Written by Paul Vettise
Astute kiwi bloodstock agent Phil Cataldo joined in the tour of Waikato farms on Saturday. He chatted to TDN AusNZ's Paul Vettise about his thoughts on stallions, especially the new arrivals.
Phil Cataldo was suitably impressed by Satono Aladdin (JPN) (Deep Impact {JPN}) when he laid eyes on the stallion for the first time. The Cambridge-based bloodstock agent viewed the Group 1-winning stallion during Saturday’s Waikato stud tour.
Satono Aladdin, who won the Yasuda Kinen in 1.31.50 last year, is resident at Rich Hill Stud where he was paraded along with Jimmy Choux (NZ) (Thorn Park), Proisir (Choisir), Shocking (Street Cry {IRE}) and Vadamos (FR) (Monsun {GER}). “He’s quite a different shape to what I thought he might be,” Cataldo said.
Satono Aladdin at Rich Hill Stud
“He’s very tall and built like a stayer and he would really suit a lot of mares that need a bit of size. His pedigree is quite outstanding being a Group 1 winning son of Deep Impact in such a fast time. He obviously needed fast ground and he’s got a lot of quality about him, he’s a lovely well-balanced horse.
“Satono Aladdin obviously needed fast ground and he’s got a lot of quality about him, he’s a lovely well-balanced horse.” - Phil Cataldo
“He’s a really strong colour with a lovely shoulder and girth. His temperament is very good, there were a lot of people there and he never turned a hair.”
Bright start to parade
The stud tour opened at Brighthill Farm where the four-time Group 1 winner Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), whose first foals arrived this season, was on display alongside Dalghar (FR) (Anabaa {USA}) and Perfectly Ready (More Than Ready {USA}) and after taking in Rich Hill it was on to Waikato Stud.
Preferment
Sacred Falls (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), whose first two-year-olds will be up and running this season, Ocean Park (NZ) (Thorn Park), Rock ‘n’ Pop (Fastnet Rock), Tivaci (High Chaparral {IRE}) and their champion resident Savabeel (Zabeel {NZ}) were all on display.
Mapperley Stud paraded Complacent (Authorized {IRE}), Contributer IRE) (High Chaparral {IRE}) and He’s Remarkable (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) and Puccini (NZ) (Encosta de Lago) before the tour rolled on to Valachi Downs to sight their foundation stallions Savile Row (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) and Zacinto (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
“Savile Row is a really nice, masculine individual with plenty of presence about him and a great head,” Cataldo said. For a Makfi, he is a very correct horse and if he throws them like himself he will be leaving good types.
“Savile Row is a really nice, masculine individual with plenty of presence about him and a great head.” - Phil Cataldo
They day was completed by a visit to Novara Park, home to Sweynesse (Lonhro) and What’s The Story (NZ) (Savabeel), who travelled over from his Norwegian Park base to join in the parade. The G1 New Zealand Derby runner-up will stand his first season at the Cambridge property this season.
“I hadn’t seen Sweynesse before and he’s a lovely, big athlete,” Cataldo said. “In fact, every farms’ horses looked amazing so all credit to them for the winter we’ve had. It’s been so wet and all the stallions looked in fantastic order.”
Sweynesse at Novara Park
