Stallions to Stud 2019

The famed WIDDEN STUD have announced their roster for the 2019 season spearheaded by the exciting Zoustar (Northern Meteor) who will stand for $140,000 + GST while multiple Group 1-winning newcomer Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) will begin his first season at a fee of $90,000 + GST.

The fee increase for Zoustar, Australia's Champion first season sire in 2017-18, comes after his three-year-olds dominated the Coolmore Stud Stakes (registered as Ascot Vale Stakes) (Gr 1, 1200m) in the spring, with Sunlight leading home a trifecta for the young stallion who is poised to claim the second season sire title this year.

The Tony McEvoy-trained Sunlight has also since won the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) and the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) against the older sprinters to lay claim to being the Champion sprinter of the year and Champion 3yo.

Zoustar is the sire of seven individual stakes winners, including this season's B J McLachlan Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winning juvenile Sun City from two crops of racing age meanwhile, his yearlings sold up to $1 million and averaged $328,571 at last week's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
" Zoustar is the most exciting young stallion in the world and that demand has extended to the Northern Hemisphere where he is covering a full book of mares at Tweenhills Stud. To sire the 1-2-3 in a highly targeted Group One race like the Coolmore with his first crop speaks volumes of this young stallion's ability and future" said Widden's Antony Thompson.

"He's also enjoyed a phenomenal year in the sales ring with multiple yearlings fetching $1m or more. Given his strong shareholder support nomination numbers are limited and we expect he'll be full within the next few days post the release of his fee."

Thompson said Trapeze Artist's record meant he was deserving of a high-quality band of broodmares in his first season at stud which will be presented to him by his owner-breeder Bert Vieira and Widden Stud.
"Trapeze Artist is without question one of the most decorated & best credentialled horses to retire to stud in years. A multiple record-breaking sprinter, a 3yo that dominated his elders at WFA level and by the Champion sire in Snitzel. I can't think of an Australian colt to retire this season with anywhere near the level of Trapeze Artist's achievements.

It's also worth remembering what he did to the likes of Menari, Pariah & Merchant Navy in the Golden Rose where he won by over 4 lengths from the widest barrier. As Gerald Ryan says; 'when he lets rip there isn't a sprinter in the world that of could of went with him".

The four-time Group 1 winner Trapeze Artist, who won the Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) in 2017, showcased his talent in open company 12 months ago when he claimed the T J Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) in Race record time and broke the Randwick 1400 Track Record in the All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) during a stellar autumn campaign.

Vieira, despite plenty of interest from studs following Trapeze Artist's three-year-old season, elected to race the Gerald Ryan-trained sprinter on at four, with the son of Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) finishing runner-up in the $13 million The Everest (1200m) last October before crowning his career with a track record breaking victory in the Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m) this March.

Earlier this month, Widden Stud announced that Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Written By (Written Tycoon) would be joining Trapeze Artist on the roster this year at a fee of $22,500 + GST.

Thompson describes the son of Written Tycoon as a huge coup for the stud.

"Written By is an awesome individual. Strong, imposing and perfectly suited to the Australian market which is key for commercial success. He's a Group One winning, Champion 2yo by one of Australia's leading speed sires and is completely free of Danehill blood. He profiles up ideally particularly for breeders with Redoute's line mares given his duplication of Best In Show. We feel he's an enormous chance and we're thrilled to stand him with Neville Begg & his family."

Consistent sire Nicconi (Bianconi), a mainstay of the Widden Stud roster this decade, also celebrated his biggest success in his career to date when his brilliant son Nature Strip won The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m) in March and yearlings sold for up to $420,000 at the Magic Millions. As a result, has had a minor service fee increase to $35,000 + GST.

Star Witness (Starcraft), whose Group 3-winning, Golden Rose Stakes-placed colt Graff has been flying the flag for his sire this season, will stand for $25,000 + GST. He is currently inside the top 20 leading Australian sires with 93 individual winners this season and prize-money earnings of more than $5.1 million.

Widden Stud was dealt a blow with the sudden death of its flagship stallion Sebring (More Than Ready) but in a small consolation his Group 1-placed son Supido will start his second season on the roster this year at a fee of $9,000 + GST after covering 116 mares last year.

Your Song (Fastnet Rock), who will have his largest crop of yearlings set for sale next year in his six seasons at stud, will stand for $12,500 + GST.

While Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) winner Shamus Award (Snitzel), whose oldest crop are three-year-olds, fresh from siring a stakes winner on Saturday when Classic Weiwei took out the Port Adelaide Guineas (Listed, 1800m) at Morphettville. will stand for $10,000 + GST.

Group 1 winner Stratum Star, a son of Widden's late sire Stratum (Redoute's Choice), will stand for $9,000 + GST in his third season at stud while fellow unproven sire Outreach (Exceed And Excel), the brother to 2013 Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Overreach, will stand for $7,000 + GST.


WIDDEN STALLION ROSTER 2019

ZOUSTAR (Northern Meteor) $154,000
TRAPEZE ARTIST (Snitzel) New $99,000
NICCONI (Bianconi) $38,500
STAR WITNESS (Starcraft) $27,500
WRITTEN BY (Written Tycoon) New $24,750
YOUR SONG (Fastnet Rock) $13,750
SHAMUS AWARD (Snitzel) $11,000
SUPIDO (Sebring) $9,900
STRATUM STAR (Stratum) $9,900
OUTREACH (Exceed And Excel) $7,700

*All fees inclusive of GST

Normally first season sires are propped up by getting their 40 shareholders 2 noms each, which is 80. Then they only need 100 outside mares. No one owns shares in TA so they genuinely need 180 people (less however many Widden rights there are and Veira will send)

It's insane.

Zoustar I agree would be fair at 99.

TA I was in no way expecting more than 66, and felt 55 was realistic with a hint of overpriced.

At a guess I'd say around $6.6k.