 | Not a Single Doubt ($14,787,440) |
| 3 | Written Tycoon (212) | 3 | I Am Invincible ($13,608,704) |
| 4 | So You Think (209) | 4 | Snitzel ($12,228,505) |
| 5 | Zoustar (194) | 5 | So You Think ($11,967,700) |
| 6 | Ocean Park (186) | 6 | Fastnet Rock ($11,098,674) |
| 7= | Shamus Award (174) | 7 | Zoustar ($10,599,665) |
| 7= | Tavistock (174) | 8 | Exceed And Excel ($9,651,265) |
| 9 | Savabeel (173) | i | Sebring ($9,412,291) |
| 10 | Snitzel (170) | 10 | Pierro ($8,658,028) |
Ocean Park sits 31st re earnings yet sixth on points. Barnmate Savabeel (Zabeel) sits 13th on the earnings list yet ninth on the BTP points chart. The deceased Tavistock (Montjeu), formerly of Cambridge Stud, sits 14th in earnings and seventh equal on points. The term “punching above their weight” comes to mind.
The big money effect
Assessing leading sires through prize-money earnings has become more complex in recent years through the emergence of high-value ‘pop-up races’. In Australia in particular, the traditional method (total earnings) has been skewed lately due to the huge prize-money on offer via races such as The Everest (1200m), the All-Star Mile (1600m) and the Golden Eagle (1500m), among others.
The four Everest winners and their influence on the General Sires’ Premierships is profound.
Although In 2018 Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) would have topped the premiership regardless of Redzel’s first Everest success, the following season Snitzel would have fallen from first to second without Redzel’s $6.83 million for the season, the horse having gone back-to-back in the lucrative race.
This current season is similarly affected. Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) sits a very close second, a little more than $240,000 behind Written Tycoon (Iglesia) as at the end of May. However, without the $7.13 million earned by his Everest-winning son Classique Legend, Not A Single Doubt would be in 17th position.
Conversely, The Everest is not a stakes race and therefore does not have any standing in BTP’s calculations, despite many arguing it to be the strongest sprint race on the Australian calendar.
In New Zealand, BTP lists the current leading sires as Savabeel (Zabeel), Fastnet Rock (Danehill) and Per Incanto (Street Cry) which matches the same order as the current earnings list.
A points system is a welcome alternative to the earnings method, the debate will continue to rumble on.
BPT has Kiwi mare on top
Elsewhere in the BPT rankings and New Zealand celebrates more success as, with 83 points, Opulence (Danroad), dam of Verry Elleegant, enjoys a clear lead of 17 points in the Dam’s category over Retsina (Redoute’s Choice), who has Savatiano (Street Cry) and Athiri (Lonhro) performing well as a duo. Far Fetched (Pins), dam of Probabeel is seventh. Explosive Jack’s dam Extra Explosive (Ekraar) lies 13th.
It does get better
At the NZB Karaka National Weanling Sale last month, Waikato Stud veterinarian Dr Chris Phillips sold a Deep Field (Northern Meteor) filly for NZ$90,000, declaring: “I couldn’t ask for anything better,” having purchased the weanling’s dam Kibira (Redoute’s Choice) carrying the foal, for $45,000 through the April 2020 Inglis Digital Online Sale.
“I bought the mare in foal to Deep Field but bought her mainly to send to Too Darn Hot,” Phillips said. “I am a huge fan of Dubawi and I was present when Time Test was foaled. He was my favourite foal that season.”
On Saturday it did get better for Phillips. No doubt his purchase of Portrait Of A Lady (A. P. Indy) was influenced by his keenness on Dubawi (Dubai Millennium), as she was carrying Saturday’s Queensland Derby winner Kukeracha, by Dubawi’s son Night Of Thunder.
“I knew how good Night Of Thunder was, having kept a close eye on the European racing and I loved his sire Dubawi,” said Phillips.
He bought the mare for $40,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and sold Kukeracha for NZ$130,000 at the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.
Anthony Mithen of Rosemont Stud in Victoria perfectly timed his purchase of Cameo (Shamardal) at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale last week. Cameo is a half-sister to Kukeracha and was successful at Group 3 and Listed level, two of her four wins. She has already produced a Sydney winner and is in foal to Epaulette (Commands). His $210,000 outlay now looks most reasonable on reflection.
The local scene
One stakes race was run in New Zealand this past weekend, the Futurity Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Ellerslie.
Still green and described as “a big goof” by his trainer Carl Henderson, Atullibigeal (Street Boss) could not have been more impressive, racing clear by three lengths over the latter stages despite star-gazing from the top of the straight and now has his sight set of the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) next season.
“Thankfully, he was quite explosive and very strong to the line and that is how he is at home when he is working, as he will just take off when you give him a squeeze,” said Henderson. “He is still a big goof though and has a lot of maturing left to do.”
Although Atullibigeal was foaled in Australia, his dam Kellys Ocean Jewel (Dansili) spent her first seven seasons at stud in New Zealand, foaling two winners to Pins (Snippets) and two to Bullbars (Elusive Quality).
Exported to Australia in 2015 she has produced a further two winners there including Atullibigeal, her first stakes winner. She is six winners from six to race.
Unraced, Kellys Ocean Jewel is a half-sister to two French stakes winners including Cinnamon Bay (Zamindar), dam of the Champion French colt and Prix du Jockey Club (Gr 1, 2100m) winner New Bay (Dubawi).
