Sunday, 13 July 2008
Danroad is the leading New Zealand-based first-season sire for the 2007/08 racing season - based on Australasian progeny earnings. The Highview Stud-based sire has progeny earnings of A$412,474 this season with Gr. 1 TJ Smith Classic winner Rockdale (ex Komplete Kaos) being the major contributor to this total with earnings of A$385,000.
Rockdale also finished second in the Gr. 2 QTC Sires' Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm in May.
Danroad, who is owned by the Hong Kong Breeders' Club, has a very impressive strike rate of four individual winners and two placegetters from only nine starters in Australasia this season.
He has been further represented by two winners from two starters in Asia.
Danroad's New Zealand winners this season have been the stakes performer, Amazing Sky, Worthing and Kerilla.
On the first-season sires list for Australasia there are only three sires ahead of Danroad and these are all Australian-based - Exceed And Excel, Falbrav and Lohnro.
Behind Danroad on earnings of New Zealand-based sires are Thorn Park and Spartacus.
Highview Stud managing director Brent Gillovic said Danroad is attracting great support this year from broodmare owners in New Zealand and is expected to have a full book of up to 120 mares, of a highest-ever quality, by the end of this month.
A fast son of Danehill, Danroad was a six-time winner, including at Group 2 level as a two-year-old, and the second leading colt on the 2001 New Zealand Two-Year-Old Free Handicaps. Danroad, whose fee is $6000 plus gst, now stands alongside Align and Kashani at Brent and Louise Gillovic's Highview Stud.
