The Hong Kong Breeders Club has signaled that the service fee for New Zealand’s leading second-season sire Danroad will be increased this year.
The Hong Kong Breeders Club, which owns Danroad, has been fielding major international interest in buying Danroad in recent weeks with the latest offer – from an Australian stud - being received earlier this week.
Peter Yip, co-founder of the Hong Kong Breeders Club, confirmed that the offers had principally come from Australian studs which were endeavouring to take him across the other side of the Tasman.
However, at this stage Yip said the offers had been turned down and the Hong Kong Breeders Club remained committed to standing the exciting Group 2-winning sire son of Danehill in New Zealand this year.
“There is a degree of sentiment involved in not wanting to sell Danroad,” Yip said. “I love the horse and he’s become somewhat of a family pet. It’s a dream for the Hong Kong Breeders Club and myself to see the fine results Danroad is achieving at stud.”
Yip said demand for Danroad’s services soared last year when he attracted twice as many mares and also a much superior book to previous years at stud.
Danroad’s first progeny were sold at Karaka in 2007 where the colt from Prospective Belle sold for $100,000. Later that year eventual Group 1 winner Rockdale was sold at the Ready-To-Run Sales at Karaka for $130,000. This was followed up strongly by a $140,000 sale for the full brother to stakes placed Amazing Sky at the Karaka sales and more recently the $110,000 received for a colt from Ambush at the Ready To Run Sales last year. These are exceptional returns on the back of a $6000 service fee.
Danroad’s small representation of yearlings sold this year averaged $33,000.
“Even with the market in recession the fact remains that Danroad is ticking every box as a top young sire and his services will be strongly sought after again this year,” Yip said.
Yip said a service fee has yet to be confirmed but it will be in the vicinity of $12,000 to $15,000. Last year it was $6000.
This pending fee increase means that buyers attending the Highview Stud deplenishing sale at the Hamilton-based farm on Sunday will have a fabulous opportunity to buy Danroad’s progeny at very attractive prices.
Danroad’s position as the leading second-season sire (by stake earnings) in New Zealand this year sees him rated above Thorn Park, Captain Rio, Spartacus and Elusive City.
His headline act of the 2008/09 season has undoubtedly been Down The Road who was desperately unlucky (given the interference he received) when he the closest of seconds in head-bobbing finish to the Group 1 $2.2 million New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie. He also won the Group 2 ARC Championship Stakes at Ellerslie and has bankrolled $492,928 in stake-earnings to date.
Down The Road is currently in quarantine in Hong Kong and there is every chance that he will contest the Hong Kong Derby next year as a four-year-old. Having a quality galloper like Down The Road racing in Hong Kong is sure to increase the demand for his stock at future yearling sales and in the private sales market.
Danroad's oldest crop are just three-year-olds, and with just two small crops of 45 and 38 foals he has sired Australian Group 1 winning two-year-old Rockdale (Danroad - Komplete Kaos, by Desert Sun) along with Down the Road (Gr. 2 winner), Outtalimitz (Gr. 2 placegetter), Amazing Sky (stakes placegetter), Kerilla (Group performer) and nine other winners.
Danroad's statistics support the emergence of a 'new star' with almost 42 % winners to runners at this early stage (13 individual winners from only 31 individual runners), and 6.4% Group 1 performers to runners. These figures leave him without peer amongst the second-season sires currently at stud in New Zealand.
As a winner of four races at two, including the Group 3 WRC Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1200m) and placing in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires produce, it is no surprise that Danroad's progeny go early. Of his 13 winners, five won at two, and all bar last start winner Piece of Art (Danroad - Princess Marengo, by Umatilla) won races before Christmas of their three-year-old seasons.
Highview Stud’s deplenishing sale on Sunday will offer ample opportunity for those buyers looking to take advantage of the young sire's 'upward swing' in the market.
Four weanling colts with pin-hook potential, and three fillies with residual value, will be presented for auction at the Hamilton property.
Highlights include:
Lot 1 - Br. Filly - Danroad x Go Norn (Clay Hero): Go Norn was stakes placed and won three races, one at two, but is best known for producing full brothers Life of Reilly (Kreisler) and (Mr) Royston (Kreisler) who won twenty three races between them, including a Group 3 victory and multiple Listed victories. Go Norn has a 100% strike rate, leaving seven foals for seven winners.
Lot 2 - Br. Colt - Danroad x Our Aspiration (Mi Preferido): Our Aspiration won five races herself, two at two, including the Listed WRC Lightning Stakes. His full sister made $25,000 at Karaka 2009, and the colt shares the same damsire as Mufhasa.
Lot 5 - Bay Colt - Danroad x Strawberry (Marscay): Strawberry won two races and was fourth in the Group 3 SAJC Auraria Stakes. Her dam, by Danehill, won races two at two, and the family has produced outstanding Group 1 winning gallopers such as Agnes World, Dubai Destination and Librettist.
Other Danroad entries include a yearling filly and eight mares in foal to the speedy son of Danehill. These are highlighted by:
Lot 12 - Hacienda (Bletchingly), a half sister to Group 1 racehorse and sire Snippets. This is also the family of Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Forensics, and the colt she defeated that day in Zizou. She is sold with a positive test to Danroad-LSD 1/12/2008.
Lot 25 - Strawberry (Marscay) won two races and was fourth in the Group 3 SAJC Auraria Stakes. Her dam by Danehill won two at two, and the family has produced outstanding Group 1 winning gallopers such as Agnes World, Dubai Destination and Librettist. She is sold in foal to Danroad - LSD 11/12/2008.
Lot 26 - Swit (General Nediym), a two-time winner over 1000m, Swit hails from an outstanding two-year-old family which includes Worth, Sudden, Burst, Allez France, Superfly and Victory Prince. She is in foal to Danroad - LSD 1/09/2008.
Lot 28- Ahava (Semipalatinsk), winner of the Listed WATC Jungle Dawn Classic, and the dam of outstanding Singapore galloper Capablanca, winner of the Listed Lion City Cup twice. She is sold with a positive test to Danroad-LSD 28/09/2008.