His granddam, the stakes placed Trellis Bay (Sadler’s Wells), is a three-quarter sister to dual Group 1 winner Beat Hollow (Sadler’s Wells) and half-sister to Irish Oaks (Gr 1, 1m 4f) winner Wemyss Bight (Dancing Brave).
Trellis Bay is also a half-sister to Hope (Dancing Brave), dam of Champion Sprinter and successful sire Oasis Dream (Green Desert) as well as French Classic winner Zenda (Zamindar), dam of European Horse of the Year Kingman (Invincible Spirit).
Dancing at Highview
Brent Gillovic of Highview Stud might be excused for doing a little dance after the debut victory of And We Danced, a two-year-old filly by his resident sire Wrote (High Chaparral), his first southern hemisphere winner.
On looks, Wrote’s stock made quite an impression with buyers at the 2020 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale and sold well.
At Hastings last Wednesday And We Danced also made quite an impression, especially considering that she was racing against older horses. She was in heavy traffic starting the run home but accelerated nicely when in the clear and was resolute to the line.
Gillovic was, needless to say, very pleased: “It’s nice to get off the mark and the filly is certainly well above average. I didn’t think she was going to get up, but it was a big effort. Bill (Thurlow) said this filly really wasn’t a two-year-old and she will only get better. She showed a real will to get up and win, and had a great turn of foot in the end.”
Wrote, a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Gr 1, 8f) victor, who previously stood at Northwest Farm in Florida, has sired 33 winners in USA. His fee for the upcoming season has been maintained at $5,000 (plus GST).
Kiwis spend big
Kiwi studs and agents stepped up in person and with solid bank accounts at last week’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
It was farewell to Melody Belle (Commands), Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge) and Bonham (Per Incanto), reaching $2.6 million, $1.9 million and $1.6 million respectively and they will remain in Australia.
However, the Kiwis responded strongly, purchasing more than 70 lots and signing sales dockets to the tune of more than $16 million.
New Zealand agent Dean Hawthorne was responsible for the single highest outlay of $2 million for the 2019 South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Qafila (Not A Single Doubt). The now five-year-old was a Listed winner at two and added a Group 2 win before her Derby success, earning more than $700,000. Her dam, the French-raced USA-bred Zighy Bay (Tapit), is a half-sister to Japanese Group 1 winner Mozu Superflare (Speightstown). Qafila is in foal to Dundeel (High Chaparral).
Hawthorne also had to go to seven figures to purchase Zamzam (Redoute’s Choice) for $1.25 million. The Listed winner and Group 1 placed Zamzam is from a half-sister to Tully Thunder (Thunder Gulch), winner of the Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) and dam of Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Levendi (Pierro).
Bruce Perry, in conjunction with Jamieson Park on two lots and Little Avondale Stud on one lot, signed for seven mares including Quilista (Scandal Keeper) for $1 million. Starting her racing career in Western Australia, where she won four times, Quilista took her talents to Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland adding five wins, two in Sydney, including the Sapphire Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). She produced an I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) filly last spring and is in foal to Pierata (Pierro).
Perry had to go to $800,000 to purchase 15-year-old Faint Perfume (Shamardal) who is in foal to I Am Invincible. The Champion 3YO Filly of her crop, Faint Perfume scored the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) and the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). At stud she has done a magnificent job, producing two Group winners including Adelaide Cup (Gr 2, 3200m) winner Good Idea (So You Think). Her dam Zona (Zabeel) is a half-sister to Banc De Fortune (Galileo), granddam of Bonham, who sold for $1.6 million earlier in the sale.
Catching his breath after a hectic weanling sale the previous week was agent Paul Willetts whose twelve purchases included one in conjunction with Boomer Bloodstock. His most expensive outlay was $425,000 for the Lonhro (Octagonal) mare Wawail, who was a dual Group winner at Flemington. Her dam, El Dana (Redoute’s Choice) was also a Flemington Group 2 winner. Wawail is in foal to Deep Field (Northern Meteor).
New Zealand Bloodstock, as well as Bevan Smith, each bought three lots while Jen Campin went to $300,000 for Wellington Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Gold Bracelet (Pins). Gold Bracelet is from a sister to Hong Kong Champion Miler Beauty Flash (Golan).
Several New Zealand studs were very active. Windsor Park Stud signed for five lots while Mapperley Stud signed for four and Waikato Stud three lots.
Waikato Stud outlayed $320,000 for an empty, yet very well related mare. by their own Savabeel (Zabeel). Corvina is a half-sister to Group winners Vavasour (Redoute’s Choice), Vilanova (Commands) and Celebrity Dream (Thorn Park). Her dam is the Group 3 winner Valpolicella (Red Ransom) and represents a wonderful family established, and continued very successfully, by, Haunui Farm.
Cambridge Stud chimed in with two purchases, the first, two-year-old Queen Of Wizardry (Not A Single Doubt) for $525,000, a Brisbane winner this season. She also finished fifth in the recent Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick.
Their second purchase was the Encosta De Lago (Fairy King) mare Pizzazz, in foal to Written Tycoon, for $350,000. Pizzazz is a sister or half-sister to three stakes winners and to the dam of Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) victor Summer Passage (Snitzel).