Tweenhills stud fees and incentive for 2019 announced
The 2019 stud fees for the Qatar Racing owned roster of stallions have been announced.
Tweenhills, home of Qatar Racing stallions, will stand three new and exciting stallions for the 2019 season; Lightning Spear, Roaring Lion, and Zoustar. The trio will join permanent residents Havana Gold and Hot Streak, with Charm Spirit returning from Haras de Bonneval to stand in the UK.
Recently crowned Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, Roaring Lion, joins the Qatar Racing stallion roster off the back of a sensational year on the racecourse; Roaring Lion is the highest rated son of Kitten's Joy, a winner of four consecutive Gr. 1 races and World Champion 3yo.
David Redvers, Manager of Qatar Racing, said: ‚"It is a huge privilege and honour to stand Roaring Lion for Sheikh Fahad and his brothers. He is by some margin the best horse I have ever been involved with, and is the toughest horse I have seen on a racecourse. His class, durability and will to win made him look cut from a different cloth this season and his pedigree and looks make him one of the most attractive stallion prospects to retire to stud in recent years. He's a superior horse and I believe he will prove an equally strong influence as a sire.‚"
Top class miler Lightning Spear, winner of the Gr. 1 Sussex Sakes, placed in a further seven Gr. 1 races and a dual Gr. 2 winner, who defeated 39 Gr. 1 winners in his career, including Classic winners Awtaad and Galileo Gold, also joins the stallion roster a son of Pivotal, a proven sire of sires and outstanding broodmare sire, Lightning Spear became Champion Older Miler in 2016.
Redvers said: ‚"Lightning Spear was one of the best looking yearlings I've ever seen. With his stunning pedigree, soundness and unique turn of foot he will provide breeders with an outstanding opportunity at a commercial fee.‚"
Standing alongside them will be Australia's Champion 3yo sprinter and Champion First Season Sire, Zoustar, part-owned by Qatar Racing, who will be reverse shuttled to stand at Tweenhills for 2019. Zoustar sired a 1-2-3 in the Gr. 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington last month with Sunlight taking the prize, simultaneously landing her sixth Stakes success. His progeny have won over A$3 million in prize money establishing him as the highest earning Australasian First Season Sire in history.
Zoustar's racecourse success continues to be matched in the sales ring in Australia with his 3rd yearling crop averaging A$190,000.
Redvers said: ‚"The much anticipated arrival of Zoustar offers European breeders the chance to breed to a true record breaker. He is recognised as one of the most exciting young stallions in the world and with a limited book and a strong syndicate supporting the horse breeders will need to move very fast if they wish to secure a nomination.‚"
Triple Gr. 1 winner Charm Spirit sired his first Stakes winner, Yourtimeisnow, in September and is current British based leading first season sire, by winners, with 25 individual progeny wins to date.
Redvers said: ‚"Charm Spirit has followed in Havana Gold's footsteps as leading British based first season sire on both prize money and winners and only one winner behind Ireland's No Nay Never. If his stock show even a fraction of the improvement he did from two to three, the hattrick Gr1 winner looks certain to prove a very significant influence.‚"
Havana Gold, 2017's leading first season sire, saw further success at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 1) with yearlings realising up to 250,000gns. His first and seconds crops performing admirably on the racecourse with Havana Grey recording his fifth stakes success in the Gr. 1 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.
Redvers said: ‚"Havana Grey's victory Flying Five Gr1 victory made up for his unlucky defeat in the Prix Morny Gr1 at two and proved beyond all doubt that Havana Gold is a genuine Gr1 sire. With six stakes winners in his first crop the demand for Havana Gold has never been so high. With over 150 in foal mares this year there will be plenty of support from shrewd breeders wishing to follow this superb young sire's first big book at his higher fee.‚"
The offspring of Hot Streak, the fastest 2yo of his generation and highest ever rated 2yo by Iffraaj, will be seen on the track in 2019. From a world class family featuring the mighty Height Of Fashion and sire sensation Deep Impact, Hot Streak's yearlings averaged 40,875gns with six selling for six-figure sums, including a yearling colt ex Bossanova Lady, who sold for 220,000gns.
Redvers said: ‚"Breeders are unsurprisingly delighted by the way his yearlings were received at this year as he was the real success story to take away from this autumn's sales. We go into the 2019 season with huge excitement and hope to see them show some of his outstanding natural speed on the track.'
‚"All of our stallions will continue to stand on special live foal terms and our team will do everything to assist breeders make the best decisions for their mares and businesses. To this end we will also be offering a free return to any breeder breeding a stakes winner by one of our stallions. This may be used either on the stallion responsible or any of the Qatar stallions at Tweenhills as a credit to the value of that nomination. Our success equals your success.‚"
2019 stud fees for Qatar Racing stallions:
Roaring Lion £40,000 Oct 1st SLF
Zoustar £25,000 Oct 1st SLF
Lightning Spear £8,500 Oct 1st SLF
Charm Spirit £17,500 Oct 1st SLF
Havana Gold £15,000 Oct 1st SLF
Hot Streak £7,000 Oct 1st SLF
For further information on all Qatar Racing stallions please visit www.tweenhills.com, or contact Hannah Wall on +44 7748 647313 or Alex Lowe +44 7733 305867.